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.

Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N 11 30 W

Map reference: Africa

Area
Total: 71,740 km²
Rank: 118
Land: 71,620 km²
Water: 120 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
Total: 958 km
Border countries: (2) Guinea 652 km; Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
Continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate: 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

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1948 m

Natural resources: diamonds titanium ore bauxite iron ore gold chromite

Land use
Arable land: 7.95%
Permanent crops: 1.05%
Other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land: 300 km² (2003)

Total renewable water resources: 160 km³ (1987)

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

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

Population: 5,245,695 (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 113
Growth rate: 2.216% (2010 est.)
Growth rate rank: 38
Below poverty line: 70.2% (2004)

Nationality
Noun: Sierra Leonean
Adjective: Sierra Leonean

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)

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%)

Religions: Muslim 60% Christian 10% indigenous beliefs 30%

Age structure
0-14 years: 41.7%
15-64 years: 54.7% (male 1,344,650/female 1,461,203)
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 83,595/female 100,894) (2010 est.)

Median age
Total: 19 years
Male: 18.6 years
Female: 19.5 years (2010 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.216% (2010 est.)
Rank: 38

Birth rate: 38.79 births/1000 population (2010 est.)
Rank: 15

Death rate: 11.97 deaths/1000 population (July 2010 est.)
Rank: 31

Net migration rate: -4.66 migrant(s)/1000 population
Rank: 198
Note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2010 est.)

Urbanization
Urban population: 38% of total population
Rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

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
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
International agreements signed but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male/female
Under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
Total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 80.16 deaths/1000 live births
Rank: 13
Male: 89.06 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 70.99 deaths/1000 live births (2010 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 55.69 years
Rank: 197
Male: 53.27 years
Female: 58.18 years (2010 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
Rank: 24

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 1.7% (2007 est.)
Adult prevalence rate rank: 37
People living with hivaids: 55,000 (2007 est.)
People living with hivaids rank: 62
Deaths: 3,300 (2007 est.)
Deaths rank: 54

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 (2009)

Education expenditures: 3.8% of GDP (2005)
Rank: 114

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.)

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education
Total: 7 years
Male: 9 years
Female: 6 years (2001)

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

Government type: constitutional democracy

Capital
Name: Freetown
Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N 13 15 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington DC during Standard Time)

Administrative divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern Northern Southern Western*

Independence: 27 April 1961 (from the UK)

National holiday: Independence Day 27 April (1961)

Constitution: 1 October 1991; amended several times

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

Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA ; note - the president is both the 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 with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6% Solomon BEREWA 45.4%

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)
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

Judicial branch: Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

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

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 ISO (correspondent) ITU ITUC MIGA NAM OIC OPCW UN UNAMID UNCTAD UNESCO UNIDO UNIFIL UNMIS UNMIT UNWTO UPU WCO WFTU WHO WIPO WMO WTO

Diplomatic representation
In the us chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS
In the us chancery: 1701 19th Street NW Washington DC 20,009
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 939-9,261 through 9,263
In the us fax: [1] (202) 483-1793
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador ; Charge d'Affaires Glenn FEDZER
From the us embassy: Southridge-Hill Station Freetown
From the us mailing address: use embassy street address
From the us telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or (76) 515 000
From the us fax: [232] (22) 515 355

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

National anthem
Name: 'High We Exalt Thee Realm of the Free'
Lyricsmusic: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA
Note: adopted 1961

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 has 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.

Real gdp purchasing power parity:
Rank: 161
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Real gdp growth rate:
Rank: 54

Real gdp per capita:
Rank: 221
Note: data are in 2010 US dollars

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 49%
Industry: 31%
Services: 21% (2005 est.)

Agriculture products: rice coffee cocoa palm kernels palm oil peanuts; poultry cattle sheep pigs; fish

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

Industrial production growth rate: NA%

Labor force: 2.207 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 115
By occupation agriculture: NA%
By occupation industry: NA%
By occupation services: NA%

Unemployment rate: NA%

Population below poverty line: 70.2% (2004)

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: 2.6%
Highest 10: 33.6% (2003)

Distribution of family income gini index: 62.9 (1989)
Rank: 5

Inflation rate consumer prices: 11.7% (2007 est.)
Rank: 205

Central bank discount rate: NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate: 24.5% (31 December 2008 est.)
Rank: 9

Stock of narrow money: $219.1 million (31 December 2008)
Rank: 173

Stock of broad money: $434.3 million (31 December 2008)
Rank: 174

Stock of domestic credit: $140.9 million (31 December 2008)
Rank: 175

Market value of publicly traded shares: $NA

Current account balance: -$63 million (2007 est.)
Rank: 71

Exports: $216 million (2006)
Rank: 179
Commodities: diamonds rutile cocoa coffee fish
Partners: Belgium 26.56% US 11.87% Netherlands 7.91% UK 7.4% India 6.67% Cote d'Ivoire 6.13% Greece 4.05% (2009)

Imports: $560 million (2006)
Rank: 186
Commodities: foodstuffs machinery and equipment fuels and lubricants chemicals
Partners: South Africa 14.61% China 7.58% US 5.87% Cote d'Ivoire 5.65% India 5.19% Malaysia 5.19% France 5.08% UK 4.48% Netherlands 4.06% (2009)

Debt external: $1.61 billion (2003 est.)
Rank: 142

Exchange rates: leones (SLL) per US dollar - NA (2007) 2,962 (2006) 2,890 (2005) 2,701 (2004) 2,348 (2003)

Electricity
Production: 80 million kWh (2007 est.)
Production rank: 194
Consumption: 74.4 million kWh (2007 est.)
Consumption rank: 194
Exports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)
Imports: 0 kWh (2008 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Production rank: 131
Consumption: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Consumption rank: 178
Exports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Exports rank: 126
Imports: 0 m³ (2008 est.)
Imports rank: 132
Proven reserves: 0 m³ (1 January 2010 est.)
Proven reserves rank: 135

Telephones
Main lines in use: 32,800 (2009)
Main lines in use rank: 175
Mobile cellular: 1.16 million (2009)
Mobile cellular rank: 143

Telephone system
General 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) (2008)

Broadcast media: 1 government-owned TV station; 1 private TV station began operating in 2005; a pay-per-view TV service began operations in late 2007; 1 government-owned national radio broadcast station; about two dozen private radio stations primarily clustered in major cities; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet
Country code: .sl
Hosts: 281 (2010)
Hosts rank: 184
Users: 14,900 (2009)
Users rank: 198

Military expenditures: 2.3% of GDP (2006)
Rank: 66

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)

Airports: 9 (2010)
Rank: 159
With paved runways total: 1
With paved runways over 3047 m: 1 (2010)
With unpaved runways total: 8
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 7
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 1 (2010)

Heliports: 2 (2010)

Roadways
Total: 11,300 km
Rank: 132
Paved: 904 km
Unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways: 800 km (600 km year round) (2007)
Rank: 73

Merchant marine
Total: 189
Rank: 35
By type: bulk carrier 7 cargo 131 carrier 1 chemical tanker 12 container 3 liquefied gas 3 passenger 1 passenger/cargo 6 petroleum tanker 20 refrigerated cargo 1 roll on/roll off 3 vehicle carrier 1
Foreign owned: 91 (Bangladesh 1 China 12 Cyprus 1 Egypt 2 Estonia 1 Hong Kong 4 Japan 3 Malaysia 1 North Korea 1 Romania 4 Russia 6 Singapore 5 Syria 20 Taiwan 1 Turkey 14 UAE 6 UK 1 Ukraine 5 US 1 Yemen 2) (2010)

Ports and terminals: Freetown Pepel Sherbro Islands

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
Refugees: 27,311 (Liberia) (2007)