Yengema

Yengema, Sierra Leone
Yengema, Sierra Leone

Location in Sierra Leone

Coordinates: 8°37′N 11°10′W / 8.617°N 11.167°W / 8.617; -11.167Coordinates: 8°37′N 11°10′W / 8.617°N 11.167°W / 8.617; -11.167
Country Sierra Leone
Province Eastern Province
District Kono District
Population
 • Total 13,358[1]
Time zone GMT (UTC-5)

Yengema is a diamond mining town in Nimikoro Chiefdom, Kono District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone, lying approximately 30 miles (48 km) from Koidu Town (the largest city in Kono District), and about 260 miles (420 km) east of Freetown. The major industry in and around Yengema is diamond mining. The town is home to Yengema Airport, the main airport serving Kono District. The population of Yengema was 3,621 in the 2004 census[2] and a 2012 estimate is of 13,358 people.[1] The population of Yengema is largely muslim.

The population of Yengema is ethnically diverse, though the Mandingo people form the majority of the town's population. The primary language of communication in Yengema is the Krio language, which is widely spoken in the town.

Before the civil war, Yengema was one of the most populous city in Eastern Sierra Leone. During the Sierra Leone civil war, Yengema was heavily destroyed and constantly fought over due to the rich diamond reserves in the town. This forced many of the residents to flee the city. Yengema has several primary schools and the town is home to the Yengema Secondary School (widely known as 'YSS'), which is one of the most widely known secondary schools in Sierra Leone.

Religion

The majority of the population of Yengema is Muslim; Christianity accounts for a large minority of the town population. The Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. Religious violence in the city is extremely rare.

Sport

Like the rest of Sierra Leone, 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.

Notable people from Yengema

References

  1. 1 2 "World Gazetteer population calculation". Archived from the original on 2012-12-16.
  2. ↑ Republic of Sierra Leone: 2004 Population and Housing Census: Analytical Report on Population Distribution, Migration and Urbanisation in Sierra Leone.
    Ibrahim Mohamed Sesay, Andrew A. Karam, Jinnah J. Ngobeh. Published November 2006.


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