2008 Edition

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 one-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.

Area

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

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate

tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Coastline

402 km

Elevation extremes

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

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

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%) per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)

Geographic coordinates

8 30 N, 11 30 W

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

Irrigated land

300 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

arable land: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 24 nm exclusive economic zone: 200 nm continental shelf: 200 nm

Natural hazards

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Natural resources

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

Terrain

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east

Total renewable water resources

160 cu km (1987)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.6% (male 1,377,981/female 1,429,993) 15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,573,990/female 1,708,840) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 94,359/female 109,611) (2008 est.)

Birth rate

45.08 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate

22.26 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Education expenditures

3.8% of GDP (2005)

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

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

11,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

170,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 156.48 deaths/1,000 live births male: 173.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 138.85 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

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%)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 40.93 years male: 38.64 years female: 43.28 years (2008 est.)

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.)

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 (2008)

Median age

total: 17.5 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.8 years (2008 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean

Net migration rate

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2008 est.)

Population

6,294,774 (July 2008 est.)

Population growth rate

2.282% (2008 est.)

Religions

Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

total: 7 years male: 8 years female: 6 years (2001)

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: 0.86 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate

5.95 children born/woman (2008 est.)

Administrative divisions

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Capital

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

Constitution

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000

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

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

FAX

[1] (202) 483-1793

[232] (22) 515 355

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

27 April 1961 (from UK)

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, IPU, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Legal system

based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

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

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

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

other: student unions; trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA (31 December 2007)

Commercial bank prime lending rate

25% (31 December 2007)

Currency (code)

leone (SLL)

Currency code

SLL

Current account balance

-$63 million (2007 est.)

Debt - external

$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

62.9 (1989)

Economic aid - recipient

$343.4 million (2005 est.)

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 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.

Electricity - consumption

232.5 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2007 est.)

Electricity - production

250 million kWh (2006 est.)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2001)

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)

Exports

$216 million f.o.b. (2006)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners

Belgium 49.3%, US 20.5%, Netherlands 4.5%, Canada 4.1% (2007)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

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

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$600 (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7% (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.664 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$3.991 billion (2007 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$560 million f.o.b. (2006)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 10%, China 10%, US 9.5%, UK 6.2%, Netherlands 5.1%, India 4.7% (2007)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

11.7% (2007 est.)

Labor force

1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2007 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2006 est.)

Oil - consumption

8,430 bbl/day (2006 est.)

Oil - exports

432.3 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - imports

8,271 bbl/day (2005)

Oil - production

0.7008 bbl/day (2007 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006 est.)

Population below poverty line

70.2% (2004)

Stock of domestic credit

$162.9 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of money

$184.6 million (31 December 2007)

Stock of quasi money

$177.7 million (31 December 2007)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Internet country code

.sl

Internet hosts

8 (2008)

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

1 (2001)

Internet users

13,000 (2007)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

Radios

1.12 million (1997)

Telephone system

general assessment: marginal telephone service domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service is growing rapidly from a small base international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

776,000 (2007)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1999)

Televisions

53,000 (1997)

Airports

10 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Heliports

2 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 182 by type: bulk carrier 4, cargo 143, carrier 2, chemical tanker 3, container 6, liquefied gas 2, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 6, petroleum tanker 10, roll on/roll off 3, specialized tanker 2 foreign-owned: 95 (Belgium 1, China 15, Egypt 3, Greece 1, Hong Kong 1, Lebanon 1, Nigeria 1, Panama 1, Romania 3, Russia 11, Syria 18, Taiwan 1, Turkey 15, Ukraine 10, UAE 8, UK 2, US 1, Yemen 2) (2008)

Ports and terminals

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Roadways

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

Waterways

800 km (600 km year round) (2005)

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,315,561 (2008 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 671,418 (2008 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 70,068 female: 73,930 (2008 est.)

Military expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2006)

Military service age and obligation

17 years 6 months of age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription (2008)

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)

Army (includes Navy (Maritime Wing), Air Wing) (2008)

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): 27,311 (Liberia) (2007) This page was last updated on 18 December, 2008