Sierra Leone
Capital: Freetown · Western Africa
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the west coast of West Africa.
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Gbendemdu Mosque and Church on your left as you go to Outamba-Kilimi National Park in Sierra Leone
Photo: Leasmhar, CC BY-SA 3.0 · source
on the road to BO
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Did you know?
Sierra Leone is a presidential republic, with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president. It is a secular state. Its constitution provides for the separation of state and religion and freedom of conscience. Muslims constitute three-quarters of the population, and there is a significant Christian minority. Religious tolerance is very high.
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Tiwa Island, Sierra Leone
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locally constructed huts that people dwell/school in poor countries
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The Sierra Leone estuary became a focal point for trade and interaction between Africans and Europeans because of its exceptional harbor, starting in the mid-15th…
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Etymology
Sierra Leone derives its name from the Lion Mountains near its capital, Freetown. Originally named Serra Leoa (Portuguese for 'lioness mountains') by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra in 1462, the modern name is based on the Venetian spelling, which was introduced by Venetian explorer Alvise Cadamosto and subsequently adopted by other European mapmakers.
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A Poro boy sitting on a matt, while a man is preparing the ritual.
Photo: Sjoerd Hofstra, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
This is an image with the theme " Health and Wellness in Africa " from:
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History
Sierra Leone's history is marked by continuous human habitation for at least 2,500 years, influenced by migrations from across Africa. Iron technology had been adopted by the 9th century and agriculture established by 1000 AD along the coast. Climate shifts over centuries altered the ecological zones, influencing migration and conquest dynamics.
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MV Karadeniz Powership Doğan Bey, Freetown, Sierra Leone
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Bad road conditions in Gbonkolenken Yele. Gbonkolenken for the past years has been deprived from so many things in terms of developments
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Geography
Sierra Leone is on the southwest coast of West Africa, mostly between latitudes 7° and 10°N (a small area is south of 7°), and longitudes 10° and 14°W. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. It has an area of 73,252 km2 (28,283 sq mi), divided into a land area of 73,132 km2 (28,236 sq mi) and water of 120 km2 (46 sq mi).
In eastern Sierra Leone the plateau is interspersed with high mountains, where Mount Bintumani reaches 1,948 m (6,391 ft), the highest point in the country. The upper part of the drainage basin of the Moa River is in the south of this region.
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Waiting area at the gates at Lungi International Airport near Freetown, Sierra Leone. Taken on 15-Oct-2017.
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The State House, government building in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Spiral stairs
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Government and politics
Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral legislature. The current system of the Government of Sierra Leone is based on the 1991 Sierra Leone Constitution. Sierra Leone has a dominant unitary central government and a weak local government. The executive branch, headed by the president of Sierra Leone has extensive powers and influence. The president is the most powerful government official in Sierra Leone.
The president is the head of state, the head of government, and the commander-in-chief of the Sierra Leone Armed Forces.
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Photograph published on Page 378 of 'The War of the Nations : portfolio in Rotogravure Etchings : compiled from the Mid-week pictorial, (New York), December 31, 1919.…
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Identifier : bishopofafricali00davi ( find matches ) Title : The bishop of Africa; the life of William Taylor. With an account of the Congo country and mission Year :…
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Economy
By the 1990s, economic activity was declining and economic infrastructure had become seriously degraded. Over the next decade, much of the formal economy was destroyed in the country's civil war. Since the end of hostilities in 2002, massive infusions of outside assistance have helped Sierra Leone recover.
Much of the recovery depends on the success of the government's efforts to limit corruption by officials, which many feel was the chief cause of the civil war. A key indicator of success is the effectiveness of government management of its diamond sector.
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The original finding aid described this item as: Format: Slide Architect: Building leased Property Number: S 98502
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The Supreme Court of Sierra Leone, in central Freetown with the famous Cotton Tree to the right.
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Demographics
In 2019 Sierra Leone had a population of 7,813,215 and a growth rate of 2.216% a year. The population is mostly young, with an estimated 41.7% under 15, and rural, with an estimated 62% of people living outside the cities. As a result of migration to cities, the population is becoming more urban with an estimated rate of urbanisation growth of 2.9% a year.
Population density varies greatly within Sierra Leone. The Western Area Urban District, including Freetown, the capital and largest city, has a population density of 1,224 persons per square km. The largest district geographically, Koinadugu, has a much lower density of 21.4 persons per square km.
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Unidentified women with Children, Panguma, Sierra Leone, 1934-1936
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Health
The CIA estimated that the average life expectancy in Sierra Leone was 57.39 years.
The prevalence of HIV/AIDS in the population is 1.6%, higher than the world average of 1% but lower than the average of 6.1% across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Medical care is not readily accessible, with doctors and hospitals out of reach for many villagers. While free health care may be provided in some villages, the medical staff are poorly paid and sometimes charge for their services, taking advantage of the fact that the villagers are not aware of their right to free medical care.
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Culture
As of 2019, 30% of women and 14% of men were in a polygamous unions in Sierra Leone. "The percentage of women with one or more co-wives has decreased gradually over time, from 37% in 2008 and 35% in 2013 to 30% in 2019."
Rice is the staple food of Sierra Leone and is consumed at virtually every meal. 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.
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