Sierra Leone is on the West Coast of Africa. The potential for tourism is vast, but largely unrealised. Tourists are starting to return after the end of the Civil War in 2002, and tour operators are looking closely at what the country has to offer. Sierra Leone is rich in natural resources. It has some of the best beaches in the world, a rich heritage, and some stunning scenery, but its greatest asset is its welcoming, friendly populace, most of whom will go out of their way to make a foreigner comfortable.