Article Outline
Sierra Leone, republic, western Africa, bordered on the north-west, north, and north-east by Guinea, on the south-east by Liberia, and on the south-west and west by the Atlantic Ocean. A former British colony, Sierra Leone became independent on April 27, 1961, as a member state of the Commonwealth of Nations, and a republic on April 19, 1971. The total area of the country is 71,740 sq km (27,699 sq mi). The capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown.
A low-lying coastal plain extends inland from the Atlantic Ocean for about 80 km (50 mi). It is a largely swampy region. However, the Sierra Leone Peninsula, on which Freetown is situated, is dominated by hills. To the east the land rises from the coastal plain to a plateau in the north and to hilly terrain in the south. Several small mountain ranges are located near the northern and eastern borders and reach a maximum elevation of 1,948 m (6,390 ft) at Bintimane in the Loma Mountains. Of the numerous short rivers that drain the country, the most important are the Great Scarcies and the Kaba (Little Scarcies); others include the Rokel, Jong, Sewa, and Moa. Most are navigable only in the rainy season.
Sierra Leone has a tropical climate with marked wet and dry seasons. The mean annual temperature is about 26.7° C (80° F). Annual rainfall averages more than 3,810 mm (150 in) along the coast, diminishing to about 2,032 mm (80 in) in the northern interior. The rainy season lasts from April to November, when humidity can be very high.
Much of Sierra Leone’s wealth is derived from mineral resources. It is one of the world’s largest producers of diamonds, rutile, and bauxite, and gold is also mined. However, the outbreak of guerrilla war disrupted much mineral production after 1991, especially of rutile. Diamond deposits have been substantially depleted. The country also has deposits of chrome and iron ore. Molybdenite is being prospected.
