Sierra Leone

Literally meaning “lion mountain range” in Portuguese, Sierra Leone is a beautiful country. It has everything from sandy white beaches to dense tropical rainforests. Declaring independence in 1961 from England, the government that was set up is a constitutional republic. Dealing with a violent civil war, the country has returned to peace. The civil war started in 1967 with a coup of the prime minister. The civil war was declared over in 2002 by President Kabbah. An estimated 50,000 people were killed and many more were injured by the rebel forces. The economy of Sierra Leone is gradually becoming more stable and better. The major industries of Sierra Leone are mining and tourism.

The population of Sierra Leone is 5,866,000 people, the majority being youth and children, due to the civil war. Freetown is the capital and largest city, along with the most important. There are 15 major ethnic groups living in Sierra Leone, each with their own language and customs. Unlike the majority of Africa, having religious freedom and multiple ethnic groups rarely causes a problem. Public education is important; children go to six years of primary school and six years of secondary school, a similar setup to the United States of America.

Created by Lauren Starks. November 7, 2007

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