Margaret Mylett

Sub-Saharan Country Report: Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is an independent nation that is located on the west coast of Africa with the
Atlantic Ocean to the west. It is surrounded by Liberia to the south and southeast and Guinea to
the north and northeast. It has an approximate longitude and latitude is 8.4844 N, 13.2344 W.
Sierra Leone has a population size of 5.4 million inhabitants who speak many different
languages.
The official language of Sierra Leone is English but languages such as Krio,
Temne, Mende, and many others are spoken. In the early history of the sub-Saharan country,
there was a sporadic immigration from inland Mende-speaking people including Vai, Loko and
Mende. The Mende people are the largest ethnic group that reside in Sierra Leone and are found
in the southern and eastern provinces. Located in the north are the Temne and the Limba who are
the next largest ethnicities. Also found in the north are the Koranko as well as the Yalunka,
Loko, Soso, Madingo and Fula. Many other ethnicities can be found throughout Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is divided into the Northern, Southern, and Eastern province, and a Western
Area. The Capital of this country is Freetown which is located in the west. Some other major
cities include Magburaka, Bo, Kabala, Kenema, Makeni, Bonthe, and Koidu. Mountain ranges
such as The Tingi and Lomo mountains can be found in the east while swamps are located in the
west. The climate is tropical, hot and humid. It can be split between two climates being tropical
rainforest and tropical savannah. There is a rainy season that occurs through May until December
and then there is a dry season that occurs is December to May.
A Portuguese explorer by the name of Pedro de Cinta is the one responsible for the name
Sierra Leone. It was derived from Sierra Lyoa which means Lion Mountains. Shortly after the
finding of this country, a bay located in present day Freetown was opened up for trading for
explorers and sea traders. British philanthropists found the Province of Freedom in 1787 and
used it as a place to provide freedom to slaves. In 1833, the British passed an Emancipation Act
which abolished slavery.
Sierra Leone finally gained its independence in 1961 on April 27
th
. The country attained
republican status on April 19
th
of 1971. Although it is a republican country, the President and
Parliament are democratically elected. The leader running Sierra Leone today is named Ernest
Bai Koroma.


References

The World Today, Sixth Edition, H.J. de Blij, Peter O. Muller, Jan Nijman

http://www.visitsierraleone.org/background-information/history/
http://www.historyworld.net/wrldhis/plaintexthistories.asp?historyid=ad45