Yengema
Encyclopedia
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, with a 2007 estimate of 11,221 http://population.mongabay.com/population/sierra-leone/2402816/yengema. 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
, the main airport serving the Kono District, and to Yengema Hospital.
, and Christianity
accounts for about 30%. The Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. Religious violence
in the city is extremely rare.
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.
and Mandingo
ethnic groups.
Town
A town is a human settlement larger than a village but smaller than a city. The size a settlement must be in order to be called a "town" varies considerably in different parts of the world, so that, for example, many American "small towns" seem to British people to be no more than villages, while...
in Kono District
Kono District
Kono District is a district in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone. Its capital and largest city is Koidu Town. The other major towns in the district include Yengema, Tombodu, Motema, Jaiama-Nimokoro and Sewafe. Kono District is the largest diamond producer in Sierra Leone.The population of Kono...
in the Eastern Province
Eastern Province, Sierra Leone
Eastern Province is one of the four provinces of Sierra Leone. It covers an area of 15,553 km² and has a population of 1,187,532...
of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, lying about 18 miles west of Koidu Town (the largest city in Kono District), and about 264 miles east of Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
. The major industry in Yengema is diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
mining
Mining
Mining is the extraction of valuable minerals or other geological materials from the earth, from an ore body, vein or seam. The term also includes the removal of soil. Materials recovered by mining include base metals, precious metals, iron, uranium, coal, diamonds, limestone, oil shale, rock...
. The town had a population of 3,621 in the 2004 census, with a 2007 estimate of 11,221 http://population.mongabay.com/population/sierra-leone/2402816/yengema. 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
Sierra Leone Civil War
The Sierra Leone Civil War began on 23 March 1991 when the Revolutionary United Front , with support from the special forces of Charles Taylor’s National Patriotic Front of Liberia , intervened in Sierra Leone in an attempt to overthrow the Joseph Momoh government...
when looting, and constant fighting between the Revolutionary United Front
Revolutionary United Front
The Revolutionary United Front was a rebel army that fought a failed eleven-year war in Sierra Leone, starting in 1991 and ending in 2002. It later developed into a political party, which existed until 2007...
and the Government forces over the rich diamond
Diamond
In mineralogy, diamond is an allotrope of carbon, where the carbon atoms are arranged in a variation of the face-centered cubic crystal structure called a diamond lattice. Diamond is less stable than graphite, but the conversion rate from diamond to graphite is negligible at ambient conditions...
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
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
and Kono
Kono people
The Kono people is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland is the diamond-rich Kono District in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population...
ethnic group.
Yengema has several primary schools and a number of secondary schools, the most notable one is the Yengema Secondary School
Yengema Secondary School
Yengema Secondary School or YSS is a government-sponsored secondary school that serves the town of Yengema, in the Kono District, Sierra Leone....
(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
Police station
A police station or station house is a building which serves to accommodate police officers and other members of staff. These buildings often contain offices and accommodation for personnel and vehicles, along with locker rooms, temporary holding cells and interview/interrogation rooms.- Facilities...
run by the Kono District division of the Sierra Leone Police
Sierra Leone Police
The Sierra Leone Police locally known as Salone Police is the national police force of the Republic of Sierra Leone, responsible for law enforcement and crime investigation throughout Sierra Leone...
The town gives its name to the nearby Yengema Airport
Yengema Airport
Yengema Airport is a regional airport located in Yengema, Kono District, Sierra Leone. It is the largest and main airport that serves the Kono District. It is one of the busiest airports in the country.-Airlines and destinations:...
, the main airport serving the Kono District, and to Yengema Hospital.
Religion
The majority (70%) of the population of Yengema is MuslimMuslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
, and Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
accounts for about 30%. The Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. Religious violence
Religious violence
Religious violence is a term that covers all phenomena where religion, in any of its forms, is either the subject or object of violent behaviour. Religious violence is, specifically, violence that is motivated by or in reaction to religious precepts, texts or doctrines...
in the city is extremely rare.
Sport
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 StarsDiamond Stars
The Diamond Stars of Kono is a Sierra Leonean professional football Club based in Koidu Town, Kono District, Sierra Leone. The club represent the diamond-rich Kono District and is a member of the Sierra Leone National Premier League, the top football league in Sierra Leone. The club got the name...
of Kono represent Yengema and the rest of the Kono District in the Sierra Leone National Premier League
Sierra Leone National Premier League
Sierra Leone National Premier League is the top football league in Sierra Leone. It was founded in 1967. The league is sponsored by the Sierra Leone Commercial Bank, one of the major Sierra Leonean banks. East End Lions and Mighty Blackpool are the two biggest and most successful clubs. The...
, the top football league in the country.
Ethnic groups
The population of Yengema consists mainly of the KonoKono people
The Kono people is a major ethnic group in Sierra Leone at about 7.6% of the country's total population. Their homeland is the diamond-rich Kono District in south-eastern Sierra Leone. They form by far the single largest ethnic group in the district at about 52% of the population...
and Mandingo
Mandinka people
The Mandinka, Malinke are one of the largest ethnic groups in West Africa with an estimated population of eleven million ....
ethnic groups.