the largest island in sierra leone

Our immediate impressions of Tiwai Island, a wildlife sanctuary/research facility and community-led conservation initiative in Sierra Leone's southeast, weren't the best: Here we found ourselves on a hot, buggy tropical island in the isolated Moa River, with two very quiet nights ahead. There are organised youth and adult football tournaments across the country, and there are various primary and secondary schools with football teams across Sierra Leone. These communities from the surrounding lands collaborate to protect the island and its resources in exchange for community development and livelihood assistance. Banana Islands The Banana Islands are probably the easiest to visit from Freetown, and a popular day trip from the capital for locals and tourists alike. The Loko in the north are native people of Sierra Leone, believed to have lived in Sierra Leone since the time of European encounter. Females, experiencing higher levels of rapes, presented greater signs of depression and anxiety. [166], English is the official language,[167] spoken at schools, government administration and in the media. Islam and Christianity are the two main religions in the country. In May 2002, Kabbah was re-elected president by a landslide. Sierra Leone's Freetown is a favourite destination for tourists. Coordinates: 8.504N 13.186W The Sierra Leone River is a river estuary on the Atlantic Ocean in Western Sierra Leone. Sierra Leone's two most dominant parties, the APC and the SLPP, collectively won every elected seat in Parliament in the 2012 Sierra Leone parliamentary election. The Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary, which is located within the peninsula's vast rainforest reserve, just a few kilometres from the centre of Freetown, has a collection of rare and endangered chimpanzees. [160] There is also potential for several new hydroelectric plants to be opened on the Sewa River, Pampana River, Seli River, Moa River, and Little Scarcies. There are three islands - Dublin and Ricketts, inhabited and linked by a causeway, and uninhabited Mes-Meheux. There is a vast expanse of beaches stretching along the Freetown Peninsula. Freetown and James A. Robinson. [99] The epidemic occurred as part of the wider Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa. Strasser was later ousted by his army colleague and second-in-command Julius Maada Bio, for failing to commit to a quick transfer to civilian rule. Ebola is prevalent in Africa where social and economic inequalities are common. A comprehensive museum dedicated to Africa's oldest modern republic. [91] The NPRC Junta immediately suspended the constitution, banned all political parties, limited freedom of speech and freedom of the press and enacted a rule-by-decree policy, in which soldiers were granted unlimited powers of administrative detention without charge or trial, and challenges against such detentions in court were precluded. We depend on ad revenue to craft and curate stories about the worlds hidden wonders. This Nigerian nature reserve is home to the longest canopy walkway in Africa. [41], Many in London thought that moving them to Sierra Leone would lift them out of poverty. This land area is approximately 91% of the area of Maine. They founded Birchtown, but faced harsh northern winters and racial discrimination from nearby Shelburne. Both genders experienced and were involved in high levels of violence. More and more of the country fell into the hands RUF fighters, and by 1994 they had gotten control of much of the diamond-rich Eastern Province and were getting close toward the capital Freetown. [55] The Liberated Africans eventually modified their customs to adopt those of the Nova Scotians, Maroons and Europeans, yet kept some of their ethnic traditions. Of that 12%, 10% was in the capital Freetown, and the remaining 90% of the country used 2% of the nation's electricity. [169], After the contribution made by the Bangladesh UN Peacekeeping Force in the Sierra Leone Civil War under the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone, the government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah declared Bengali an honorary official language in December 2002. In politics, the overwhelming majority of Sierra Leoneans vote for a candidate without regard of the candidate being a Muslim or a Christian. This left them traumatised, with an estimated 400,000 people (by 2009) being mentally ill. Thousands of former child soldiers have fallen into substance abuse as they try to blunt their memories. Margai was accused of favouring members of his own Mende ethnic group for prominent positions. The central African countries are the most prevalent of EVD; like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Sudan, Uganda, and Gabon[240], In 2014 there was an outbreak of the Ebola virus in West Africa. In January 1970, Bangura was arrested and charged with conspiracy and plotting to commit a coup against the Stevens government. Agyepong I. [236], The water supply in Sierra Leone is characterised by limited access to safe drinking water. [256], In 2006, President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah committed to reforming the laws governing the press and media to create a freer system for journalists to work in. [14][15], Sierra Leone is a constitutional republic with a unicameral parliament and a directly elected president serving a five-year term with a maximum of two terms. Starting from the from the highlands of Guinea, the Moa River flows southwest toward the Atlantic Ocean. [40] However, on the voyage between Plymouth, England and Sierra Leone, seventy European girlfriends and wives accompanied the Black Poor settlers. [228] As of 2014[update], Sierra Leone was estimated as having the 11th highest infant mortality rate in the world. Nearly 20,000 Liberian refugees voluntarily returned to Liberia over the course of 2007. Only slightly less than half of all . [80], Education in Sierra Leone is legally required for all children for six years at primary level (Class P1-P6) and three years in junior secondary education,[212] but a shortage of schools and teachers has made implementation impossible. It was the first to settle and fortify Bunce Island in the Sierra Leone River for use as a trading post. [125] Brigadier General Alfred Nelson-Williams who was appointed by president Koroma succeeded the retired Major General Edward Sam M'boma on 12 September 2008 as the Chief of Defence Staff of the Military.[126]. Children, youth and adult are frequently seen playing street football across Sierra Leone. [124], The president of Sierra Leone is the Commander in Chief of the military, with the Minister of Defence responsible for defence policy and the formulation of the armed forces. [citation needed]. [50] Black settlers in Sierra Leone enjoyed much more autonomy than their white equivalent in European countries. In 2018, Sierra Leone held a general election. The Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top professional football league in Sierra Leone and is controlled by the Sierra Leone Football Association. Because of their trading, the Fulas are found in nearly all parts of the country. Njala University was established as the Njala Agricultural Experimental Station in 1910 and became a university in 2005. Hundreds of thousands of people were forced from their homes and many became refugees in Guinea and Liberia. The populations quoted above for the five largest cities are from the 2004 census. With the lack of new faces in the new APC cabinet under president Momoh and the return of many of the old faces from Stevens' government, criticisms soon arose that Momoh was simply perpetuating the rule of Stevens. [28] The use of iron was adopted by the ninth century, and by 1000 AD, agriculture was being practised along the coast. The group set up the National Reformation Council (NRC), with Andrew Juxon-Smith as its chairman and Head of State of the country. 6 Islands in Sierra Leone You Should Not Miss Clarkson initially banned the survivors of Granville Town from joining the new settlement, blaming them for the demise of Granville Town. At the end of the 19th century, the industry went into decline, and when radio was introduced in the 1930s, it became the primary communication media in the country. General Tarawalie was also a strong loyalist and key Momoh supporter. [221], Having had no formal emergency medical services previously, the First Responder Coalition of Sierra Leone (FRCSL) was formed in June 2019 in Makeni to facilitate the development of emergency first responder programs nationwide. The much smaller Vai and Kru peoples are primarily found in Kailahun and Pujehun Districts near the border with Liberia. However, females face gender discrimination making them the target of lower incomes and financial struggle. Major port cities are Bonthe, Freetown, Sherbro Island and Pepel. For example, some of the Liberated Africans were forced to change their name to a more Western sounding one. Bio would then return the country back to a democratic republic in 1996 through a general election. Margai appointed many non-Creoles to the country's civil service in Freetown, in an overall diversification of the civil service in the capital, which had been dominated by members of the Creole ethnic group. The central bank is the Bank of Sierra Leone. In fact, it's Banana Islands because yes, there are actually 3 islands in this archipelago. [259] Among newspaper readership, young people are likely to read newspapers weekly and older people daily. Habitat degradation for the African wild dog, Lycaon pictus, has been increased, such that this canid is deemed to have been extirpated in Sierra Leone. Every weekday we compile our most wondrous stories and deliver them straight to you. In this vlog, we travel to Djerba Tunisia, the largest island in North Africa known for its Mediterranean beaches. The APC named a new presidential candidate to succeed Stevens at party's last delegate conference, held in Freetown in November 1985. On 19 July 1975, 14 senior army and government officials, including David Lansana, former cabinet minister Mohamed Sorie Forna (father of writer Aminatta Forna), Brigadier General Ibrahim Bash Taqi and Lieutenant Habib Lansana Kamara were executed after being convicted of attempting a coup to topple president Stevens' government. In mid-1974, Guinean soldiers, as requested by Stevens, were stationed in the country to help maintain his hold on power, as Stevens was a close ally of then-Guinean president Ahmed Skou Tour. Prior to conducting the election, Sierra Leoneans and international stakeholders were involved in a major debate on whether the nation should focus on trying to end the long running civil war, or to conduct elections and hence returning governance back to a civilian-led administration with a multi-party system of parliament that would provide the foundation for long-lasting peace and national prosperity. Native to Sierra Leone, they have occupied Sherbro Island since it was founded. Taylor's aim was for the RUF to attack the bases of Nigerian dominated peacekeeping troops in Sierra Leone who were opposed to his rebel movement in Liberia. Tiwai Island is reachable from Potoru village (the village people can provide the boat and the guides). While the district councils are under the oversight of their respective provincial administrations, the municipalities are directly overseen by the Ministry of Local Government & Community Development and thus administratively independent of district and provincial administrations. The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Service (SLBS) was created by the colonial government in 1934 making it the earliest English language radio broadcaster service in West Africa. The Fula are virtually all Muslims at over 99%. The brutal civil war that was going on in neighbouring Liberia played a significant role in the outbreak of fighting in Sierra Leone. Margai was popular among Sierra Leoneans during his time in power, mostly known for his self-effacement. Over time, it came to be known as Grosse le. [161] This overarching goal has been broken down into smaller goals as well. On 25 May 1997, 17 soldiers in the Sierra Leone army led by Corporal Tamba Gborie, loyal to the detained Major Johnny Paul Koroma, launched a military coup which sent President Kabbah into exile in Guinea and they established the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC). The constitution of Sierra Leone provides for freedom of religion and the Sierra Leone Government generally protects it. In April 1971, a new republican constitution was adopted under which Stevens became president. Like us on Facebook to get the latest on the world's hidden wonders. 15 Best Places to Visit in Sierra Leone - The Crazy Tourist [80] Sierra Leone is regarded as one of the most religiously tolerant countries in the world. The British annexation of the Protectorate interfered with the sovereignty of indigenous chiefs. The country has a population of 7,092,113 as of the 2015 census. According to a 2020 estimates by the Pew Research Center[176] 78.5% of Sierra Leone's population are Muslims (mostly Sunni), 20.4% are Christians (mostly Protestants) and 1.1% belong to a traditional African religion or other beliefs. The president appoints and heads a cabinet of ministers, which must be approved by the Parliament. The current Inspector General of Police is Brima Acha Kamara, who was appointed to the position by former president Ahmad Tejan Kabbah. Biggest Islands In The Mediterranean Sea By Area - WorldAtlas Protesters have been killed by security forces, as have prison rioters (in one incident at Pademba Road Prison, 30 inmates and one correction officer were killed). Many Sierra Leonean youth follow the local football league. [2] See also List of countries and dependencies by area List of African countries by population Notes On 16 January 1996, after about four years in power, Strasser was arrested in a palace coup staged by his fellow NPRC soldiers led by Brigadier Bio at the Defence Headquarters in Freetown. Eventually, with some more recruitment, 411 passengers sailed to Sierra Leone in April 1787. When the national football team, the Leone Stars, have a match, Sierra Leoneans across the country come together united in support of the national team and people rush to their local radio and television stations to follow the live match. About 42.48% of Sierra Leone's population lives in cities and urban areas, about a 4% increase from 2009 when it was 38.47%. Dozens of soldiers were arrested and convicted by a court martial in Freetown for their participation in the mutiny against the president. Poyo bars are areas of lively informal debate about politics, football, basketball, entertainment and other issues. It does not include divided islands; several of the world's largest islands, such as New Guinea, Borneo, Ireland and Hispaniola, are divided between two or three states. Now the entire island is a National Park. Radio is the most popular and most-trusted media in Sierra Leone, with 85% of people having access to a radio and 72% of people in the country listening to the radio daily. However, no presidential candidate won the 50% plus one vote majority stipulated in the constitution on the first round of voting. These Police Commissioners report directly to the Inspector General of Police at the Sierra Leone Police headquarters in Freetown. [65] With this change, the British began to expand their administration in the region, recruiting British citizens to posts and pushing Krios out of positions in government and even the desirable residential areas in Freetown.[65]. Other popular destinations for tourists include the Freetown Cotton Tree, located in Central Freetown, a significant national monument and integral to the founding of the city; Bunce Island, which is a boat ride from the city, is home to the ruins of the slave fortress that was being used during the Transatlantic slave trade; the Sierra Leone Museum, which has a collection of both precolonial as well as colonial artifacts and other items of historical significance; the National Railway Museum; or take a journey around the city's coastline with the popular Sea Coach Express. Margai used his conservative ideology to lead Sierra Leone without much strife. Its capital, Falaba, was on the rich trading routes leading to the coast. [129][130], Excessive police brutality is also a frequent problem. Many Ahmadiyya Muslims in Sierra Leone also follow the Maliki Jurisprudence. Sherbro was influential and powerful and the British greatly feared him. Corporal Gborie quickly went to the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Services headquarters in New England, Freetown to announce the coup to a shocked nation and to alert all soldiers across the country to report for guard duty. In 2001, the government created a mining community development fund (DACDF), which returns a portion of diamond export taxes to diamond mining communities. [162], In 2019 Sierra Leone had a population of 7,813,215[165] and a growth rate of 2.216% a year. Stevens held on to this position for 14 years (until 1985) under a one-party system of government facilitated by the controversial 1978 Constitution. Riots in 1955 and 1956 involved "tens of thousands" of Sierra Leoneans in the Protectorate.[68]. [159] As a result, the commercialisation of firewood and coal has been a point of contention with aid donors and government agencies such as the Ministry of Energy and Water Resources and the Forestry Division. The results were that 64% of children were diagnosed with ARI where firewood stoves were used, and 44% where charcoal stoves were used. Covering a total area of 71,740km2 (27,699sqmi),[12] Sierra Leone has a tropical climate, with diverse environments ranging from savanna to rainforests. Multiple allegations were made during the COVID-19 lockdown period of police attacking people trying to obtain basic necessities.[131]. Sierra Leone - Fire-Resistant Palms, Cultural Diversity, and Rural [151] Rice is the most important staple crop in Sierra Leone with 85 per cent of farmers cultivating rice during the rainy season[152] and an annual consumption of 76kg per person.[153]. This condition often drives women into poverty and isolation.[230]. [157] Part of the reason for this was due to the import duties and taxes and the lack of quality control. [18][19] The Kissi live further inland in South-Eastern Sierra Leone. In September 2014 there were many Districts with travel restrictions including Kailahun, Kenema, Bombali, Tonkolili, and Port Loko because of Ebola. Pygmy hippos are only found in the Gola Rainforest in Sierra Leone and in parts of Liberia. This island experiences mild, wet winter and hot, dry summers which are typical of the Mediterranean. It appears that she committed suicide at the age of fifty-five, perhaps due to the loss of support from her own people. Management of Tiwai Island is handled by the Tiwai Island Administrative Committee, the oldest community conservation program in Sierra Leone. He removed the SLPP party from competitive politics in general elections, some believed, through the use of violence and intimidation. Other minor political parties have also existed but with no significant support.[118]. A new constitution was adopted in 1971, paving the way for Sierra Leone becoming a republic, and Siaka Stevens, leader of the All People's Congress (APC), becoming the first executive president of the Republic of Sierra Leone. In April 2010, the SLBS merged with the United Nations peacekeeping radio station in Sierra Leone to form the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation,[247][248] the government-owned current national broadcaster in Sierra Leone. Bambay Kamara was also a strong Momoh loyalist and supporter. The APC, with its leader Siaka Stevens, narrowly won a small majority of seats in Parliament over the SLPP in a closely contested 1967 general election. This list only includes islands fully owned by a single country. The president is the most powerful government official in Sierra Leone.[115]. This is due to substandard safety standards.[155]. [160], In conjunction with the UK's Department for International Development (DFID), Sierra Leone has set the goal to provide solar power to all of its citizens by 2025. Strasser replaced Musa as deputy NPRC chairman with Captain Bio, who was instantly promoted by Strasser to brigadier. [231] The centre provides free surgery for women suffering from this condition. In 1896 it annexed these areas, declaring them the Sierra Leone Protectorate. The largest Banana Island, which boasts the . [122] Sierra Leone is a member of the International Criminal Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US military (as covered under Article 98). They predominate in the large towns, most notably Karina, in Bombali District in the north; Kabala and Falaba in Koinadugu District in the north; and Yengema, Kono District in the east of the country. In 1977, a nationwide student demonstration against the government disrupted Sierra Leone politics. In November 1968, unrest in the provinces led Stevens to declare a state of emergency across the country. Within the confines of the 1991 Constitution, supreme legislative powers are vested in Parliament, which is the law-making body of the nation. [70] Owing to the astute politics of Milton Margai, the educated Protectorate elites were able to join forces with the paramount chiefs in the face of Krio intransigence. The APC currently has 68 of the 132 elected parliamentary seats and the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) has 49 of the elected 132 parliamentary seats. [40] The 64 remaining colonists established a second Granville Town.[47][48]. In the Mende language, Tiwai means big islandappropriately, as it is one of the largest inland islands in Sierra Leone. Soon after Albert Margai was sworn in as Prime Minister, he fired several senior government officials who had served in his elder brother Sir Milton's government, viewing them as a threat to his administration, including Karefa-Smart. However, Stevens' hand-picked successor Joseph Saidu Momoh promised to return the country to a multi-party system; a new constitution was adopted in 1991 that provided the means for a multi-party democracy. This one, Ryan Island, is the largest. The monopoly was scheduled to last 98 years. The Krios, led by Isaac Wallace-Johnson, opposed the proposals, as they would have resulted in reducing the political power of the Krios in the Colony. By 1495, they had built a fortified trading post on the coast. [21], In early 1996, despite the country going through a brutal civil war, the emergence of the prospect of a transformation back to a multi-party democracy brought fresh hopes and great expectations among a majority of Sierra Leoneans, as the national debate "Peace before Elections vs Elections before Peace" became a hot topic. Population of Cities in Sierra Leone 2023 - World Population Review He also endeavoured to change Sierra Leone from a democracy to a one-party state. The rice is prepared in numerous ways, and topped with a variety of sauces made from some of Sierra Leone's favourite toppings, including potato leaves, cassava leaves, crain crain, okra soup, fried fish and groundnut stew.[245]. Bulletin of the World Health Organization 90.2 (2012): 120127F. The current members of the Parliament of Sierra Leone were elected in the 2012 Sierra Leone parliamentary election. LEADER President: Julius Maada Bio ISSOUF SANOGO/AFP/Getty Images Julius Maada Bio won a second term as president in June 2023 in hotly disputed presidential elections, with the opposition claiming.

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