SIERRA LEONE 



INTRODUCTORY REMARKS. Geographical Position. 

 The Colony and Protectorate of Sierra Leone are bounded 

 upon the north and west by French Guinea, and upon the 

 east by Liberia. The Colony is confined to the hill country 

 of the Sierra Leone Peninsula and Sherbro Island ; the 

 remainder being Protectorate. 



Area and Population. The area of the country according 

 to the Blue Book of 1911 is 31,000 sq. miles. The greater 

 part is undulating, well watered and fairly fertile, traversed 

 by short ranges of mountains, mostly running north and 

 south. The population of the Colony, by the census taken 

 in 1911, was 75,572, and of the Protectorate 1,327,560. 



Administrative Divisions. The country is divided into 

 seven administrative districts, two of which are in the 

 Colony and five in the Protectorate. The latter have been 

 formed primarily in accordance with tribal settlements, 

 due to the expediency of recognising in each the native 

 customary law ; the exception to this is the Railway 

 district, in which other considerations of greater import- 

 ance are involved. 



Natural Features. Although the country is largely of a 

 slightly undulating type, in the north a curious formation 

 of hills exists, in the Koinadugu district ; each hill 

 bearing a curiously-formed pinnacle of rock on its summit, 

 and presenting a most striking appearance. The valleys 

 between these hills contain some of the richest soil found 

 in the country. Farther north, above the 9th degree of 

 latitude, the country is composed chiefly of grass land 

 interspersed with stunted trees. Approaching the coast, 

 secondary forest or scrub occurs, which is constantly being 

 cleared for farms ; being so used for a year or two and 

 then allowed to revert to " bush " for long periods. 



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