Lunsar | |
---|---|
Location in Sierra Leone | |
Coordinates: 08°41′00″N 12°32′00″W / 8.68333°N 12.53333°W | |
Country | Sierra Leone |
Province | Northern Province |
District | Port Loko District |
Population (2004 estimate) | |
• Total | 36,108 [1]. |
Time zone | GMT (UTC-5) |
Lunsar is a town in Port Loko District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. It is the largest town in Port Loko District by population. As of 2004, the population of Lunsar was estimated at 36,108 [2]. The town is one of the main commercial and business hub in the North of Sierra Leone. Lunsar lies approximately 60 miles east of Freetown and about 25 miles to the district capital of Port Loko[3]. The inhabitants of Lunsar are largely from the Temne ethnic group.
Its most recent history has been an iron ore mining town. The ore, for the most part, is set in stone which forms a huge mountain, called Massaboin Hill. The word stone in the local Temne language is "Sar," and thus befits the area where the iron ore was found. Thus, the town's initial name was "Ro-Sar" meaning the place where the stones are found. Ro-sar later evolved to Lunsar during the colonial era.
Coordinates: 08°41′N 12°32′W / 8.683°N 12.533°W