Bonthe

Bonthe
Bonthe
Location in Sierra Leone
Coordinates:
Country Sierra Leone
Province Southern Province
District Bonthe District
Government
 • Mayor Gilbert J. Caulker.
Population (2010)[1]
 • Total 10,206 (estimated)
Time zone GMT (UTC-5)

Bonthe is a town located on Sherbro Island in Bonthe District of the southern Province of Sierra Leone. The town had a population of 9,535 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate of 10,206.[1] In colonial times it used to be a major trading centre for piassava and other agricultural products.[2] The town lies on the eastern shore of Sherbro Island, on the Sherbro River estuary, and was once larger than Freetown, but lack of roads to the mainland meant that the population has declined. Bonthe is about 60 miles south-west of Bo and 187 miles south-east of Freetown. The inhabitants of the town belong mainly to the Sherbro ethnic group.

Media

The local radio station in Bonthe is Radio Bontico 96.4. The Sierra Leone Broadcasting Services (SLBS) TV, is on the air in the city.

Climate

Climate data for Bonthe, Sierra Leone
Month Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Year
Average high °C (°F) 31
(88)		 32
(90)		 33
(91)		 33
(91)		 32
(90)		 30
(86)		 29
(84)		 28
(82)		 29
(84)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 31
(88)		 30.8
(87.5)
Daily mean °C (°F) 27
(81)		 27
(81)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 28
(82)		 27
(81)		 25
(77)		 25
(77)		 26
(79)		 27
(81)		 27
(81)		 27
(81)		 26.8
(80.3)
Average low °C (°F) 23
(73)		 22
(72)		 23
(73)		 24
(75)		 24
(75)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23
(73)		 23.1
(73.5)
Precipitation mm (inches) 6
(0.24)		 10
(0.39)		 25
(0.98)		 89
(3.5)		 204
(8.03)		 574
(22.6)		 844
(33.23)		 825
(32.48)		 557
(21.93)		 334
(13.15)		 148
(5.83)		 49
(1.93)		 3,665
(144.29)
Sunshine hours 186 176 183 162 149 117 68 50 87 149 159 174 1,660
Source: The Weather Network [3]

References

  1. ^ a b "World Gazetteer: Bonthe". http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=gpro&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=adhoq&msz=1500&geo=351124749. 
  2. ^ Manson, Katrina; Knight, James (2009). Sierra Leone (Bradt Travel Guide). Bucks, UK: Bradt Travel Guides. p. 204. 
  3. ^ "Climate Statistics for Bonthe, Sierra Leone". July 31, 1992. http://www.theweathernetwork.com/statistics/c03133. Retrieved January 1, 2012.