Sierra Leone Passport

【 Country Name 】 The Republic of Sierra Leone.

【 Area 】 71740 square kilometers.

【 Population 】 7.5487 million. There are over 20 ethnic groups in the country. The Mandi nationality in the south is the largest, followed by the Tamnai nationality in the north and middle, accounting for about 30% of the national population respectively; The Limba ethnic group accounts for 8.4%; 10% of Creoles are of "free" black descent who migrated from England and the United States. The official language is English, and the ethnic languages mainly include Mandi, Temna, Limba, and Creole. 60% of residents believe in Islam, 30% believe in Christianity, and 10% believe in fetishism.

The capital city is Freetown, with a population of approximately 600000 and an average annual temperature of 25.5 ℃.

President Julius Maada Bio was elected in June 2023.

Independence Day: April 27th.

【 Overview 】 Located in West Africa, it borders Guinea to the north and northeast, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. The coastline is approximately 485 kilometers long. It belongs to the tropical monsoon climate, with an average annual temperature of about 27 ℃.

The Mandi people entered the region in the 13th century. In 1462, Portuguese colonizers invaded. In 1808, the coastal areas became British colonies, and in 1896 they became British "protectorates". On April 27, 1961, it declared independence but remained within the Commonwealth. The Republic was established on April 19, 1971, with Stevens serving as the President. In 1978, a referendum passed the constitution of a one party republic. In the 1985 general election, Major General Momo, the commander of the armed forces, was elected president. In the later period of Mo Mo's rule, Serbia completed the transition from a one party system to a multi-party system through constitutional amendments. In 1991, the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) led by Sankoh launched a rebellion and the Sene War broke out. There were three military coups in 1992, 1996, and 1997. In February 1996, Senegal held its first multi-party presidential and parliamentary elections, with Ahmed Tejan Kabbah, the candidate of the People's Party, elected president. The following year, he fled to Guinea due to a coup. In February 1998, the Economic Community of West African States peacekeeping force overthrew the Serbian military regime. In March, Kaba returned to his home country to resume his duties. In November 1999, the United Nations deployed a peacekeeping operation to Serbia. In January 2002, the Sene War came to an end. In May, Kaba won the election and was re elected. In December 2005, the United Nations withdrew its peacekeeping forces from Sierra Leone and established the United Nations Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (renamed as the Integrated Peace Building Office in October 2008, abbreviated as UNIPSIL) to continue providing defense and development assistance to Sierra Leone. In August and September 2007, Serbia held two rounds of presidential elections, and Ernest Bai Koroma, the candidate of the National People's Congress Party, was elected.

In November 2012, President Coloma was re elected. The situation in Serbia remains generally stable. In March 2014, UNIPSIL completed its mission, symbolizing the smooth completion of the peace and reconstruction process in Serbia.

In May 2014, the Ebola epidemic broke out in Serbia and continued to spread, causing significant impact on economic and social development, resulting in a total of 3955 deaths. With the joint efforts of all parties, the World Health Organization announced the end of the COVID-19 pandemic in November 2015. Afterwards, there were sporadic cases in Serbia, and in March 2016, the World Health Organization once again declared the end of the Serbia epidemic.

In March 2020, Serbia confirmed the first case of COVID-19. In March 2021, Serbia initiated vaccination. According to data from the World Health Organization, as of July 2023, there were 7762 confirmed cases and 125 deaths in Serbia.

In March 2018, Sierra Leone People's Party candidate Bio won the presidential election and was sworn in in April. In June 2023, Serbia held a "three in one" election for president, ordinary members of parliament, and local committees. Bio and his running mate, Vice President Mohamed Jallow, successfully won re-election and were sworn in.

The current Constitution was promulgated on September 24, 1991. The Constitution stipulates that the President is the Head of State, the Head of Government, and the Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, with the power to appoint and dismiss Vice Presidents, Cabinet Ministers, Military Commanders, Police Chiefs, Prosecutors General, and Chief Justice. The presidential term is 5 years, and the term cannot exceed two terms.

The parliament adopts a unicameral system, with members serving for a term of 5 years. The current parliament will be formed in June 2023, including 14 members of the Grand Chieftain and 135 members elected by the people (including 81 members of the Sierra Leone People's Party and 54 members of the National People's Congress Party). Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas.

After the June 2023 general election, President Bio appointed a new cabinet consisting of Chief Minister Dr. DavidMSengeh, Finance Minister Mr. Sheku Ahmed Fantamadi Bangura, Attorney General and Minister of Justice Mr. Mohamed Lamin Tarawalley, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Mr. Musa Timothy Kabba, and Minister of Agriculture and Food Security Dr. Henry M Kpaka）、 Dr. Austin H. Demby, Minister of Health, and Mr. Chernor A. Chernor, Minister of Information and Civic Education Bah, Minister of Interior David Taluva, Minister of Employment, Labour and Social Security Mr. Mohamed Rahman Swaray, Minister of Planning and Economic Development Ms. Kanyeh Barlay, Minister of Local Government and Community Affairs Amber Tamba Lamina, Minister of Technology and Higher Education Dr. Haja Ramatulai Burie, Minister of Basic Education Mr. Conrad Sackey, Minister of Trade and Industry Mr. Alpha Ibrahim Sesay, Minister of Communications, Technology and Innovation Haja Bah Ms. HajaSalimatuBah, Minister of Mineral Resources Mr. Julius Mattai, and Minister of Transport and Aviation Mr. Bandai Tula'i Alhaji Fanday Turay, Minister of Public Administration and Political Affairs Mr. Amara Kallon, Minister of Engineering and Public Assets Dr. Denis Sandy, Minister of Water Resources and Sanitation Dr. Sao Kpato Hannah Isatta MaxKyne, Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Mrs. Princess Dugba, Minister of Tourism and Culture Mrs. Nabeela F. Tunis, Minister of Land, Housing and Rural Planning Dr. Turad Senesie, Minister of Environment and Climate Change Jivo A. Mr. JiwohE Abdulai）、 Ms. Melrose Karminty, Minister of Social Welfare; Dr. Isata Mahoi, Minister of Gender and Children's Affairs; Mr. Mohamed Bangura, Minister of Youth Affairs; Mrs. Augusta James Teima, Minister of Sports; and Mr. AdekunleJ, Minister of the Western Region M. King）、 Mr. Abu AbdulaiKoroma, Resident Minister of Northern Province, and Mr. Mohamed E., Resident Minister of Southern Province K. Alie）、 Amb. Umaru Bundu Wurie, Resident Minister of the Northwest Region, Mr. Gbessay Jusu Ngobeh, Resident Minister of the Eastern Province, and Ms. MantYB Tarawalli, Minister of State (Vice President's Office), among others.

The country is divided into four provinces (namely Eastern Province, Southern Province, Northern Province, Northwest Province) and the Western Region.

Judicial institutions are divided into higher courts and lower courts. The higher courts include the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal, and the High Court. The lower courts include the District Magistrates' Court and the Chieftainship District Court. The highest judicial authority is the Supreme Court. The Chief Justice and Superior Court Judges are appointed directly by the President. The current Chief Justice is Desmond B. Edwards Edwards). The Attorney General is concurrently held by the Minister of Justice.

Political parties implement a multi-party system. The main political parties are as follows:

(1) The Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP): The ruling party. Established in April 1951, it is the earliest political party established in Serbia. The purpose is to strive for the consolidation, maintenance, and promotion of the fundamental principles of democracy and human rights. Party members mainly come from the Mandi ethnic group and have a wide influence among Islamic believers. The current party leader is President Bio, the vice leader is Vice President Jallow, the party chairman is Prince Harding, and the general secretary is Umaru Koroma.

(2) All People's Congress, APC）： opposition party. Established in September 1960. In 1967, it became the ruling party, and in 1992, the regime led by the party was overthrown in a military coup. After losing the 1996 election, he became an opposition party and returned to power in September 2007. He was defeated in the 2018 and 2023 elections. The purpose of the Party is to promote democracy and multi-party system, protect freedom and human rights, establish a fair society, and achieve sustainable development. The current party chairman is Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray, and the general secretary is Lansana Dumbuya.

Julius Mada Bio: President. Born on May 12th, 1964. Adhere to Catholicism. Military background. In 1996, he assumed the position of Chairman of the "National Provisional Governing Council" and held the highest power in the country, but soon returned power to the people. Joined the Serbian People's Party in 2005, ran for president in 2018 and won in 2023.

Economy is one of the least developed countries. The economy is mainly based on agriculture and mining, and food cannot be self-sufficient. The long-term civil war has severely damaged Serbia's infrastructure and brought the national economy to the brink of collapse. After the end of the civil war, the Serbian government focused on rebuilding the economy. After President Coloma took office, the focus was on solving the problem of power shortage, prioritizing the development of agriculture, infrastructure, and mining, strengthening tax collection and management, striving to maintain macroeconomic stability, and achieving rapid economic growth. After the outbreak of the Ebola epidemic, the economic and social development was greatly affected. In 2016, the Serbian government prioritized post pandemic reconstruction and the economy gradually recovered, but still faced many difficulties and challenges. After the People's Party government takes office again in 2023, it will prioritize agricultural development, infrastructure construction, human resources, youth employment, and improving public service capabilities. Since 2022, affected by the COVID-19 and the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the national oil price has risen and inflation is serious. According to World Bank data, the main economic situation in 2023 is as follows:

Gross Domestic Product: 3.81 billion US dollars

Per capita Gross Domestic Product: 433.4 US dollars

Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate: 3.4%

Currency name: Leone

Exchange rate: 1 US dollar ≈ 22.5 New Leones. In July 2022, Serbia released a new Leon to alleviate high inflation, with 1 new Leon equivalent to 1000 old Leones.

Inflation rate: 47.6%

【 Resources 】 Rich in mineral deposits, mainly including iron ore, diamonds, gold, bauxite, rutile, etc. The proven reserves of iron ore exceed 20 billion tons. Diamond reserves exceed 23 million carats. Five gold mines have been discovered, among which the Baomahong area in the southern province alone has reserves of 20 million tons, with a gold content of 0.2 ounces per ton of ore. The reserves of bauxite are 120 million tons. The reserves of rutile are 300 million tons. Coastal areas produce Bangka fish, tuna, yellow croaker, bluefin tuna, and prawns, but in recent years, fishery resources have tended to deplete. The national forest area is about 320000 hectares, accounting for 6% of the total land area. It is rich in redwood, redwood, etc., with a timber reserve of 3 million cubic meters.

According to World Bank data, in 2021, the gross domestic product (GDP) of industry accounted for approximately 5.9% of the country's GDP, representing a growth of 3.8%. The mining industry is the main industrial sector, including gold, diamonds, and bauxite. The other industrial sectors include construction, food processing, footwear, petroleum refining, paint making, and cement.

According to World Bank data, the total agricultural production value accounted for approximately 57.4% of the gross domestic product in 2021, with a growth rate of 3.7%. More than 56% of the labor force in the country is engaged in agricultural production. According to data from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, agricultural land accounts for 58% of the country's total land area, of which 25% is arable land, and only 15% of arable land is cultivated land. The land is fertile with abundant rainfall, suitable for crop growth, but the production methods are outdated, and most households adopt traditional farming methods. Food cannot be self-sufficient. The main crops include cocoa, cassava, coffee, rice, sweet potatoes, peanuts, corn, etc. The livestock industry mainly focuses on raising cattle, sheep, pigs, and chickens.

The coastal areas have beautiful scenery and are very suitable for the development of tourism industry. However, due to inconvenient transportation and lack of funds, tourism resources have not been effectively developed. In 2019, the Ministry of Tourism and Culture of Serbia reported that there were 459 hotels in Serbia, of which 0.7% had 100-150 rooms and 47% had less than 10 rooms. The main attractions include a 50 kilometer long, unpolluted pristine beach, the Bintumani Mountains, and the Tieji Mountains. Affected by the Ebola epidemic, the tourism industry revenue in Serbia was 16.8 million US dollars in 2015, a year-on-year decrease of 47%, and recovered to 39 million US dollars in 2018. There were 71000 inbound tourists in 2021.

There were originally two railway lines: one owned by the Serbian government, with a total length of 500 kilometers, which was abolished in 1969 and dismantled in the 1970s. The other one belongs to the British funded Sierra Leone Development Company, with a total length of 92.5 kilometers and a track gauge of 1067 millimeters from Marampa Iron Mine to Pepel Port. It was completed and opened to traffic in 1933. It was originally a railway dedicated line of the company, transporting exported iron ore and other materials from the mining area, and later purchased by African Mining. Africa Mining has invested in the construction of a single track narrow gauge railway, which runs 205 kilometers from Tangkrili Iron Mine to Pepel Port. The railway is currently fully operational and transports iron ore and mining materials from Tangkrili Iron Mine.

Highway: The total length is about 11999 kilometers, of which 8555 kilometers are classified as primary, secondary, and branch roads. 40% of the classified roads have poor road conditions.

Water transportation: There are 33 ports and docks of varying sizes, mostly operated by foreign companies. The main port of Freetown is a deep-water port that can accommodate 10000 ton ships and has an annual throughput of 1.25 million tons. Pepel, Bont, and Niti are export ports for mineral and agricultural products. The inland waterway route is 750 kilometers long, with 600 kilometers navigable all year round. Some rivers are only navigable for three months each year.

Air freight: Longji Airport is the only international airport. There are also 12 domestic airports that can accommodate small aircraft. At present, all international flights in Serbia are operated by foreign airlines.

According to data from the Ministry of Finance of Serbia, the total fiscal revenue for 2022 was 8.1 trillion lion, a year-on-year increase of 9.4%. The total expenditure was 12.9 trillion Leones, a year-on-year increase of 20.3%. At the end of 2022, Serbia's public debt reached 44.6 trillion lion, accounting for 94% of GDP. Foreign exchange reserves amounted to 680 million US dollars, a year-on-year decrease of 27.6%.

The Bank of Sierra Leone is the central bank responsible for formulating regulations and supervising financial operations. There are a total of 8 commercial banks, 2 bill discounting banks, and dozens of foreign exchange bureaus across the country.

Foreign trade mainly exports iron ore, rutile, diamonds, bauxite, etc., and mainly imports fuel, food, etc. The main export targets for 2022 are China, Somalia, the Netherlands, South Korea, etc; Imports mainly come from China, Belgium, India, Türkiye, etc. In recent years, the foreign trade situation is as follows (in billions of US dollars):