Sierra Leone gained independence from Britain in 1961 but fell into civil war in the 1990s as rebel groups like the Revolutionary United Front, led by Foday Sankoh, launched violent attacks using child soldiers who amputated limbs and committed rape. The war was fueled by the trade of "blood diamonds" mined in Sierra Leone and used to finance the rebels as the country struggled with poverty, corruption and instability. Today, Sierra Leone is working to rebuild after the civil war under President Ernest Bai Koroma of the ruling All Peoples Congress party.

1. Sierra Leone

8. Data: Sierra Leone