Kenema District | |
|---|---|
 Location of Kenema District in Sierra Leone | |
| Coordinates: 7°50′N 11°10′W / 7.833°N 11.167°W | |
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Province | Eastern Province |
| Capital | Kenema |
| Largest city | Kenema |
| Government | |
| • Type | District Council |
| • Council Chairman | Mohamed Amadu Sesay[1] (SLPP)[1] |
| • Deputy Council Chairman | Mohamed Luseni Sheriff (SLPP)[2] |
| Population (2015 census)[2] | |
• Total | 609,873 |
| • Rank | 3rd |
| Time zone | UTC0 (Greenwich Mean Time) |
| HDI (2017) | 0.393[3] low · 6th |
Kenema District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Kenema, which is the third most populous city in Sierra Leone, after Freetown and Bo. Tongo is the second most populous city in the district. Other major towns in Kenema District include Blama and Yomboma. The district is the most populous district in the Eastern province with a population 609,873.[2] Kenema District has an area of 6,053 km2 (2,337 sq mi) and comprises sixteen chiefdoms.
The District of Kenema borders Bo District to the west, the Republic of Liberia to the southeast, Tonkolili District and Kono District to the north, Kailahun District to the east, and Pujehun District to the southwest. The economy of Kenema District is largely based on Farming, Diamond mining and trade.
The Mende is the largest ethnic group in the district, though the district is home to a significant population of many of Sierra Leone"s ethnic groups. The population of Kenema District is majority Muslim, though the district is also home to a significant Christian minority. Like the rest of Sierra Leone, Muslims and Christians collaborate and get along very well in Kenema District.
Kenema District is a political stronghold of the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). Since Independence in 1961 to present, the vast majority of the people of Kenema District support the Sierra Leone People's Party.
Kenema District is the home district of the former Chief Minister of Sierra Leone David J. Francis, who was born and raised in the city of Kenema. Kenema District is also the home of Mohamed Kallon, who was born in Kenema City, and is widely regarded as the most famous Sierra Leonean footballer of all time.
- ^ "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2012-12-08. Retrieved 2013-11-14.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ a b "GeoHive - Sierra Leone population statistics". Archived from the original on 2013-12-12. Retrieved 2013-12-08.
- ^ "Sub-national HDI - Area Database - Global Data Lab". hdi.globaldatalab.org. Retrieved 2018-09-13.