# Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone

republic, sovereign state, country| Year dem found am | 19 April 1971  |
| Official name | Repubblica della Sierra Leone, Sierra Leone, République de Sierra Leone, República de Sierra Leone  |
| Native label | Republic of Sierra Leone  |
| IPA transcription | ˈsɪæɾɑ lɛˈoːnə  |
| Dem name after | Lion Mountains  |
| Official language | English, Krio  |
| Anthem | High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free  |
| Culture | Sierra Leonean culture  |
| Motto text | Unity, Freedom, Justice, The freedom to explore, Undeb, Rhyddid, Cyfiawnder  |
| Continent | Africa  |
| Country | Sierra Leone  |
| Capital | Freetown  |
| Located in time zone | UTC±00:00, Africa/Freetown  |
| Located in or next to body of water | Atlantic Ocean  |
| Located in/on physical feature | West Africa  |
| Coordinate location | 8°30′0″N 12°6′0″W  |
| Coordinates of northernmost point | 10°0′0″N 11°30′0″W  |
| Highest point | Mount Bintumani  |
| Lowest point | Atlantic Ocean  |
| Government ein basic form | presidential system  |
| Office held by head of state | President of Sierra Leone  |
| State ein head | Julius Maada Bio  |
| Office head of government hold | Chief Minister of Sierra Leone  |
| Government ein head | David Sengeh  |
| Legislative body | Parliament of Sierra Leone  |
| Central bank | Bank of Sierra Leone  |
| Dey contain de administrative territorial entity | Northern Province, Southern Province, Eastern Province, Western Area, North West Province  |
| Currency | leone  |
| Dey share bother plus | Guinea, Liberia  |
| Driving side | right  |
| Electrical plug type | AC power plugs and sockets: British and related types, BS 1363  |
| Dey follow | Commonwealth realm of Sierra Leone  |
| Dey replace | Commonwealth realm of Sierra Leone  |
| Studied by | Sierra Leone studies  |
| Discoverer or inventor | Pedro de Sintra  |
| Dema official website |   |
| Hashtag | SierraLeone  |
| Top-level Internet domain | .sl  |
| Flag | flag of Sierra Leone  |
| Coat of arms | coat of arms of Sierra Leone  |
| Geography of topic | Geography of Sierra Leone  |
| Get characteristic | partly free country  |
| History of topic | history of Sierra Leone  |
| Open data portal | Sierra Leone Open data portal  |
| Economy of topic | economy of Sierra Leone  |
| Demographics of topic | demographics of Sierra Leone  |
| Commonwealth Sport country code | SLE  |
| Mobile country code | 619  |
| Country calling code | +232  |
| Trunk prefix | 0  |
| Emergency phone number | 999, 019  |
| Licence plate code | WAL  |
| Maritime identification digits | 667  |
| Unicode character | 🇸🇱  |
| Category for maps or plans | Category:Maps of Sierra Leone  |

**Sierra Leone**, (/siˌɛrə liˈoʊn(i)/ ⓘ, also UK: /siˌɛərə -/, US: /ˌsɪərə -/; Krio: *Salone*), alias de **Republic of Sierra Leone**, be sam country for de southwest coast of West Africa. Edey share ein southeastern border plus Liberia, den de northern half of de nation be surrounded by Guinea. Edey cover sam total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi). Sierra Leone get sam tropical climate, plus diverse environments wey dey range from savanna go rainforests. De country get population of 8,908,040. Freetown be dema capital den largest city. De country be divided for five administrative regions, wey dem subdivide am go 16 districts.

Sierra Leone be a culturally diverse country, home to approximately 18 ethnic groups, plus de Temne den Mende peoples be predominant. De Creole people, descendants of freed African-American, Afro-Caribbean slaves den liberated Africans, dey constitute about 1.2% of de population. English be de official language, while Krio be de lingua franca, 97% of de population dey speak. De country be rich plus natural resources, notably diamonds, gold, bauxite den aluminium. As of de most recent survey insyd 2019, na multidimensional poverty affect 59.2% of de population wey an additional 21.3% be vulnerable to am. Sierra Leone dey maintain membership insyd chaw international organizations, wey dey include de United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), den de Commonwealth of Nations, among odas.

## Government den politics

### Administrative divisions

De 14 districts den 2 areas of Sierra Leone
De Republic of Sierra Leone dey compose of five regions: de Northern Province, North West Province, Southern Province, de Eastern Province, den de Western Area. Four provinces be further divided into 14 districts; de Western Area be divided into two districts.

| District |  | Area (km2) | Province | Population
(2004 census) | Population
(2015 census) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Bombali District | Makeni | 7,985 | Northern
Province | 408,390 | 606,183 |
| Koinadugu District | Kabala | 12,121 | 265,758 | 408,097 |
| Port Loko District | Port Loko | 5,719 | 453,746 | 614,063 |
| Tonkolili District | Magburaka | 7,003 | 347,197 | 530,776 |
| Kambia District | Kambia | 3,108 | 270,462 | 343,686 |
| Kenema District | Kenema | 6,053 | Eastern
Province | 497,948 | 609,873 |
| Kono District | Koidu Town | 5,641 | 335,401 | 505,767 |
| Kailahun District | Kailahun | 3,859 | 358,190 | 525,372 |
| Bo District | Bo | 5,219 | Southern
Province | 463,668 | 574,201 |
| Bonthe District | Mattru Jong | 3,468 | 139,687 | 200,730 |
| Pujehun District | Pujehun | 4,105 | 228,392 | 345,577 |
| Moyamba District | Moyamba | 6,902 | 260,910 | 318,064 |
| Western Area Urban District | Freetown | 13 | Western
Area | 772,873 | 1,050,301 |
| Western Area Rural District | Waterloo | 544 | 174,249 | 442,951 |

## Demographics

| Largest cities anaa towns insyd Sierra Leone

Government of Sierra Leone 2004 Census |
| --- |
| Rank | Name | District | Pop. |
| 1 | Freetown | Western Area Urban District | 853,651 |
| 2 | Bo | Bo District | 149,957 |
| 3 | Kenema | Kenema District | 128,402 |
| 4 | Makeni | Bombali District | 82,940 |
| 5 | Koidu Town | Kono District | 80,025 |
| 6 | Lunsar | Port Loko District | 24,450 |
| 7 | Port Loko | Port Loko District | 23,195 |
| 8 | Pandebu-Tokpombu | Kenema District | 20,219 |
| 9 | Kabala | Koinadugu District | 19,074 |
| 10 | Waterloo | Western Area Urban District | 18,579 |

## Read further

* Acemoglu, Daron; Reed, Tristan; Robinson, James A. (April 2014). "Chiefs: Economic Development and Elite Control of Civil Society in Sierra Leone". *Journal of Political Economy*. **122** (2): 319–368. CiteSeerX 10.1.1.650.1005. doi:10.1086/674988. S2CID 15212378.
* Harris, David (2012). *Civil War and Democracy in West Africa: Conflict Resolution, Elections and Justice in Sierra Leone and Liberia*, I.B. Tauris.
* Imodale Caulker-Burnett, *The Caulkers of Sierra Leone: The Story of a Ruling Family and Their Times* (Xlibris, 2010)
* Keen, David (2005). *Conflict and Collusion in Sierra Leone*. Oxford: James Currey. ISBN 978-0-85255-883-6. Retrieved 17 June 2014.
* Kup, Alexander Peter (1961). *A History of Sierra Leone, 1400–1787*. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-7864-1814-5. `{{cite book}}`: ISBN / Date incompatibility (help)
* Sierra Leone Truth and Reconciliation Commission (2004). *TRC Report*. Accra, Ghana: Graphic Packaging Ltd./GPL Press. ISBN 9988-8097-6-X. Retrieved 14 May 2016.
* Sillinger, Brett (2003). *Sierra Leone: Current Issues and Background*. New York: Nova Science Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59033-662-5.
* Utting, Francis A. (1971) [1931]. *The Story of Sierra Leone*. Hallendale, Florida: New World Book Manufacturing. ISBN 978-0-8369-6704-3.

### Fiction den memoir

* Massucco W. *Life does not lose its value/La Vita non perde valore*, documentary, Bluindaco Productions, 2012. Link: *La vita non perde valore*.
* Bonnet, Laurent. *Salone, a novel en Terre Krio*, Vents d'Ailleurs, 2012
* Beah, Ishmael. *A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier* (2007). Sarah Crichton Books: New York. Link: *A Long Way Gone*.
* Jarrett-Macauley, Delia, *Moses, Citizen & Me* – novel, Granta Books (2005), ISBN 186207741X. Winner of the Orwell Prize 2006.
* *The Peace Corps, Sierra Leone, and Me*

#### Secondary sources

* Levinson, Robby (1998). *Ethnic Groups Worldwide: A Ready Reference Handbook*. Phoenix: Oryx Press. ISBN 978-1-57356-019-1.

* , The Official website, Republic of Sierra Leone
* Geographic data related to Sierra Leone at OpenStreetMap
* *The Patriotic Vanguard* – government newspaper
* Foreign Affairs of Sierra Leone
* Sierra Leone profile from ECOWAS
* News headline links from Al Jazeera.
* Sierra Leone, Democracy Now!
* Country Profile, BBC News