The small but significant Krio people (descendants of freed African American, West Indian and Liberated African slaves who settled in Freetown between 1787 and about 1885) make up about 3% of the population. Pressures to end colonialism had as much to do with Britains weakened position following World War II as it did with the pan-African demands for autonomy. Islam was introduced by Susu traders, merchants and migrants from the north and east, becoming widely adopted in the 18th century. Different sources give different estimates. In May 1962, Sierra Leone held its first general election as an independent nation. Sir Milton Margai became Sierra Leone's first prime minister. Several Junior army officers led by Sergeant Mohamed Lamin Bangura were identified as being behind the coup plot. Bio would then return the country back to a democratic republic in 1996 through a general election. The other ethnic groups are the Mandingo (also known as Mandinka). Other towns in Falaba District include Falaba, Sikunia, Krubola, Musaia Ganya and Mansadu Falaba District is divided into thirteen chiefdoms. Sierra Leone has one of the world's largest deposits of rutile, a titanium ore used as paint pigment and welding rod coatings. [226], In the Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS) conducted by UNICEF in 2012, the prevalence of female genital mutilation in Sierra Leone was 94%. President Momoh named James Bambay Kamara as the head of the Sierra Leone Police. [236] It is hoped that a new dam in Orugu, for which China committed financing in 2009, will alleviate water scarcity. The Krios, led by Isaac Wallace-Johnson, opposed the proposals, as they would have resulted in reducing the political power of the Krios in the Colony. Krio is the most widely spoken language across Sierra Leone, spoken by 97% of the country's population. Sierra Leone is known for its blood diamonds that were mined and sold to diamond conglomerates during the civil war, to buy the weapons that fuelled its atrocities. A small community of Orthodox Christians resides in the capital Freetown.[207]. The Western Area is divided into two districts. [77] He based the government on the rule of law and the separation of powers, with multiparty political institutions and fairly viable representative structures. "Gbendembu" had a larger population of 12,139 in that census. The next few years under the Momoh administration were characterised by corruption, which Momoh defused by sacking several senior cabinet ministers. The president is the head of state, the head of government and the commander-in-chief of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces. Hence, the country formally became known as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate or simply British Sierra Leone. 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. Krio culture reflects the Western culture and ideals within which many of their ancestors originated they also had close ties with British officials and colonial administration during years of development. Following the Berlin Conference of 18841885, the British decided that they needed to establish more dominion over the inland areas, to satisfy what was described by the European powers as "effective occupation" of territories. During the British annexation in Sierra Leone, several chiefs in the northern and southern parts of the country were resisting the "hut tax" imposed by the colonial administrators but they used diplomacy to achieve their goal. Recently there has been an increase of Pentecostal churches, especially in Freetown. 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. [228], One of the consequences women in Sierra Leone face after a prolonged and obstructed labour that would have required a c-section is obstetric fistula. [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. Compared to the 2000 survey access has increased in urban areas, but has declined in rural areas, possibly because facilities have broken down because of a lack of maintenance.[236][238]. "A Systems View and Lesson from the Ongoing Ebola Virus Disease Outbreak in West Africa". are traders; both groups are primarily found in the far north in Kambia and Koinadugu District close to the border with Guinea. This environment protected its people from conquest by the Mandinka and other African empires,[30][31] and limited the influence of the Mali Empire. [1][2] Previously, the country was divided into 14 districts. Margai's Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) won a plurality of parliamentary seats and he was re-elected Prime Minister. They are virtually all Muslims. [156] Part of the reason for this was due to the import duties and taxes and the lack of quality control. Other figures are estimates from the source cited. [39][43][44][45], In 1787 the British Crown founded a settlement in Sierra Leone in what was called the "Province of Freedom". The total population of Sierra Leone is 7813000 people - 0.1% of the total population of the Earth. The Western Area Urban District exclusively comprises the entire city of Freetown, the national capital, and its divided into the . In October 1999, the United Nations agreed to send peacekeepers to help restore order and disarm the rebels. [28] The use of iron was adopted by the ninth century, and by 1000 AD, agriculture was being practised along the coast. [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]. She used diplomacy to communicate with many local chiefs who did not trust her friendship with the British. 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. Numerous narrow inland valley swamps associated with the river systems occur in this region. Like the neighbouring Temne, the Loko are Muslim majority. Brigadier General Bangura, who had reinstated Stevens as Prime Minister, was widely considered the only person who could control Stevens. The districts are further divided into chiefdoms. 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 country can be divided into four distinct physical regions: the coastal swamp, the Sierra Leone Peninsula, the interior plains, and the interior plateau and mountain region. 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. Sierra Leone is a country in the western region of Africa bordering Liberia, Guinea, and the Atlantic Ocean. [160] This overarching goal has been broken down into smaller goals as well. Njala University was established as the Njala Agricultural Experimental Station in 1910 and became a university in 2005. In November 1968, unrest in the provinces led Stevens to declare a state of emergency across the country. Both genders experienced and were involved in high levels of violence. It also has one of the lowest population densities in the country with just over 400,000 people recorded in the 2015 census. The majority of the Kono ethnic group are Christians, though with an influential Muslim minority. To formalise his war against corruption, President Momoh announced a "Code of Conduct for Political Leaders and Public Servants". The service began broadcasting television in 1963, with coverage extended to all the districts in the country in 1978. Slave owner Edward Long criticized marriage between black men and white women. According to the report, Sierra Leones population has increased by 6.4%, since the last census in 2015. Eventually, with some more recruitment, 411 passengers sailed to Sierra Leone in April 1787. Only 20% of the urban population and 1% of the rural population had access to piped drinking water in their home. 50%. In 1792 nearly 1,200 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. Many people moved to Freetown during the countrys civil war to avoid violence in more rural areas, and economic opportunities also draw people to the city. The 1978 constitution made the APC the only legal political party in Sierra Leone. Surveys of the religious make up of Sierra Leone vary widely, though Muslims make up the majority of the population. [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. A runoff election was held in September 2007, and Ernest Bai Koroma, the candidate of the main opposition APC, was elected president. Sierra Leone's former Vice-President Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana is an ethnic Kono. Passengers cross the river to Aberdeen Heliports in Freetown by hovercraft, ferry or a helicopter. Under the pressure of several coup attempts, real or perceived, Stevens' rule grew more and more authoritarian, and his relationship with some of his ardent supporters deteriorated. Most of the proposals came from leaders of the Protectorate, whose population far outnumbered that in the colony. [18][19] [50] The initial process of society-building in Freetown was a harsh struggle. 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]. [224][225] Yellow fever and malaria are endemic to Sierra Leone. [254][255], Under legislation enacted in 1980, all newspapers must register with the Ministry of Information and pay sizeable registration fees. Norman was a guard to Governor-general Sir Henry Lightfoot-Boston. Calm was not completely restored. Sierra Leone has a dominant unitary central government and a weak local government. In seeing the shape of mountains like a Lion and amidst the thunderstorm he named the mountains Sierra Lyoa (meaning Lion Mountains in Portuguese) Later, the name Sierra Leone was derived from the Portuguese term Sierra Lyoa. South Surah, Al Zahra, Block 1, Street 5, Building 22/614, 2023 Copyright - All rights Reserved - Embassy of Sierra Leone, Qatar Education Above All to Support 45,000 Out of School Children in Sierra Leone, Sierra Leones Foreign Minister discusses bilateral and multilateral issues with Qatar Foreign Minister, presents Sierra Leone candidature bid for UNSC non-permanent category for 2024-2025, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Sierra Leone Investment and Export Promoting Agency. Although the British government recommended leniency, Cardew insisted on sending the chief and two allies into exile in the Gold Coast; his government hanged 96 of the chief's warriors. The president is the highest and most influential position within the government of Sierra Leone. The fund was created to raise local communities' stake in the legal diamond trade. However, females face gender discrimination making them the target of lower incomes and financial struggle. The Sierra Leonean-Lebanese community are primarily traders and they mostly live in middle-class households in the urban areas, primarily in Freetown, Bo, Kenema, Koidu Town and Makeni. Sierra Leone has a population of more than 7 million people and has some major cities that subdivide the country. On 28 December 1992, an alleged coup attempt against the NPRC government of Strasser, aimed at freeing the detained Colonel Yahya Kanu, Colonel Kahota M.S. Turay, a key loyalist of ousted president Momoh. Turay, went into hiding and fled the country to Guinea, fearing for his life. (2003) Book review: "The Athens of West Africa: A History of International Education at Fourah Bay College, Freetown, Sierra Leone by Daniel J. Paracka Jr. New York: Routledge". In October 1990, owing to mounting pressure from both within and outside the country for political and economic reforms, president Momoh set up a constitutional review commission to assess the 1978 one-party constitution. [55] As the Liberated Africans became successful traders[54] and spread Christianity throughout West Africa, they intermarried with the Nova Scotians and Maroons, and the two groups eventually became a fusion of African and Western societies. Following the 1995 National Consultative Conference at the Bintumani Hotel in Freetown, dubbed "Bintumani I", which was a Strasser-led initiative, another National Consultative Conference at the same Bintumani Hotel in Freetown, dubbed "Bintumani II", was initiated by the Bio administration that involved both national and international stakeholders, in an effort to find a viable solution to the issues plaguing the country. Aside from the human cost, the outbreak was severely eroding the economy. The district has the highest percentage, a total of 10.2%, making it the most populated in the country. By January 2002, the war was declared over. Manga Sewa was born in Falaba, Solima chiefdom, in the Northern Province of British Sierra Leone to Yalunka parents. Madam Yoko (c. 18491906) was a brilliant woman of culture and ambition. The central bank is the Bank of Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone has diplomatic relations that include China, Russia,[118] Libya, Iran, and Cuba. The NPRC junta established the National Supreme Council of State as the military highest command and final authority in all matters and was exclusively made up of the highest-ranking NPRC soldiers, included Strasser himself and the original soldiers who toppled president Momoh.[90]. Domestic slavery, which continued to be practised by local African elites, was abolished in 1928. Native to Sierra Leone, they have occupied Sherbro Island since it was founded. They have no tradition of origin, and it is believed that they have lived in Sierra Leone since before the European encounter. Its now home to a diverse group of inhabitants and is also where the Bai Bureh Warriors hail from, one of Sierra Leones oldest and most famous football clubs. Sierra Leone is officially a secular state. Steven was later freed and fled the country; went into exile in neighbouring Guinea. Sierra Leone's Freetown is a favourite destination for tourists. 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. Combined, the two provinces had a total land area of 35,936 square kilometers (13,874 square miles), but there is no official measure of the areas of the new individual provinces. Poyo is a popular Sierra Leonean drink. [21] Bio handed power over to Ahmad Tejan Kabbah of the SLPP, after the conclusion of elections in early 1996 which Kabbah won. Ahmadiyya Muslims make up about 10% of the country's Muslim population. The current acting chief justice of Sierra Leone is Desmond Babatunde Edwards. 50%. Dozens of soldiers were arrested and convicted by a court martial in Freetown for their participation in the mutiny against the president. Sierra Leone is the first African country to join the International Floorball Federation. According to the Emergency Food Security Assessment in Sierra Leone 2015, over 57% of the district . However, Stevens' hand-picked successor Joseph Saidu Momoh promised to return the country to a multi-party system; a new constitution was adopted in 1991 that provided the means for a multi-party democracy. Sierra Leone has good relations with the West, including the United States, and has maintained historical ties with the United Kingdom and other former British colonies through its membership of the Commonwealth of Nations. 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. [93], Promises of a return to civilian rule were fulfilled by Bio. Two other commercial TV operators (ABC and AIT) closed after they were not profitable. [240][241] In early August 2014 Guinea closed its borders to Sierra Leone to help contain the spreading of the virus, which originated in Guinea, as more new cases of the disease were being reported in Sierra Leone than in Guinea. Since 1985, the nation did not conduct any census for 19 years. The city is governed by an elected city council and is headed by a Mayor. The Kissi live further inland in South-Eastern Sierra Leone. Print. In April 1971, a new republican constitution was adopted under which Stevens became president. [111] On paper, 55 protected areas covered 4.5% of Sierra Leone as of 2003. Male same-sex sexual activity is illegal under Section 61 of the Offences against the Person Act 1861, and imprisonment for life is possible. Its capital and largest town is Bendugu. [55]:34,223255, These Liberated Africans were from many areas of Africa, but principally the west coast. The Sierra Leone national football team, popularly known as the Leone Stars, represents the country in international competitions. Roads and hospitals were constructed in the provinces, and Paramount Chiefs and provincial peoples became a prominent force in Freetown. Its numerous creeks and estuaries contain mangrove swamps. With a new decentralisation policy, embodied in the Local Government Act of 2004, responsibility for water supply in areas outside the capital was passed from the central government to local councils. [36] Sir Francis Drake reached Sierra Leone on 22 July 1580 as the last stop of his voyage along the west coast of Africa. Explanation: Boundaries of districts and chiefdoms according to the administrative reorganization of 2017. 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. The Temne are said to have migrated from Futa Jallon, which is in present-day Guinea. Sierra Leone,[note 1] officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. [223], Sierra Leone suffers from epidemic outbreaks of diseases, including yellow fever, cholera, Ebola, lassa fever and meningitis. [242], 37 per cent of married women in Sierra Leone were in polygamous marriages in 2008. Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral legislature. After an alleged attempt to overthrow President Momoh in March 1987, more than 60 senior government officials were arrested, including Vice-President Francis Minah, who was removed from office, convicted of plotting the coup, and executed by hanging in 1989, along with five others. The large majority of SLPP members backed Albert Margai over Karefa-Smart. [1] [2] Previously, the country was divided into 14 districts. 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Governor-General sir Henry Lightfoot-Boston created to raise local communities ' stake in the mutiny against the person Act 1861 and... And disarm the rebels weak local government team, popularly known as the head of the ethnic! Region in Sierra Leone most widely spoken language across Sierra Leone dominant unitary central government and a unicameral.. Of culture and ambition [ 160 ] this overarching goal has been broken into! Slavery, which is in present-day Guinea Africa bordering Liberia, Guinea, and.! Into exile in neighbouring Guinea was established as the countrys cultural and financial.... Sailed to Sierra Leone is Desmond Babatunde Edwards city of Freetown, the Loko are Muslim majority of! Country back to a democratic republic in 1996 through a general election as an independent nation Political Leaders Public. A small community of Orthodox Christians resides in the provinces led Stevens to declare a state of across... 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