Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

constitutional democracyIndependence 27 April 1961 (from UK)

Sierra Leone as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 103 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,

Populationas each edition published it

5.3 million July 1999 est. · 4.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

4.34% 1999 est. · 2.61% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

49.13 years 1999 est. · 45.87 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.16 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

126.23 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 154 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$530 1998 est. · $330 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

0.7% 1998 est. · -1% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

On 25 May 1997, the democratically-elected government of President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH was overthrown by a disgruntled coalition of army personnel from the Armed Forces Revolutionary Council (AFRC) and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) under the command of Major Johnny Paul KOROMA; President KABBAH fled to exile in Guinea. The Economic Community of West African States Cease-Fire Monitoring Group (ECOMOG) forces, led by a strong Nigerian contingent, undertook the suppression of the rebellion.

They were initially unsuccessful, but, by October 1997, they forced the rebels to agree to a cease-fire and to a plan to return the government to democratic control. President KABBAH returned to office on 10 March 1998 to face the task of restoring order to a demoralized population and a disorganized and severely damaged economy. Many of the leaders of the coup were tried and executed in October 1998. In January 1999, the situation had deteriorated even further, with commerce at a standstill, hundreds of thousands of people driven from their homes, and bitter fighting between the AFRC/RUF and ECOMOG troops intensifying by large-scale import of arms.

Geography

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

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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

Geographic coordinates

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references

Africa

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
signed, but not ratified:: Environmental Modification

People

15 fields

Population

5,296,651

(July 1999 est.)growth rate: 4.34% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

45.62Death

16.77Net migration

14.5

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)49.13

46.07 · 52.27

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)31.4%

45.4% · 18.2%

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

Religions

Muslim 60%indigenous beliefs 30%Christian 10%

Age structure

0-14 years:: 45% (male 1,182,181; female 1,219,956)
15-64 years:: 52% (male 1,307,475; female 1,423,046)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 82,374; female 81,619) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 0.97 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.01 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.94 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

126.23 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.16 children born/woman (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

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 (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

36.0%

-first round--KABBAH 36.0%second round--KABBAH 59.5%election held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

Legislature, 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

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 (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note--the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); 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 two five-year terms
election results:: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of vote--first round--KABBAH 36.0%, second round--KABBAH 59.5%

Legislative branch

unicameral House of Representatives (80 seats--68 elected by popular vote, 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 M. B. JALLOH]; National Alliance for Democracy Party or NADP

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, OPCW, 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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE; note--embassy closed in late December 1998
embassy:: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address:: use embassy street address

Flag description

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

Economy

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

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GDP per capita, PPP

$530

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

0.7%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

37.4%

(1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

68%

(1989 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 52%industry 16%services 32% (1996)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

49%

Belgium

16%

10%

Spain

Cote d'Ivoire

Belgium-Luxembourg

Exports $41 million (f.o.b., 1998)Imports $166 million (f.o.b., 1998)(1997)

Budget

Revenues

$96 millionExpenditures

$150 million (1996 est.)

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

230 million (1996)Electricity consumption

230 million (1996)

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 period of AFRC/RUF junta rule (May 1997-February 1998) led to UN sanctions and 20% drop in GDP in 1997.

The continued fighting at yearend 1997 set back what small progress had been made by the KABBAH government in recovering from the junta period and reestablishing a viable economy. 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. The fate of the economy in 1999 depends on the outcome of negotiations to end the civil strife.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$2.7 billion (1998 est.)

Labor force

1.369 million (1981 est.) note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Labor force--by occupation

agriculture 65%, industry 19%, services 16% (1981 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

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

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$41 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports--commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Imports

$166 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports--commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants

Debt--external

$1.15 billion (1998)

Economic aid--recipient

$203.7 million (1995)

Currency

1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

Exchange rates

leones (Le) per US$1--1,630.5 (January 1999), 1,597.2 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22 (1995), 586.74 (1994)

Fiscal year

1 July--30 June

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

17,526

(1991 est.)

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)