Located on the west coast of Africa and bordered by Guinea to the northeast, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean on the southwest, Sierra Leone is roughly the size of South Carolina. The country's landmass of 71,740 square kilometers (27,700 square miles) encompasses rain forests, swamp land and semi-arid areas. Natural resources (diamond, gold, rutile, bauxite, and iron ore) are in abundance, and the country boasts one of the finest coastlines in West Africa and one of the deepest natural harbors in the world. A rainy season (May to October) and a dry season (November) are the country's two dominant weather patterns.

The country's population of 5 million is divided into sixteen ethnic groups, with the Mendes of the south and the Temnes of the north each accounting for roughly 30 percent of the population. Comprising less than 5 percent of the population, the Krios are concentrated in the...