The current system of the Government of Sierra Leone is based on the 1991 Sierra Leone Constitution. [174] "Pandebu-Tokpombu" is presumably the extended town of Torgbonbu, which had a population of 10,716 in the 2004 census. He was reinstated after nine months through military intervention by ECOMOG. [148] Agriculture accounted for 58 per cent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2007. [20], During the few decades following independence, Sierra Leone witnessed an increase in political activities, transformations, turmoil, humanitarian and socio-economic crises. In 1995 Defence Headquarters was established, and the Sierra Leone Air Wing formed. Krio (derived from English and several indigenous African languages, and the language of the Sierra Leone Krio people) is the most widely spoken language in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone. On 25 May 1997, 17 soldiers in the Sierra Leone army led by Corporal Tamba Gborie, loyal to the detained Major Johnny Paul Koroma, launched a military coup which sent President Kabbah into exile in Guinea and they established the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). The Military of Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), are the unified armed forces of Sierra Leone responsible for the territorial security of Sierra Leone's border and defending the national interests of Sierra Leone within the framework of its international obligations. Along the streets of towns and cities across Sierra Leone, one can find foods consisting of fruit, vegetables and snacks such as fresh mangoes, oranges, pineapple, fried plantains, ginger beer, fried potato, fried cassava with pepper sauce; small bags of popcorn or peanuts, bread, roasted corn, or skewers of grilled meat or shrimp. She employed her capacity for friendly communications to persuade the British to give her control of the Kpaa Mende chiefdom. Non-denominational Protestants form a significant minority of Sierra Leone's Christian population. Waterloo is located about twenty miles east of Freetown. [189][190][191][192][193] Other Christian Protestant denominations with significant presence in the country include Presbyterians,[194] Baptists,[195] Seventh-day Adventists[196] Anglicans,[197] Lutherans,[198][199] and Pentecostals. Domestic slavery, which continued to be practised by local African elites, was abolished in 1928. Agyepong I. The Sierra Leonean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is responsible for foreign policy of Sierra Leone. With Strasser's two most senior NPRC allies and commanders Lieutenant Sahr Sandy and Lieutenant Solomon Musa no longer around to defend him, Strasser's leadership within the NPRC's Supreme Council of State became fragile. Law enforcement in Sierra Leone is primarily the responsibility of the Sierra Leone Police (SLP), which is accountable to the Minister of Internal Affairs (appointed by the president). Several religious funded TV stations operate intermittently. [264] The city has a lot to offer to tourists. There is also a supply of natural resources such as gold, aluminum, and bauxite, which also contribute to the local economy. "Female Genital Cutting: Current Practices and Beliefs in Western Africa." All maps, graphics, flags, photos and original descriptions 2023 worldatlas.com. [209] As in the rest of the countries, education is a key factor in succeeding in aspects such as a well-paid job and covering the needs of a house. [108] There are concerns that heavy logging continues in the Tama-Tonkoli Forest Reserve in the north. [209] Females can take over the household head if they become widowed or divorced. But in May, when nearly all Nigerian forces had left and UN forces were trying to disarm the RUF in eastern Sierra Leone, Sankoh's forces clashed with the UN troops, and some 500 peacekeepers were taken hostage as the peace accord effectively collapsed. Prior to 2017, the area of the North West Province was included in the Northern Province, and its cumulative area measured 35,936 square kilometers (13,874 square miles). The six municipalities include Freetown, which functions as the local government for the Western Area Urban District, and Bo, Bonthe, Kenema, Koidu, and Makeni.[133][135][136]. The leader of the main opposition All People's Congress (APC), Siaka Stevens, along with Isaac Wallace-Johnson, another outspoken critic of the SLPP government, were arrested and placed under house arrest in Freetown, along with sixteen others charged with disrupting the independence celebration.[76]. Football is an important part of Kenema's culture being home to one of Sierra Leone's most famous international footballer known as Mohamed Kallon. The upper part of the drainage basin of the Moa River is located in the south of this region. In Freetown there no particular ethnic group that dominates the population since it is home to all of Sierra Leone's people. [243], Rice is the staple food of Sierra Leone and is consumed at virtually every meal daily. Eventually, with some more recruitment, 411 passengers sailed to Sierra Leone in April 1787. Educated Krios held numerous positions in the colonial government, giving them status and well-paying positions. [13] Freetown is the capital and largest city. Brigadier General Bangura, who had reinstated Stevens as Prime Minister, was widely considered the only person who could control Stevens. [157] The use of coal and firewood has also posed environmental concerns as they are both in conflict with the push for more sustainable sources of energy. UNITED NATIONS INTEGRATED PEACEBUILDING OFFICE IN SIERRA LEONE. [202] Catholics are the largest group of non-Protestant Christians in Sierra Leone, forming about 8% of Sierra Leone's population and 26% of the Christian population in Sierra Leone. Krio is the most widely spoken language across Sierra Leone, spoken by 97% of the country's population. Another 24 were discharged, and another 23 ran away. About 400 black and 60 white colonists reached Sierra Leone on 15 May 1787. The constitution of Sierra Leone provides for freedom of religion and the Sierra Leone Government generally protects it. [103] The country has four distinct geographical regions. The northern section of this has been categorised by the World Wildlife Fund as part of the Guinean forest-savanna mosaic ecoregion, while the south is rain-forested plains and farmland. The currency is the leone. The Vai are largely Muslim majority at about 90%, while the Kru are virtually all Christians at over 99%. The Sierra Leone Civil War resulted in the destruction of 1,270 primary schools, and in 2001, 67% of all school-age children were out of school. The national capital Freetown sits on a coastal peninsula, situated next to the Sierra Leone Harbour. President Momoh's strong links with the army and his verbal attacks on corruption earned him much-needed initial support among Sierra Leoneans. Now that the provinces have been divided, an exact measurement of the new provincial areas is unknown. The NPRC Junta maintained relations with ECOWAS and strengthened support for Sierra Leone-based ECOMOG troops fighting in the Liberian war. While the district councils are under the oversight of their respective provincial administrations, the municipalities are directly overseen by the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development and thus administratively independent of district and provincial administrations. [106], Human activities claimed to be responsible or contributing to land degradation in Sierra Leone include unsustainable agricultural land use, poor soil and water management practices, deforestation, removal of natural vegetation, fuelwood consumption and to a lesser extent overgrazing and urbanisation. Both genders experienced and were involved in high levels of violence. In November 1968, unrest in the provinces led Stevens to declare a state of emergency across the country. The country's national television network, The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) broadcasts the national football team live match, along with many local radio stations across the country. The armed forces were formed after independence in 1961, based on elements of the former British Royal West African Frontier Force present in the country. The country had its first general elections as an independent nation on 27 May 1961. [221] The establishment of the Coalition was concurrent with the declaration by the 72nd World Health Assembly that emergency care systems are essential to universal health coverage. In October 1999, the United Nations agreed to send peacekeepers to help restore order and disarm the rebels. Makeni is also governed by a directly elected city council that is headed by the Mayor. The Njala University is the second largest university in Sierra Leone located in Bo city. In 2001, UN forces moved into rebel-held areas and began to disarm rebel soldiers. These problems became so severe that the SLPP boycotted the 1973 general election; as a result the APC won 84 of the 85 elected seats.[85]. The Kru predominate in the Kroubay neighbourhood in the capital of Freetown. There is a huge police presence inside and outside the national stadium during a match between the two great rivals to prevent a clash. In September 2017, a Sierra Leone-based Nigerian Pentecostal Christian pastor name Victor Ajisafe was arrested by the Sierra Leone Police and held in jail after he made controversial remarks against Islam and Sierra Leonean Muslims in particular at his church sermon in the capital Freetown. 2020-02-06 Bumbuna is a town in the central of Tonkolili District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Aside from the human cost, the outbreak was severely eroding the economy. The 68% of the rural population without access to an improved water source relied on surface water (50%), unprotected wells (9%) and unprotected springs (9%). Problems experienced with access to the Internet include an intermittent electricity supply and a slow connection speed in the country outside Freetown. Humphrey J. Fisher (1969), "Elections and Coups in Sierra Leone, 1967". Charles Taylor then leader of the National Patriotic Front of Liberia reportedly helped form the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the command of former Sierra Leonean army corporal Foday Saybana Sankoh, an ethnic Temne from Tonkolili District in Northern Sierra Leone. Elements of the British Army, together with administrators and politicians, remained after withdrawal to help train the armed forces, improve the infrastructure of the country and administer financial and material aid. Sierra Leone is a major producer of gem-quality diamonds. Home Counties and Regions Maps Sierra Leone Provinces and Districts. Most Sierra Leonean Muslims of the Sunni and Ahmadiyya sect generally pray together in the same mosque. The taxes were often higher than the value of the dwellings, and 24 chiefs signed a petition to Cardew, stating how destructive this was; their people could not afford to take time off from their subsistence agriculture. Based on 2015 estimates of the population of Sierra Leone, 77% of the population are Muslims, 22% are Christians, and 1% practise African traditional religion. [226], In the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by UNICEF in 2012, the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone was 94%. Credit card use is limited in Sierra Leone, though they may be used at some hotels and restaurants. [48] In 1792, in a move that foreshadowed the women's suffrage movements in Britain, the heads of all households, of which a third were women, were given the right to vote. He was found guilty and sentenced to death, despite the fact that it was Bangura whose actions led to Stevens return to power. While free health care may be provided in some villages, the medical staff is poorly paid and sometimes charge for their services, taking advantage of the fact that the villagers are not aware of their right to free medical care. The Creoles, a descendant from the Nova Scotia, Maroons and Recaptives. [87] This move led to another major demonstration against the government in many parts of the country, but it was also put down by the army and Stevens' SSD force. [98] The epidemic occurred as part of the wider Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. Sherbro also sent fighters to assist Bai Bureh in the fight against the British. Hence, the country formally became known as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate or simply British Sierra Leone. The Eastern Province is the center of the countrys diamond mining industry. In October 2000, a UN-approved certification system for exporting diamonds from the country was put in place and led to a dramatic increase in legal exports. On 5 July 1994 SAJ Musa, who was popular among the general population, particularly in Freetown, was arrested and sent into exile after he was accused of planning a coup to topple Strasser, an accusation SAJ Musa denied. Some of these policies by the SLPP and the NRC were said to have left the country in an economically deprived state.[20]. His father was a Yalunka paramount chief of Solima, a prosperous chieftaincy. The monopoly was scheduled to last 98 years. Upon arrival in Sierra Leone, each recaptive was given a registration number, and information on their physical qualities would be entered into the Register of Liberated Africans. The CIA estimated that the average life expectancy in Sierra Leone was 57.39 years. The district has both highlands and lowlands. . It is by far the most populous district in the country with a population of 1,050,301 and is located in the Western Area of the country. In the southern region of the North West Province is Sierra Leones only international airport, which lies just across the Sierra Leone River from Freetown, the nations capital. [187] The United Council of Imams, is an influential Islamic religious body in Sierra Leone, that is made up of all imams of mosques throughout Sierra Leone. The town lies about 30 miles . By 1495 they had built a fortified trading post on the coast. [156] The majority of the population relies on biomass fuels for their daily survival, with firewood and coal used most prevalently. Diamond mining has been an important part of Sierra Leones history since diamonds were discovered here in the 1930s. In June 2005, the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) and BirdLife International agreed to support a conservation-sustainable development project in the Gola Forest in south eastern Sierra Leone,[113] an important surviving fragment of rainforest in Sierra Leone. Female. Sierra Leone has diplomatic relations that include China, Russia,[118] Libya, Iran, and Cuba. [209], In the labour field, it is expected that the household will financially provide for the needs of the family. Many of the Sierra Leone national team footballers play for teams based in Europe although virtually all of them started professional football in the Sierra Leone National Premier League. Statistics Sierra Leone in its report said the country started recording its population in 1963, then numbering two million one hundred and eighty thousand, three hundred and fifty-five (2,180,355). [163] In the past this project received its funding of over $200 million from a combination of the World Bank, the African Development Bank, and the Italian company Salini Impregilo. The current Inspector General of Police is Brima Acha Kamara, who was appointed to the position by former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Its capital and economic hub is Port Loko, and it is divided into three districts. The central African countries are the most prevalent of EVD; like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda, and Gabon[239], In 2014 there was an outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. [203] The Jehovahs Witnesses[204] and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints[205][206] are the two most prominent non-Trinitarian Christians in Sierra Leone, and they form a small but significant minority of the Christian population in Sierra Leone. Under President Stevens, the SSD had been a powerful personal force used to maintain his hold on power, independent from the Sierra Leone Military and Sierra Leone Police Force. After the return to civilian rule, by-elections were held (beginning in autumn 1968) and an all-APC cabinet was appointed. In the 1972 by-elections, the opposition SLPP complained of intimidation and procedural obstruction by the APC and militia. Descendants of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century Fula migrant settlers from the Fouta Djalon region of Guinea, they live primarily in the northeast and the western area of Sierra Leone. They predominate in the large towns, most notably Karina, in Bombali District in the north; Kabala and Falaba in Koinadugu District in the north; and Yengema, Kono District in the east of the country. Many Ahmadiyya Muslims in Sierra Leone also follow the Maliki Jurisprudence. Religious tolerance in the West African nation is very high and is generally considered a norm and part of Sierra Leone's cultural identity. The Parliament of Sierra Leone is unicameral, with 146 seats. The president of the United Council of Imam is Sheikh Alhaji Muhammad Habib Sheriff. Ten years later, on 19 April 1971, the country became a republic, with an elected President as the Head of State. The Lumley-Aberdeen beach stretches all the way from Cape Sierra Leone down to Lumley. [14][15], Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president serving a five-year term with a maximum of two terms. After Pedro da Cintras discovery, foreign influence in the area increased and trade commenced between the locals and Europeans in the form of a barter system. The Kissi live further inland in South-Eastern Sierra Leone. No style is the best. Highlighting the specifics, the report shows that women still make up the majority of Sierra Leones population at three million, eight hundred and twenty thousand, nine hundred and fifty-five (3,820,955) which is 50.6% of the total population. [61] The British established Fourah Bay College in 1827, which rapidly became a magnet for English-speaking Africans on the West Coast. Colonel Frederic Cardew, military governor of the Protectorate, in 1898 established a new tax on dwellings and demanded that the chiefs use their people to maintain roads. English is the official language used in schools and government administration. One traditional leader from each district occupies a seat in Sierra Leone's parliament . [255], In 2006, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah committed to reforming the laws governing the press and media to create a freer system for journalists to work in. [41] The Sierra Leone Resettlement Scheme was proposed by entomologist Henry Smeathman and drew interest from humanitarians like Granville Sharp, who saw it as a means of showing the pro-slavery lobby that black people could contribute towards the running of the new colony of Sierra Leone. Located in the Eastern Province is Koidu Town which is not only the largest city in that province but the capital of Kono District which rich in diamond. . Waterloo is a major urban transport hub and lies on the . Sierra Leone has the largest natural harbour on the African continent, allowing international shipping through the Queen Elizabeth II Quay in the Cline Town area of eastern Freetown or through Government Wharf in central Freetown. Sierra Leone had its own parliament and its own prime minister, and had the ability to make 100% of its own laws, however, as with countries such as Canada and Australia, Sierra Leone remained a "Dominion" and Queen Elizabeth was Queen of the independent Dominion of Sierra Leone. The 1978 constitution made the APC the only legal political party in Sierra Leone. Bombali District, Sierra Leone map with nearby places of interest (Wikipedia articles, food, lodging, parks, etc). [79] Not having the capital to start a new business is the biggest barrier for women. The central bank is the Bank of Sierra Leone. Soon after Albert Margai was sworn in as Prime Minister, he fired several senior government officials who had served in his elder brother Sir Milton's government, viewing them as a threat to his administration, including Karefa-Smart. Men continue to be the lesser population with a total of three million seven hundred and twenty-seven thousand, seven hundred and forty-seven (3,727,747), comprising 49.4% of the total population. [162] It has been projected that the Bumbuna dam could potentially reduce the amount of spending on foreign fuel and save the country at least $2 million a month. The coup plot led to the execution of seventeen soldiers by firing squad. On the voyage between Plymouth and Sierra Leone, 96 passengers died. The national capital Freetown, which makes up the Western Area Urban District, and the other is the Western Area Rural with a main town known as Waterloo, is governed by a directly elected city council headed by a mayor. Inland from the coastal plain is the interior plains region. In 2007, a pay-per-view service was also introduced by GTV as part of a pan-African television service in addition to the nine-year-old sub-Saharan Digital satellite television service (DStv) originating from Multichoice Africa in South 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.[102]. The provincial districts are divided into 186 chiefdoms, which have traditionally been led by paramount chiefs, recognised by the British administration in 1896 at the time of organising the Protectorate of Sierra Leone. At the end of the 19th century, the industry went into decline, and when radio was introduced in the 1930s, it became the primary communication media in the country. [159] Amongst all these projects, both finished and potential, the Bumbuna dam still remains the largest of the hydroelectric projects in Sierra Leone. Following the American Revolution, more than 3,000 Black Loyalists had also been settled in Nova Scotia, where they were finally granted land. [210], Women face discrimination when it comes to obtaining financial, social, and cultural help to start a business. The Peninsula Mountains rise from the coastal swamps and reach some 2,900 feet (880 metres) at Picket Hill. [156], As of 2012, Sierra Leone has 3 main hydroelectric plants. Just like Freetown, Bo has an ethnically diverse population but is home to the Mende people, and the primary language is the Krio language. The city is the main economic center of the province. The third-largest ethnic group are the Limba at about 8.4% of the population. In 1799 some of the settlers revolted. Sandbars, generally separated by silting lagoons, sometimes form the actual coast. Former President Siaka Stevens' government had sought closer relations with other West African countries under the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) a policy continued by the current government. The provinces of Sierra Leone are divided into 16 districts, as of July 2017. One of the top-ranking soldiers in the NPRC Junta, Lieutenant Sahr Sandy, a trusted ally of Strasser, was assassinated, allegedly by Major S.I.M. General Tarawalie was also a strong loyalist and key Momoh supporter. Children, youth and adult are frequently seen playing street football across Sierra Leone. [153] In the 1970s and early 1980s, economic growth rate slowed because of a decline in the mining sector and increasing corruption among government officials. Freetown, a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean, is the biggest and capital city of Sierra Leone. Stevens is generally criticised for dictatorial methods and government corruption, but on a positive note, he kept the country stable and from collapsing into civil war. Freetown was known as the "Athens of Africa" due to the large number of excellent schools in Freetown and surrounding areas. The Operation was successful with Indian and British Special Forces being the main contingents. Tony Blair, the Prime Minister of Britain at the time of the British intervention, is regarded as a hero by the people of Sierra Leone, many of whom are keen for more British involvement.[95]. Kenema is also governed by an elected city council and headed by a Mayor. Sierra Leone operates a floating exchange rate system, and foreign currencies can be exchanged at any of the commercial banks, recognised foreign exchange bureaux and most hotels. [28] The use of iron was adopted by the ninth century, and by 1000 AD, agriculture was being practised along the coast. The 1898 Hut Tax rebellion occurred as a response to British attempts to impose an annual tax on all houses in the country. Graphic maps of the area around 8 33' 36" N, 13 31' 30" W. There are many color schemes to choose from. The Kuranko are believed to have begun arriving in Sierra Leone from Guinea in about 1600 and settled in the north, particularly in Koinadugu District. The centre provides a variety of maternal and child health services and is supported by not for profit organisations such as Freedom from Fistula,[231] The Aminata Maternal Foundation,[232][bettersourceneeded] and UNFPA. Supported by:Open Society Initiative for West Africa (OSIWA), Kenema is most populated district in Sierra Leone says latest census figures, World Bank approves another $50M grant to Sierra Leone, Two arrested over arson attacks on electricity facility in Tombo, Sierra Leonean women back land rights initiative, Six Maritime officials freed of corruption offences, Parliament ratifies agric. [30], Sierra Leone's dense tropical rainforest and swampy environment were considered impenetrable; it was also host to the tsetse fly, which carried a disease fatal to horses and the zebu cattle used by the Mande-speaking people. Clarkson initially banned the survivors of Granville Town from joining the new settlement, blaming them for the demise of Granville Town. [168], After the contribution made by the Bangladesh UN Peacekeeping Force in the Sierra Leone Civil War under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, the government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah declared Bengali an honorary official language in December 2002. [150] Rice is the most important staple crop in Sierra Leone with 85 per cent of farmers cultivating rice during the rainy season[151] and an annual consumption of 76kg per person.[152]. The coast has areas of low-lying Guinean mangroves swamp. In 2001, the government created a mining community development fund (DACDF), which returns a portion of diamond export taxes to diamond mining communities. What Languages Are Spoken In Sierra Leone? Its also the seat of the Sierra Leone government. The first of the 6,000-member force began arriving in December, and the UN Security Council voted in February 2000 to increase the force to 11,000, and later to 13,000. The current Governor of the Bank of Sierra Leone Kaifala Marah is an ethnic Kuranko. Sierra Leone is a secular nation with the constitution providing for the separation of state and religion and freedom of conscience (which includes freedom of thoughts and religion). [84] He cancelled Juxon-Smith's construction of a church and mosque on the grounds of Victoria Park (now known as Freetown Amusement Park since 2017). There are also other popular beaches like the world renowned River Number 2 Beach, Laka Beach, Tokeh Beach, Bureh Beach, and Mama Beach. 4043. After 11 years, the country conducted another census in 1974, in that headcount, the population grew to two million, seven hundred and thirty-five thousand one hundred and fifty-nine (2,735,159) and after another 11 years in 1985, the census report recorded a population of three million five hundred and fifteen thousand, eight hundred and twelve (3,515,812). The APC named a new presidential candidate to succeed Stevens at party's last delegate conference, held in Freetown in November 1985. The AWC- Aberdeen Women's Centre in Freetown, the second busiest hospital in Sierra Leone, delivering up to 3000 babies each year. ITV and SATCON are currently operational. Upon Milton Margai's unexpected death in 1964, his younger half-brother, Sir Albert Margai, was appointed as Prime Minister by parliament. In November 1951, Margai oversaw the drafting of a new constitution, which united the separate Colonial and Protectorate legislatures and provided a framework for decolonisation. Each has a directly elected local district council to exercise authority and carry out functions at a local level. Freetown This polygon shapefile contains the boundary of Sierra Leone (adm0).
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