|RNature and climate:|N Sierra Leone have four topographical regions: The mountainous and forested peninsula Sierra Leone with a highest peak reaching 970 m.a.s.l.
The actual coast area with many bays and lagoons that is strongly affected by tide and vegetated by mangrove.
Inside the coast are plains. In the north savannah and in the south forests. Formerly tropical rainforests with teak and mahogany, but nowadays after extensive forestdevastation, mainly palms.
In the area furthermost from the coast are several savannah plateaus and mountains. The highest peak, Bintimani Peak, reaches 1948 m.a.s.l.
Climate is tropical with an average temperature around the year between 24 and 28°C.
Percipitation in the northern parts about 2000 mm and in the southern parts between 3000 and 5000 mm.
|RPeople:|N More than 99% of African descent. Mende dominates the soutern parts and Temne the northern parts. Each of them are 30% of the population. In capital Freetown lives about 50 000 descendants of released slaves. These have a considerable influence over economy, politics and culture.
|REconomy:|N Sierra Leone is rich on minerals like diamonds, titanium, bauxite, gold, chromium, iron ore and rutile. Extraction of these give big export revenues, but has not led to any development of manufacturing.
65% of the labour force is occupied in agriculture whose most important crops are cocopalms, coffee, cacao, rice and yams. The production is enough for domestic consumption.
Manufacturing is poorly developed and mainly produces simple household goods and some foodprocessing.
Tourism is an important source of income.
|RHistory:|N Portuguese sailors visited the area in the 15th century and after that frequently used the superb natural harbour by todays Freetown. In the 17th century Britain took control over the area.
1787 Freetown was founded as a sanctuary for released and escaped slaves from Great Britain, USA and the West Indies. These ex-slaves, Creoles, built ships that chased slavetradeships, captured them and released the slaves.
1808 Freetown became a British colony and colonization of the interior continued. The whole Sierra Leone became a British protectorate 1895.
The aboriginal population made several uprisings against the British and the Creole elite that dominated culture, economics and politics.
1945 Sierra Leone was granted internal self-rule and in 1971 the republic Sierra Leone was proclaimed. 1979 it was mad a socialist one-party-state, but severe uprisings by students and workers in 1984 and 1985 forced the government to restore the multiparty system.
