Useful Notes / Sierra Leone

The Republic of Sierra Leone is a West African republic, having recently come out of a nasty "civil war" (for lack of more accurate term). It is one of the least developed countries in the world according to the most recent IMF census. It is a major source of high-quality diamonds, which helped fuel the war - being called "blood diamonds". A lot are still smuggled out.

Formerly a British colony and an area set up for freed slaves (along with neighbouring Liberia) it became independent in 1961. The city of Freetown is the country's capital.

After a coup in 1967 and a long period of one-party rule, the Liberian Civil War spilled over into an already problematic country and a civil war broke out, lasting from 1991 to 2002. Child Soldiers featured considerably. The war was ended by a United Nations intervention, involving the UK's armed forces in one of their lesser known, but most successful wars, including the rescue of 11 British soldiers by the SAS and Paras.

Sierra Leone is now recovering from the war, but it will be a long process. There is hope that a tourist trade can be set up from its beaches. In the past few years, conservation efforts have also increased, so it is possible that ecotourism could also provide some income further inland, in the more mountainous regions.

Sierra Leone is also known for their dedication to religious tolerance, especially between the Muslim majority and Christian minority.

---

Famous Sierra Leoneans:

• Isaiah Washington has been involved in community outreach in Sierra Leone ever since he found out through DNA testing that his ancestors came from the region. He was granted Sierra Leonean citizenship in 2006, making him the first foreigner to do so through DNA testing.
• Neneh Cherry was born to a Sierra Leonean musician father who was studying in Sweden at the time.
• Idris Elba was born to a Sierra Leonean father. His parents were married in Sierra Leone but moved to the UK before he was born.
• Dev Hynes was born in the UK to a Sierra Leonean father.

---

Works:

• Mende Mythology

---

Sierra Leone in fiction:

• Blood Diamond
• Lord of War
• The Heart of the Matter by Graham Greene.
• One of the missions of Modern Warfare 3 takes place here, with a "militia" that may be a reference to the brutal Revolutionary United Front.

---

The Sierra Leonean flag

The green upper stripe symbolizes agricultural and natural resources; the white middle stripe symbolizes unity and justice; and the blue lower stripe symbolizes both the Atlantic Ocean and the capital, Freetown.

---

The Sierra Leonean national anthem

High we exalt thee, realm of the free;

Great is the love we have for thee;

Firmly united ever we stand,

Singing thy praise, O native land.

We raise up our hearts and our voices on high,

The hills and the valleys re-echo our cry;

Blessing and peace be ever thine own,

Land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

One with a faith that wisdom inspires,

One with a zeal that never tires;

Ever we seek to honour thy name,

Ours is the labour, thine the fame.

We pray that no harm on thy children may fall,

That blessing and peace may descend on us all;

So may we serve thee ever alone,

Land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

Knowledge and truth our forefathers spread,

Mighty the nations whom they led;

Mighty they made thee, so too may we

Show forth the good that is ever in thee.

We pledge our devotion, our strength and our might,

Thy cause to defend and to stand for thy right;

All that we have be ever thine own,

Land that we love, our Sierra Leone.

---

Government

• Unitary presidential constitutional republic
  • President: Julius Maada Bio
  • Vice-President: Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh
  • Chief Minister: David Moinina Sengeh
  • Speaker of Parliament: Abass Chernor Bundu
  • Chief Justice: Desmond Babatunde Edwards

---

Miscellaneous

• Capital and largest city: Freetown
• Population: 8,059,155
• Area: 71,740 km

(27,700 sq mi) (117th)

• Currency: Sierra Leonean leone (Le) (SLL)
• ISO-3166-1 Code: SL
• Country calling code: 232
• Highest point: Mount Bintumani (1948 m/6,391 ft) (130th)
• Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean (3,646 m/11,962 ft) (-)