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Freetown
Freetown city (1995 est. pop. 519,500), capital of Sierra Leone, W Sierra Leone, a port on the Atlantic Ocean. Located on the Sierra Leone peninsula, Freetown is the nation's administrative, communications, and economic center, as well as its main port. The city's economy revolves largely around its fine natural harbor, which is capable of receiving oceangoing vessels and which handles Sierra Leone's main exports. Industries include food and beverage processing, fish packing, rice milling, petroleum refining, diamond cutting, and the manufacture of cigarettes, paint, shoes, and beer. Lebanese play a major role in local trade, especially wholesaling. Roads and a railroad link Freetown with the interior of the country and the city is served by an international airport in nearby Lungi. Guma Dam provides water and hydroelectric power for Freetown. The area was settled in 1787 by freed slaves sent from England by British abolitionists, including Granville Sharp and Thomas Clarkson, who started the Sierra Leone Company. In 1792, Freetown was founded by former slaves from Nova Scotia sent out by the company. Freetown was used by the British as the base for creating (1808) the Sierra Leone Crown Colony, and from 1808 to 1874 it served as the capital of British West Africa. In 1893 it was made the first British colonial municipality in Africa, with the right to elect a mayor. During World War II, Britain maintained a naval base at Freetown. Although they constitute only a minority today, descendants of the freed slaves, called Creoles, play a leading role in the city. Freetown is the site of the Univ. of Sierra Leone (1967), which incorporates Fourah Bay College (1827) and Njala Univ. College (1963), and also of a technical institute. |
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"Freetown." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Freetown." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Freetown.html "Freetown." The Columbia Encyclopedia, 6th ed.. 2008. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1E1-Freetown.html |
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Freetown
Freetown, Antigua, The Bahamas, Canada, Jamaica, Sierra Leone, USA Sierra Leone: founded as Granvillestown in 1792 by Granville Sharp (1734–1813), a prominent British activist in the movement to abolish the slave trade, as a refuge for poor black people, mainly freed African slaves from North America who had sided with the British in the American War of Independence (1775–83) and had since languished in Canada. It was called Granvillestown between 1792 and 1797. In 1808 it became the capital of the British crown colony of Sierra Leone and of Sierra Leone when it became independent in 1961.
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JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Freetown." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Freetown." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Freetown.html JOHN EVERETT-HEATH. "Freetown." Concise Dictionary of World Place-Names. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O209-Freetown.html |
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Freetown
Freetown Capital and chief port of Sierra Leone, w Africa. First explored by the Portuguese in the 15th century and visited by Sir John Hawkins in 1562. Freetown was founded by the British in 1787 as a settlement for freed slaves from England, Nova Scotia and Jamaica. It was the capital of British West Africa (1808–74). West Africa's oldest university, Fourah Bay, was founded here in 1827. Freetown was made capital of independent Sierra Leone in 1961. Industries: platinum, gold, diamonds, oil refining, palm oil. Pop. (2002 est.) 1,032,100.
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"Freetown." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Freetown." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Freetown.html "Freetown." World Encyclopedia. 2005. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O142-Freetown.html |
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Freetown
Freetown
•brown, Browne, clown, crown, down, downtown, drown, frown, gown, low-down, noun, renown, run-down, town, upside-down, uptown
•crackdown • clampdown • Ashdown
•markdown • letdown • meltdown
•breakdown, shakedown, takedown
•kick-down • thistledown • sit-down
•climbdown • countdown
•Southdown
•godown, hoedown, showdown, slowdown
•put-down • touchdown • tumbledown
•comedown
•rundown, sundown
•shutdown • eiderdown • nightgown
•pronoun • Jamestown • Freetown
•midtown • Bridgetown • Kingstown
•shanty town • Georgetown • Motown
•hometown • toytown • Newtown
•Charlottetown • Chinatown
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"Freetown." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. 11 Feb. 2012 <http://www.encyclopedia.com>. "Freetown." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Encyclopedia.com. (February 11, 2012). http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Freetown.html "Freetown." Oxford Dictionary of Rhymes. 2007. Retrieved February 11, 2012 from Encyclopedia.com: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1O233-Freetown.html |
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