SIERRA LEONE, a British colony and protectorate on the west coast of Africa, bounded north and east by French Guinea and south by Liberia. Area of the colony proper 4,000 sq.m., pop. (1931) 96,422, of whom 420 were Europeans; area of the protec torate 27,670 sq.m., pop. (1921) 1,456,148. The coast-line, follow ing the indentations, is about 400 m. in length, extending from 9° 2' N. to 6° 55' N. It includes the peninsula of Sierra Leone 23 m. long with an average breadth of 14 m.—Sherbro and minor islands, also Turner's peninsula, a narrow strip of land southward of Sherbro island, extending in a south-east direction about 6o m. and in reality an island. Except in the Sierra Leone peninsula, Sherbro island and Turner's peninsula, the colony proper does not extend inland to a greater depth than half a mile. The protector ate, which adjoins the colony to the north and east, extends from 7° N. to io° N. and from io° 4o' W. to 13° W.
Physical Features.—Sierra Leone is a well-watered, hilly country. The seaward face of the Sierra Leone peninsula is traversed by thickly wooded ranges with conical peaks which in Pickett Hill attain a height of 2,912 feet. Elsewhere a low coast plain extends inland 3o to 5o m. The plateau, which forms the greater part of the protectorate, has an altitude varying from 890 to 3,00o ft. On the north-east border, by the Niger sources, are mountains exceeding 5,000 ft. The most fertile parts of the pro tectorate are Sherbro and Mendiland in the south-west. In the north-west the district between the Great Scarcies and the Rokell rivers is flat, and is named Bullom (low land). In the south-east bordering Liberia is a belt of densely forested hilly country extending 5o m. S. to N. and very sparsely inhabited.
The hydrography of the country is comparatively simple. Six large rivers rise in the Futa Jallon highlands in or beyond the northern frontier of the protectorate and in whole or in part trav erse the country with a general south-west course; the Great and Little Scarcies in the north, the Rokell and Jong in the centre, and the Breat Bum and Sulima (or Moa) in the south. These rivers are navigable for short distances, but in general rapids or cataracts mark their middle courses. South of the estuary of the Scarcies the deep inlet known as the Sierra Leone river forms a perfectly safe and commodious harbour accessible to the largest vessels. At its entrance on the southern shore lies Freetown. In the south east the Morro river marks the frontier with Liberia.
ended 1916 was 164.8 inches. In 1896 no fewer than 203 in. were recorded. In 2894, a "dry" year, only 144 in. of rain fell. In few other countries of West Africa is the rainfall so heavy. Dec., January, February and March are practically rainless; the rains, beginning in April or May, reach their maximum in July, August and September, and rapidly diminish in October and No vember. During the dry season, when the climate is much like that of the West Indies, there occur tornadoes and long periods of the harmattan—a north-east wind, dry and desiccating, and carrying with it from the Sahara clouds of fine dust, which sailors call "smokes." In the interior the rainfall is less and the tempera ture lower than on the coast. Exact statistics are lacking.
Flora.—The characteristic tree of the coast districts is the oil-palm. Other palm trees found are the date, bamboo, palmyra, coco and dom. The coast-line, the creeks and the lower courses of the river are lined with mangroves. Large areas are covered with brushwood, among which are scattered baobab, shea-butter, bread fruit, corkwood and silk-cotton trees. The forests contain valu able timber trees such as African oak or teak (Oldfeldia Africana), rosewood, ebony, tamarind, camwood, odum—whose wood resists the attacks of termites—and the tolmgah or brimstone tree. The frankincense tree (Daniellia thurifera) reaches from 5o to 150 ft., the negro pepper (Xylopia Aethiopica) grows to about 6o ft., the fruit being used by the natives as pepper. There are also found the black pepper plant (Piper Clusii), a climbing plant abundant in the mountain districts; the grains of paradise or melegueta pepper plant (Amomum Melegueta), and other Amomzems whose fruits are prized. Both Landolphia Florida and Landolphia owariensis are found. Of several fibre-yielding plants the so-called aloes of the orders Amaryllidaceae and Liliaceae are common. The kola (Cola acuminate) and the bitter kola (Garcinia cola), the last having a fruit about the size of an apple, with a flavour like that of green coffee, are common. Of dye-yielding shrubs and plants camwood and indigo may be mentioned; of those whence gum is obtained the copal, acacia and African tragacanth (Sterculia tragacantha). Besides the oil-palm, oil is obtained from many trees and shrubs, such as the benni oil plant. Of fruit trees there are among others the blood-plum (Haematostaphis Barteri) with deep crimson fruit in grape-like clusters, and the Sierra Leone peach (Sarcoce phalus esculentus). The coffee and cotton plants are indigenous; of grasses there are various kinds of millet, including Paspalum exile, the so-called hungry rice or Sierra Leone millet. Ferns are abundant in the marshes.