VIEW AND HISTORY OF BUCHANAN CITY IN GRAND BASSA COUNTY Buchanan, also previously known as Grand Bassa on some maps, is the third largest city in Liberia, lying on Waterhouse Bay, part of the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2008 census, Buchanan had a population of 34,270. Of this, 16,984 were male and 17,286 female. Buchanan was named after Thomas Buchanan, cousin of U.S. president James Buchanan and the second governor of Liberia.It became the capital of Grand Bassa County and lies 70 miles southeas