50 riddles about Sierra Leone with answers

Sierra Leone is a country located on the coast of West Africa. It borders Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the south-east, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and south-west. Sierra Leone has a rich culture and history that lends itself well to riddles. Here are 50 riddles about Sierra Leone along with their answers.

Geography Riddles

These riddles relate to the geography and landscape of Sierra Leone.

Riddles 1-10

1. Riddle: What is the tallest mountain in Sierra Leone?

   Answer: Mount Bintumani at 1,945 meters (6,381 ft).

2. Riddle: Sierra Leone borders three other countries. Can you name them?

   Answer: Guinea, Liberia, and the Atlantic Ocean.

3. Riddle: Which district of Sierra Leone occupies the entire Peninsula?

   Answer: Western Area district.

4. Riddle: Sierra Leone contains many islands off the coast of Peninsula. Collectively, what are they called?

   Answer: The Banana Islands.

5. Riddle: Sierra Leone has 4 physical regions. One of them consists of mangrove swamps, wooded hills, and white sandy beaches. Which region is this?

   Answer: The Freetown Peninsula region.

6. Riddle: Which river forms part of the border between Sierra Leone and Guinea?

   Answer: The Makona River.

7. Riddle: Sierra Leone has a tropical climate with two seasons influenced by which winds?

   Answer: The Harmattan and monsoon winds.

8. Riddle: About 60% of Sierra Leone’s population lives within 100 miles of what geographical feature?

   Answer: Freetown Peninsula.

9. Riddle: Sierra Leone has the third largest natural harbour in the world. What is it called?

   Answer: Queen Elizabeth II Quay in Freetown Harbor.

10. Riddle: What geographical feature makes up two-thirds of Sierra Leone’s area?

    Answer: A plateau region.

Riddles 11-20

11. Riddle: Sierra Leone has many offshore islands near the capital Freetown. What is the largest group called?

    Answer: The Banana Islands.

12. Riddle: Sierra Leone has four distinct physical regions. One features plains covered with grasses and scattered trees. Which region is this?

    Answer: The Northern Province region.

13. Riddle: Which mountain range stretches along the Guinea border?

    Answer: The Loma Mountains.

14. Riddle: What sedimentary rock makes up a large part of the Freetown peninsula geology?

    Answer: Granite.

15. Riddle: About what percentage of Sierra Leone’s land area is made up of swamps and mangroves?

    Answer: 20%.

16. Riddle: What major geological feature dominates Eastern Sierra Leone?

    Answer: The interior plains.

17. Riddle: Which river located near Kenema is known for its diamonds?

    Answer: The Moa River.

18. Riddle: The lion shaped mountain is located near which major city?

    Answer: Freetown.

19. Riddle: About what percentage of Sierra Leone’s population lives in rural areas?

    Answer: 60%.

20. Riddle: Sierra Leone has a tropical climate with distinct wet and dry seasons. What are the seasons called?

    Answer: Raining and Harmattan.

History Riddles

Test your knowledge of Sierra Leone’s history with these riddles.

Riddles 21-30

21. Riddle: Founded in 1787, what was the original name of Sierra Leone’s capital, Freetown?

    Answer: Granville Town.

22. Riddle: Which European country first colonized Sierra Leone starting in the late 1700s?

    Answer: Britain.

23. Riddle: Sierra Leone gained independence from the British in 1961. Who was its first prime minister?

    Answer: Sir Milton Margai.

24. Riddle: What was the name of the popular radio program started in the 1930s that spread information and news to rural Sierra Leone?

    Answer: The Freetown Rediffusion Service.

25. Riddle: Civil war ravaged Sierra Leone from 1991-2002. What was the name of the rebel faction fighting the government during this war?

    Answer: The Revolutionary United Front (RUF).

26. Riddle: In 1953, Sierra Leone’s government changed and the prime minister’s role changed. What system of government did Sierra Leone adopt?

    Answer: A parliamentary system.

27. Riddle: Diamonds fueled Sierra Leone’s civil war by providing income for weapons. What is the term for illegally mined or sold diamonds?

    Answer: Blood diamonds.

28. Riddle: Fourah Bay College established in 1827 holds what distinction in the history of education in sub-Saharan Africa?

    Answer: It was the first university established in West Africa.

29. Riddle: In the 1700s-1800s Sierra Leone served as home to freed slaves resettling from where?

    Answer: The Americas including the West Indies.

30. Riddle: In 2002 a UN sponsored war crimes tribunal opened in Freetown. What was it called?

    Answer: The Special Court for Sierra Leone.

Riddles 31-40

31. Riddle: What was the name of Sierra Leone’s national movement for independence?

    Answer: The Sierra Leone People’s Party.

32. Riddle: Who was president during the start of the 11 year civil war in 1991?

    Answer: Joseph Saidu Momoh.

33. Riddle: In the 1600s-1700s Sierra Leone was marked as territory for what colonial empire?

    Answer: The British Empire.

34. Riddle: Sierra Leone’s history includes the arrival of formerly enslaved Africans from the Caribbean and Americas. What was this resettlement migration called?

    Answer: The Nova Scotian Settlers.

35. Riddle: In the 1960s after independence Sierra Leone’s economy declined under which political party’s rule?

    Answer: The Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP).

36. Riddle: The war ended in 2002 and rebuilding began under which president?

    Answer: President Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.

37. Riddle: Sierra Leone’s name originated from which European explorer’s reference to the “lion mountains” near what is now Freetown?

    Answer: Pedro de Sintra.

38. Riddle: In 1947 Sierra Leone’s trade union movement played a big role in starting what political event?

    Answer: The general strike for worker’s rights.

39. Riddle: Who was Sierra Leone’s first indigenous African chief justice serving after independence in 1961?

    Answer: Sir Samuel Bankole Jones.

40. Riddle: What event occurred in 1898 when the British claimed the Sierra Leone hinterland as a British protectorate?

    Answer: The Hut Tax War.

Culture Riddles

How well do you know the culture of Sierra Leone? Test your knowledge with these riddles.

Riddles 41-50

41. Riddle: In 1961 Sierra Leone created its own currency. What is it called?

    Answer: The leone.

42. Riddle: Sierra Leone is known for its colorful fabrics. What is the tie-dye cloth called that is used to make dresses and wraps?

    Answer: Pelete bite.

43. Riddle: About 60 languages are spoken in Sierra Leone. What are the three most widely spoken?

    Answer: Mende, Themne, and Krio.

44. Riddle: Sierra Leone’s population is estimated to be over 70% Muslim and 20% Christian. What religion makes up the remainder?

    Answer: African traditional religions.

45. Riddle: Sierra Leoneans love soccer/football. What is Sierra Leone’s national soccer team nicknamed?

    Answer: The Leone Stars.

46. Riddle: Which popular Sierra Leonean dance with masks and costumes depicts ancestral spirits and animals?

    Answer: The Poro society dance.

47. Riddle: Which musical instrument sometimes called a “thumb piano” is played in Sierra Leone?

    Answer: The Mbira.

48. Riddle: About what percentage of Sierra Leoneans participate in some form of Islam’s holy pilgrimage to Mecca during their life?

    Answer: 10-15%.

49. Riddle: Which staple food consists of rice cooked to a sticky texture similar to couscous?

    Answer: Rice fufu.

50. Riddle: What colorful celebratory events happen for girls coming of age into womanhood?

    Answer: “Bundu” initiation rites.

Conclusion

From the geography of its regional plains to details of its 11-year civil war, Sierra Leone is a country with a rich culture and history. These 50 riddles provide a sample of interesting details about this West African nation. Whether you got them all right or still have more to learn, discovering the answers takes you on a journey into Sierra Leone’s landscape, people and heritage.