About Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is located at the West Coast of Africa. It is culturally rich and contains many natural resources. Unfortunately, it's citizens don't benefit from these resource due to a bad government.
Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in Africa. It has suffered from a civil war that lasted 11 years, leaving 50 thousand dead. Additionally, in 2014-2016, Sierra Leone suffered from an Ebola outbreak which claimed hundreds of lives.
Geographically, Sierra Leone is bordered to the northeast by Guinea and to the southeast by Liberia. To the southwest, it has a shoreline that runs along the Atlantic Ocean. The nation's geography is characterized by coastal plains, undulating hills, and an interior covered with mountains.
Total Population: 8 million people
Religion: Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.)
Language: English, Mende, Temne and Creole
Average age: 19.3
Literacy rate: 47.70%,
Unemployment: 3.6-3.7%
Leading exports: titanium, lumber, diamonds, aluminum, cocoa beans
Freetown, Sierra Leone's largest city, serves as the nation's capital. Freetown, which is noted for its historical significance as a settlement for liberated slaves, is located on a natural harbor.
Health Challenges
The country has developed a lot of health problems ever since the 11-year civil war from 1991-2002. A lot of these health issues occurred through the displacement of people. Additionally, these health problems have occurred though poor hygiene and sanitization. This lead to hunger and malnutrition among old and young people especially within the country. The mortality rate is 104.7 deaths per 1,000 births.
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Education Challenges
Sierra Leone values its education, but suffers from low enrollment and completion rates. Despite the free education and mandatory enrollment for everyone under the age of 6-17, the country struggles to enroll students. Unfortunately, the quality of those schools is very poor. Education is a financial problem for most families in the country and most parents in the country are unable to afford school material for their children.
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Government expenditure on education is a total of (9.1% GDP) Many of the reasons listed above contribute to the fact that many Sierra Leonean young people do not finish primary school or move on to junior secondary school (JSS). Primary completion rates are at 64%, JSS (lower secondary) completion rates are 44%, and SSS (upper secondary) completion rates are 22%.
*All facts from CIA fact book and the world bank