Short facts about the government of Sierra Leone
| Country
name: |
conventional long
form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional
short form: Sierra Leone |
| Government
type: |
constitutional
democracy |
| Administrative divisions: |
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern,
Northern, Southern, Western* |
| Independence: |
27 April 1961 (from
UK) |
| National
holiday: |
Independence Day, 27 April
(1961) |
| Constitution: |
1 October 1991; subsequently amended
several times |
| Legal
system: |
based on English law and customary laws
indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ
jurisdiction |
| Suffrage: |
18 years of age;
universal |
| 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% |
| 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 |
| Judicial
branch: |
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High
Court |
| 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] |
| Political
pressure groups and leaders: |
Trade Unions and Student
Unions |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Flag
description: |
three equal horizontal bands of light
green (top), white, and light blue | Source: World Factbook |
