Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone

constitutional democracyIndependence 27 April 1961 (from UK)

Sierra Leone as the 2001 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 113 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 land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km

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

Populationas each edition published it

5.43 million July 2001 est. · 4.17m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.61% 2001 est. · 2.61% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 17.5 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

45.6 years 2001 est. · 45.87 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.01 children per woman 2001 est. · 6.2 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

146.52 deaths per 1,000 live births 2001 est. · 154 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$510 2000 est. · $330 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

4.2% 2000 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 in July 1999, collapsed in May 2000 after the RUF took over 500 UN peacekeepers hostage. The RUF stepped up attacks on Guinea in December 2000, despite a cease-fire that it signed with the Freetown government one month earlier. As of late 2000, up to 13,000 UN peacekeepers were protecting the capital and key towns in the south. A UK force of 750 was helping to reinforce security and train the Sierra Leone army.

Geography

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

17 fields

Coastline

402km

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

Irrigated land

290sq km

(1993 est.)

Location

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

Geographic coordinates

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references

Africa

Area

total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km

Land boundaries

total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

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

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources

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

Land use

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

Natural hazards

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); 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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

People

18 fields

Population

5,426,618

(July 2001 est.)growth rate: 3.61% (2001 est.)

Per 1,000 population

Birth

45.11 (2001 est.)Death

19.19 (2001 est.)Net migration

10.23

Net migration: (2001 est.) note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning

Religions

Muslim 60%indigenous beliefs 30%Christian 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

2.99%

(1999 est.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.73% (male 1,190,207; female 1,237,326) 15-64 years: 52.12% (male 1,351,455; female 1,477,155) 65 years and over: 3.15% (male 84,364; female 86,111) (2001 est.)

Net migration rate

10.23 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 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: 0.91 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.98 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

146.52 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 45.6 years male: 42.69 years female: 48.61 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.01 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

68,000 (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

8,200 (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% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th 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%)

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 31.4% male: 45.4% female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Government

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

20 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

59.5%

Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%John KAREFA-SMART (UNPP) 40.5%

House of Representatives, 68 seatsone dot, one seat

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

Country name

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

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

Independence 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 September 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;
Appeals Court;
High 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]

Political pressure groups and leaders

Trade Unions and Student Unions

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 H. MELROSE, Jr. 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 is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution.

32 fields

Real growth rate

4.2%

(2000 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

Inflation, consumer prices

15%

(2000 est.)

Population below poverty line

68%

(1989 est.)

Labor force

1.369million

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

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

38%

Belgium

34%

Italy

Nigeria

Exports $65 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)Imports $145 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)(1999)

Electricity

Electricity production

240 million (1999)Electricity consumption

223.2 million (1999)

Economy - overview

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have 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, with GNP recovering part of the way in 2000. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad.

GDP

purchasing power parity - $2.7 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $510 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 43% industry: 26% services: 31% (1999)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Budget

revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)

Industries

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

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Exports

$65 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Imports

$145 million (f.o.b., 2000 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Debt - external

$1.28 billion (1999)

Economic aid - recipient

$203.7 million (1995)

Currency

leone (SLL)

Currency code

SLL

Exchange rates

leones per US dollar - 1,653.39 (January 2001), 2,092.13 (2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

10 fields

Mobile cellular

650

(1999)

Internet users

(2000)

Fixed lines

17,000

(1997) · country code .sl

Telephone system

general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: national microwave radio relay trunk system, made unserviceable by military activities, is now operating from Freetown to Bo and Kenema (April 2001) international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)