Terrain

Sierra Leone's terrain can be divided into three geographic regions: a low-lying coastal plain that extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean for about 80 km, the country's undulating central parts dominated by rainforests, and the highland areas. Several mountain ranges are located near the northern and eastern borders and reach a maximum of 1,948 m (Loma Mansa). Of the numerous short rivers that cross the country, the most important are the Kaba (Little Scarcies), the Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Moa. Most of them are just navigable in the rainy season.

Climate

Sierra Leone is a tropical country with temperatures averaging 26°C. Average annual precipitation varies between 3,810 mm on the coast and 2,030 mm inland. There are two seasons: the dry season, from November to April, with harmattan trade winds frequently blowing from the Sahara; and the rainy season from May to October.

Fauna/Flora

Sierra Leone's north is characterised by savannah vegetation with shrubs and grassland. In the dense forests of the south-east, endemic tree species include palms, mahogany and teak. The forests provide a habitat for chimpanzees, other monkey species and porcupines. Crocodiles and hippopotamuses are found in the rivers. Since the need for timber and firewood has led to widespread deforestation in Sierra Leone, many animal species are threatened by extinction. There are a few nature reserves, such as the Kilimi National Park in the north of the country, which has the largest population of chimpanzees in West Africa.

History/Politics

The area of present-day Sierra Leone was part of the Mali Kingdom until the 15th century. The country was named Sierra Leone (Lion Mountains) by Portuguese explorer Pedro da Cinta, who discovered it in 1462. Three hundred years later (around 1780) the British acquired an area of approximately 250 km² from tribal leaders to repatriate slaves from Great Britain and the United States. The Sierra Leone Company, which was founded in 1791, administrated the settlement until 1808; afterwards it became a crown colony and finally a British protectorate in 1896. The first parliamentary elections took place in 1924. In 1953, the ministerial system was introduced, and in 1954, Sir Milton Margai, a former doctor and leader of the Sierra Leone People's Party, was appointed chief minister. Margai was appointed prime minister when Sierra Leone became independent on 27 April 1961.

After several army coups in 1967 and 1968, a civilian government formed, and the country was declared a republic in 1971. Syaka Stevens became Sierra Leone's first president. A serious economic crisis in the 1980s forced Stevens to hand over the office of president to Joseph Saidu Momoh. As Momoh could not cope with the situation either, a violent conflict broke out and guerrilla activity intensified. Momoh was removed from office in April 1992 and replaced by Valentine Strasser, who at age 25 became one of the world's youngest presidents. The whole country plunged into civil war in 1995. The government failed to control the rebel groups and armed conflict resulted in the deaths of 100,000 people and two million people were forced to flee abroad.

Ahmed Tejan Kabbah was elected president in the 1996 elections. However, Kabbah was toppled in a military coup led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma in May 1997. In the face of pressure from the international community, Kabbah became president again in March 1998. The following year, Kabbah and the government signed a peace treaty which allowed UN peacekeeping forces to go to the country. The president was re-elected in 2002. He continued the process of disarming the militia and rebel fighters and integrating them into society. In 2004, there were still 70,000 fighters.

Economy

The development of Sierra Leone's economy has been considerably restricted by the civil war, the ongoing instability of the political situation, and UN sanctions. Two thirds of the country's population work in agriculture. The main agricultural commodity is rice; vital products are also manioc, millet, sorghum, peanuts and sugar. The main agricultural exports are palm oil, palm kernels, coffee, cocoa, ginger, and kola nuts. Along with livestock breeding (cattle, goats and sheep), fishing is becoming more important. The most significant raw material is the diamond; bauxite and rutile are also mined and exported. The manufacturing industry is largely restricted to the processing of primary products such as palm kernels, palm oil or rice. Light industry, such as the production of furniture, textiles, tobacco products, and cement, has increased. In 2003, the average inflation rate was 7.4%.

Culture

Sierra Leone's most important national holidays are Independence Day (27 April) and Revolution Day (29 April). Christian holidays such as New Year's Day, Easter, and Christmas are celebrated alongside Muslim holidays, such as the last day of Ramadan. In the country's mountainous region, people celebrate New Year's Day by slaughtering a goat or a cow and having a big feast.