Please select the style of the location map in the table below. In the 1860s, the country became a journalist hub for Africa, with professionals travelling to the country from across the continent. Each has a directly elected local district council to exercise authority and carry out functions at a local level. They continue to be influential in the civil service. The Western Area Urban District is one of the 16 districts of Sierra Leone. Headquarters district formed from coastal sections of Karene and Ronietta. 49,839; Regent Urban Area: pop. The three least populated districts are Karene, Falaba, and Koinadugu with 3.8%, 2.2%, and 2.7% respectively of the total population. The country has 2,090 known species of higher plants, 147 mammals, 626 birds, 67 reptiles, 35 amphibians, and 99 fish species. The capital of this province is the city of Bo, and the largest ethnic group is the Mende ethnic group. [54] The Liberated Africans eventually modified their customs to adopt those of the Nova Scotians, Maroons and Europeans, yet kept some of their ethnic traditions. [80] Although possessing the full backing of the country's security forces, he called for free and fair elections. [83] Brigadier Lansana and Hinga Norman, the main army officers involved in the first coup (1967), were unceremoniously dismissed from the armed forces and made to serve time in prison. One traditional leader from each district occupies a seat in Sierra Leone's parliament. Many senior officers in the Sierra Leone Army were greatly disappointed with Stevens' policies and his handling of the Sierra Leone Military, but none could confront Stevens. 12. Problems experienced with access to the Internet include an intermittent electricity supply and a slow connection speed in the country outside Freetown. He appointed government officials to represent various ethnic groups. The Dominion of Sierra Leone retained a parliamentary system of government and was a member of the Commonwealth of Nations. Islam and Christianity are the two main religions in the country. Makeni is the administrative and economic center of the region. The group set up the National Reformation Council (NRC), with Andrew Juxon-Smith as its chairman and Head of State of the country. Helicopters are also available from the airport to other major cities in the country. Its also the seat of the Sierra Leone government. Bunce Island became a prime spot for transporting slaves to Europe and America. The rice is prepared in numerous ways, and topped with a variety of sauces made from some of Sierra Leone's favourite toppings, including potato leaves, cassava leaves, crain crain, okra soup, fried fish and groundnut stew.[244]. The majority of newspapers are privately run and are often critical of the government. Most of the Mosques and Islamic schools across Sierra Leone are based in Sunni Islam. The Sierra Leone national football team, popularly known as the Leone Stars, represents the country in international competitions. ", "BBC On This Day | 27 | 1961: Sierra Leone wins independence", "Politicized security forces or tribalized national politics; which is which? The large majority of Sierra Leonean Christians are Protestant, of which the largest groups are the Wesleyan Methodists. The Eastern Province is the center of the countrys diamond mining industry. [72][73], On 27 April 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence from Great Britain and became the country's first Prime Minister. Ajisafe was apparently angry after a Zimbabwean Muslim cleric Mufti Menk had visited Sierra Leone and preached to large crowds. The Susu and their related Yalunka are traders; both groups are primarily found in the far north in Kambia and Koinadugu District close to the border with Guinea. Bo is closely behind Kenema with 10.0%, whilst Western Rural, Kono and Western Area Urban with 8.8%, 8.2%, and 8.1% are third, fourth and fifth respectively. 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. [156] The majority of the population relies on biomass fuels for their daily survival, with firewood and coal used most prevalently. Because of their trading, the Fulas are found in nearly all parts of the country. Sierra Leone is home to Sub-Saharan Africa's first Western-style university: Fourah Bay College (established in 1827). Until the passage of the Slave Trade Act 1807, the island was operated by the London-based firm Grant, Oswald & Company, who occupied it in 1748.[37]. In mid-1974, Guinean soldiers, as requested by Stevens, were stationed in the country to help maintain his hold on power, as Stevens was a close ally of then-Guinean president Ahmed Skou Tour. The 1898 Hut Tax rebellion occurred as a response to British attempts to impose an annual tax on all houses in the country. Until 2017, there were only three Sierra Leone provinces, and there were previously fewer districts and chiefdoms as well. The hostage crisis resulted in more fighting between the RUF and the government as UN troops launched Operation Khukri to end the siege. Ahmadiyya Muslims make up about 10% of the country's Muslim population. The Krio have traditionally dominated Sierra Leone's judiciary and Freetown's elected city council. [98] The epidemic occurred as part of the wider Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. Later, Margai used the same skills to win over opposition leaders and moderate Krio elements to achieve independence from the UK.[70]. 2004 saw a population of four million, nine hundred and seventy-six thousand eight hundred and seventy-one (4,976,871) and in the 2015 census Sierra Leone recorded a total population of seven million and ninety-two thousand, one hundred and thirteen (7,092,113), the last census before the latest mid-term population and housing census which indicated a total of eight hundred and forty-three thousand two hundred and fifty-four (843,254) residential buildings, whilst for non-residential a total of seven thousand five hundred and three ( 7,503). It is a sweet, lightly fermented palm wine,[245] and is found in bars in towns and villages across the country. [242], 37 per cent of married women in Sierra Leone were in polygamous marriages in 2008. The much smaller Vai and Kru peoples are primarily found in Kailahun and Pujehun Districts near the border with Liberia. With the Eastern Province, this is one of two provinces in the country without a coastline. But if a woman gets married, she will not be entitled as the head of the house any more. These provinces are then divided into 16 districts, which are further divided into 190 chiefdoms. There were thousands of these Black Loyalists, people of African descent who joined the British military forces during the American Revolutionary War. 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. The candidate was Major General Joseph Saidu Momoh, head of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces and Stevens' own choice to succeed him. Radio is the most popular and most-trusted media in Sierra Leone, with 85% of people having access to a radio and 72% of people in the country listening to the radio daily. The park is home to elephants, hippos, buffaloes, and many chimpanzees it's also listed as a protected area by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). Among the soldiers arrested was a little-known army corporal, Foday Sankoh, a strong Bangura supporter, who would later form the Revolutionary United Front (RUF). 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. The southern front, consisting mostly of Mende people, entered the conflict somewhat later, for other reasons. [34], Soon after Sintra's expedition, Portuguese traders started arriving at the harbour. [79] Not having the capital to start a new business is the biggest barrier for women. The two districts of the Western Area are: As of 2017, there are 16 Sierra Leone districts. ITV and SATCON are currently operational. 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). Rulers who had been kings and queens became instead paramount chiefs, some of them appointed by the administration, and then forced into a subordinate relationship. He also endeavoured to change Sierra Leone from a democracy to a one-party state. They primarily occupy the capital city of Freetown and its surrounding Western Area. . He was a close ally of Albert Margai, who had appointed him to the position in 1964. 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. Since 1985, the nation did not conduct any census for 19 years. The demonstration was quickly put down by the army and Stevens' own personal Special Security Division (SSD), a heavily armed paramilitary force he had created to protect him and maintain his hold on power. The Western Area is divided into two districts. The British administration favoured a policy of indirect rule whereby they relied on slightly reorganized indigenous institutions to implement colonial policies and maintain order. In addition to information about the provinces of Sierra Leone, well also look at how many districts are in Sierra Leone and data relating to each. Female. [79], Education in Sierra Leone is legally required for all children for six years at primary level (Class P1-P6) and three years in junior secondary education,[211] but a shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible. Covering a total area of 71,740km2 (27,699sqmi),[12] Sierra Leone has a tropical climate, with diverse environments ranging from savanna to rainforests. The Hidden Discrimination Against American Roma, The 10 Largest Football Stadiums in the World (Soccer). [33] The Spanish rendering of this geographic formation is Sierra Leona, which later was adapted, misspelled and became the country's current name. 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. 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]. [230] The centre provides free surgery for women suffering from this condition. In April 2010, the SLBS merged with the United Nations peacekeeping radio station in Sierra Leone to form the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation,[246][247] the government-owned current national broadcaster in Sierra Leone. The Vai are largely Muslim majority at about 90%, while the Kru are virtually all Christians at over 99%. Freetown The report indicated that the country's just . When the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade was abolished in 1806, the freed slaves from Britain and the Americas were repatriated to the capital which was named Freetown. He created several government institutions that are still in use today. On 19 July 1975, 14 senior army and government officials, including David Lansana, former cabinet minister Mohamed Sorie Forna (father of writer Aminatta Forna), Brigadier General Ibrahim Bash Taqi and Lieutenant Habib Lansana Kamara were executed after being convicted of attempting a coup to topple president Stevens' government. The APC named a new presidential candidate to succeed Stevens at party's last delegate conference, held in Freetown in November 1985. His father was a Yalunka paramount chief of Solima, a prosperous chieftaincy. In the 1972 by-elections, the opposition SLPP complained of intimidation and procedural obstruction by the APC and militia. . In 2018, Sierra Leone held a general election. Four of the Sierra Leone regions are provinces, and the capital city is located on a peninsula called the Western Area. The country is a member of the United Nations, African Union, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Mano River Union, Commonwealth of Nations, IMF, World Bank, WTO, African Development Bank, and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation. Manga Sewa's father had several wives and dozens of children. The Operation was successful with Indian and British Special Forces being the main contingents. [53], At about the same time (following the abolition of the slave trade in 1807), Royal Navy crews delivered thousands of formerly enslaved Africans to Freetown, after liberating them from illegal slave ships. One traditional leader from each district occupies a seat in Sierra Leone's parliament . What Languages Are Spoken In Sierra Leone? [107] Mining and slash and burn for land conversion such as cattle grazing dramatically diminished forested land in Sierra Leone since the 1980s. [1] [2] Previously, the country was divided into 14 districts. Bo is also headed by a mayor and governed by the city council. The city is has a culturally diverse population of different religions and ethnicities. The first is the Guma plant which was decommissioned in 1982, the second is the Dodo Plant which is located in the Eastern Province, and finally the Bumbuna plant. [17], The geographic area has been inhabited for millennia, but Sierra Leone, as the country and its borders are known today, was founded by the British Crown in two phases: first, the coastal Sierra Leone Colony in 1808 (for returning Africans after the abolition of slavery); second, the inland Protectorate in 1896 (as the Crown needed to establish more dominion inland following the outcome of the Berlin Conference of 1884-1885). 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. The Temne are said to have migrated from Futa Jallon, which is in present-day Guinea. 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. . [64] With this change, the British began to expand their administration in the region, recruiting British citizens to posts and pushing Krios out of positions in government and even the desirable residential areas in Freetown.[64]. The report indicated that the countrys just-concluded first digital census proves that the nations population is Seven million, five hundred and forty-eight thousand seven hundred and two (7,548,702). 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. In other words, the population of Sierra Leone has grown almost three and half times it was in 1963 (2,180,355). The SLPP, which was then the most popular political party in the colony of Sierra Leone as well as being supported by the powerful paramount chiefs in the provinces, won the most seats in Parliament and Margai was re-elected as Chief Minister by a landslide. The discussions eventually concluded with key stakeholders, including Bio's administration and the UN, agreeing that while efforts in finding a peaceful solution to ending the war should continue, a general election should be held as soon as possible. The results were that 64% of children were diagnosed with ARI where firewood stoves were used, and 44% where charcoal stoves were used. [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. [21], In early 1996, despite the country going through a brutal civil war, the emergence of the prospect of a transformation back to a multi-party democracy brought fresh hopes and great expectations among a majority of Sierra Leoneans, as the national debate "Peace before Elections vs Elections before Peace" became a hot topic. The army was devoted to Bangura, and this made him potentially dangerous to Stevens. Children, youth and adult are frequently seen playing street football across Sierra Leone. Four of these are provinces, and one is simply called the Western Area. The Sierra Leonean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation is responsible for foreign policy of Sierra Leone. As the sole candidate, Momoh was elected president without opposition and sworn in as Sierra Leone's second president on 28 November 1985 in Freetown. Surveys of the religious make up of Sierra Leone vary widely, though Muslims make up the majority of the population. It was founded in 1792 by abolitionist John Clarkson and was settled by freed slaves from various parts of the world whose descendants are known as the Sierra Leone Creole people. [220] It is the most populous District in the North and the second most populous District in Sierra Leone, after the Western Area Urban District. In 2001, UN forces moved into rebel-held areas and began to disarm rebel soldiers. Female. The largest and most influential are the Temne at about 35.5% and the Mende at about 33.2%. Njala University was established as the Njala Agricultural Experimental Station in 1910 and became a university in 2005. The ratio of men and women in Bo District, Sierra Leone. The fund was created to raise local communities' stake in the legal diamond trade. Sierra Leone Police was established by the British colony in 1894; it is one of the oldest police forces in West Africa. Prior to the arrival of Pedro da Cintra in 1462, Sierra Leones history can be briefly ascribed to its composition of few ethnic groups, prominent amongst these were Limba who already lived in Sierra Leone around the 8th Century and there is no clear evidence about their origin. They reinstated the constitution and returned power to Stevens, who at last assumed the office of Prime Minister. A new constitution was adopted in 1971, paving the way for Sierra Leone becoming a republic, and Siaka Stevens, leader of the All People's Congress (APC), becoming the first executive president of the Republic of Sierra Leone. Primary education is free and compulsory in government-sponsored public schools. Sierra Leone is a country in the western region of Africa bordering Liberia, Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean. In addition, it stated that: The population size of Sierra Leone in 2021 has more than tripled since the first modern census that was conducted in 1963. 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