Sierra Leone Capital

Map showing the location of Sierra Leone

The capital city of Sierra Leone is Freetown, located on the western coastline of the country. This city is a major port for this area of the Atlantic Ocean and was settled in 1787 by freed slaves with assistance from English politicians. Freetown is considered the centre for commerce, culture, education, and politics in Sierra Leone and the city's economy revolves around the deep harbour off the coast. During the 1990s, the city was the scene of intense violence during the Civil War of Sierra Leone.

The population of Freetown was last measured during the 2015 national census and was found to be 1,055,964 inhabitants. This equates to a population density of 13,000 people per square kilometre (34,000 per square mile) and no single ethnic group dominates the populace. Krio is the common language shared by over 90% of the inhabitants of the country and is the most widely spoken language of Freetown by far.

Attractions in the city have been rebuilt after the costly civil war during the 1990s and Sierra Leone is a well-kept secret in terms of unique sites and picturesque scenery. Sierra Leone is home to wildlife parks such as the Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary and Tiwai Island wildlife sanctuary that have both been praised highly. Banana and Turtle Islands are both amazing day trips as well as the national parks the reside just outside the city.

The climate of Freetown is considered a tropical environment with relatively high temperatures and humidity throughout the year. The rainy season occurs from May-October and sees close to 95% of the entire year's rainfall; approximately 2774 millimetres (109 inches) out of 2945 yearly millimetres (115 inches) of rain falls during this time of the year. The warmest months of the year occur from March-May with average highs reaching 31.2 degrees Celsius (88.2 degrees Fahrenheit). Average lows throughout the year rarely dip below 23 degrees Celsius (73.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

This page was last modified on May 1st, 2018

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Published on 2019-11-06


Capital	Freetown
Languages	English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Ethnic Groups	Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census)
Religion	Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Government	Presidential republic
Independance	27 April 1961 (from the UK)
Area	71,740.00 km²
Water Area	120.00 km²
Land Area	71,620.00 km²
Population	6,018,888.00
Location	Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
No. Bordering Countries	2
Bordering Countries	Guinea 794 km, Liberia 299 km
GDP(PPP)	$10,640,000,000.00 (USD)
GDP (Per Capita)	$1,700.00 (USD)
Export Partners	Its major export partners are China, Belgium, and Romania.
Export Commodities	Its main exports are iron ore, diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, and fish.
Import Partners	Its major import partners are China, India, and the United States.
Import Commodities	Its major imports include foodstuffs, machinery, and fuels.
Climate	Tropical; hot, humid, rainy; two distinct monsoon seasons - northeastern monsoon (December to March) and southwestern monsoon (June to September); inter-monsoon - frequent afternoon and early evening thunderstorms
Terrain	Coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Learn More	Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone Capital

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