FREETOWN, SIERRA LEONE

Freetown, Sierra Leone

Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, educational and political centre, as it is the seat of the Government of Sierra Leone. The population of Freetown was 1,055,964 at the 2015 census.

The city's economy revolves largely around its harbour, which occupies a part of the estuary of the Sierra Leone River in one of the world's largest natural deep water harbours.

The population of Freetown is ethnically, culturally, and religiously diverse. The city is home to a significant population of all of Sierra Leone's ethnic groups, with no single ethnic group forming more than 29% of the city's population. As in virtually all parts of Sierra Leone, the Krio language is Freetown's primary language of communication and is by far the most widely spoken language in the city.

The city of Freetown was founded on March 11, 1792 by Lieutenant John Clarkson, Black Britons and free people called the Nova Scotian Settlers, who were transported to Sierra Leone by the Sierra Leone Company. The city of Freetown was a haven for free-born and freed African American, Liberated African and Caribbean settlers; and their descendants are known as the Creole people. Freetown is the oldest capital to be founded by African Americans, having been founded thirty years before Monrovia, Liberia and is noted for its unique Creole architecture reflecting American and Caribbean influences.

Freetown is locally governed by the Freetown City Council, headed by a mayor. The mayor and members of the Freetown City Council are directly elected by the residents of Freetown in an election held every four years. The current mayor of Freetown is Yvonne Aki Sawyerr, who was sworn in on May 11, 2018, after her victory in the 2018 Freetown Mayoral election. The Freetown city council has its own municipal police force.

The city of Freetown is divided into three municipal regions; the East End, Central, and the West End, which in turns are divided into 8 electoral wards: East I, East II, East III, Central I, Central II, West I, West II, and West III. The East End is both the most populous, and the most densely populous of the three regions within Freetown.
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