Sierra Leone is known for its diamond resources and tropical beaches. It has a population of nearly 9 million, making it the 101st largest country in the world. Its capital is Freetown. Sierra Leone has a mining-based economy with agricultural sector.Sierra Leone has 16 different ethnic groups, each with a different language. The largest ethnic group is the Temne (35%), followed by the Mende (31%). The Temne are dominant in the Northern Sierra Leone and areas around the capital, while the Mende live mostly in the South-Eastern Sierra Leone and the Kono District.The third-largest ethnic group is the Limba (8%), who are native to the area and live in Northern Sierra Leone. The fourth group are the Fula (7%), who are descendants of Fulani migrant settlers from the 17th and 18th century who came from Guinea.

Other major ethnic groups include the Mandingo (2%), who are descended from Guinea traders; the Kono (5%), who are also descended from Guinea migrants; and the Krio (2%) people, who are descendants of freed African American, West Indian and Liberated African slaves and make up 3% of the population.

Sierra Leone experienced a period of civil war shortly after its formation in 1991 when Foday Sankoh, a former army corporal, rebelled against the president and began capturing towns on the border with Liberia. The civil war lasted several years but led to an amended constitution allowing for multiple parties.