The Vai are largely Muslim majority at about 90%, while the Kru are virtually all Christians at over 99%. 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). 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. The coastal swamp region extends along the . Bio replaced outgoing President Ernest Bai Koroma after Bio was sworn into office on 4 April 2018 by Chief Justice Abdulai Cham. The city was established by Lieutenant John Clarkson, African American ex-slaves and free people known as the Nova Scotian Settlers on March 11th, 1792, making Freetown the oldest capital created by African Americans. Over the next decade, much of the formal economy was destroyed in the country's civil war. The population of all Sierra Leonean cities and urban localities with more than 7.000 inhabitants according to census results. 50%. Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources, especially diamond, gold, bauxite and aluminium. Nyagua (c. 18421906), also known as the "Tracking King", was a fierce king who captured many districts and many people came to join him for protection. [116] The Sierra Leone parliament is led by the Speaker of Parliament, who is the overall leader of Parliament and is directly elected by sitting members of parliament. The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) won a plurality of seats in parliament, and Milton Margai was re-elected as prime minister. The Eastern Province is the center of the countrys diamond mining industry. [40], Many in London thought that moving them to Sierra Leone would lift them out of poverty. Mineral exports remain the main currency earner. In March 1976, Stevens was elected without opposition for a second five-year term as president. There is high unemployment, particularly among the youth and ex-combatants. Sierra Leone Police was established by the British colony in 1894; it is one of the oldest police forces in West Africa. Of the refugees remaining in Sierra Leone, nearly all were Liberian.[171]. The largest city is Freetown with a population of 836 574. The provinces of Sierra Leone are divided into 16 districts, as of July 2017. 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. It has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup but participated in the 1994 and 1996 African Cup of Nations. Sierra Leone's first and second presidents, Siaka Stevens and Joseph Saidu Momoh, respectively, were both ethnic Limba. Like the Fula, the Mandinka are virtually all Muslims at over 99. [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. Hence, the country formally became known as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate or simply British Sierra Leone. The majority of the Kono ethnic group are Christians, though with an influential Muslim minority. Sheikh Muhammad Taha Jalloh is the president of the Sierra Leone Supreme Islamic Council. The Paramount Chiefs are influential, particularly in villages and small rural towns. The Fula are virtually all Muslims at over 99%. There are a few internationally linked automated teller machines that accept Visa cards in Freetown operated by ProCredit Bank. There is a huge police presence inside and outside the national stadium during a match between the two great rivals to prevent a clash. [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. Sierra Leone is also a member of the United Nations and its specialised agencies, the African Union, the African Development Bank (AFDB), the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Much of the recovery will depend on the success of the government's efforts to limit corruption by officials, which many feel was the chief cause of the civil war. To formalise his war against corruption, President Momoh announced a "Code of Conduct for Political Leaders and Public Servants". Graphic maps of the area around 8 33' 36" N, 13 31' 30" W. There are many color schemes to choose from. [201] Many Christian organisations in Sierra Leone, including the Council of Churches condemned Ajisafe's sermon against Islam and Muslims. The southern front, consisting mostly of Mende people, entered the conflict somewhat later, for other reasons. [39] However, on the voyage between Plymouth, England and Sierra Leone, seventy European girlfriends and wives accompanied the Black Poor settlers. The British began to take interest in Sierra Leone and in 1672 the Royal African Company established trading forts on the Islands of Bunce and York. [234] During the Civil War (19912002), many soldiers took part in atrocities and many children were forced to fight. Habitat degradation for the African wild dog, Lycaon pictus, has been increased, such that this canid is deemed to have been extirpated in Sierra Leone. He removed the SLPP party from competitive politics in general elections, some believed, through the use of violence and intimidation. Recently there has been an increase of Pentecostal churches, especially in Freetown. [101], Sierra Leone is located on the southwest coast of West Africa, lying mostly between latitudes 7 and 10N (a small area is south of 7), and longitudes 10 and 14W. [66] Bureh surrendered on 11 November 1898 to end the destruction of his people's territory and dwellings. [71] The new constitution ensured Sierra Leone had a parliamentary system within the Commonwealth of Nations. One traditional leader from each district occupies a seat in Sierra Leone's parliament. The airport has paved runways longer than 3,047 metres (9,997 feet). The capital of this province is Kenema, which is the economic center of the region and one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the country. 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. It borders the country of Guinea as well as three other provinces in Sierra Leone. In his first public broadcast to the nation following the 1996 coup, Brigadier Bio stated that his support for returning Sierra Leone to a democratically elected civilian government and his commitment to ending the civil war were his motivations for the coup. Some of that is smuggled, where it is possibly used for money laundering or financing illicit activities. Kabbah's presidency marked the dawn of a new Sierra Leone, which included the end of the civil war in 2002, a focus on fostering national unity and reconciliation, trust in government, peace and stability, the improvement in relations with many countries, and the refounding of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces with special assistance and training led by the Government of the United Kingdom. The vast majority of Temne are Muslims at over 85%; with a significant Christian minority at about 10%. [131] Each chiefdom has ruling families that were recognised at that time; the Tribal Authority, made up of local notables, elects the paramount chief from the ruling families. Clarkson initially banned the survivors of Granville Town from joining the new settlement, blaming them for the demise of Granville Town. The Republic of Sierra Leone is composed of five regions: the Northern Province, North West Province, Southern Province, the Eastern Province, and the Western Area. This condition often drives women into poverty and isolation.[229]. 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. Different European nations started using Sierra Leone as a trading point for slaves brought to the coast by African traders from interior areas undergoing wars and conflicts over territory. The current president of Sierra Leone is former military junta leader Julius Maada Bio. Bio is the leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party, the current ruling party in Sierra Leone. [160] This overarching goal has been broken down into smaller goals as well. The Kono are descendants of migrants from Guinea; today their workers are known primarily as diamond miners. [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. The three districts of the North West Province are: Sierra Leones Western Area is the only region in the country to not have an international border. The Susu and Yalunka kingdom was established in the early fifth seventh century[clarification needed] before the Mali empire, which was extended from Mali, Senegal, Guinea Bissau, Guinea Conakry to the northern part of 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. 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 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 Sierra Leone constitution guarantees freedom of speech, and freedom of the press; however, the government maintains strong control of media, and at times restricts these rights in practice. agreement & 5 others, Sierra Leone admits to low supply of fuel, Sierra Leone: Audit reveals corrupt practice in defence, agriculture, education, police, Sacked Sierra Leone VP takes case to ECOWAS Court, Sierra Leone detains top football officials, Sierra Leone electoral commission to start boundary delimitation, Sierra Leone Parliament challenges Disaster Bill, Sierra Leone Court Martial, defence rejects president, SANUSI COVID-19 indices update (09/12/20). [108] The country had a 2019 Forest Landscape Integrity Index mean score of 2.76/10, ranking it 154th globally out of 172 countries.[109]. In August 2017, one new province (Northwestern), two new districts (Falaba and Karene) and. Different sources give different estimates. 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. . This ended its 16years of running the Colony. Other courts include the High Court of Justice, the Court of Appeal, the magistrate courts, and traditional courts in rural villages. There are 800km (497mi) of waterways in Sierra Leone, of which 600km (373mi) are navigable year-round. On 29 March 1970, Brigadier Bangura was executed by hanging in Freetown. The Limba are primarily found in Northern Sierra Leone, particularly in Bombali, Kambia and Koinadugu District. Sierra Leone has a population of more than 7 million people and has some major cities that subdivide the country. The Kissi live further inland in South-Eastern Sierra Leone. Makeni is home to Sierra Leone's incumbent President, Ernest Bai Koroma. 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. 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. Sipsma, Heather L., et al. Stevens was sworn in as Prime Minister on 21 March 1967. Bo is also headed by a mayor and governed by the city council. By geographical area, Koinadugu District is the largest by several thousand square kilometers. In the 2004 census, Waterloo had a population of 34,079. Sierra Leone's former Vice-President Alhaji Samuel Sam-Sumana is an ethnic Kono. [35] The Dutch and French also started arriving and set up trade near the coast. [60], In the early 19th century, Freetown served as the residence of the British colonial governor of the region, who also administered the Gold Coast (now Ghana) and the Gambia settlements. The NPRC Junta maintained relations with ECOWAS and strengthened support for Sierra Leone-based ECOMOG troops fighting in the Liberian war. Following the American Revolution, more than 3,000 Black Loyalists had also been settled in Nova Scotia, where they were finally granted land. Islam and Christianity are the two main religions in the country. Freetown is located in the Western region of the country and it is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean besides being the capital city of Sierra Leone. No style is the best. 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]. Some claim that Magburaka should be included in the above list, but there is considerable difference among sources. Be the first to get the latest news, music and videos trending in Sierra Leone. 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 Western Area is divided into two districts. His father was a Yalunka paramount chief of Solima, a prosperous chieftaincy. The British later captured Nyagua, and he was also exiled to the Gold Coast. [86] SSD officers were loyal to Stevens and were deployed across the country to clamp down on any rebellion or protest against Stevens' government. Sierra Leone has a total area of 71,740km2 (27,699sqmi), divided into a land area of 71,620km2 (27,653sqmi) and water of 120km2 (46sqmi). Pro-slavery advocates accused the Black Poor of being responsible for a large proportion of crime in 18th century London. It also borders Liberia and each of Sierra Leones five administrative regions. Rural areas are the most common to lack access to education having only male-headed four per cent ahead of females with basic education and 1.2 per cent more at post-graduate level. [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]. Bo District Bombali District Bonthe District Kailahun District Kambia District Kenema District Koinadugu District Kono District Moyamba District This left them traumatised, with an estimated 400,000 people (by 2009) being mentally ill. Thousands of former child soldiers have fallen into substance abuse as they try to blunt their memories. It also has one of the lowest population densities in the country with just over 400,000 people recorded in the 2015 census. [111] On paper, 55 protected areas covered 4.5% of Sierra Leone as of 2003. [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. 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. The coast has areas of low-lying Guinean mangroves swamp. Credit card use is limited in Sierra Leone, though they may be used at some hotels and restaurants. 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