Freetown (pop. 1,056,000) is the seaport capital of Sierra Leone. It stands on the estuary of the Sierra Leone River, and has an excellent harbor. The city has a tropical climate. Temperatures average 80 °F (27 °C), and rainfall totals about 150 inches (381 centimeters) a year.
Industries in Freetown include fish processing and soap factories and ship repair yards. Exports include chromite, diamonds, ginger, gold, kola nuts, palm oil and kernels, and platinum. British philanthropists founded the city in 1787 as a home for people freed from slavery.
