Politics
Map
West Africa
Today, each West African country is either a republic or a democracy, which means that people vote for their leaders. But in the years since colonial control, many countries have been through military take-overs, military dictatorships or civil war. Here is one well-known example:
Sierra Leone
This country recently ended an 11-year civil war, in which 10,000 soldiers were children. The fighting left many schools and hospitals destroyed and many people living in extreme poverty. The war was mostly fuelled by the illegal diamond trade taking place in the country. Sierra Leone is working hard to rebuild and especially to reintegrate former child soldiers into society through education and training.
A Powerful West African Woman
President Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf became the first female head of state in Africa when she was elected president of Liberia on November 23, 2005. She was sworn in as president in March 2006. She is also the world’s first black woman to be elected president.