Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

constitutional democracyIndependence 27 April 1961 (from UK)

Sierra Leone as the 2007 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 120 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, UTC
Position8 30 N, 11 30 W
Area71,740 sq km
LocationWestern Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
2007

Every edition of Sierra Leone

Populationas each edition published it
6.14 million July 2007 est. · 4.17m in 1990
Population growth% a year
2.292% 2007 est. · 2.61% in 1993
Median ageyears
17.5 years 2007 est. · 17.5 yrs in 2003
Life expectancyyears at birth
40.58 years 2007 est. · 45.87 yrs in 1993
Fertility ratechildren per woman
6.01 children per woman 2007 est. · 6.2 in 1990
Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births
158.27 deaths per 1,000 live births 2007 est. · 154 in 1990
GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars
$900 2006 est. · $330 in 1993
GDP real growth% a year
7.1% 2006 est. · -1% in 1993

Introduction

1 field

Background

The government is slowly reestablishing its authority after the civil war from 1991 to 2002 that resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (about one-third of the population). The last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005 leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces. A new civilian UN mission - the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - was established to support the government's efforts to consolidate peace. The most pressing long-term threat to stability in Sierra Leone is the potential for political insecurity surrounding elections in July 2007.

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 7.95%permanent crops 1.05%other 91% (2005)irrigated 300 sq km (2003)
Area
71,740sq km
land: 71,620 sq kmwater: 120 sq kmslightly smaller than South Carolina
Coastline
402km
territorial sea: 12 nmcontiguous zone: 24 nmexclusive economic zone: 200 nmcontinental shelf: 200 nm
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

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 (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 depleted natural resources;
  • overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to:
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification

Geography - note

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People

20 fields

Age structuremale left, female right · (2007 est.)

92,360
65 and over3.2%
105,268
1,531,763
15-6452%
1,664,996
1,349,878
0-1444.8%
1,400,297
MaleFemale
Population
6,144,562
(July 2007 est.)growth rate: 2.292% (2007 est.)

Per 1,000 population

Birth
45.41 (2007 est.)Death
22.64 (2007 est.)Net migration
0.15
Net migration: note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.)

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (2007 est.)40.58
38.36 · 42.87Infant mortality deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)158.27
175.39 · 140.65
TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (2004 est.)35.1%
46.9% · 24.4%Median age years (2007 est.)17.5
17.2 · 17.7
MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

Religions

Muslim 60%Christian 10%indigenous beliefs 30%

Net migration rate

0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:
1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years:
0.964 male(s)/female
15-64 years:
0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over:
0.877 male(s)/female
total population:
0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.01 children born/woman (2007 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

11,000 (2001 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk:
very high
food or waterborne diseases:
bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases:
malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations
water contact disease:
schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease:
Lassa fever (2007)

Nationality

noun:
Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective:
Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 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%)

Government

Constitutional democracy; President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)

18 fields

Presidential electionpercent of vote

54.6%
Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%Solomon BEREWA 45.4%election last held 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)

Parliament, 112 seats, elected 11 August 2007one dot, one seat

APC 59SLPP 43PMDC 10

Country name

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Capital

name:
Freetown
geographic coordinates:
8 30 N, 13 15 W
time difference:
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

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

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Executive branch

chief of state:
President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government:
President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)
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 (eligible for a second term);
  • election last held 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results:
second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; to serve five-year terms)

elections:
last held on 11 August 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
election results:
percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 59, SLPP 43, PMDC 10

Judicial branch

  • Supreme Court;
  • Appeals Court;
  • High Court

Political parties and leaders

  • All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA];
  • Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON];
  • People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI];
  • Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Solomon BEREWA];
  • numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders

trade unions and student unions

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission:
Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA
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 Thomas N. HULL
embassy:
Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000
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 nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution.

40 fields
GDP, purchasing power parity
$5.452billion
(2006 est.)official exchange rate: $1.236 billion (2006 est.)
GDP per capita, PPP
$900
(2006 est.)
Real growth rate
7.1%
(2006 est.)industrial production growth: NA%

GDP - composition by sector(2001 est.)

agriculture 49%industry 31%services 21% (2001 est.)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

52.1%
Belgium
19.1%
US
7.7%
Cote d'Ivoire
9.3%
China
7.7%
Brazil
6.9%
6.8%
Netherlands
5.5%
UK
6.7%
South Africa
4.5%
India
4.3%
France
4.2%
Exports $185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)Imports $531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)(2006)

Budget

Revenues
$96 millionExpenditures
$351 million (2000 est.)

Electricity

Electricity production
245 million (2005)Electricity consumption
227.9 million (2005)

Economy - overview

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development.

Nearly half 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. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports.

The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation.

A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.

Labor force

1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture:
NA%
industry:
NA%
services:
NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%:
0.5%
highest 10%:
43.6% (1989)

Agriculture - products

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

Industries

  • diamond mining;
  • small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear);
  • petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair

Oil - production

4 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Exports

$185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Imports

$531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Economic aid - recipient

$343.4 million (2005 est.)

Debt - external

$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Currency (code)

leone (SLL)

Exchange rates

leones per US dollar - 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

8 fields
Mobile cellular
113,200
(2003)
Fixed lines
24,000
(2002) · country code .sl

Telephone system

general assessment:
marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic:
the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema
international:
country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2000)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

Internet users

10,000 (2005)

Transportation

8 fields

Merchant marine, 113 ships by typeships (1000 GRT or over) 314,549 GRT/419,409 DWT

bulk carrier 1cargo 85chemical tanker 4combination ore/oil 1container 4liquefied gas 1livestock carrier 1passenger 1passenger/cargo 4petroleum tanker 7roll on/roll off 4foreign-owned: 47 (Belgium 1, China 8, Greece 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 8, UAE 7) (2007)

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

over 3,047 m
1

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

914 to 1,523 m
7under 914 m
2

Networkskm

Roadways
11,300Waterways
800 (2005)
Roadways: paved: 904 km · unpaved: 10,396 km (2002) · Waterways: (600 km year round)

Airports

10 (2007)

Heliports

2 (2007)

Roadways

total:
11,300 km
paved:
904 km
unpaved:
10,396 km (2002)

Waterways

800 km (600 km year round) (2005)

Ports and terminals

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Military

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Navy (Maritime Wing)) (2007)

5 fields

Military branches

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Navy (Maritime Wing)) (2007)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes - international

  • as domestic fighting among disparate ethnic groups, rebel groups, warlords, and youth gangs in Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, Liberia, and Sierra Leone gradually abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle;
  • UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999;
  • Sierra Leone considers excessive Guinea's definition of the flood plain limits to define the left bank boundary of the Makona and Moa rivers and protests Guinea's continued occupation of these lands including the hamlet of Yenga occupied since 1998

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees (country of origin): 59,952 (Liberia) (2006)

Central Intelligence Agency. “Sierra Leone.” The World Factbook 2007. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/sierra-leone/2007.

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