# Yengema

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{{Infobox settlement |official_name = Yengema, Sierra Leone |pushpin_map = Sierra Leone |pushpin_label_position =bottom |pushpin_map_caption =Location in Sierra Leone |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = 25px [Sierra Leone](/source/Sierra_Leone) |subdivision_type1 = [Province](/source/Provinces_of_Sierra_Leone) |subdivision_name1 = [Eastern Province](/source/Eastern_Province%2C_Sierra_Leone) |subdivision_type2 = [District](/source/Districts_of_Sierra_Leone) |subdivision_name2 = [Kono District](/source/Kono_District) |subdivision_type3 = [Chiefdom](/source/Chiefdoms_of_Sierra_Leone) |subdivision_name3 = [Nimikoro Chiefdom](/source/Nimikoro_Chiefdom) |unit_pref =Imperial |population_total = 13,358<ref name=WG>{{cite web|url=http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=srcg&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&geo=0|title=World Gazetteer population calculation|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20121216142937/http://www.world-gazetteer.com/wg.php?x=&men=srcg&lng=en&des=wg&srt=npan&col=abcdefghinoq&msz=1500&geo=0|archivedate=2012-12-16}}</ref> |timezone = GMT |utc_offset = -5
|coordinates = {{coord|8|37|N|11|10|W|region:SL|display=inline,title}}
}} '''Yengema''' is a [town](/source/town) in the [Nimikoro Chiefdom](/source/Nimikoro_Chiefdom) of  [Kono District](/source/Kono_District) in the [Eastern Province](/source/Eastern_Province%2C_Sierra_Leone) of [Sierra Leone](/source/Sierra_Leone), lying approximately {{convert|6|miles|km}} west of [Koidu Town](/source/Koidu) (the largest city in Kono District), and about {{convert|142|miles|km}} east of [Freetown](/source/Freetown). The major industries in and around Yengema are diamond mining and agriculture. The town is home to [Yengema Airport](/source/Yengema_Airport), the main airfield serving Kono District. A 2012 estimate of Yengema population was 13,358 people.<ref name=WG/>

The population of Yengema is ethnically diverse, though the majority of its residents are ethnic [Mandingo](/source/Mandingo_people_of_Sierra_Leone) and ethnic [Kono](/source/Kono_people). The primary language of communication in Yengema is the [Krio language](/source/Krio_language), which is widely spoken in the town.  

Yengema is a predominantly [Muslim](/source/Muslim) town, though with a significant [Christian](/source/Christians) minority population.

Yengema is home to the [Yengema Secondary School](/source/Yengema_Secondary_School) (commonly known as YSS), which was among the most prominent secondary schools in Sierra Leone.

Yengema is known for its archaeological site called Yengema Cave which was discovered by American anthropologist [Carleton Stevens Coon](/source/Carleton_Stevens_Coon) in 1965.<ref>{{cite web|title=Excavations at Yengema Cave |url=https://www.penn.museum/sites/expedition/excavations-at-yengema-cave/ |publisher=The Penn Museum |author=Carleton Stevens Coon |access-date=25 April 2024}}</ref>

Before the civil war, Yengema was one of the most populous cities in Eastern Sierra Leone. During the [Sierra Leone civil war](/source/Sierra_Leone_civil_war), Yengema was heavily damaged and constantly fought over due to the rich diamond reserves in the area. This forced many of the residents to flee the city.

==Religion==
The majority of the population of Yengema are [Muslims](/source/Muslims) at about 70%; [Christianity](/source/Christianity) accounts for a large minority of the town population at about 29%. Muslim and Christian people in the town live peacefully together. [Religious violence](/source/Religious_violence) in the city is extremely rare.

==Sport==
Like the rest of Sierra Leone, football is the most popular sport in the town of Yengema. The town does not have a major football club; however, the [Diamond Stars](/source/Diamond_Stars) of Kono represent Yengema and the rest of the Kono District in the [Sierra Leone National Premier League](/source/Sierra_Leone_National_Premier_League), the top football league in the country.

==Notable people from Yengema==
*[Sia Koroma](/source/Sia_Koroma), [First lady](/source/First_lady) of Sierra Leone
==Bibliography==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |author=Carleton S. Coon |title=Yengema Cave Report |year=1968 |publisher=University Museum (University of Pennsylvania) |location=Philadelphia |isbn=}}
{{refend}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

Category:Populated places in Sierra Leone
Category:Kono District

{{SierraLeone-geo-stub}}

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Yengema](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yengema) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yengema?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.