Country information on Sierra Leone

Terrain Sierra Leone's terrain may be divided into three geographic regions: a low-lying coastal plain that extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean for about 80 km, the country's undulating central parts dominated by rainforests, and the highland areas. Several small mountain ranges are located near the northern and eastern borders and reach a maximum elevation of 1,948 m in Bintumani (Loma Mansa) in the Loma Mountains. Of the numerous short rivers that drain the country the most important are the Kolenté (Great Scarcies) and the Kaba (Little Scarcies), and the Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Moa. Most of them are navigable only in the rainy season. Climate Sierra Leone is a tropical country with temperatures averaging 26°C. Average annual precipitation varies between 3810 mm on the coast and 2030 mm in the country's interior. There are two seasons: the dry season, from November to April, with harmattan trade winds frequently blowing from the Sahara; and the wet or rainy season from May to October. Fauna/Flora Sierra Leone's north is dominated by savannah vegetation with shrubs and grassland. In the dense forests of the south-east endemic tree species include palms, mahogany and teak. The forests provide a habitat for chimpanzees, other monkey species, porcupines, crocodiles and hippopotamus. Since the need for timber and firewood has led to widespread deforestation in Sierra Leone, many animal species are threatened by extinction. There are but few nature reserves, e.g. the Kilimi National Park in the north of the country, which has the largest concentration of chimpanzees in West Africa. History/Politics The area of present-day Sierra Leone remained part of the Mali Kingdom right up to the 15th century. The country was named Sierra Leone (Lion Mountains) by Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cinta who discovered it in 1462. Three hundred years later (around 1780) the British acquired an area of app. 250 km² from tribal leaders to repatriate slaves from Great Britain and the United States. The Sierra Leone Company, which was founded in 1791, administrated the settlement until 1808; afterwards it became a crown colony and a British protectorate in 1896. The first election of a parliamentary council according to the constitution took place in 1924. In 1953 the ministerial system was introduced, and in 1954 Sir Milton Margai, a former doctor and leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party, was appointed chief minister. Margai was appointed prime minister when Sierra Leone became independent on 27 April 1961. After army coups in 1967 and 1968, civilian government was restored, and the country was declared a republic in 1971. Syaka Stevens became Sierra Leone's first president. Economic crisis in the 1980s forced Stevens to hand over the office of president to Joseph Saidu Momoh. As Momoh would not be able to cope with the situation either, violent conflict broke out that intensified ongoing guerrilla activity. Momoh was removed from office in April 1992 and replaced by Valentine Strasser, who at age 25 became one of the world's youngest heads of state. The whole country plunged into war in 1995. The government failed to control the rebel groups and armed conflict resulted in 100,000 left dead and 2 million people forced to seek refuge abroad. Ahmed Tejan Kabbah was elected president in 1996 elections. However, Kabbah was toppled in a military coup led by Captain Johnny Paul Koroma in May 1997. In the face of pressure by the international community, Kabbah was reappointed president in March 1998. Economy The development of Sierra Leone's economy has been impaired considerably by the civil war, the continuing instability of the political situation, and UN sanctions. Two thirds of the country's population engage in agriculture. The chief agricultural commodity is rice; vital products are also manioc, millet, broomcorn, peanuts, and sugar. Main agricultural exports are palm oil, palm kernels, coffee, cocoa, ginger, and kola nuts. Besides livestock breeding (cattle, goats, and sheep) fishing is gaining importance. The most prominent raw material is diamonds; bauxite and rutile are mined and exported as well. The manufacturing industry is largely restricted to the processing of products like palm kernels, palm oil or rice. Light industry, such as the production of furniture, textiles, cigarettes, and cement, has been extended. Culture Sierra Leone's most important national holidays are Independence Day (27 April) and Revolution Day (29 April). Christian holidays such as New Year's Day on 1 January, Easter, and Christmas are celebrated alongside Muslim holidays, e.g. the last day of Ramadan. In the country's mountainous region New Year's Day is celebrated by slaughtering a goat or a cow and having a big feast.