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

Land boundaries
Total: 1,093 km
Border countries (2): (2) Guinea 794 km; Liberia 299 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
Highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation: 279 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 54.7% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.)
Forest: 34.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 11% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 300 km² (2012)

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 in) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal western Africa

Population
Total: 9,121,049 (2024 est.)
Male: 4,515,726
Female: 4,605,323
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
Growth rate: 2.32% (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%)

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

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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 74.3 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 69.9 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 4.4 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 22.6 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 19.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 19 years
Female: 19.9 years

Population growth rate: 2.32% (2024 est.)

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

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

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

Urbanization
Urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas
Population: 1.309 million FREETOWN (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
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
Total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 71.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 76 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 59.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 57.8 years
Female: 61 years

Total fertility rate: 3.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 20.2% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 45.9% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 34.7% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 62.1% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 42.8% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 12% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Freetown
Geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W
Time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name described the original settlement in 1781, which served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans

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

Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Executive branch
Chief of state: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)
Head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)
Cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president
Election/appointment process: 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)
Most recent election date: 24 June 2023
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%
Expected date of next election: June 2,028
Note: the president is chief of state, head of government, and minister of defense

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Parliament
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 149 (135 directly elected; 14 indirectly elected)
Electoral system: proportional representation
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 5 years
Most recent election date: 6/24/2023
Parties elected and seats per party: Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) (81); All People's Congress (APC) (54)
Percentage of women in chamber: 29.5%
Expected date of next election: June 2,028
Note: 14 seats are reserved for 'paramount chiefs,' who are indirectly elected to represent the 14 provincial districts

Flag description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

National anthem
Title: 'High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free'
Lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA
History: adopted 1961

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 4% (2024 est.); 5.7% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 4% (2024 est.); 5.7% (2023 est.); 5.3% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 87.6% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 5.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 29.5% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 0% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 20.9% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -43.5% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 25.4% (2024 est.)
Industry: 27.3% (2024 est.)
Services: 44.8% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: 4.7% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 2.863 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.2% (2024 est.); 3.2% (2023 est.); 3.2% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $740 million (2019 est.)
Expenditures: $867 million (2019 est.)

Exports: $1.382 billion (2023 est.); $1.202 billion (2022 est.); $928.689 million (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, aluminum ore, cocoa beans (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $2.264 billion (2023 est.); $2.074 billion (2022 est.); $1.91 billion (2021 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: rice, plastic products, packaged medicine, cement, cars (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 149,000 kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 131.321 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 81.921 million kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 29.4% (2022 est.)
Access electrification - urban areas: 55.3%
Access electrification - rural areas: 5%
Generation sources fossil fuels: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources hydroelectricity: 84.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources biomass and waste: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 2.301 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 0 (2021 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 8.23 million (2021 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2021 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 21% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 0 (2021 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

Military expenditures: 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.); 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.); 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.); 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.); 0.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 8 (2025)

Heliports: 3 (2025)

Merchant marine
Total: 584 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 33, container ship 8, general cargo 320, oil tanker 97, other 126