Portal:Sierra Leone
The Sierra Leone PortalSierra Leone, (/siˌɛrə liˈoʊn(i)/ , also UK: /siˌɛərə -/, US: /ˌsɪərə -/; Krio: Salone) officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Its land area is 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi). It has a tropical climate and environments ranging from savannas to rainforests. As of the 2023 census, Sierra Leone has a population of 8,908,040. Freetown is both its capital and its largest city. The country is divided into five administrative regions, which are further subdivided into 16 districts. 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 (which encompasses both freedom of thought and religion). Muslims constitute three-quarters of the population, and there is a significant Christian minority. Notably, religious tolerance is very high: it is both a social norm and part of the nation's cultural identity. Sierra Leone's current territorial configuration was established by the British Empire in two historical phases: in 1808, the coastal Sierra Leone Colony was founded as a place to resettle returning Africans after the abolition of the slave trade; then in 1896, the inland Protectorate was created as a result of the Berlin Conference of 1884–1885. This led to the formal recognition of the territory as the Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate, or British Sierra Leone. When Sierra Leone attained independence from the United Kingdom in 1961 under the leadership of Prime Minister Sir Milton Margai of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), the country transitioned to a Commonwealth realm and was designated the Dominion of Sierra Leone. In 1971, under Prime Minister Siaka Stevens of the All People's Congress (APC), the country adopted a new constitution, transforming Sierra Leone into a presidential republic, with Stevens as the inaugural president. In 1978, Stevens declared the APC to be the sole legally recognized party. In 1985, he was succeeded by Joseph Saidu Momoh. Momoh's enactment of a new constitution in 1991 reintroduced a multi-party system. That same year, a protracted civil war broke out between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group. The conflict, characterized by multiple coups d'état, persisted for 11 years. Intervention by ECOMOG forces and later by the United Kingdom resulted in the defeat of the RUF in 2002, ushering in a period of relative stability and efforts to recover from the ravages of the war. The two major political parties that remain are the APC and the SLPP. (Full article...) Selected article -The 968.9-carat (193.78 g) Star of Sierra Leone diamond was discovered by miners on February 14, 1972, in the Diminco alluvial mines in the Koidu area of Sierra Leone. It ranks as the fourth-largest gem-quality diamond and the largest alluvial diamond ever discovered. On October 3, 1972, Sierra Leone's then-President, Siaka Stevens, announced that Harry Winston, the New York City jeweller, had purchased the Star of Sierra Leone for under $2.5 million. (Full article...) General images -The following are images from various Sierra Leone-related articles on Wikipedia.
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Sierra Leone competed at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, from 27 July to 12 August 2012. This marked the nation's tenth appearance at the Summer Olympics since its debut in the 1968 Summer Olympics. The Sierra Leone delegation included two track and field athletes; Ibrahim Turay, a sprinter and Ola Sesay, a long jumper. Sesay and Turay were selected as flag bearers for the opening and closing ceremonies respectively. Neither of the two athletes progressed beyond the first round. (Full article...) CategoriesSelect [►] to view subcategories
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TopicsProvinces: Eastern Province • Northern Province • Southern Province • Western Area History: Sierra Leone Colony and Protectorate • Kingdom of Koya • British West Africa • Sierra Leone Liberated Africans • Sierra Leone Civil War • United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone Law: Sierra Leone Police • Special Court for Sierra Leone • Truth and Reconciliation Commission • Prisons in Sierra Leone Politics: List of Presidents • Political Parties • Parliament • Foreign relations • Elections • Military of Sierra Leone Geography: Protected • Sierra Leone River • Western Guinean lowland forests • Outamba-Kilimi National Park • Transport Society: Sport • Demographics • Education • Cuisine • Media • Music Symbols: Flag • Coat of arms • National anthem (High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free) Related portalsWikiProjectsAssociated WikimediaThe following Wikimedia Foundation sister projects provide more on this subject:
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