Sierra Leone

HISTORY

The country of Sierra Leone became a haven for homeless Africans freed from slavery on March 11, 1792 when its capital, Freetown was established as a sanctuary for free-born and freed African American, Liberated African and Caribbean settlers.

A view of Freetown in 1803

Freetown is the oldest capital to be founded by African Americans, having been founded thirty years before Monrovia, Liberia and is noted for its unique Creole architecture reflecting American and Caribbean influences.

Sierra Leone became a British colony in 1808. The settlement was unique in that the population was composed of displaced Africans who were brought to the colony after the British abolition of the slave trade in 1807.

Eighty-six free black colonists sailed from New York to Sierra Leone on February 6, 1820. Though white abolitionists initially supported such emigration efforts, most free blacks (and eventually more radical white abolitionists) denounced the effort as racist and ultimately pro slavery.

An 1835 illustration of liberated Africans arriving in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone was granted its independence from the United Kingdom on April 27, 1961 with Milton Margai leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) as the first Prime Minister.

The national flag of Sierra Leone is a tricolor consisting of three horizontal green, white and blue bands. It was adopted on April 27, 1961, when Sierra Leone became independent, to replace the British Blue Ensign defaced with the arms of the Crown Colony of Sierra Leone.

The national flag of Sierra Leone 

Since independence to present, Sierra Leonean democratic politics has been dominated by two major political parties; the SLPP and the All People's Congress (APC).

The 1967 General Election was won by the APC, led by Dr Siaka Stevens, but it was disputed by the army, which assumed control and temporary forced the governor general to leave the country.

In 1968 another army revolt brought back Stevens as prime minister and on April 19, 1971, after the constitution had been changed to make Sierra Leone a republic, he became president.

A 1968APC political rally in the northern town of Kabala. By John Atherton

Stevens was re-elected in 1976 and the APC, having won the 1977 General Election by a big margin, began to demand a creation of a one party state. To this end a new constitution was approved by referendum in 1978 and Stevens was sworn in as president.

From 1978 to 1991, all other political parties including the main opposition SLPP were banned from holding political office throughout Sierra Leone.

The current constitution of Sierra Leone, which includes the re-establishment of multi party democratic system, was established in 1991 by the government of president Joseph Saidu Momoh, a handpicked successor of President Stevens, though the constitution has been amended several times since.

The Sierra Leone Civil War began on March 23, 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front (RUF), with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor's National Patriotic Front of Liberia (NPFL), intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government.

The Sierra Leone Civil War lasted until 2000. It devastated the country, leaving more than 50,000 people dead, much of the country's infrastructure destroyed and over two million Sierra Leoneans displaced as refugees in neighboring countries.

A total of 1,270 primary schools were destroyed in the War.

A school in Koindu destroyed during the Civil War; 

FUN SIERRA LEONE FACTS

Sierra Leone has a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi). In terms of land area it is similar in size to Ireland.

Sierra Leone is objectively the world's roundest country. The least round country (excluding scattered archipelagos) is Chile

It has a population of 7,075,641 (based on the 2015 national census).

Sierra Leone has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base. The country is among the largest producers of titanium and bauxite, is a major producer of gold and has one of the world's largest deposits of rutile.

Sierra Leone is also home to the third largest natural harbour in the world. Shipping from all over the globe goes to Freetown's famous Queen Elizabeth II Quay.

Rice is the staple food of Sierra Leone and is consumed at least twice a day. It is topped with a variety of sauces made from some of Sierra Leone's favorite toppings, which is cooked in big pots on a three-stone stove. The toppings include potato leaves, cassava leaves, crain crain, okra soup, fried fish and groundnut stew.

Poyo, a sweet, lightly fermented palm wine, is a popular Sierra Leonean drink. Poyo bars are areas of lively informal talk about politics, football, and other issues.