Introduction

Background: |  |

`
Democracy is slowly being reestablished 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 a third of the population). The military, which took over full responsibility for security following the departure of UN peacekeepers at the end of 2005, is increasingly developing as a guarantor of the country's stability. The armed forces remained on the sideline during the 2007 presidential election, but still look to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - a civilian UN mission - to support efforts to consolidate peace. The new government's priorities include furthering development, creating jobs, and stamping out endemic corruption.
`

Geography

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 country comparison to the world: 118 land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km`
Area - comparative: |  |
`slightly smaller than South Carolina`
Land boundaries: |  |
`total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km`
Coastline: |  |
`402 km`
Maritime claims: |  |
`territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm`
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: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)`
Irrigated land: |  |
`300 sq km (2003)`
Total renewable water resources: |  |
`160 cu km (1987)`
Freshwater withdrawal (domestic / industrial / agricultural): |  |
`total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%) per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)`
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

Population: |  |
`5,363,669 (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 112`
Age structure: |  |
`0-14 years: 41.8% (male 1,113,528/female 1,130,112) 15-64 years: 54.5% (male 1,401,907/female 1,522,335) 65 years and over: 3.7% (male 86,614/female 109,173) (2011 est.)`
Median age: |  |
`total: 19.1 years male: 18.6 years female: 19.5 years (2011 est.)`
Population growth rate: |  |
`2.249% (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 36`
Birth rate: |  |
`38.46 births/1,000 population (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 14`
Death rate: |  |
`11.73 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 32`
Net migration rate: |  |
`-4.25 migrant(s)/1,000 population country comparison to the world: 190 note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2011 est.)`
Urbanization: |  |
`urban population: 38% of total population (2010) rate of urbanization: 3.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)`
Major cities - population: |  |
`FREETOWN (capital) 875,000 (2009)`
Sex ratio: |  |
`at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)`
Infant mortality rate: |  |
`total: 78.38 deaths/1,000 live births country comparison to the world: 14 male: 87.2 deaths/1,000 live births female: 69.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.)`
Life expectancy at birth: |  |
`total population: 56.13 years country comparison to the world: 197 male: 53.69 years female: 58.65 years (2011 est.)`
Total fertility rate: |  |
`4.94 children born/woman (2011 est.) country comparison to the world: 21`
HIV / AIDS - adult prevalence rate: |  |
`1.6% (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 33`
HIV / AIDS - people living with HIV / AIDS: |  |
`49,000 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 59`
HIV / AIDS - deaths: |  |
`2,800 (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 47`
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 water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)`
Drinking water source: |  |
`improved: urban: 86% of population rural: 26% of population total: 49% of population unimproved: urban: 14% of population rural: 74% of population total: 51% of population (2008)`
Sanitation facility access: |  |
`improved: urban: 24% of population rural: 6% of population total: 13% of population unimproved: urban: 76% of population rural: 94% of population total: 87% of population (2008)`
Nationality: |  |
`noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean`
Ethnic groups: |  |
`Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census)`
Religions: |  |
`Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%`
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: 35.1% male: 46.9% female: 24.4% (2004 est.)`
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education): |  |
`total: 12 years male: 13 years female: 11 years (2007)`
Education expenditures: |  |
`4.3% of GDP (2009) country comparison to the world: 94`

Government

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 the UK)`
National holiday: |  |
`Independence Day, 27 April (1961)`
Constitution: |  |
`1 October 1991; amended several times`
Legal system: |  |
`mixed legal system of English common law and customary law`
International law organization participation: |  |
`has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction`
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
(For more information visit theWorld Leaders website )
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 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; members 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 [John BENJAMIN]; numerous others`
Political pressure groups and leaders: |  |
`other: student unions; trade unions`
International organization participation: |  |
`ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMIS, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO`
Diplomatic representation in the US: |  |
`chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS 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 Michael S. OWEN embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000 FAX: [232] (22) 515 355`
Flag description: |  |
`three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and blue; green symbolizes agriculture, mountains, and natural resources, white represents unity and justice, and blue the sea and the natural harbor in Freetown`
National anthem: |  |
`name: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free" lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA note: adopted 1961`

Economy

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 physical and social infrastructure has yet to recover from the civil war, 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 and in 2010 approved a new program worth $45 million over three years. Political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining, which are set to benefit from planned tax incentives. A number of offshore oil discoveries were announced in 2009 and 2010. The development on these reserves, which could be significant, is still several years away.
`

GDP (purchasing power parity): |  |
`$4.72 billion (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 163 $4.498 billion (2009 est.) $4.358 billion (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP (official exchange rate): |  |
`$1.905 billion (2010 est.)`
GDP - real growth rate: |  |
`5% (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 74 3.2% (2009 est.) 5.5% (2008 est.)`
GDP - per capita (PPP): |  |
`$900 (2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 219 $900 (2009 est.) $900 (2008 est.) note: data are in 2010 US dollars`
GDP - composition by sector: |  |
`agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2005 est.)`
Labor force: |  |
`2.207 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 116`
Labor force - by occupation: |  |
`agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%`
Unemployment rate: |  |
`NA%`
Population below poverty line: |  |
`70.2% (2004)`
Household income or consumption by percentage share: |  |
`lowest 10%: 2.6% highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)`
Distribution of family income - Gini index: |  |
`62.9 (1989) country comparison to the world: 5`
Budget: |  |
`revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)`
Inflation rate (consumer prices): |  |
`11.7% (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 202`
Central bank discount rate: |  |
`NA%`
Commercial bank prime lending rate: |  |
`NA% (31 December 2010) country comparison to the world: 9 24.5% (31 December 2008 est.)`
Stock of narrow money: |  |
`$209.4 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 173 $219.1 million (31 December 2008)`
Stock of broad money: |  |
`$437 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 175 $434.3 million (31 December 2008)`
Stock of domestic credit: |  |
`$178.4 million (31 December 2009) country comparison to the world: 176 $140.9 million (31 December 2008)`
Market value of publicly traded shares: |  |
`$NA`
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`
Industrial production growth rate: |  |
`NA%`
Electricity - production: |  |
`80 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 195`
Electricity - consumption: |  |
`74.4 million kWh (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 194`
Electricity - exports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Electricity - imports: |  |
`0 kWh (2008 est.)`
Oil - production: |  |
`28.98 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 113`
Oil - consumption: |  |
`9,000 bbl/day (2009 est.) country comparison to the world: 152`
Oil - exports: |  |
`502.4 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 125`
Oil - imports: |  |
`8,316 bbl/day (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 144`
Oil - proved reserves: |  |
`0 bbl (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187`
Natural gas - production: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 182`
Natural gas - consumption: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 122`
Natural gas - exports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 174`
Natural gas - imports: |  |
`0 cu m (2008 est.) country comparison to the world: 118`
Natural gas - proved reserves: |  |
`0 cu m (1 January 2010 est.) country comparison to the world: 187`
Current account balance: |  |
`$-63 million (2007 est.) country comparison to the world: 72`
Exports: |  |
`$216 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 180`
Exports - commodities: |  |
`diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish`
Exports - partners: |  |
`Belgium 26.56%, US 11.87%, Netherlands 7.91%, UK 7.4%, India 6.67%, Cote d'Ivoire 6.13%, Greece 4.05% (2009)`
Imports: |  |
`$560 million (2006) country comparison to the world: 187`
Imports - commodities: |  |
`foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals`
Imports - partners: |  |
`South Africa 14.61%, China 7.58%, US 5.87%, Cote d'Ivoire 5.65%, India 5.19%, Malaysia 5.19%, France 5.08%, UK 4.48%, Netherlands 4.06% (2009)`
Debt - external: |  |
`$1.61 billion (2003 est.) country comparison to the world: 143`
Exchange rates: |  |
`leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007) 2,961.7 (2006) 2,889.6 (2005) 2,701.3 (2004) 2,347.9 (2003)`

Communications

Telephones - main lines in use: |  |
`32,800 (2009) country comparison to the world: 176`
Telephones - mobile cellular: |  |
`1.16 million (2009) country comparison to the world: 143`
Telephone system: |  |
`general assessment: marginal telephone service with poor infrastructure domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; while mobile-cellular service is growing rapidly from a small base, service area coverage remains limited international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2008)`
Broadcast media: |  |
`1 government-owned TV station; 1 private TV station began operating in 2005; a pay-per-view TV service began operations in late 2007; 1 government-owned national radio broadcast station; about two dozen private radio stations primarily clustered in major cities; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)`
Internet country code: |  |
`.sl`
Internet hosts: |  |
`281 (2010) country comparison to the world: 184`
Internet users: |  |
`14,900 (2009) country comparison to the world: 198`

Transportation

Airports: |  |
`9 (2010) country comparison to the world: 159`
Airports - with paved runways: |  |
`total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2010)`
Airports - with unpaved runways: |  |
`total: 8 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 1 (2010)`
Heliports: |  |
`2 (2010)`
Roadways: |  |
`total: 11,300 km country comparison to the world: 132 paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)`
Waterways: |  |
`800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2009) country comparison to the world: 72`
Merchant marine: |  |

`
total: 189
country comparison to the world: 35
by type: bulk carrier 7, cargo 131, carrier 1, chemical tanker 12, container 3, liquefied gas 3, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, vehicle carrier 1
foreign-owned: 91 (Bangladesh 1, China 12, Cyprus 1, Egypt 2, Estonia 1, Hong Kong 4, Japan 3, Malaysia 1, North Korea 1, Romania 4, Russia 6, Singapore 5, Syria 20, Taiwan 1, Turkey 14, UAE 6, UK 1, Ukraine 5, US 1, Yemen 2) (2010)
`

Ports and terminals: |  |
`Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands`

Military

Military branches: |  |
`Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2010)`
Military service age and obligation: |  |
`17 years 6 months of age for male and female voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription; candidates must be HIV negative (2009)`
Manpower available for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 1,183,093 (2010 est.)`
Manpower fit for military service: |  |
`males age 16-49: 731,898 females age 16-49: 838,032 (2010 est.)`
Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually: |  |
`male: 54,212 female: 57,154 (2010 est.)`
Military expenditures: |  |
`2.3% of GDP (2006) country comparison to the world: 65`

Transnational Issues

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 abates, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; 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): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)`

PAGE LAST UPDATED ON MAY 26, 2011