Sierra Leone Overview People Government - Politics
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Sierra Leone Government

What is the capital of Sierra Leone?

Country Name Sierra Leone
Full Country Name Republic of Sierra Leone
Local - Long Republic of Sierra Leone
Local - Short Sierra Leone
Etymology- history of name the Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA named the country "Serra Leoa" (Lion Mountains) for the impressive mountains he saw while sailing the West African coast in 1462
Government Type presidential republic
Capital Name Freetown
Capital - geographic coordinate 8 29 N, 13 14 W
Capital Time Difference UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Independence 27 April 1961 (from the UK)
National Holiday Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991

amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in two successive readings and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms and many other constitutional sections also requires approval in a referendum with participation of at least one half of qualified voters and at least two thirds of votes cast; amended several times, last in 2016

Sierra Leone Capital City Map

Source: Google Maps

Sierra Leone Government and Politics

Who is the president of Sierra Leone?

Executive Branch: chief of state: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 27 June 2023); note - the president is chief of state, head of government, and Minister of Defense

head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 27 June 2023)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by 55% in the first round or absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

election results:

2023: Julius Maada BIO reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 56.2%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 41.2%, other 2.6%

2018: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%
Citizenship Criteria: citizenship by birth: no

citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone

dual citizenship recognized: yes

residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years
Legal System: mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Legislative Branch: chief of state: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 27 June 2023); note - the president is chief of state, head of government, and Minister of Defense

head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 27 June 2023)

cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president

elections/appointments: president directly elected by 55% in the first round or absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

election results:

2023: Julius Maada BIO reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 56.2%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 41.2%, other 2.6%

2018: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%

Legislative branch

description: unicameral Parliament (146 seats; 132 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by a district block proportional representation vote and 14 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms)

elections: last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SLPP 81, APC 54; composition - men 94, women 41, percent of women 30.3%
Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court - at the apex - with the chief justice and 4 other judges, the Court of Appeal with the chief justice and 7 other judges, and the High Court of Justice with the chief justice and 9 other judges; note – the Judicature has jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional matters

judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and other judges of the Judicature appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (a 7-member independent body of judges, presidential appointees, and the Commission chairman) and subject to the approval of Parliament; all Judicature judges appointed until retirement at age 65

subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts
Regions or States: 4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, Western*
Political Parties and Leaders: All People's Congress or APC [Samura KAMARA]

Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP) [Julius Maada BIO]

numerous other parties
International Law Organization Participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic Representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr WAI (since 8 April 2019)

chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-1605

telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261

FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

email address and website:

info@embassyofsierraleone.net

https://embassyofsierraleone.net/
Diplomatic Representation from US: chief of mission: Ambassador Bryan David HUNT (since 8 September 2023)

embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown

mailing address: 2160 Freetown Place, Washington DC 20521-2160

telephone: [232] 99 105 000

email address and website:

consularfreetown@state.gov

https://sl.usembassy.gov/
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