African Members of FOCAC

　　Sierra Leone

　　（Updated March 2018）

　　【Official Name】Republic of Sierra Leone

　　【Area】 71,740 km²

　　【Population】7.4 million (2016). There are more than 20 ethnic groups in Sierra Leone. The Mende people in the south is the largest, followed by the Temne in the north and the center, each representing about 30 % of the national population. The Limba accounts for 8.4 %; The Creole people, who are descendants of “freed” African Americans from the UK and the US account for 10%. The official language is English, and the ethnic languages are Mende, Temne, Limba and Creole. 60% of the residents believe in Islam, 30% of the residents believe in Christianity and 10% believe in fetishism.

　　【Capital】Freetown with a population of 854,000 (2012) and an average temperature of 25.5℃

　　【Head of State】President Julius Maada Bio (elected March, 2018)

　　【Holidays】Independence Day (27 April)

　　【Geography and Climate】Sierra Leone lies in West Africa, with Guinea to the north and northeast, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. It has a coastline of 485 km. With a tropical monsoon climate, Sierra Leone has an average annual temperature of 27℃.