Conventional Long Form Name of country :Republic of Sierra Leone
Capital City:Freetown
Type of Government: constitutional democracy
Date of Independence: 27 April 1961 (from the UK)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Chief of State: President Ernest Bai KOROMA
Capital City:Freetown
Type of Government: constitutional democracy
Date of Independence: 27 April 1961 (from the UK)
National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Chief of State: President Ernest Bai KOROMA
Head of Government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA
Description of Executive Branch/Powers: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 12 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms)
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court - at the apex - with the chief justice and 4 other judges, the Court of Appeal with the chief justice and 7 other judges, and the High Court of Justice with the chief justice and 9 other judges; note – the Judicature has jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional matters
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and other judges of the Judicature appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (a 7-member independent body of judges, presidential appointees, and the Commission chairman) and subject to the approval of Parliament; all Judicature judges appointed until retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS (since 28 March 2008
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador John HOOVER
Description of Executive Branch/Powers: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term)
Description of Legislative Branch/Powers: unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 12 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms)
Description of Judicial Branch/Powers: highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court - at the apex - with the chief justice and 4 other judges, the Court of Appeal with the chief justice and 7 other judges, and the High Court of Justice with the chief justice and 9 other judges; note – the Judicature has jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional matters
judge selection and term of office: Supreme Court chief justice and other judges of the Judicature appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission (a 7-member independent body of judges, presidential appointees, and the Commission chairman) and subject to the approval of Parliament; all Judicature judges appointed until retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Name of THEIR Ambassador to the U.S.: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS (since 28 March 2008
Name of U.S. Ambassador to THEM: Ambassador John HOOVER