Kambia, Sierra Leone

Kambia
District headquarters
Kambia Location in Sierra Leone
Coordinates: 9°07′N 12°55′W
Country	Sierra Leone
Province	Northern Province
District	Kambia District
Population  (current estimate)
• Total	40,000 [1]
Time zone	UTC-5 (GMT)

Kambia also commonly known as Kambia Town is the capital and largest town of Kambia District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. Kambia is a major trading town; and lies approximately 120 miles north-east of Freetown. The town had a population of 11,842 in the 2004 census, with a 2010 estimate being 12,471 [2] and a current estimate of 40,000 [3]. Kambia is a major trading route along the main highway linking Sierra Leone's capital Freetown to Conakry, the capital of Guinea.

Kambia town is inhabited by different ethnic groups. The Krio language is the primary language of communication among the different ethnic groups in Kambia town. The town is predominantly Muslim.

History

Before the British and Portuguese arrived in Sierra Leone, a farmer/hunter named Pa Kambi settled on the banks of the river where Kambia lies today. As other natives from neighboring locales wandered about, they discovered Pa Kambi thriving on his trades. They, too, decided to settle down and named the area Kambia, meaning the town of Pa Kambi.

Languages

The Temne language is the most widely spoken language in the town of Kambia, although most Kambia residents can also speak both the Susu language and Temne language. The city is predominantly Muslim.