Sierra Leone is a poor country on the southwest coast of Africa, with a population of just over six million. It has a complex history, including being a trading post for the West and a colony for freed American slaves. The country has suffered from a civil war and corruption, but is slowly improving. Tourists can visit beautiful beaches, wildlife sanctuaries, and historic sites.
Sierra Leone is a small country on the southwest coast of Africa. It borders both Liberia and Guinea, and has at times been heavily influenced by both countries. Sierra Leone has a population of just over six million and is one of the poorest countries on earth, with an annual per capita income of just over 900 US dollars (USD).
Sierra Leone, like most of Africa, has been populated to varying degrees for thousands of years. Small kingdoms existed throughout the present country, ruled by kings or chiefs. In the 15th century the Portuguese discovered Sierra Leone, which became an important trading post for the West. During the American Revolutionary War, the British offered freedom to all American slaves who fought on the side of the British. Thousands of these slaves accepted the offer and after the war they were discharged and freed. They were then sent to Sierra Leone, to establish a colony, which they did, in the area of what is now the capital of Freetown.
In 1961 Sierra Leone declared independence from Great Britain, moving rather rapidly from a democratically elected government to a military government. In the following decades, the country’s government changed form several times, from a parliamentary government to a one-party state republic.
In the early 1990s, a terrible civil war broke out in Sierra Leone, which would last just over a decade. During this era, many thousands of people were killed, raped and tortured. The country fell into deep poverty, from which it never really recovered. Neighboring Liberia, under President Charles Taylor, has supported the rebels in their bid to gain control of Sierra Leone’s lucrative diamond mines. The proceeds from diamond sales in turn helped sustain the ongoing civil war, creating a vicious cycle and giving rise to the now popular term “blood diamond”.
Although Sierra Leone still ranks low on the United Nations Human Development Index (HDI), conditions are improving. Economic development from the west increases as the stability of the new government becomes more certain and widespread corruption is addressed. Currently, Sierra Leone is not a particularly favorable tourist destination, although more adventurous travelers may find that it offers unique opportunities for exploration.
For those who decide to visit, Sierra Leone is home to many beautiful beaches, relatively attractive surf, various island resorts and historic forts and castles. Wildlife sanctuaries can also be found throughout the country, featuring a variety of animals, especially several types of chimpanzees and rare pygmy hippos.
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