Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

constitutional democracyIndependence 27 April 1961 (from UK)

Sierra Leone as the 1998 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 95 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalFreetown

Position8 30 N, 11 30 W

Area71,740 sq km

LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between

Populationas each edition published it

5.08 million July 1998 est. · 4.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

4.01% 1998 est. · 2.61% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

48.57 years 1998 est. · 45.87 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.23 children per woman 1998 est. · 6.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

129.38 deaths per 1,000 live births 1998 est. · 154 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$540 1997 est. · $330 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-27% 1997 est. · -1% in 1993

Geography

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between | Guinea and Liberia

17 fields

Land useshare of 71,740 sq km

arable land 7%permanent crops 1%permanent pastures 31%forests and woodland 28%other 33% (1993 est.)irrigated 290 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

71,740sq km

land: 71,620 sq kmwater: 120 sq kmslightly smaller than South Carolina

Coastline

402km

territorial sea: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Highest point

1,948m

Loma Mansa (Bintimani)lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m

Land boundaries

958km

border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia

Climate

tropical;
hot, humid;
summer rainy season (May to December);
winter dry season (December to April)

Terrain

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Natural resources

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Natural hazards

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment-current issues

rapid population growth pressuring the environment;
overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion;
civil war depleting natural resources;
overfishing

Environment-international agreements

party to:: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Whaling
signed, but not ratified:: Environmental Modification

People

15 fields

Population

5,080,004

(July 1998 est.)growth rate: 4.01% (1998 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1998 est.)

Birth

46.16Death

17.25Net migration

11.18

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1998 est.)48.57

45.56 · 51.66

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)31.4%

45.4% · 18.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write in English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

Religions

Muslim 60%indigenous beliefs 30%Christian 10%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (male 1,130,728; female 1,167,084)
15-64 years:: 52% (male 1,257,901; female 1,367,902)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 79,113; female 77,276) (July 1998 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.02 male(s)/female (1998 est.)

Infant mortality rate

129.38 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)

Nationality

noun:: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective:: Sierra Leonean

20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole 10% (descendents of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-eighteenth century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis and Indians

Languages

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendents of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Government

Constitutional democracy; President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (inaugurated 29 March 1996); President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (inaugurated 29 March 1996)

20 fields

House of Representatives, 68 seats, elected 26-27 February 1996one dot, one seat

SLPP 27UNPP 17PDP 12APC 5NUP 4DCP 3

Country name

conventional long form:: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form:: Sierra Leone

Data code

Government type

constitutional democracy

National capital

Freetown

Administrative divisions

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Independence

27 April 1961 (from UK)

National holiday

Republic Day, 27 April (1961)

Constitution

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Legal system

based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (inaugurated 29 March 1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (inaugurated 29 March 1996); note-the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet:: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president
elections:: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term;
election held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001);
note-president's tenure of office is limited to 2 five-year terms
election results:: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of popular vote-first round KABBAH 36.0%, second round KABBAH 59.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives (80 seats, 68 elected, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)

elections:: last held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held 2001)
election results:: percent of vote by party-NA;
seats by party-SLPP 27, UNPP 17, PDP 12, APC 5, NUP 4, DCP 3;
note-first elections since the former House of Representatives was shut down by the military coup of 29 April 1992

Judicial branch

Supreme Court

Political parties and leaders

15 parties registered for the February 1996 elections;
National Peoples Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY];
Democratic Center Party or DCP [Abu KOROMA];
Peoples Progressive Party or PPP [Edward KAMARA, chairman];
Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [Geredine WILLIAMS-SARHO];
National Unity Movement or NUM [John Desmond Fashole LUKE];
United National Peoples Party or UNPP [John KARIFA-SMART];
Peoples Democratic Party or PDP [Thaimu BANGURA, chairman];
All Peoples Congress or APC [Edward Mohammed TURAY, chairman];
National Republican Party or NRP [Sahr Stephen MAMBU];
Social Democratic Party or SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY];
Peoples National Convention or PNC [Edward John KARGBO, chairman];
National Unity Party or NUP [Dr. John KARIMU, chairman];
Sierra Leone Peoples Party or SLPP [President Tejan KABBAH, chairman];
National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH];
National Alliance for Democracy Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH]

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH
chancery:: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263

FAX

[1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador John L. HIRSCH
embassy:: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address:: use embassy street address
telephone:: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485

FAX

[232] (22) 225471

Flag description

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

Economy

Sierra Leone has substantial mineral, agricultural, | and fishery resources.

28 fields

GDP, purchasing power parity

-$2.65billion

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

GDP per capita, PPP

-$540

purchasing power parity · (1997 est.)

Real growth rate

-27%

(1997 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

40%

(1997 est.)

GDP-composition by sector(1995)

agriculture 39%industry 27%services 34% (1995)

Budget

Revenues

$96 millionExpenditures

$150 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Fixed lines

17,526

(1991 est.)

Economy-overview

Sierra Leone has substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. The seizure of power by the new Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) in May 1997 led to UN sanctions and a sharp drop in GDP. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture.

Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Bauxite and rutile mines have been shut down by civil strife. The major source of hard currency is found in the mining of diamonds, the large majority of which are smuggled out of the country.

Labor force

total:: 1.369 million (1981 est.)
by occupation:: agriculture 65%, industry 19%, services 16% (1981 est.)

note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

mining (diamonds);
small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear);
petroleum refining

Electricity-capacity

126,000 kW (1995)

Electricity-production

230 million kWh (1995)

Electricity-consumption per capita

48 kWh (1995)

Agriculture-products

rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts;
poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs;
fish

Exports

total value:: $47 million (f.o.b., 1996); note-much reduced in 1997 by civil warfare
commodities:: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
partners:: US 20%, Belgium 20%, Spain 13%, UK 6%, other Western Europe

Imports

total value:: $211 million (c.i.f., 1996)
commodities:: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants
partners:: Cote d'Ivoire, EU countries, India

Debt-external

$1.1 billion (1996)

Economic aid

recipient: ODA, $NA

Currency

1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

leones (Le) per US$1-1,312.37 (December 1997), 967.72 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22 (1995), 586.74 (1994), 567.46 (1993)

Fiscal year

1 July-30 June Communications

Telephone system

marginal telephone and telegraph service

domestic:: national microwave radio relay system made unserviceable by military activities
international:: satellite earth station-1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)