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The British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown in the 17th century. Originally the trade involved timber and ivory, but later it expanded into slaves. Following the American Revolution, a colony was established in 1787 and Sierra Leone became a destination for resettling black loyalists who had originally been resettled in Nova Scotia. After the abolition of the slave trade in 1807, British crews delivered thousands of Africans liberated from illegal slave ships to Sierra Leone, particularly Freetown. The colony gradually expanded inland during the course of the 19th century; independence was attained in 1961. Democracy is slowly being reestablished after the civil war (1991-2002) 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 and 2012 national elections, and deployed over 850 peacekeepers to the African Union Mission in Somalia. As of January 2014, Sierra Leone also fielded 122 staff for five UN peacekeeping missions. In March 2014, the closure of the UN Integrated Peacebuilding Office in Sierra Leone marked the end of more than 15 years of peacekeeping and political operations in Sierra Leone. The government's stated priorities include furthering development - including recovering from the Ebola epidemic - creating jobs, and stamping out endemic corruption.
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Geography :: SIERRA LEONE
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Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
8 30 N, 11 30 W
Africa
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km
country comparison to the world:
119slightly smaller than South Carolina
total: 1,093 km
border countries (2): Guinea 794 km, Liberia 299 km
402 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
agricultural land: 56.2%
arable land 23.4%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 30.5%
forest: 37.5%
other: 6.3% (2011 est.)
293.6 sq km (2003)
160 cu km (2011)
total: 0.21 cu km/yr (52%/26%/22%)
per capita: 38.74 cu m/yr (2005)
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
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
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
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
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People and Society :: SIERRA LEONE
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noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean
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)
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%)
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%
5,879,098 (July 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1120-14 years: 41.93% (male 1,228,380/female 1,236,475)
15-24 years: 18.67% (male 532,738/female 564,828)
25-54 years: 31.85% (male 898,538/female 973,908)
55-64 years: 3.82% (male 102,915/female 121,864)
65 years and over: 3.73% (male 92,777/female 126,675) (2015 est.)
population pyramid:
total dependency ratio: 81.9%
youth dependency ratio: 77.1%
elderly dependency ratio: 4.9%
potential support ratio: 20.6% (2015 est.)
total: 19 years
male: 18.4 years
female: 19.6 years (2015 est.)
2.35% (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
3237.03 births/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1410.81 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
35-2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
178urban population: 39.9% of total population (2015)
rate of urbanization: 2.75% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
FREETOWN (capital) 1.007 million (2015)
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15-24 years: 0.94 male(s)/female
25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
55-64 years: 0.85 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.73 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2015 est.)
total: 71.68 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 80.14 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 62.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
11total population: 57.79 years
male: 55.23 years
female: 60.42 years (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
2044.8 children born/woman (2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1916.6% (2013)
11.8% of GDP (2013)
country comparison to the world:
50.02 physicians/1,000 population (2010)
0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)
improved:
urban: 84.9% of population
rural: 47.8% of population
total: 62.6% of population
unimproved:
urban: 15.1% of population
rural: 52.2% of population
total: 37.4% of population (2015 est.)
improved:
urban: 22.8% of population
rural: 6.9% of population
total: 13.3% of population
unimproved:
urban: 77.2% of population
rural: 93.1% of population
total: 86.7% of population (2015 est.)
1.4% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
3654,000 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
542,700 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
48degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
animal contact disease: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2013)
6.6% (2014)
country comparison to the world:
14418.1% (2013)
country comparison to the world:
342.9% of GDP (2012)
country comparison to the world:
141definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 48.1%
male: 58.7%
female: 37.7% (2015 est.)
total number: 573,287
percentage: 48% (2005 est.)
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Government :: SIERRA LEONE
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conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone
local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
local short form: Sierra Leone
constitutional democracy
name: Freetown
geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
27 April 1961 (from the UK)
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
several previous; latest in effect 1 October 1991; amended several times, last in 2010; note - in mid-2013 a committee was formed to review the constitution (2013)
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction
birthright citizenship:
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization:
18 years of age; universal
chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both 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, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: Ernest Bai KOROMA reelected president; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA (APC) 58.7%, Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 37.4%, other 3.9%
description: unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 12 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 17 November 2012 (next to be held in 2017)
election results: percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - APC 69, SLPP 43
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 subject to the approval of Parliament; all Judicature judges appointed until retirement at age 65
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts
All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]
Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Kandeh Baba CONTEH]
People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC [Charles MARGAI]
Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Sumanu KAPEN]
United Democratic Movement or UDM [Mohamed BANGURA]
numerous other parties
other: student unions; trade unions
ACP, AfDB, 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, MINUSMA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS (since 28 March 2008)
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
chief of mission: Ambassador John HOOVER (since 4 November 4 December 2014))
embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [232] (76) 515 000 or (76) 515 000
FAX: [232] (76) 515 355
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
lion; national colors: green, white, blue
name: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free"
lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA
note: adopted 1961
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Economy :: SIERRA LEONE
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Sierra Leone is extremely poor and nearly half of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. The country possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, but it is still recovering from a civil war that destroyed most institutions before ending in the early 2000s. In recent years economic growth has been driven by mining - particularly iron ore. The country’s principal exports are iron ore, diamonds, and rutile, and the economy is vulnerable to fluctuations in international prices. In 2014, rapid spread of Ebolavirus caused a contraction of economic activity in several areas, including transportation, health, and industrial production. Iron ore production dropped, due to low global prices and high costs, driven by the epidemic. A long-term shutdown of the industry would badly hurt the economy because it supports thousands of jobs and creates about 20% of GDP. Until 2014, the government had relied on external assistance to support its budget, but it was gradually becoming more independent. The epidemic has disrupted economic activity, deterred private investment, and forced the government to increase expenditures on health care, straining the budget and restricting other public investment projects. A rise in international donor support will partially offset these fiscal constraints.
$12.63 billion (2014 est.)
$11.91 billion (2013 est.)
$9.915 billion (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world:
154$5.033 billion (2014 est.)
6% (2014 est.)
20.1% (2013 est.)
15.2% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
12$2,000 (2014 est.)
$1,900 (2013 est.)
$1,600 (2012 est.)
note: data are in 2014 US dollars
country comparison to the world:
2003.8% of GDP (2014 est.)
10.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
3.3% of GDP (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
171household consumption: 88.9%
government consumption: 7.4%
investment in fixed capital: 41.9%
investment in inventories: 0.8%
exports of goods and services: 8.8%
imports of goods and services: -47.8%
(2014 est.)
agriculture: 42.5%
industry: 26.8%
services: 30.7% (2014 est.)
rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair
88.5% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
12.471 million (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
115agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%
NA%
70.2% (2004 est.)
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)
62.9 (1989)
country comparison to the world:
4revenues: $730.3 million
expenditures: $908.8 million (2014 est.)
13.5% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
201-3.3% of GDP (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
12330.1% of GDP (2014 est.)
30.3% of GDP (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
124calendar year
8.3% (2014 est.)
10.3% (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
204NA%
19.8% (31 December 2014 est.)
20.56% (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
16$448.3 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$370.6 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
165$960.1 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$857.3 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
169$652.7 million (31 December 2014 est.)
$547.1 million (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
164$NA
-$382 million (2014 est.)
-$925.5 million (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
112$2.241 billion (2014 est.)
$1.917 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
141diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
China 80%, Belgium 8.8% (2014)
$2.069 billion (2014 est.)
$1.97 billion (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
165foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
China 13.2%, US 7.1%, India 6.8%, UK 6.6%, Belgium 6.1%, Netherlands 4.7%, South Africa 4.6% (2014)
$1.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$1.26 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
154$2.704 billion (31 December 2014 est.)
$2.319 billion (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
101$400,000 (31 December 2014 est.)
$400,000 (31 December 2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
99leones (SLL) per US dollar -
4,376.1 (2014 est.)
4,332.5 (2013 est.)
4,344 (2012 est.)
4,336.1 (2011 est.)
3,978.1 (2010 est.)
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Energy :: SIERRA LEONE
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145 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
193134.9 million kWh (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1950 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1960 kWh (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
20081,000 kW (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
17833.3% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1750% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
17866.7% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
280% of total installed capacity (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1230 bbl/day (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1300 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1820 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1210 bbl (1 January 2015 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1880 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1944,400 bbl/day (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1560 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1294,428 bbl/day (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1310 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1900 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1930 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1790 cu m (2013 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1300 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
1931.311 million Mt (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world:
164
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Communications :: SIERRA LEONE
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total subscriptions: 16,500
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
192total: 4.8 million
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
120general 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) (2009)
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)
AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)
2 (1999)
.sl
total: 85,600
percent of population: 1.5% (2014 est.)
country comparison to the world:
173
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Transportation :: SIERRA LEONE
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8 (2013)
country comparison to the world:
164total: 1
over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)
total: 7
914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)
2 (2013)
total: 11,300 km
paved: 904 km
unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)
country comparison to the world:
131800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2011)
country comparison to the world:
71total: 215
by type: 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
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)
country comparison to the world:
34major seaport(s): Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
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Military :: SIERRA LEONE
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Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2013)
18 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); women are eligible to serve; no conscription; candidates must be HIV negative (2012)
males age 16-49: 1,183,093 (2010 est.)
males age 16-49: 731,898
females age 16-49: 838,032 (2010 est.)
male: 54,212
female: 57,154 (2010 est.)
0.72% of GDP (2012)
0.8% of GDP (2011)
0.72% of GDP (2010)
country comparison to the world:
118
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Transnational Issues :: SIERRA LEONE
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Sierra Leone opposes Guinean troops' continued occupation of Yenga, a small village on the Makona River that serves as a border with Guinea; Guinea's forces came to Yenga in the mid-1990s to help the Sierra Leonean military to suppress rebels and to secure their common border but have remained there even after both countries signed a 2005 agreement acknowledging that Yenga belonged to Sierra Leone; in 2012, the two sides signed a declaration to demilitarize the area