Sierra Leone

American  

[lee-oh-nee, lee-ohn] / liˈoʊ ni, liˈoʊn /

noun

1. an independent republic in W Africa: member of the Commonwealth of Nations; formerly a British colony and protectorate. 27,925 sq. mi. (72,326 sq. km). Freetown.

---

Sierra Leone British  

/ sɪˈɛərə lɪˈəʊnɪ, lɪˈəʊn /

noun

1. a republic in W Africa, on the Atlantic: became a British colony in 1808 and gained independence (within the Commonwealth) in 1961; declared a republic in 1971; became a one-party state in 1978; multiparty democracy restored in 1991 but military rule was imposed following a coup in 1992, which led to civil unrest; consists of coastal swamps rising to a plateau in the east. Official language: English. Religion: Muslim majority and animist. Currency: leone. Capital: Freetown. Pop: 5 612 685 (2013 est). Area: 71 740 sq km (27 699 sq miles)

---

Sierra Leone Cultural  

1. Republic in western Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea to the north and east, and Liberia to the south. Freetown is its capital and largest city.

---

Discover More

After the American Revolutionary War, attempts were made to settle freed slaves in Sierra Leone. Formerly a British protectorate, Sierra Leone became independent in 1961.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• Sierra Leonean
  noun

Example Sentences

In the West African nation of Sierra Leone the country's biggest diamond mine has closed.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

Back in the diamond belt of Sierra Leone, Daniel discards another sieve-load of gravel.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

In Sierra Leone, it's launched a project called Gemfair, where local artisanal miners are offered equipment, training, and more transparent pricing for their finds.

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

"What have those diamonds done for our community, for Kono, for Sierra Leone? We are considered as poor in the world."

From BBC • Jun. 3, 2026

We wandered about all the way to the Cotton Tree, the national symbol of Sierra Leone and the landmark of the capital.

From "A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier" by Ishmael Beah