Statistical information Sierra Leone 1993

Sierra Leone in the World
Backgroundtop of pageLocation:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between
Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinatesMap reference:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the WorldAreaTotal: 71,740 km²
Land: 71,620 km²
Land boundaries: total 958 km, Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline: 402 km
Territorial sea: 200 nm
Maritime claimsClimate: 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
ElevationNatural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Land useArable land: 25%
Permanent crops: 2%
Meadows and pastures: 31%
Forest and woodland: 29%
Other: 13%
Irrigated land: 340 km² (1989 est.)
Major riversMajor watersheds area km²Total water withdrawalTotal renewable water resourcesNatural hazardsGeographytop of pagePopulation: 4,510,571 (July 1993 est.)
Growth rate: 2.61% (1993 est.)
NationalityNoun: Sierra Leonean(s)
Adjective: Sierra Leonean
Ethnic groups: 13 native African tribes 99% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 39%), Creole, European, Lebanese, and Asian 1%
Languages:
English (official; regular use limited to literate minority),
Mende principal vernacular in the south, Temne principal vernacular in the north, Krio the language of the re-settled ex-slave population of the Freetown area and is lingua franca
Religions: Muslim 30%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%, other or none 30%
Demographic profileAge structureDependency ratiosMedian agePopulation growth rate: 2.61% (1993 est.)
Birth rate: 45.47 births/1000 population (1993 est.)
Death rate: 19.39 deaths/1000 population (1993 est.)
Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1000 population (1993 est.)
Population distributionUrbanizationMajor urban areasEnvironmentCurrent issues: extensive mangrove swamps hinder access to sea;
Air pollutantsSex ratioMothers mean age at first birthMaternal mortality ratioInfant mortality rate: 145 deaths/1000 live births (1993 est.)
Life expectancy at birthTotal population: 45.87 years
Male: 43.1 years
Female: 48.71 years (1993 est.)
Total fertility rate: 6.01 children born/woman (1993 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rateDrinking water sourceCurrent health expenditurePhysicians densityHospital bed densitySanitation facility accessHiv/AidsMajor infectious diseasesObesity adult prevalence rateAlcohol consumptionTobacco useChildren under the age of 5 years underweightEducation expendituresLiteracy:
age 15 and over can read and write English, Merde, Temne, or
Arabic (1990)
Total population: 21%
Male: 31%
Female: 11%
School life expectancy primary to tertiary educationYouth unemploymenttop of pageCountry name: conventional short form: Sierra Leone
Government type: military government
Capital: Freetown
Administrative divisions:
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern,
Southern, Western*
Dependent areasIndependence: 27 April 1961 (from UK)
National holiday: Republic Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution: 1 October 1991; amended September 1991
Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
International law organization participationCitizenshipSuffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: National Provisional Ruling Council
Legislative branch: unicameral House of Representatives (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992)
Judicial branch: Supreme Court (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992)
Political parties and leadersInternational organization participation:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD,
ICAO, ICFTU, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS,
NAM, OAU, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representationIn the us chief of mission: (vacant)
In the us chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20,009
In the us telephone: (202) 939-9,261
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador Lauralee M. PETERS
From the us embassy: Walpole and Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown
From the us telephone: 232 (22) 226-481
From the us fax: 232 (22) 225-471
Flag description
: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue
National symbolsNational anthemNational heritagetop of pageEconomy overview: The economic and social infrastructure is not well developed. Subsistence agriculture dominates the economy, generating about one-third of GDP and employing about two-thirds of the working population. Manufacturing, which accounts for roughly 10% of GDP, consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Diamond mining provides an important source of hard currency. The economy suffers from high unemployment, rising inflation, large trade deficits, and a growing dependency on foreign assistance. The government in 1990 was attempting to get the budget deficit under control and, in general, to bring economic policy in line with the recommendations of the IMF and the World Bank. Since March 1991, however, military incursions by Liberian rebels in southern and eastern Sierra Leone have severely strained the economy and have undermined efforts to institute economic reforms.
Real gdp purchasing power parityReal gdp growth rate: -1% (FY92 est.)
Real gdp per capita: $330 (FY92 est.)
Gross national savingGdp composition by sector of origin
Gdp composition by end useGdp composition by sector of originAgriculture productsIndustries: mining (diamonds, bauxite, rutile), small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear), petroleum refinery force; largely subsistence farming; cash crops - coffee, cocoa, palm kernels; harvests of food staple rice meets 80% of domestic needs; annual fish catch averages 53,000 metric tons
Industrial production growth rate: growth rate NA%
Labor force: 1.369 million (1981 est.)
By occupation agriculture: 65%
By occupation industry: 19%
By occupation services:16% (1981est.)
onlyabout65
By occupation 000wageearners(1985);: 55%ofpopulationofworkingage
Unemployment rate: NA%
Youth unemploymentPopulation below poverty lineGini indexHousehold income or consumption by percentage shareDistribution of family income gini indexBudget: revenues $68 million; expenditures $118 million, including capital expenditures of $28 million (FY92 est.)
Taxes and other revenuesPublic debtRevenueFiscal year: 1 July - 30 June
Inflation rate consumer pricesCentral bank discount rateCommercial bank prime lending rateStock of narrow moneyStock of broad moneyStock of domestic creditMarket value of publicly traded sharesCurrent account balanceExports: $75 million (f.o.b., FY92 est.)
Commodoties: rutile 50%, bauxite 17%, cocoa 11%, diamonds 3%, coffee 3%
Partners: US, UK, Belgium, Germany, other Western Europe
Imports: $62 million (c.i.f., FY92 est.)
Commodoties: capital goods 40%, food 32%, petroleum 12%, consumer goods 7%, light industrial goods
Partners: US, EC countries, Japan, China, Nigeria
Reserves of foreign exchange and goldDebt externalStock of direct foreign investment at homeStock of direct foreign investment abroadExchange rates: leones (Le) per US$1 - 552.43 (January 1993), 499.44 (1992), 295.34 (1991), 144.9275 (1990), 58.1395 (1989), 31.2500 (1988)
top of pageElectricityProduction: 85,000 kW capacity; 185 million kWh produced, 45 kWh per capita (1991)
CoalPetroleumCrude oilRefined petroleumNatural gasCarbon dioxide emissionsEnergy consumption per capitatop of pageTelephonesTelephone systemBroadcast mediaInternetBroadband fixed subscriptionstop of pageMilitary expendituresPercent of gdp: exchange rate conversion - $6 million, 0.7% of GDP (1988 est.)
Military and security forcesMilitary service age and obligationSpace programTerrorist groupstop of pageNational air transport systemCivil aircraft registration country code prefixAirports: 11
Usable: 7
With permanentsurface runways: 4
With runways over 3659 m: 0
With runways 2440-3659 m: 1
With runways 1220-2439 m: 3
HeliportsPipelinesRailwaysRoadwaysWaterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round
Merchant marine: 1 cargo ship totaling 5,592 GRT/9,107 DWT
Ports and terminalstop of pageDisputes international: none
Refugees and internally displaced personsIllicit drugs