| Yengema, Sierra Leone | |
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Yengema, Sierra Leone
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Sierra Leone |
| Province | Eastern Province |
| District | Kono District |
| Population (2004) | |
| • Total | 3,621 |
| Time zone | GMT (UTC-5) |
Yengema is the second largest town in Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, lying about 18 miles west of Koidu Town (the largest city in Kono District), and about 264 miles east of Freetown. The major industry in Yengema is diamond mining. The town had a population of 3,621 in the 2004 census[1], with a 2007 estimate of 11,221 [1]. The figures for 1974 (14,793) and 1985 (12,938) show that it was once larger, but it experienced devastation during the Sierra Leone Civil War when looting, and constant fighting between the Revolutionary United Front and the Government forces over the rich diamond reserves in the area, forced many of the residents out of the town. The population has recovered to more than 11,000 according to several estimates. The population of Yengema is mainly from the Mandingo and Kono ethnic group.
Yengema has several primary schools and a number of secondary schools, the most notable one is the Yengema Secondary School (widely known as YSS). The schoool is one of the most widely known secondary schools in Sierra Leone and attract students from all parts of the country. Yengema has a number of police station run by the Kono District division of the Sierra Leone Police. The town gives its name to the nearby Yengema Airport,[2] the main airport serving the Kono District, and to Yengema Hospital.
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The majority (70%) of the population of Yengema is Muslim; Christianity accounts for about 30%. The Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. Religious violence in the city is extremely rare.
Like the rest of the country, football is the most popular sport in the town of Yengema. The town does not have a major football club; however, the Diamond Stars of Kono represent Yengema and the rest of the Kono District in the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in the country.
The population of Yengema consists mainly of the Kono and Mandingo ethnic groups.