2012 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 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 and 2012 national elections but still look to the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone (UNIPSIL) - 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

71,740 sq km 71,620 sq km 120 sq km

total

71,740 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

Atlantic Ocean 0 m Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

highest point

Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 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

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands Environmental Modification

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)

0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%) 69 cu m/yr (2000)

per capita

69 cu m/yr (2000)

total

0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%)

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

958 km Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

border countries

Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

total

958 km

Land use

7.95% 1.05% 91% (2005)

arable land

7.95%

other

91% (2005)

permanent crops

1.05%

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

12 nm 24 nm 200 nm 200 nm

contiguous zone

24 nm

continental shelf

200 nm

exclusive economic zone

200 nm

territorial sea

12 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

41.9% (male 1,141,091/ female 1,155,542) 54.5% (male 1,432,837/ female 1,554,853) 3.7% (male 88,127/ female 113,548) (2012 est.)

0-14 years

41.9% (male 1,141,091/ female 1,155,542)

15-64 years

54.5% (male 1,432,837/ female 1,554,853)

65 years and over

3.7% (male 88,127/ female 113,548) (2012 est.)

Birth rate

38.12 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

21.3% (2008)

Death rate

11.49 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)

Education expenditures

4.3% of GDP (2009)

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)

Health expenditures

13.1% of GDP (2009)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.6% (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,800 (2009 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

49,000 (2009 est.)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

76.64 deaths/1,000 live births 85.37 deaths/1,000 live births 67.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

female

67.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)

total

76.64 deaths/1,000 live births

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

56.55 years 54.08 years 59.11 years (2012 est.)

female

59.11 years (2012 est.)

total population

56.55 years

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic 35.1% 46.9% 24.4% (2004 est.)

definition

age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

female

24.4% (2004 est.)

male

46.9%

total population

35.1%

Major cities - population

FREETOWN (capital) 875,000 (2009)

Major infectious diseases

very high bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever malaria and yellow fever schistosomiasis Lassa fever (2009)

aerosolized dust or soil contact disease

Lassa fever (2009)

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

Maternal mortality rate

890 deaths/100,000 live births (2010)

Median age

19.1 years 18.6 years 19.6 years (2012 est.)

female

19.6 years (2012 est.)

male

18.6 years

total

19.1 years

Nationality

Sierra Leonean(s) Sierra Leonean

adjective

Sierra Leonean

noun

Sierra Leonean(s)

Net migration rate

-3.86 migrant(s)/1,000 population refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2012 est.)

Physicians density

0.016 physicians/1,000 population (2008)

Population

5,485,998 (July 2012 est.)

Population growth rate

2.277% (2012 est.)

Religions

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

Sanitation facility access

urban: 24% of population rural: 6% of population total: 13% of population urban: 76% of population rural: 94% of population total: 87% of population

rural

94% of population

total

87% of population

urban

76% of population

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

12 years 13 years 11 years (2007)

female

11 years (2007)

male

13 years

total

12 years

Sex ratio

1.03 male(s)/female 0.99 male(s)/female 0.92 male(s)/female 0.78 male(s)/female 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

15-64 years

0.92 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.78 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

under 15 years

0.99 male(s)/female

Total fertility rate

4.9 children born/woman (2012 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

5.2% 7.3% 3.5% (2004)

female

3.5% (2004)

total

5.2%

Urbanization

38% of total population (2010) 3.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

rate of urbanization

3.3% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

urban population

38% of total population (2010)

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

Freetown 8 29 N, 13 14 W UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

geographic coordinates

8 29 N, 13 14 W

name

Freetown

time difference

UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 October 1991; amended several times

Country name

Republic of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone Republic of Sierra Leone Sierra Leone

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

Ambassador Michael S. OWEN Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown use embassy street address [232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000 [232] (22) 515 355

chief of mission

Ambassador Michael S. OWEN

embassy

Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown

FAX

[232] (22) 515 355

mailing address

use embassy street address

telephone

[232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 [1] (202) 483-1793

chancery

1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009

chief of mission

Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS

FAX

[1] (202) 483-1793

telephone

[1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263

Executive branch

President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007) Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017) Ernest Bai KOROMA elected to a second term; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 58.7%, Julius Maada BIO 37.4%

cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president

chief of state

President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government

election results

Ernest Bai KOROMA elected to a second term; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 58.7%, Julius Maada BIO 37.4%

elections

president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017)

head of government

President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

27 April 1961 (from the UK)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (candidate country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNMIT, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

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) last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017) percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 69, SLPP 43

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 69, SLPP 43

elections

last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017)

National anthem

"High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free" Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA adopted 1961

lyrics/music

Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA

name

"High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free"

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

National symbol(s)

lion

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 [Julius Maada BIO]; numerous others

Political pressure groups and leaders

student unions; trade unions

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

$527.5 million $685.7 million (2012 est.)

expenditures

$685.7 million (2012 est.)

revenues

$527.5 million

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-4.1% of GDP (2012 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

21.5% (31 December 2012 est.) 21% (31 December 2011 est.)

Current account balance

-$969.9 million (2012 est.) -$1.153 billion (2011 est.)

Debt - external

$827.6 million (31 December 2012 est.) $829.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

62.9 (1989)

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 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, however, growth skyrocketed to more than 20% in 2012, as exploitation activities began.

Exchange rates

leones (SLL) per US dollar - 4,370.3 (2012 est.) 4,336.1 (2011 est.) 3,978.1 (2010 est.)

Exports

$1.168 billion (2012 est.) $426.9 million (2011 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners

Belgium 28.8%, Romania 12.5%, Netherlands 9.2%, China 7.3%, US 6.9%, Turkey 6%, UK 5.8% (2011)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition by sector

43.2% 37.4% 19.3% (2012 est.)

agriculture

43.2%

industry

37.4%

services

19.3% (2012 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,400 (2012 est.) $1,200 (2011 est.) $1,100 (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

GDP - real growth rate

21.3% (2012 est.) 6% (2011 est.) 5.3% (2010 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.824 billion (2012 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$8.376 billion (2012 est.) $6.906 billion (2011 est.) $6.514 billion (2010 est.) data are in 2012 US dollars

Household income or consumption by percentage share

2.6% 33.6% (2003)

highest 10%

33.6% (2003)

lowest 10%

2.6%

Imports

$1.675 billion (2012 est.) $1.571 billion (2011 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 16%, South Africa 11.1%, US 7.3%, UK 7.1%, India 5.7%, Malaysia 4.3% (2011)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

12.6% (2012 est.) 16.2% (2011 est.)

Labor force

2.207 million (2007 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

NA% NA% NA%

agriculture

NA%

industry

NA%

services

NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

70.2% (2004)

Public debt

60.8% of GDP (2012 est.) 80.8% of GDP (2011 est.)

Stock of broad money

$1.152 billion (31 December 2012 est.) $621.3 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$477.1 million (31 December 2012 est.) $366.1 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$685.8 million (31 December 2012 est.) $369.9 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$398 million (31 December 2012 est.) $276.2 million (31 December 2011 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

13.8% of GDP (2012 est.)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.335 million Mt (2010 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2009 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2012 est.)

Electricity - consumption

111.6 million kWh (2009 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

92.3% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

7.7% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2009 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2010 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

52,000 kW (2009 est.)

Electricity - production

120 million kWh (2009 est.)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2010 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2012 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

8,768 bbl/day (2011 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

522.9 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,117 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

4,381 bbl/day (2008 est.)

Broadcast media

1 government-owned TV station; 1 private TV station began operating in 2005; a pay-TV service began operations in late 2007; 1 government-owned national radio 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

282 (2012)

Internet users

14,900 (2009)

Telephone system

marginal telephone service with poor infrastructure 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 country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

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

general assessment

marginal telephone service with poor infrastructure

international

country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - main lines in use

14,000 (2010)

Telephones - mobile cellular

2.137 million (2011)

Airports

8 (2012)

Airports - with paved runways

1 (2012)

over 3,047 m

1 (2012)

total

1

Airports - with unpaved runways

7 (2012)

914 to 1,523 m

7 (2012)

total

7

Heliports

2 (2012)

Merchant marine

bulk carrier 22, cargo 120, carrier 2, chemical tanker 19, container 6, liquefied gas 3, passenger/cargo 2, petroleum tanker 28, refrigerated cargo 7, roll on/roll off 4, specialized tanker 1, vehicle carrier 1 98 (Bangladesh 1, China 19, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3, Estonia 2, Hong Kong 7, Japan 4, Lebanon 2, North Korea 2, Romania 2, Russia 7, Singapore 9, Syria 13, Taiwan 7, Turkey 9, UAE 1, UK 1, Ukraine 5, Yemen 2) (2010)

foreign-owned

98 (Bangladesh 1, China 19, Cyprus 2, Egypt 3, Estonia 2, Hong Kong 7, Japan 4, Lebanon 2, North Korea 2, Romania 2, Russia 7, Singapore 9, Syria 13, Taiwan 7, Turkey 9, UAE 1, UK 1, Ukraine 5, Yemen 2) (2010)

total

215

Ports and terminals

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Roadways

11,300 km 904 km 10,396 km (2002)

total

11,300 km

unpaved

10,396 km (2002)

Waterways

800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2011)

Manpower available for military service

1,183,093 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

1,183,093 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

731,898 838,032 (2010 est.)

females age 16-49

838,032 (2010 est.)

males age 16-49

731,898

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

54,212 57,154 (2010 est.)

female

57,154 (2010 est.)

male

54,212

Military branches

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2010)

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF)

Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2010)

Military expenditures

2.3% of GDP (2006)

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)

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

8,046 (Liberia) (2011)

refugees (country of origin)

8,046 (Liberia) (2011)