Western Area Rural District

Western Area Rural District
Cottage in the Western Area Rural District, near the Port Loko River

Location of Western Area Rural District in Sierra Leone
Coordinates: 8°20′N 13°4′W / 8.333°N 13.067°W / 8.333; -13.067Coordinates: 8°20′N 13°4′W / 8.333°N 13.067°W / 8.333; -13.067
Country Sierra Leone
Province Western Area
Capital Waterloo
Largest city Waterloo
Government
 • Type District Council
 • Council Chairman Joseph Holland Cole (APC)
Area
 • Total 544 km2 (210 sq mi)
Population (2015 census)[1]
 • Total 442,951
 • Density 810/km2 (2,100/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+0 (Greenwich Mean Time)

The Western Area Rural District is one of the sixteen Districts of Sierra Leone. It is located mostly around the peninsula in the Western Area of Sierra Leone. The Western Area Rural District has a 2015 census population of 442,951.[1] The district capital and largest city is Waterloo. Other major towns in the district include Newton, Benguema, Leicester, Tombo and Regent. Most of the towns and villages in the Western area rural District are within close proximity to the capital Freetown; and are part of the Freetown Metropolitan Area.

The Western Area Rural District borders the country's capital Freetown to the east and west; Port Loko District to the north; and the atlantic ocean to the south and east.

The Western Area Rural District is one of the most ethnically diverse districts in Sierra Leone. No single ethnic group form a majority in the district. The Western Area Rural District is home to many different ethnic groups, including a significant population of the Krio and Sherbro people. The district is home to a large population of both Muslims and Christians.

Like the other fifteen districts of Sierra Leone, the Western Area Rural District has its own directly elected district government known as a district council, headed by a directly elected district council chairman, who leads the district council executive branch and enforces laws passed by members of the district council. The current district council chairman of the Western Area Rural District is Joseph Holland Cole of the All People's Congress (APC), who was elected district council chairman of the Western Area Rural District with 53% of the votes in the 2018 Western Area Rural District council election.

In October 2009, the Sierra Leone government officially moved the Rural District capital from Freetown to the city of Waterloo after the completion of the newly built government complex for the rural district council.[2]

Major towns in the Western Area Rural District

Small towns and villages include

References

  1. 1 2 "Provisional Results" (PDF). Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census. Statistics Sierra Leone. March 2016.
  2. ↑ http://www.ircbp.sl/drwebsite/publish/printer_567.shtml
  3. ↑ http://mindthegaptravel.co.uk/project/beach-conservation/
  4. ↑ "Rokel, Sierra Leone". Retrieved 13 November 2016.


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