There was a time, not so long ago, when Sierra Leone attracted some 100,000 tourist arrivals a year, mainly Europeans. They came to enjoy the country’s unique
natural beauty, to sit on
secluded white sandy beaches, to climb through unspoilt
rainforests and to wade through refreshing
waterfalls.
In some ways, nothing has changed. The people are still as receptive as ever to outsiders and the landscape remains a
lush tropical paradise.
Yet most of the visitors have now gone because of the former war, and much of the tourism infrastructure needs
rebuilding after years of conflict. Sierra Leone emerged from a decade of civil war in early 2002, with the help of the UK, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission. More than 17,000 foreign troops disarmed tens of thousands of rebels and militia fighters in the biggest UN peacekeeping success in Africa for many years.
The government is starting from scratch, going back to basics to entice foreign travelers to return to this small corner of Africa. A new tourism development act has been put in place, modeled after the one in the Gambia. The Ministry of Tourism and Culture is looking to create a solid and stable tourism climate, highlighting the country’s
unique cultural diversity.
GeographySierra Leone is bordered to the northwest, north and northeast by Guinea Republic, and to the southeast by Liberia. To the south and southwest lies the Atlantic Ocean. A flat plain up to 110km (70 miles) wide stretches the length of the coast except for the Freetown peninsula, where the Sierra Lyoa Mountains rise to 1,000m (3,280ft). In some coastal areas, sand bars have formed that stretch out as far as 112km (70 miles). Behind the coastal plain is the central forested area, drained by eight principal rivers, which has been cleared for agriculture. The land rises in altitude eastwards to the Guinea Highlands, a high plateau with peaks rising to over 1,830m (6,000ft) in the Loma Mountains and Tingi Hills area. The Mende tribe is prominent in the southeast and the Temne in the western and northern areas.
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