Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa, bordered by Guinea in the north, Liberia in the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean in the southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of 27,699 square miles and has a population estimated at 5.2 million. The official language is English, but Krio is the national language spoken by all. The capital is Freetown (where we are berthed) and it has a population of 1.07 million.

Sierra Leone is very rich in mineral resources, possessing most of the known mineral types of the world, many of which are found in significant quantities. The country has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base. The country is among the top 10 diamond producing nations in the world, and mineral exports remain the main foreign currency earner. Sierra Leone has the largest known titanium reserves in the world. The country is also one of the largest Bauxite producing nations on the planet. Sierra Leone is also a major producer of gold. Despite being rich in mineral resources, the majority of its people live in poverty. The average annual salary is $200. Sierra Leone is the third-lowest-ranked country on the Human Development Index and eighth-lowest on the Human Poverty Index.

In 1462, Sierra Leone was visited by the Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cintra, who gave it its name Serra de Leão, meaning “Lion Mountains.” Sierra Leone later became a center of the transatlantic trade in slaves until 1792 when Freetown was founded by the Sierra Leone Company as a home for formerly enslaved African Americans. In 1808, Freetown became a British Crown Colony, and in 1961, Sierra Leone gained independence. Sierra Leone struggled through Civil War from 1991 – 2000 (made famous by the movie “Blood Diamonds.”) Sierra Leone is perhaps best known for its blood diamonds that were mined and sold to De Beers and other diamond conglomerates during the civil war, and whose monies were used to buy the weapons that fueled the atrocities of the civil war.

Sierra Leone is mostly a Muslim nation, comprising of approximately 60% of the population. About 30% of the nation is Christian and the other 10% practice indigenous religions. The Sierra Leone government officially recognizes fifteen ethnic groups, each with its own language and custom. Unlike most African nations, Sierra Leone has no serious ethnic divisions and no serious religious divisions. People often married across tribal and religious boundaries.

Education in Sierra Leone is legally required for all children, but a shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible. Two thirds of the adult population of the country are illiterate. The Sierra Leone Civil War resulted in the destruction of 1,270 primary schools and in 2001, 67% of all school-age children were not in school. The situation has improved considerably since then with primary school enrollment doubling between 2001 and 2005 and the reconstruction of many schools since the end of the war. Healthcare is also a struggle for the Sierra Leoneans. The country has a very high infant mortality and a very low life expectancy. The maternal death rates are the highest in the world, at 2,000 deaths per 100,000 live births.