In pictures: Liberia: Rubber republic

When the water is extracted, the rubber turns brown.

The cost of synthetic rubber has risen recently because of high oil prices and so some tyre manufacturers are switching back to natural rubber.

Liberians hope this will continue. As well as Firestone, there are several other plantations and countless small farms.

While car tyres can be made from either synthetic or natural rubber, only natural rubber goes into the tyres on aeroplanes.