Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone's name means Lion Mountains, given by Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra who thought the hills around Freetown resembled a crouching lioness. It's a fitting name for a country that has shown extraordinary courage through extraordinary hardship. Founded as a home for freed slaves in the late 18th century, Freetown became the first western-style city in sub-Saharan Africa, and its Krio descendants created a unique culture blending African, British, and Caribbean influences that persists today.

The country's modern history has been shaped by civil war and the Ebola crisis, but Sierra Leone refuses to be defined by tragedy. The beaches along the Freetown Peninsula are among the most stunning in West Africa, with miles of empty golden sand backed by forested hills. The country sits atop some of the world's richest diamond deposits - the 709-carat Star of Sierra Leone is the fourth largest gem-quality diamond ever found. And in every corner, from the street food stalls of Freetown to the remote villages of the interior, there's a resilience and warmth that makes visitors understand why Sierra Leoneans greet each other with "How de body?" - a question that always gets a positive answer.