Sierra Leone, on the Atlantic Ocean in West Africa, is half the size of Illinois. Guinea, in the north and east, and Liberia, in the south, are its neighbours. Mangrove swamps lie along the coast, with wooded hills and a plateau in the interior. The eastern region is mountainous.
Fast Facts about Sierra Leone
1. The national flag is a tricolor of green, white, and blue horizontal stripes.
2. Named “lion mountain” by a 15th-century Portuguese explorer, Sierra Leone was a British colony from the early 19th century until 1961
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3. Sierra Leone currency is called Leone (SLL)
4. Sierra Leone’s capital city is Freetown.
5. The name of the country comes from the words “Serra Leao,” meaning “Lion Mountain Range” in Portuguese.
6. English is the official language of Sierra Leone; however, Krio (a language derived from English and several African languages), is widely spoken in virtually all parts of the country
7. Sierra Leone is one of the smallest republics in Africa and in terms of size it ranks as the 118th largest country in the world.
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8. Formed in 2007, Sierra Leone is one of the youngest democracies in the world.
9. On 14 February 1972, the third-largest gem-quality diamond in the world, was discovered in Sierra Leone.
10. With coastal rainfall reaching 495 cm (195 inches) annually, it is one of Western Africa’s wettest places.