nPostednon April 27, 2016
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nTwonWest African nations celebrate their independence today.
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nHere’sna difference:
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nTogonbecame independent of France on this date in 1960, and Sierra Leonenbecame independent of the United Kingdom on this date in 1961.nBecause of this difference, Togo’s official language is French, andnSierra Leone’s is English.
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nHere’sna similarity:
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nBothncountries celebrate in typical ways: speeches by governmentnofficials, marches and parades, work holidays and gatherings andnbanquets.
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nHere’sna difference:
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nTogonrelies mostly on agriculture, but Sierra Leone is rich with mineralnwealth, such as diamonds, titanium, bauxite, rutile, and gold. Thenlatter is also blessed with one of the world’s largest naturalnharbors.
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nHere’sna similarity:
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nAnmajority of the people in both nations are poor, and life expectancynin both nations is low, people averaging lifetimes of only 56 or 57nyears. These sad truths must stem partly from the fact that bothnnations were ravaged by centuries of slavery and partly from the factnthat the governments of both nations have been unstable; Togonsuffered from a military coup and 38-year dictatorship, and SierranLeone suffered from a deadly civil war and the recent Ebola outbreak.nn
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nAndnhere are some interesting things to see in Togo and Sierra Leone:
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nTOGOn- Koutammakou, land of the Batammariba, with their two-story mudn“tower houses”
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nSIERRAnLEONE – Bunce Island features a British “slave castle” –nthankfully, now long unused and being reclaimed by the forest!
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nTOGOn- The fetish market, where you can buy feathers, skulls, skins, andnherbs
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nSIERRAnLEONE – Outamba-KiliminNational Parknfeatures loads of wildlife plus ancient rainforests
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nTOGOn– The Grand Marche, an open-air market extraordinaire!
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nSIERRAnLEONE – The “banana islands” are rather banana shaped – andnlovely!
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nTOGOn– Hikes and sights near Kpalime
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nSIERRAnLEONE – Lumley Beach is becoming far more developed, but partsnstill look like this
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nTonlearn more about Togo, check out this earlier post. And this post is about Sierra Leone. n
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nAlsonon this date:
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nWorldnTapir Day
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nAnniversarynof the discovery of hahnium
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FreedomnDay in South Africa
FreedomnDay in South African
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nCivilnrights activist Coretta Scott King’s birthday
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nAnniversarynof Beethoven’s composition of FurnElise
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nPlannahead:
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Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
Checknout my Pinterest boards for:
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nApriln holidays
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nAndnhere are my Pinterest boards for:
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nMayn holidays
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nMayn birthdays
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nHistoricaln anniversaries in May
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