Sierra+Leone

=__ Republic of Sierra Leone! __=  Sierra Leone lies on Africa’s west coast. In northeast it border to Guinea, Liberia in southeast, and in southwest they have the Atlantic Ocean. It lives about 6, 29 people there. The capital is Freetown. Sierra Leone became independent from Britain 27th April 1961. Sierra Leone is an English-speaking country because it used to be one of Britain’s colonies. The country is a republic and their president is Ernest Bai Koroma.   Motto:”Unity- Freedom- Justice” Anthem: High We Exalt Three, Realm of the Free Currency: Leone Capital and largest city: Freetown   

__ History __
There are maps showing that Sierra Leone has been inhabited for at least 2,500 years. It was movements from other parts of Africa who lived there and occupied the country. In Sierra Leone there is large rainforest`s that protected the country from the influence of African empires and from further Islamic colonization. In 1942 there was a Portuguese explorer that made maps of the hill`s around what we know as Freetown Harbor, in Portuguese they called it Serra de Leão which means Lion Mountains in English. The Italian name was Sierra Leone, which later became the name of the country.  The British seafarers had a big role in the transatlantic trade of captured African between 1530 and 1810. Over 10 million captured Africans were shipped to the Caribbean Islands. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">On April 27th 1961, Sir Milton Margai led Sierra Leone to independence form United Kingdom. And they where declared a republic in 1971. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In 1991 it broke out civil war in Sierra Leone, mainly because of government corruption and mismanagement of diamond recourses. About 50,000 people has been killed between 1991 and 2001 in Sierra Leones civil war. Many people became refugees in Guinea and Liberia. And hundreds of thousands of people had to leave their homes. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In January 2002, the war was over. And in 2004 the disarmament process was complete. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">In 2007 Sierra Leone had presidential and parliamentary election. Ernest Bay Koroma was elected as president. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The education system in Sierra Leone is similar to England´s. In Sierra Leone you have first 6 years in primary school, and then you have another six years in secondary school. Secondary school is divided into two parts, junior secondary school witch least’s three years and then you have senior secondary school that least’s two years. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Primary school is free and compulsory. In the age of six to twelve you go to primary school and thirteen to eighteen is secondary school. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The main Universities in Sierra Leone is Foura Bay College in Freetown, and Njala University in Njala in Bo. Foura Bay College is the eldest in West Africa and it was founded in 1827. Njala University is founded in 1963. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sierra Leone lies on the west coast of Africa. In north they border to Guinea, and in southeast they border to Liberia, and in west they have the Atlantic Ocean. It has a land area of 71,740 square kilometers. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sierra Leone is divided in three provinces: the Northern Province, Eastern province and Western Area. And then these three provinces are divided into 12 districts. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sierra Leone has a tropic climate, they have two seasons: the rainy season that lasts for May to November and dry season that lasts from December to May. In this season there are cool dry winds blowing in from the Sahara desert. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic. They have a directly elected president. The president in Sierra Leone is head of state, head of government and commander in chief of Sierra Leone Armed forces and the Sierra Leone police. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The president candidate has to gain 55% of the votes to become president. And if no one gets that much votes there is to be a second-round runoff between the two who got most votes. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">To become president in Sierra Leone you have to be a Sierra Leonean citizen by birth, you have to be at least 40 years old, and you must be able to read, write and speak the English language. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The president today is Ernest Bai Koroma. And the vise president is Samuel Sam Sumana. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">The constitution in Sierra Leone provides freedom of religion, and the mix of religions and ethnic groups rarely makes conflicts. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">60% of the people in Sierra Leone are Muslims, 30% Christian and 10% African indigenous religion. <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';"> <span style="font-family: 'Helvetica','sans-serif'; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: 'Times New Roman'; mso-bidi-font-family: 'Times New Roman';">Sierra Leone has been a major diamond producer for 70 years. Unlike in other African countries where diamonds has had a positive effect, diamonds and corrupt politics has torn Sierra Leone apart.
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