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| Country name: |
conventional long form:
Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form:
Sierra Leone
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| Government type: |
constitutional democracy
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| Administrative divisions: |
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
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| Independence: |
27 April 1961 (from UK)
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| National holiday: |
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
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| Constitution: |
1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times
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| Legal system: |
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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| Suffrage: |
18 years of age; universal
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| Executive branch: |
chief of state:
President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:
Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president
elections:
president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election held 26-27 February and 15 March 1996 (next to be held NA September 2001); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results:
Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%, John KAREFA-SMART (UNPP) 40.5%
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| Legislative branch: |
unicameral House of Representatives (80 seats - 68 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)
elections:
last held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)
election results:
percent of vote by party - SLPP 36.1%, UNPP 21.6%, PDP 15.3%, APC 5.7%, NUP 5.3%, DCP 4.8%, other 11.2%; seats by party - SLPP 27, UNPP 17, PDP 12, APC 5, NUP 4, DCP 3; note - first elections since the former House of Representatives was shut down by the military coup of 29 April 1992
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| Judicial branch: |
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
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| Political parties and leaders: |
All People's Congress or APC [Edward Mohammed TURAY, chairman]; Democratic Centre Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National Republican Party or NRP [Sahr Stephen MAMBU]; National Unity Party or NUP [Dr. John KARIMU, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Thaimu BANGURA, chairman]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday SANKOH, chairman]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KARIFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]
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| Political pressure groups and leaders: |
Trade Unions and Student Unions
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| International organization participation: |
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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| Diplomatic representation in the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH
chancery:
1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
[1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX:
[1] (202) 483-1793
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| Diplomatic representation from the US: |
chief of mission:
Ambassador Joseph H. MELROSE, Jr.
embassy:
Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[232] (22) 226481 through 226485
FAX:
[232] (22) 225471
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| Flag description: |
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
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