Coordinates: 8°30′N 11°30′W / 8.500°N 11.500°W

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Sierra Leone (/s iː ˈ ɛər ə l iː ˈ oʊ n iː, -l iː ˈ oʊ n/  (  listen)),[6] officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north-east, Liberia to the south-east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the south-west. Sierra Leone has a tropical climate, with a diverse environment ranging from savannah to rainforests. The country has a total area of 71,740 km2 (27,699 sq mi)[7] and a population of 7,075,641 (based on 2015 national census).[2] It is a constitutional republic with a directly elected president and a unicameral legislature.

Sierra Leone is made up of five administrative regions: the Northern Province, Northwestern Province, Eastern Province, Southern Province and the Western Area, which are subdivided into sixteen districts [2]. Each district has its own directly elected local government. Freetown (population 1,050,301), located in the Western Area, is Sierra Leones capital, largest city and its economic centre. Bo is Sierra Leones second largest city and is located in the Southern province, 160 miles from Freetown. Kenema (population 200,354) is Sierra Leones third largest city, and is located in the Eastern province, 200 miles from Freetown. Koidu Town is Sierra Leones fourth largest city and is located in the diamond rich Kono District in the Eastern province, 285 miles from Freetown. Makeni is Sierra Leones fifth largest of the countrys five major cities, and is located in the Northern province, 85 miles from Freetown.

Sierra Leone became independent from the United Kingdom on 27 April 1961 led by Sir Milton Margai. The current constitution of Sierra Leone was adopted in 1991, though it has been amended several times. Since independence to present, Sierra Leonean politics has been dominated by two major political parties; the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP) and the All Peoples Congress (APC), though the Sierra Leone military had seized power through military coup six times