Waterloo is a city in the Western Area of Sierra Leone and the capital of the Western Area Rural District. The city is the second largest in the Western Area (after Freetown) and lies approximately 20 miles (by road) east of Freetown [4]. The city had a population of 34,079 in the 2004 census and a recent estimate of 40,079[5][6]. Waterloo is a major transport hub and lies on the main highway linking Freetown to the country's provinces. The city is part of the Freetown Metropolitan Area.