Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

constitutional democracyIndependence 27 April 1961 (from UK)

Sierra Leone as the 2000 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 105 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 Guinea and Liberia

Populationas each edition published it

5.23 million July 2000 est. · 4.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.67% 2000 est. · 2.61% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

45.25 years 2000 est. · 45.87 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.08 children per woman 2000 est. · 6.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

148.66 deaths per 1,000 live births 2000 est. · 154 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$500 1999 est. · $330 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-10% 1999 est. · -1% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. A peace agreement, signed on 7 July 1999, offers hope that the country will be able to rebuild its devastated economy and infrastructure, but previous peace efforts have failed. As of late 1999, up to 6,000 UN peacekeepers were in the process of deploying to bolster the peace accord.

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

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, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:: Environmental Modification

People

15 fields

Population

5,232,624

(July 2000 est.)growth rate: 3.67% (2000 est.)

Per 1,000 population(2000 est.)

Birth

45.63Death

19.58Net migration

10.61

Net migration: note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2000 est.)45.25

42.37 · 48.21

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:: 44.73% (male 1,148,264; female 1,192,533)
15-64 years:: 52.16% (male 1,305,039; female 1,424,076)
65 years and over:: 3.11% (male 81,291; female 81,421) (2000 est.)

Net migration rate

10.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1 male(s)/female
total population:: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Infant mortality rate

148.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Nationality

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

Ethnic groups

20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole 10% (descendants 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 descendants 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

59.5%

Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%John Karefa-Smart (UNPP) 40.5%election held 26-27 February and 15 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001)

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

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

Percent of vote

SLPP 36.1%UNPP 21.6%PDP 15.3%APC 5.7%NUP 5.3%DCP 4.8%other 11.2%

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 and 15 March 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 - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%, John Karefa-Smart (UNPP) 40.5%

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 NA 2001)
election results:: percent of vote by party - SLPP 36.1%, UNPP 21.6%, PDP 15.3%, APC 5.7%, NUP 5.3%, DCP 4.8%, other 11.2%;
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

All People's Congress or APC [Edward Mohammed TURAY, chairman];
Democratic Centre Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA];
National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH];
National Republican Party or NRP [Sahr Stephen MAMBU];
National Unity Party or NUP [Dr. John KARIMU, chairman];
People's Democratic Party or PDP [Thaimu BANGURA, chairman];
People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman];
Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday SANKOH, chairman];
Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman];
United National People's Party or UNPP [John KARIFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]

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
telephone:: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX:: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission:: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE
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.

31 fields

Real growth rate

-10%

(1999 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

30%

(1999 est.)

Population below poverty line

68%

(1989 est.)

Labor force

1.369million

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

GDP - composition by sector(1996)

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

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

49%

Benelux

10%

24%

Cote d'Ivoire

14%

10%

Spain

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

235 million (1998)Electricity consumption

219 million (1998)

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. 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 resurgence of internal warfare in 1999 brought another substantial drop in GDP. The fate of the economy in 2000 depends on the mid-1999 peace accord holding and the rebels reopening territory under their control.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $500 (1999 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

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

Communications

8 fields

Fixed lines

17,000

(1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular

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)