Sierra Leone From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia i [5] Sierra Leone ( /sɪˈɛərə lɪˈoʊni, -lɪˈoʊn/), officially the Republic of Sierra Leone , is a country in Republic of Sierra Leone West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the north-east, Liberia in the south-east, and the Atlantic Ocean in the south-west. Sierra Leone has a tropical climate, with a diverse environment ranging from savannah to rainforests. Sierra Leone has a total area of 71,740 km 2 (27,699 sq mi) [6] and an estimated population of 6 million (2011 United Nations estimate). [7][8] Freetown is the capital, largest city, and its economic and political centre. Bo is the second largest city. The other major cities in the country with a population above 100,000 are Kenema, Makeni and Koidu Town. Sierra Leone is divided into four geographical regions: the Northern Province, Eastern Province, Southern Province and the Western Flag Coat of arms Area, which are further divided into fourteen districts. Motto: "Unity, Freedom, Justice" About sixteen ethnic groups inhabit Sierra Leone, each with their own language and customs. The two Anthem: High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free largest and most influential are the Temne and the Mende people. The Temne are predominantly found in the north of the country, while the Mende are predominant in the south-east. Although English is the official language spoken at schools and government administration, the Krio language is the most widely spoken language in the country and unites all the different ethnic groups in the country, especially in their trade and social interaction with each other. Sierra Leone is a nominally Muslim country, [9][10][11] though with an influential Christian minority. Technically, religious affiliation is 60% Muslim, 30% indigenous beliefs, and 10% Christian [12] . However there is a high degree of synchronicity of the indigenous beliefs into the organized religions. Sierra Leone is regarded as one of the most religiously tolerant nations in the world. Muslims and Christians collaborate and interact with each other peacefully. Religious violence is very rare in the country. Sierra Leone has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base. It is also among the largest producers of titanium and bauxite, a major producer of gold, and has one of the world's largest deposits of rutile. Sierra Leone is home to the third-largest natural harbour in the world. Despite exploitation of this natural wealth, 70% of its people live in poverty. [13] Sierra Leone became independent in 1961. Government corruption and mismanagement of the country's natural resources contributed to the Sierra Leone Civil War (1991 to 2002), which over more than a decade devastated the country. This proxy war left more than 50,000 people dead, much of the country's Location of Sierra Leone (dark blue ) infrastructure destroyed, and over two million people displaced as refugees in neighbouring countries. – in Africa (light blue & dark grey ) – in the African Union (light blue ) – [ Legend ] More recently, the 2014 Ebola outbreak overburdened the weak healthcare infrastructure, leading to more deaths from medical neglect than Ebola itself. It created a humanitarian crisis situation and a negative spiral of weaker economic growth. The country has an extremely low life expectancy at 57.8 years [12] . Sierra Leone is a member of many international organisations, including the United Nations, the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Mano River Union, the Commonwealth of Nations, the African Development Bank, and the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Contents ◾ 1 History ◾ 1.1 Early history ◾ 1.2 European trading ◾ 1.3 Early colonies Capital Freetown ◾ 1.4 Colonial era (1800–1960) and largest city 8°29.067′N 13°14.067′W ◾ 1.5 1960 Independence Conference Official languages English ◾ 1.6 Independence (1961) ◾ 1.7 Final years of democracy (1964–1967) Spoken languages Temne · Mende · Krio ◾ 1.8 Three military coups (1967–1968) Ethnic groups 35% Temne ◾ 1.9 One-party state (1968–1991) (2008) 31% Mende ◾ 1.10 Sierra Leone Civil War (1991–2002) 8% Limba ◾ 1.11 Kabbah's government and the end of civil war (2002–2014) 5% Kono 2% Krio (Creole) ◾ 1.12 Struggle with epidemic (2014–present) 2% Mandingo ◾ 2 Geography and climate 2% Loko ◾ 2.1 Environment 15% others ◾ 3 Government and politics Demonym Sierra Leonean ◾ 3.1 Parliament ◾ 3.2 Judiciary Government Unitary presidential ◾ 3.3 Foreign relations constitutional republic ◾ 3.4 Administrative divisions - President Ernest Bai Koroma (APC) ◾ 3.5 Military - Vice-President Victor Bockarie Foh (APC) ◾ 3.6 Law enforcement - Speaker of S.B.B. Dumbuya (APC) ◾ 4 Economy Parliament ◾ 4.1 Agriculture - Chief Justice Valesius Thomas (acting)[3] (http://www.carl- 4.2 Mining ◾ sl.org/home/press- ◾ 4.3 Transport infrastructure releases/711-carl) ◾ 5 Society ◾ 5.1 Demographics Legislature Parliament ◾ 5.2 Religion Independence ◾ 5.3 Ethnic groups - from the United 27 April 1961 ◾ 6 Education Kingdom ◾ 7 Health - Republic 19 April 1971 ◾ 7.1 Endemic and infectious diseases declared ◾ 7.2 2014 Ebola outbreak Area ◾ 7.3 Mental health - Total 71,740 km 2 (119th) ◾ 7.4 Maternal and child health 27,699 sq mi ◾ 7.5 Drinking water supply - Water (%) 1.1 ◾ 8 Culture ◾ 8.1 Polygamy Population ◾ 8.2 Food and customs - 2013 estimate 6,190,280 [1] ◾ 8.3 Media - Density 79.4/km 2 (114th a) ◾ 8.4 Arts 205.6/sq mi ◾ 8.5 Sports GDP (PPP) 2012 estimate ◾ 9 See also - Total [2] ◾ 10 References $8.276 billion ◾ 11 Bibliography - Per capita $1,344 [2] 11.1 Further reading ◾ GDP (nominal) 2012 estimate ◾ 12 Fiction and memoir - Total [2] ◾ 12.1 Secondary sources $3.777 billion - Per capita [2] ◾ 13 External links $613 Gini (2011) 35.4 [3] medium History HDI (2013) 0.374 [4] low · 183rd Main article: History of Sierra Leone Currency Leone (SLL) Early history Time zone GMT (UTC+0) Archaeological finds show that Sierra Leone has been inhabited continuously for at least 2,500 years, [14] Drives on the right b [15] populated by successive cultures of peoples who migrated from other parts of Africa. The people Calling code +232 adopted the use of iron by the 9th century, and by 1000 A.D. agriculture was being practiced by coastal ISO 3166 code SL tribes. [16] The climate changed considerably during that time, and boundaries among different ecological zones changed as well, affecting migration and conquest. [17] Internet TLD .sl a. Rank based on 2007 figures. Sierra Leone's dense tropical rainforest and swampy environment was considered impenetrable; it was also host to the tsetse fly, which carried disease fatal to horses and zebu cattle used by the Mande b. Since 1 March 1971. people. This environmental factor protected its peoples from conquest by the Mande and other African empires. [17][18] This also reduced the Islamic influence of the Mali Empire. But the Islamic faith, introduced by Susu traders, merchants and migrants from the north and east, became widely adopted in the 18th century. [19] European trading European contacts within Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa. In 1462, Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra mapped the hills surrounding what is now Freetown Harbour, naming the shaped formation Serra da Leoa or "Serra Leoa" (Portuguese for Lioness Mountains). [20] The Spanish rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leona , which later was adapted and, misspelled, became the country's current Fragments of prehistoric pottery from name. Kamabai Rock Shelter Soon after Sintra's expedition, Portuguese traders arrived at the harbour. By 1495 they had built a fortified trading post. [21] 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. [22] In 1562, the English initiated the Triangle Trade when Sir John Hawkins transported 300 enslaved Africans – acquired "by the sword and partly by other means" – to the Spanish colony of Santo Domingo in the Caribbean, where he sold them. [23] Early colonies Following the American Revolutionary War, the British had evacuated thousands of freed African-American slaves and resettled them in Canadian and Caribbean colonies and London. Many struggled in their new An 1835 illustration of liberated Africans lives. In 1787 the British Crown founded a settlement in Sierra Leone in what was called the "Province of arriving in Sierra Leone. Freedom". It intended to resettle some of the "Black Poor of London," mostly African Americans freed by the British during the war. About 400 blacks and 60 whites reached Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787. The group also included some West Indian, African people from London. After they established Granville Town, most of the first group of colonists died, due to disease and warfare with the indigenous African peoples (Temne and Mende), who resisted their encroachment. The 64 remaining colonists established a second Granville Town. [24] Following the Revolution, more than 3,000 Black Loyalists had also been settled in Nova Scotia, where they were finally granted land. They founded Birchtown, Nova Scotia, but faced harsh winters and racial discrimination from nearby Shelburne, Nova Scotia. Thomas Peters pressed British authorities for relief and more aid; together with British abolitionist John Clarkson, the Sierra Leone Company was established to The colony of Freetown in 1856 relocate Black Loyalists who wanted to take their chances in West Africa. In 1792 nearly 1200 persons from Nova Scotia crossed the Atlantic to build the second (and only permanent) Colony of Sierra Leone and the settlement of Freetown on 11 March 1792. In Sierra Leone they were called the Nova Scotian Settlers, the Nova Scotians , or the Settlers .