CIA Factbook The World Factbook 1994: Sierra LeoneGovernment Names: • conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone • conventional short form: Sierra Leone Digraph: SL Type: military government Capital: Freetown Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western* Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK) National holiday: Republic Day, 27 April (1961) Constitution: 1 October 1991; suspended following 19 April 1992 coup Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal Executive branch: • chief of state and head of government: Chairman of the Supreme Council of State Capt. Valentine E. M. STRASSER (since 29 April 1992) • cabinet: Council of Secretaries; responsible to the NPRC Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992); Chairman STRASSER promises multi-party elections sometime in 1995 Judicial branch: Supreme Court (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992) Political parties and leaders: status of existing political parties is unknown following 29 April 1992 coup Member of: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTELSAT (nonsignatory user), INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOMIG, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO Diplomatic representation in US: • chief of mission: Ambassador Thomas Kahota KARGBO • chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 • telephone: (202) 939-9261 US diplomatic representation: • chief of mission: Ambassador Lauralee M. PETERS • embassy: Walpole and Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown • mailing address: use embassy street address • telephone: [232] (22) 226-481 • FAX: [232] (22) 225-471 Flag: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue