{"id":8564,"date":"2021-09-14T04:00:01","date_gmt":"2021-09-14T11:00:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/?p=8564"},"modified":"2021-09-14T20:28:36","modified_gmt":"2021-09-15T03:28:36","slug":"sierra-leone","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/sierra-leone\/","title":{"rendered":"Sierra Leone"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/h2>\n

Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, informally Salone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered by Liberia<\/a> to the southeast and Guinea<\/a> to the northeast. Sierra Leone has a tropical climate with a diverse environment ranging from savanna to rainforests, a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi) and a population of 7,092,113 as of the 2015 census. The capital and largest city is Freetown<\/a>. The country is divided into five administrative regions which are subdivided into sixteen districts. Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president. Sierra Leone is a Muslim-majority country at approximately 78%, though with an influential Christian minority at about 21%. Muslims and Christians in Sierra Leone are extremely tolerant of each other, and all the major Muslim and Christian holidays are officially national holidays in the country.<\/p>\n

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Sierra Leone on the Globe<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sierra Leone achieved independence from the United Kingdom on 27 April 1961, and Milton Margai became the country’s first Prime Minister. Sierra Leone held its first general election as an independent nation on May 27, 1962. From 1968 to 1985 Sierra Leone was governed by strongman president Siaka Stevens<\/a>. From 1978 to 1985 Sierra Leone was officially a one-party state, as President Stevens’ political party, the All People’s Congress, was the only legal political party in the country.<\/p>\n

The multiparty democratic constitution of Sierra Leone was again adopted in 1991 by President Joseph Saidu Momoh<\/a>, Stevens’ hand-picked choice. From March 23, 1991 to 2002, a group of former Sierra Leone soldiers launched a brutal civil war<\/a> in a failed attempt to overthrow the Sierra Leone government. The APC’s 24-year rule of Sierra Leone ended on April 29, 1992 in a military coup and a 25-year-old Captain Valentine Strasser<\/a> ruled the country from 1992 to 1996 in a junta government.<\/p>\n

Sierra Leone returned to a democratically elected government in 1996 when Ahmad Tejan Kabbah<\/a> of the Sierra Leone People’s Party was sworn in as president after his victory in that year’s election. However, the Sierra Leone military overthrew President Kabbah in a coup on May 25, 1997. A coalition of West African ECOWAS<\/a> armed forces led by Nigeria<\/a> reinstated President Kabbah in February 1998. In January 2002, President Kabbah officially announced the end of the civil war. Sierra Leone has had uninterrupted democratic government from 1998 to the present day.<\/p>\n

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Freetown from the Air<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sixteen ethnic groups inhabit Sierra Leone, the two largest and most influential being the Temne<\/a> and Mende<\/a> peoples. About 2% of the country’s population are Krio<\/a>, descendants of freed African American and West Indian slaves. English is the official language used in schools and government administration; however, Krio<\/a> is the most widely spoken language across Sierra Leone, spoken by 97% of the country’s population. Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources, especially diamond, gold, bauxite and aluminum. The country is a member of the United Nations<\/a>, African Union<\/a>, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mano River Union<\/a>, Commonwealth of Nations<\/a>, African Development Bank<\/a>, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation.<\/a><\/p>\n

History:<\/h2>\n

Archaeological finds show that Sierra Leone has been inhabited continuously for at least 2,500 years, populated successively by societies who migrated from other parts of Africa.<\/p>\n

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Fragments of Prehistoric Pottery from Kamabai Rock Shelter<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

European contacts within Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa in the 15th century. In 1462, Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra<\/a> mapped the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbor, naming the shaped formation Serra da Leoa or “Serra Leoa” (Portuguese for Lioness Mountains). The Spanish rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leona, which later was adapted and, misspelled, became the country’s current name.<\/p>\n

Soon after Sintra’s expedition, Portuguese traders arrived at the harbor. By 1495 they had built a fortified trading post on the coast. The Dutch and French also set up trade here, and each nation used Sierra Leone as a trading point for slaves brought by African traders from interior areas undergoing wars and conflicts over territory.<\/p>\n

In 1787 the British Crown founded a settlement in Sierra Leone in what was called the “Province of Freedom”. About 400 blacks and 60 whites reached Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787. After they established Granville Town, most of the first group of colonists died, owing to disease and warfare with the indigenous African peoples (Temne), who resisted their encroachment. When the ships left them in September, their numbers had been reduced to \u201cto 276 persons.<\/p>\n

The settlement of Sierra Leone in the 1800s was unique in that the population was composed of displaced Africans who were brought to the colony after the British abolition of the slave trade. In the early 19th century, Freetown served as the residence of the British colonial governor of the region, who also administered the Gold Coast<\/a> (now Ghana<\/a>) and the Gambia<\/a> settlements. Sierra Leone developed as the educational center of British West Africa. The British established Fourah Bay College<\/a> here in 1827, which rapidly became a magnet for English-speaking Africans on the West Coast. For more than a century, it was the only European-style university in western Sub-Saharan Africa.<\/p>\n

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Fourah Bay College (Old building, 1930s)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On 20 April 1960, Milton Margai<\/a> led a 24-member Sierra Leonean delegation at constitutional conferences that were held with the Government of Queen Elizabeth II<\/a> and British Colonial Secretary Iain Macleod<\/a> in negotiations for independence held in London.<\/p>\n

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Milton Margai<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On the conclusion of talks in London on 4 May 1960, the United Kingdom agreed to grant Sierra Leone independence on 27 April 1961.<\/p>\n

On 27 April 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from Great Britain and became the country’s first Prime Minister.<\/p>\n

Upon Milton Margai’s unexpected death in 1964, his half-brother, Sir Albert Margai<\/a>, was appointed as Prime Minister by parliament.<\/p>\n

The All People’s Congress, with its leader Siaka Stevens<\/a>, narrowly won a small majority of seats in Parliament over the SLPP in a closely contested 1967 general election. Stevens was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 March 1967.<\/p>\n

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Siaka Probyn Stevens<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Under the pressure of several coup attempts, real or perceived, Stevens’ rule grew more and more authoritarian, and his relationship with some of his ardent supporters deteriorated.<\/p>\n

Siaka Stevens retired from politics in November 1985 after being in power for eighteen years. The APC named a new presidential candidate to succeed Stevens at its last delegate conference, held in Freetown in November 1985. The candidate was Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh<\/a>, head of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces and Stevens’ own choice to succeed him. As head of the armed forces, General Momoh had been loyal to Stevens, who had appointed him to the position.<\/p>\n

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Joseph Saidu Momoh<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The brutal civil war that was going on in neighboring Liberia played a significant role in the outbreak of fighting in Sierra Leone. The civil war, details of which are available elsewhere (see Introduction for link), was ultimately ended with assistance from a Nigerian led force with additional assistance from British forces.<\/p>\n

In 2014 an Ebola virus epidemic in Sierra Leone<\/a> began, which had widespread impact on the country, including forcing Sierra Leone to declare a state of emergency. By the end of 2014 there were nearly 3000 deaths and about 10 thousand cases of the disease in Sierra Leone. The epidemic occurred as part of the wider Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa<\/a>. On 16 March 2016, the World Health Organisation declared Sierra Leone to be free from Ebola.<\/p>\n

In 2018, Sierra Leone held a general election. The presidential election, in which neither candidate reached the required threshold of 55%, went to a second round of voting, in which Julius Maada Bio<\/a> was elected with 51% of the vote.<\/p>\n

Geography:<\/h2>\n

Sierra Leone is located on the southwest coast of West Africa. The country is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest.<\/p>\n

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Map of Sierra Leone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sierra Leone has a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi), divided into a land area of 71,620 km2 (27,653 sq mi) and water of 120 km2 (46 sq mi). The country has four distinct geographical regions. In eastern Sierra Leone the plateau is interspersed with high mountains, where Mount Bintumani<\/a> reaches 1,948 m (6,391 ft), the highest point in the country. The upper part of the drainage basin of the Moa River<\/a> is located in the south of this region.<\/p>\n

The center of the country is a region of lowland plains, containing forests, bush and farmland, that occupies about 43% of Sierra Leone’s land area.<\/p>\n

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Sierra Leone Topography<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

In the west, Sierra Leone has some 400 km (249 mi) of Atlantic coastline, giving it both bountiful marine resources and attractive tourist potential. The national capital Freetown sits on a coastal peninsula, situated next to the Sierra Leone Harbour.<\/p>\n

Economy:<\/h2>\n

By the 1990s, economic activity was declining and economic infrastructure had become seriously degraded. Over the next decade, much of the formal economy was destroyed in the country’s civil war. Since the end of hostilities in January 2002, massive infusions of outside assistance have helped Sierra Leone begin to recover.<\/p>\n

Much of the recovery will depend on the success of the government’s efforts to limit corruption by officials, which many feel was the chief cause of the civil war. A key indicator of success will be the effectiveness of government management of its diamond sector.<\/p>\n

There is high unemployment, particularly among the youth and ex-combatants.<\/p>\n

Two-thirds of the population of Sierra Leone are directly involved in subsistence agriculture. Agriculture accounted for 58 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007.<\/p>\n

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Sierra Leone Exports Treemap<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Agriculture is the largest employer with 80 per cent of the population working in the sector. Rice is the most important staple crop in Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n

Rich in minerals, Sierra Leone has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base. The country is among the top ten diamond producing nations. Mineral exports remain the main currency earner. Sierra Leone is a major producer of gem-quality diamonds. Though rich in diamonds, it has historically struggled to manage their exploitation and export.<\/p>\n

Sierra Leone has one of the world’s largest deposits of rutile, a titanium ore used as paint pigment and welding rod coatings.<\/p>\n

Transportation:<\/h2>\n

There are several systems of transport in Sierra Leone, which has a road, air and water infrastructure, including a network of highways and several airports. There are 11,300 kilometers (7,000 miles) of highways in Sierra Leone, of which 904 km (562 mi) are paved (about 8% of the roads). Sierra Leone’s highways are linked to Conakry<\/a>, Guinea, and Monrovia<\/a>, Liberia.<\/p>\n

Sierra Leone has the largest natural harbor on the African continent, allowing international shipping through the Queen Elizabeth II Quay<\/a> in the Cline Town<\/a> area of eastern Freetown or through Government Wharf in central Freetown. There are 800 km (497 mi) of waterways in Sierra Leone, of which 600 km (373 mi) are navigable year-round. Major port cities are Bonthe<\/a>, Freetown<\/a>, Sherbro Island<\/a> and Pepel<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Lungi International Airport Sierra Leone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

There are ten regional airports in Sierra Leone, and one international airport. The Lungi International Airport<\/a> located in the coastal town of Lungi<\/a> in Northern Sierra Leone is the primary airport for domestic and international travel to or from Sierra Leone. Passengers cross the river to Aberdeen Heliports in Freetown by hovercraft, ferry or a helicopter.<\/p>\n

As of May 2014, the country’s only international airport had regularly scheduled direct flights to London, Paris, Brussels and most major cities in West Africa.<\/p>\n

Flag of Sierra Leone:<\/h2>\n

The national flag of Sierra Leone is a tricolor consisting of three horizontal green, white and blue bands. It was adopted in 1961, Sierra Leone’s independence year, to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the Crown Colony of Sierra Leone.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Flag of Sierra Leone<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

 <\/p>\n

The colors of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green alludes to the country’s natural resources \u2013 specifically agriculture and its mountains. The white epitomizes “unity and justice”. The blue evokes the “natural harbor” of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, as well as the hope of “contributing to world peace” through its usage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The national flag of Sierra Leone is a tricolour consisting of three horizontal green, white and blue bands. It was adopted in 1961, Sierra Leone’s independence year, to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the Crown Colony of Sierra Leone.<\/p>\n

The colors of the flag carry cultural, political, and regional meanings. The green alludes to the country’s natural resources \u2013 specifically agriculture and its mountains. The white epitomizes “unity and justice”. The blue evokes the “natural harbor” of Freetown, the capital city of Sierra Leone, as well as the hope of “contributing to world peace” through its usage.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":9436,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"default","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[19,66,59,5,6,7,18,60],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8564"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8564"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8564\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/9436"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8564"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8564"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.smoketreemanor.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8564"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}