2024 Edition Primary

Background

Continuously populated for at least 2,500 years, the area now known as Sierra Leone is covered with dense jungle that allowed the region to remain relatively protected from invading West African empires. Traders introduced Sierra Leone to Islam, which occupies a central role in Sierra Leonean culture and history. In the 17th century, the British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown. The trade originally involved timber and ivory but later expanded to enslaved people. In 1787, after the American Revolution, Sierra Leone became a destination for Black British loyalists from the new United States. When Britain abolished the slave trade in 1807, British ships delivered thousands of liberated Africans to Sierra Leone. During the 19th century, the colony gradually expanded inland. In 1961, Sierra Leone became independent of the UK. Sierra Leone held free and fair elections in 1962 and 1967, but Siaka STEVENS -- Sierra Leone’s second prime minister -- quickly reverted to authoritarian tendencies, outlawing most political parties and ruling from 1967 to 1985. In 1991, Sierra Leonean soldiers launched a civil war against STEVENS’ ruling party. The war caused tens of thousands of deaths and displaced more than 2 million people (about one third of the population). In 1998, a Nigerian-led West African coalition military force intervened, installing Tejan KABBAH -- who was originally elected in 1996 -- as prime minister. In 2002, KABBAH officially announced the end of the war. Since 1998, Sierra Leone has conducted democratic elections dominated by the two main political parties, the Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) and the All People’s Congress (APC) party. In 2018, Julius Maada BIO of the Sierra Leone People’s Party won the presidential election that saw a high voter turnout despite some allegations of voter intimidation. BIO won again in June 2023, although irregularities were noted that called into question the integrity of the results.  In October 2023, the Government of Sierra Leone and the main opposition party, the All People’s Congress, signed the Agreement for National Unity to boost cooperation between political parties and begin the process of reforming the country’s electoral system.

Area

land

71,620 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

highest point

Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

lowest point

Atlantic Ocean 0 m

mean elevation

279 m

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 (2012)

Land boundaries

border countries

Guinea 794 km; Liberia 299 km

total

1,093 km

Land use

agricultural land

56.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 23.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)

forest

37.5% (2018 est.)

other

6.3% (2018 est.)

Location

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

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

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

Population distribution

population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated as shown on this population distribution map

Terrain

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

Age structure

0-14 years

40.1% (male 1,843,606/female 1,812,304)

15-64 years

57.4% (male 2,557,715/female 2,675,418)

65 years and over

2.5% (2024 est.) (male 114,405/female 117,601)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

2.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

30.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Child marriage

men married by age 18

4.1% (2019 est.)

women married by age 15

8.6%

women married by age 18

29.6%

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12% (2021)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

21.2% (2019)

Current health expenditure

8.8% of GDP (2020)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

58.9% (2023 est.)

Death rate

9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Demographic profile

Sierra Leone’s youthful and growing population is driven by its high total fertility rate (TFR) of almost 4 children per woman as of 2022, which has declined little over the last two decades. Its elevated TFR is sustained by the continued desire for large families, the low level of contraceptive use, and the early start of childbearing. Despite its high TFR, Sierra Leone’s population growth is somewhat tempered by high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates that are among the world’s highest and are a result of poverty, a lack of potable water and sanitation, poor nutrition, limited access to quality health care services, and the prevalence of female genital cutting. Sierra Leone’s large youth cohort – about 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment, which was one of the major causes of the country’s 1991-2002 civil war and remains a threat to stability today. Its estimated 60% youth unemployment rate is attributed to high levels of illiteracy and unskilled labor, a lack of private sector jobs, and low pay. Sierra Leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Sierra Leone’s civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries (370,000 Sierra Leoneans fled to Guinea and 120,000 to Liberia). The UNHCR has helped almost 180,000 Sierra Leoneans to return home, while more than 90,000 others have repatriated on their own. Of the more than 65,000 Liberians who took refuge in Sierra Leone during their country’s civil war (1989-2003), about 50,000 have been voluntarily repatriated by the UNHCR and others have returned home independently.

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

5.5

potential support ratio

18.3 (2020 est.)

total dependency ratio

74

youth dependency ratio

68.5

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: 58% of population

improved: total

total: 72.8% of population

improved: urban

urban: 92.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 42% of population

unimproved: total

total: 27.2% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 7.5% of population

Education expenditures

9.1% of GDP (2021 est.)

Ethnic groups

Temne 35.4%, Mende 30.8%, Limba 8.8%, Kono 4.3%, Korankoh 4%, Fullah 3.8%, Mandingo 2.8%, Loko 2%, Sherbro 1.9%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other 5% (2019 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.78 (2024 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

66.2 deaths/1,000 live births

male

76 deaths/1,000 live births

total

71.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 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; a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Life expectancy at birth

female

61 years

male

57.8 years

total population

59.4 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

definition

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

female

41.3% (2022)

male

56.3%

total population

48.6%

Major urban areas - population

1.309 million FREETOWN (capital) (2023)

Maternal mortality ratio

443 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

19.9 years

male

19 years

total

19.4 years (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.6 years (2019 est.)

note

note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49

Nationality

adjective

Sierra Leonean

noun

Sierra Leonean(s)

Net migration rate

1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.7% (2016)

Physician density

0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2018)

Population

female

4,605,323 (2024 est.)

male

4,515,726

total

9,121,049

Population distribution

population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated as shown on this population distribution map

Population growth rate

2.32% (2024 est.)

Religions

Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: 35.5% of population

improved: total

total: 54.4% of population

improved: urban

urban: 79.5% of population

unimproved: rural

rural: 64.5% of population

unimproved: total

total: 45.6% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 20.5% of population

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.02 male(s)/female

15-64 years

0.96 male(s)/female

65 years and over

0.97 male(s)/female

at birth

1.03 male(s)/female

total population

0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

6.4% (2020 est.)

male

20.5% (2020 est.)

total

13.5% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

3.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.3% of total population (2023)

Administrative divisions

4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, Western*

Capital

etymology

name derived from the fact that the original settlement served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans, as well as for liberated Africans rescued from slave ships

geographic coordinates

8 29 N, 13 14 W

name

Freetown

time difference

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

Citizenship

citizenship by birth

no

citizenship by descent only

at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone

dual citizenship recognized

yes

residency requirement for naturalization

5 years

Constitution

amendments

proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in two successive readings and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms and many other constitutional sections also requires approval in a referendum with participation of at least one half of qualified voters and at least two thirds of votes cast; amended several times, last in 2016

history

several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991

Country name

conventional long form

Republic of Sierra Leone

conventional short form

Sierra Leone

etymology

the Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA named the country "Serra Leoa" (Lion Mountains) for the impressive mountains he saw while sailing the West African coast in 1462

local long form

Republic of Sierra Leone

local short form

Sierra Leone

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission

Ambassador Bryan David HUNT (since 8 September 2023)

email address and website

consularfreetown@state.govhttps://sl.usembassy.gov/

embassy

Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown

mailing address

2160 Freetown Place, Washington DC  20521-2160

telephone

[232] 99 105 000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-1605

chief of mission

Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr WAI (since 8 April 2019)

email address and website

info@embassyofsierraleone.nethttps://embassyofsierraleone.net/

FAX

[1] (202) 483-1793

telephone

[1] (202) 939-9261

Executive branch

cabinet

Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president

chief of state

President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)

election results

2023: Julius Maada BIO reelected president in first round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 56.2%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 41.2%, other 2.6%2018: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%

elections/appointments

president directly elected by 55% in the first round or absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in June 2028) note - the president is chief of state, head of government, and Minister of Defense

head of government

President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)

Flag description

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

presidential republic

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, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, 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, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

highest court(s)

Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court - at the apex - with the chief justice and 4 other judges, the Court of Appeal with the chief justice and 7 other judges, and the High Court of Justice with the chief justice and 9 other judges); note – the Judicature has jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional matters

judge selection and term of office

Supreme Court chief justice and other judges of the Judicature appointed by the president on the advice of the Judicial and Legal Service Commission, a 7-member independent body of judges, presidential appointees, and the Commission chairman, and are subject to approval by Parliament; all Judicature judges serve until retirement at age 65

subordinate courts

magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts

Legal system

mixed legal system of English common law and customary law

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Parliament (149 seats; 135 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by a district block proportional representation vote and 14 seats for "paramount chiefs" indirectly elected; members serve 5-year terms)

election results

percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - SLPP 81, APC 54; composition - men 105, women 44, percentage women 29.5%

elections

last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)

note

note: 14 seats are reserved for "paramount chiefs," who are indirectly elected to represent the 14 provincial districts

National anthem

lyrics/music

Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA

name

"High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free"

note

note: adopted 1961

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, white, blue

Political parties

All People's Congress or APC Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Agricultural products

cassava, rice, oil palm fruit, vegetables, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruits, groundnuts, fruits, sugarcane (2022)

note

note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage

Budget

expenditures

$867 million (2019 est.)

revenues

$740 million (2019 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2020

-$320.411 million (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

-$395.465 million (2021 est.)

Current account balance 2022

-$156.702 million (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars

Debt - external

Debt - external 2022

$1.072 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: present value of external debt in current US dollars

Economic overview

low-income West African economy; primarily subsistent agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities suspended; slow recovery from 1990s civil war; systemic corruption; high-risk debt; high youth unemployment; natural resource rich

Exchange rates

Currency

leones (SLL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2019

9.01 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9.83 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

10.439 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

14.048 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2023

21.305 (2023 est.)

Exports

Exports 2020

$661.505 million (2020 est.)

Exports 2021

$1.114 billion (2021 est.)

Exports 2022

$1.195 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars

Exports - commodities

iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, wood, aluminum ore (2022)

note

note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Exports - partners

China 54%, Belgium 12%, UAE 6%, Germany 4%, Netherlands 4% (2022)

note

note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

40.5% (2023 est.)

government consumption

8.8% (2023 est.)

household consumption

106.2% (2023 est.)

imports of goods and services

-67.3% (2023 est.)

investment in fixed capital

11.5% (2023 est.)

investment in inventories

0.3% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

64.4% (2023 est.)

industry

7.8% (2023 est.)

note

note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

services

24.7% (2023 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.81 billion (2023 est.)

note

note: data in current dollars at official exchange rate

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018

35.7 (2018 est.)

note

note: index (0-100) of income distribution; higher values represent greater inequality

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

29.4% (2018 est.)

lowest 10%

3.4% (2018 est.)

note

note: % share of income accruing to lowest and highest 10% of population

Imports

Imports 2020

$1.386 billion (2020 est.)

Imports 2021

$1.906 billion (2021 est.)

Imports 2022

$2.013 billion (2022 est.)

note

note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars

Imports - commodities

rice, plastic products, refined petroleum, vaccines, packaged medicine (2022)

note

note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Imports - partners

China 33%, India 12%, Turkey 9%, US 6%, UAE 5% (2022)

note

note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports

Industrial production growth rate

3.27% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Industries

diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

11.87% (2021 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022

27.21% (2022 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023

47.64% (2023 est.)

note

note: annual % change based on consumer prices

Labor force

2.913 million (2023 est.)

note

note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Population below poverty line

56.8% (2018 est.)

note

note: % of population with income below national poverty line

Public debt

Public debt 2017

63.9% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$13.675 billion (2021 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022

$14.148 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023

$14.633 billion (2023 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

note

note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real GDP growth rate 2021

4.1% (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2022

3.46% (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2023

3.43% (2023 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data in 2021 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2021

$1,600 (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2022

$1,600 (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2023

$1,700 (2023 est.)

Remittances

note

note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities

Remittances 2021

5.47% of GDP (2021 est.)

Remittances 2022

7.85% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

6.1% of GDP (2023 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

note

note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021

$945.908 million (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022

$624.496 million (2022 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023

$495.699 million (2023 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: % of labor force seeking employment

Unemployment rate 2021

3.52% (2021 est.)

Unemployment rate 2022

3.19% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

3.17% (2023 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

2.5% (2023 est.)

male

4.7% (2023 est.)

note

note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment

total

3.6% (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from petroleum and other liquids

1.352 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

total emissions

1.352 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2022 est.)

Coal

imports

(2022 est.) less than 1 metric ton

Electricity

consumption

122.083 million kWh (2022 est.)

installed generating capacity

138,000 kW (2022 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

76.158 million kWh (2022 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - rural areas

5%

electrification - total population

29.4% (2022 est.)

electrification - urban areas

55.3%

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

2.5% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

fossil fuels

3.7% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

hydroelectricity

90.8% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

solar

3% of total installed capacity (2022 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2022

2.229 million Btu/person (2022 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption

9,000 bbl/day (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

1 government-owned TV station; 3 private TV stations; 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  (2019)

Internet country code

.sl

Internet users

percent of population

12.7% (2022 est.)

total

1,047,499 (2022 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line less than 0 per 100 and mobile-cellular just over 98 per 100 (2021)

general assessment

the telecom sector has only gradually recovered from the destruction caused during the war years, and only since 2019 has there been an effective terrestrial fiber backbone infrastructure, while the cable link to neighboring Guinea was not completed until February 2020; there is considerable available capacity from the ACE submarine cable and the national fiber network, but this is used inefficiently and so the price of internet connectivity remains one of the highest in the region; the theft of equipment and cabling, compounded by neglect, mismanagement, and under investment, means that telecommunications companies continue to operate in difficult conditions; the telecom regulator has made efforts to improve the market, including the liberalization of the international gateway and regular checks on QoS; the regulator reduced the price floor for mobile voice calls in early 2020, though consumers objected to the MNOs withdrawing a number of cheap packages as a response; the mobile sector has been the main driver of overall telecom revenue (2022)

international

country code - 232; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking to South Africa, over 20 western African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

(2021 est.) less than 1

total subscriptions

269 (2021 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

98 (2021 est.)

total subscriptions

8.227 million (2021 est.)

Airports

8 (2024)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9L

Heliports

3 (2024)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 33, container ship 8, general cargo 320, oil tanker 97, other 126

total

584 (2023)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

0 (2015) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

50,193 (2015)

Ports

key ports

Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

ports with oil terminals

2

small

1

total ports

3 (2024)

very small

2

Roadways

non-urban

8,700 km (2015)

paved

1,051 km

total

11,701 km

unpaved

10,650 km (2015)

urban

3,000 km (2015)

Waterways

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

Military - note

the RSLAF’s principle responsibilities are securing the borders and the country’s territorial waters, supporting civil authorities during emergencies and reconstruction efforts, and participating in peacekeeping missions; it is small, lightly armed, and has a limited budget; since being reduced in size and restructured with British assistance after the end of the civil war in 2002, it has received assistance from several foreign militaries, including those of Canada, China, France, the UK, and the US; the RSLAF has participated in peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Sudanthe RSLAF’s origins lie in the Sierra Leone Battalion of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and The Gambia; the RWAFF fought in both World Wars (2024)

Military and security forces

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Land Forces, Maritime Forces, Air WingMinistry of Internal Affairs: Sierra Leone Police (2024)

Military and security service personnel strengths

approximately 8,500 personnel, mostly ground forces  (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RSLAF has a small inventory that includes a mix of Soviet-origin and other older foreign-supplied equipment; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of newer equipment, mostly as donations (2024)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2019

0.3% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

0.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military Expenditures 2023

0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)

Military service age and obligation

18-30 for voluntary military service for men and women (25-40 for specialists); no conscription (2023)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

IDPs

IDPs: 3000 currently displaced due to post-electoral violence in 2018 and clashes in the Pujehun region in 2019); 900 internal displacements due to flood in 2022 (2022)5,500 (displacement caused by post-electoral violence in 2018 and clashes in the Pujehun region in 2019) (2021)

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

1.09 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

3.16 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

39.42 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

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

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, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to

Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified

Environmental Modification

Food insecurity

severe localized food insecurity

due to high food prices and reduced incomes - according to the latest analysis, about 1.18 million people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between the June to August 2023 lean season; acute food insecurity is underpinned by elevated food prices, in part driven by a weak currency, and low purchasing power of vulnerable households (2023)

Land use

agricultural land

56.2% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 23.4% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)

forest

37.5% (2018 est.)

other

6.3% (2018 est.)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

6.92% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

160 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

110 million cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

44.3% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

610,222 tons (2004 est.)