Sierra Leone as a British ColonySierra Leone was a colony from 1808 to 1961. In the 1800's it was only a small colony that extended a few miles up from Freetown, but its size increased over time. It gained its independence on April 27, 1961 after negotiations with Britian and Queen Elizibeth III.
Sierra Leone's Civil WarThe Civil War of Sierra Leone lasted from 1991 to 2002. It started when the Revolutionary United Force (RUF) attempted to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government. The war was funded by the sale of diamonds, and it resulted in over 50,000 deaths. The war ended when the British Operation Palliser defeated the RUF and took contol of Freetown. The war was officially over on January 18, 2002.
Pictured above: a timeline of events in Sierra Leone from 1460-2009
|
Pictured above: Sierra Leone map from 1913
|