Culture of Sierra Leone. Culture Name Sierra Leonean Alternative Names The Republic of Sierra Leone Orientation Identification. Location and Geography. There are a wide variety of ecological and agricultural zones to which people have adapted. Demography. Linguistic Affiliation. Sierra Leone the Mende, and so on. Symbolism. History and Ethnic Relations Archaeological evidence suggests that people have occupied Sierra Leone for at least twenty-five hundred years, and early migrations, expeditions, and wars gave the country its diverse cultural and ethnic mosaic.
There are between fifteen and twenty ethnic groups in Sierra Leone, depending on one's linguistic tendency to "lump" or "split" groups of people speaking different dialects. Emergence of the Nation. In 1808 Sierra Leone became a British crown colony, ruled under a colonial governor. Pressures to end colonialism had as much to do with Britain's weakened position following World War II as it did with the pan-African demands for autonomy. Trade. Sierra Leone profile. 19 December 2013Last updated at 06:19 ET A chronology of key events 1787 - British abolitionists and philanthropists establish a settlement in Freetown for repatriated and rescued slaves.
Continue reading the main story Freetown, the capital, is a port city and commercial hub Settled by freed and rescued slaves in 18th century 1821: Made seat of government for British territories in West Africa Became capital in 1961 1808 - Freetown settlement becomes crown colony. 1896 - Britain sets up a protectorate over the Freetown hinterland. 1954 - Sir Milton Margai, leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party, appointed chief minister. 1961 - Sierra Leone becomes independent. 1967 - Military coup deposes Premier Siaka Stevens' government. 1968 - Siaka Stevens returns to power at the head of a civilian government following another military coup. 1971 - Sierra Leone declared a republic, Stevens becomes executive president. 1987 - Momoh declares state of economic emergency.
War and coups UN intervenes. Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone ( i/sɪˈɛərə lɪˈoʊni, -lɪˈoʊn/),[4] officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa that is bordered by Guinea to the northeast, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest. Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral legislature. The country has a tropical climate, with a diverse environment ranging from savannah to rainforests. The country covers a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi)[5] and with an estimated population of 6 million (2011 United Nations estimate).[6][7] The population of Sierra Leone comprises about sixteen ethnic groups, each with its own language and custom.
The two largest and most influential are the Temne and the Mende.[10] The Temne are predominantly found in the north of the country, while the Mende are predominant in the south-east. Sierra Leone is a predominantly Muslim country,[11][12][13] though with an influential Christian minority. History[edit] Sierra Leone: History, Geography, Government, and Culture. Sierra Leone, on the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa, is half the size of Illinois. Guinea, in the north and east, and Liberia, in the south, are its neighbors. Mangrove swamps lie along the coast, with wooded hills and a plateau in the interior. The eastern region is mountainous. Constitutional democracy. The Bulom people were thought to have been the earliest inhabitants of Sierra Leone, followed by the Mende and Temne peoples in the 15th century and thereafter the Fulani. Sierra Leone became an independent nation on April 27, 1961.
A coup attempt early in 1971 led to then prime minister Siaka Stevens calling in troops from neighboring Guinea's army, which remained for two years. New iron ore mine gives economic hope to Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone profile. 19 December 2013Last updated at 06:19 ET Sierra Leone, in West Africa, emerged from a decade of civil war in 2002, with the help of Britain, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission. More than 17,000 foreign troops disarmed tens of thousands of rebels and militia fighters. A decade on, the country has made progress towards reconciliation, but poverty and unemployment are still major challenges. A lasting feature of the war, in which tens of thousands died, were the atrocities committed by the rebels, whose trademark was to hack off the hands or feet of their victims. Sierra Leone has sandy beaches fringed by lush, forested hills A UN-backed war crimes court was set up to try those from both sides who bore the greatest responsibility for the brutalities.
Profiles compiled by BBC Monitoring Sierra Leone has experienced substantial economic growth in recent years, although the ruinous effects of the civil war continue to be felt. The World Factbook. ShowIntroduction :: SIERRA LEONE Panel - Collapsed The British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown in the 17th century. Originally the trade involved timber and ivory, but later it expanded into slaves. Following the American Revolution, a colony was established in 1787 and Sierra Leone became a destination for resettling black loyalists who had originally been resettled in Nova Scotia.
After the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, British crews delivered thousands of Africans liberated from illegal slave ships to Sierra Leone, particularly Freetown. The colony gradually expanded inland during the course of the 19th century; independence was attained in 1961.