Bonthe District is a district comprises of several islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the southeastern coast of Sierra Leone. It's capital and largest city is the island of Mattru Jong. Other major towns in the district are Sherbro Island and Bonthe Island island. Bonthe District is the least most populous District in Sierra Leone with a population of 139,687 (2004 census. The district is primarily inhabited by the Sherbro people (who are the native people of the district); and the Mende people who immigrated to the island from Mende-dominant areas in the southern part of Sierra Leone.

The District occupies a total area of 3,468 km² and comprises eleven chiefdoms. The District of Bonthe borders the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Moyamba District to the northwest, Bo District to the southeast and Pujehun District to the south.

Bonthe District has one of the world's largest deposits of titanium ore (rutile), a substance used as paint pigment and welding rod coatings. Sierra Rutile Limited, owned by a consortium of US and European investors, began commercial mining operations in Bonthe in early 1979. However due to poor mining policy, the region has very little to show for this huge economic potential. There are no good roads, water supply or electricity. Bonthe District continues to suffer from environmental degradation in living memory.

Government

The islands of Bonthe District is governed with a district council form of government based in the district capital Mattru Jong. The Bonthe District is headed by the District Council Chairman, who is the highest local government official in the district of Bonthe. The District Council Chairman is responsible for the general management of the district and for seeing that all local laws are enforced. The District Council Chairman is elected directly by the residents of Bonthe District. The current District Council Chairman of is Moses Probyn of the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC). He was elected in a landslide victory in the July 2007 Sierra Leone local government election.

Members of Parliament

Bonthe District is a stronghold of the People's Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC). In the 2007 Sierra Leone Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, The PMDC won the majority of the votes only in Bonthe District. The party also won the majority of the seats in Parliament from Bonthe District.

The District currently has eight Representatives in the Parliament of Sierra Leone, of which eight were elected for a 5-year term in the 2007 Sierra Leone General Elections. The district is a stronghold of the main opposition party the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP). Below are the list of Representatives in the Sierra Leonean Parliament:

Demographics

Bonthe District is the least populated district in Sierra Leone, with an estimated population of 139,687 people (2004 census). The population of Bonthe District is predominantly by the Mende and Sherbro ethnic groups, each of these two ethnic group represent 40% of the population and 20% from other ethnic group.

Economy

The main economic activities include fishing, rice growing and palm oil plantations.Mattru is the main city, located 52 miles southwest of Bo, and conveniently along the Jong River, which provides access to Sherbro Island and the Atlantic Ocean.

Effects of the Civil War

Bonthe district was first among the districts in the Southern Province to undertake voluntary resettlement of internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 1997 among all economic hardship and combatant activities. The District suffered mass exodus of IDP’s when Sierra Rutile Company (the largest foreign exchange earner, taxpayer and employer of mine workers) in Sierra Leone suffered damage and destruction when attacked by fighting forces in 1995, and during all phases of the war, resulting in the termination of operations. Many indigenes, however, believe that the resettlement and rehabilitation activities of IDP’s and restart of mining operations will help fast track the recovery process and complement government in consolidation of peace the and recovery drive