Blood Diamonds (Diamonds of War)

Long a symbol of love, affection, and faithfulness, the diamond is now increasingly linked with war, blood and brutality. In the diamond rich West African nation of Sierra Leone, rebels used the precious gems to bankroll a violent ten-year insurrection, leaving a terrorized population and a ravaged landscape in its wake. National Geographic correspondents follow the trail of illicit diamonds from their origin in the muddy pits of impoverished Sierra Leone, to the pristine cobblestone streets of Antwerp, Belgium, to their final stop in the glittering display cases of New York’s finest jewelry stores.

Learning Questions

  1. What percentage of all diamonds are illicit?
  2. How large is the largest legal diamond exported from Sierra Leone?
  3. Why do they not look for diamonds on Fridays?
  4. Who are the Maraka?
  5. Where is the main destination of smuggled gems?

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