Sierra Leone

Broadcast media

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)

Internet country code

.sl

Internet users

total: 85,600 | percent of population: 1.5% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 173

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

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) (2009)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 16,500 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 192

Telephones - mobile cellular

total: 4.8 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 83 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Television broadcast stations

2 (1999)

Agriculture - products

rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

Budget

revenues: $730.3 million | expenditures: $908.8 million (2014 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-3.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Central bank discount rate

NA%

Commercial bank prime lending rate

19.8% (31 December 2014 est.) | 20.56% (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 16

Current account balance

-$382 million (2014 est.) | -$925.5 million (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Debt - external

$1.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $1.26 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 154

Distribution of family income - Gini index

62.9 (1989) | country comparison to the world: 4

Economy - overview

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.

Exchange rates

leones (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.)

Exports

$2.241 billion (2014 est.) | $1.917 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 141

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners

China 80%, Belgium 8.8% (2014)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$5.033 billion (2014 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$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

GDP - composition, by end use

household 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.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 42.5% | industry: 26.8% | services: 30.7% (2014 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$2,000 (2014 est.) | $1,900 (2013 est.) | $1,600 (2012 est.) | note: data are in 2014 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 200

GDP - real growth rate

6% (2014 est.) | 20.1% (2013 est.) | 15.2% (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 12

Gross national saving

3.8% of GDP (2014 est.) | 10.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | 3.3% of GDP (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 171

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 2.6% | highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)

Imports

$2.069 billion (2014 est.) | $1.97 billion (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 13.2%, US 7.1%, India 6.8%, UK 6.6%, Belgium 6.1%, Netherlands 4.7%, South Africa 4.6% (2014)

Industrial production growth rate

88.5% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1

Industries

diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

8.3% (2014 est.) | 10.3% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Labor force

2.471 million (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 115

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: NA% | industry: NA% | services: NA%

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Population below poverty line

70.2% (2004 est.)

Public debt

30.1% of GDP (2014 est.) | 30.3% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 124

Stock of broad money

$960.1 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $857.3 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 169

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$400,000 (31 December 2014 est.) | $400,000 (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 99

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$2.704 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $2.319 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 101

Stock of domestic credit

$652.7 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $547.1 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Stock of narrow money

$448.3 million (31 December 2014 est.) | $370.6 million (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 165

Taxes and other revenues

13.5% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 201

Unemployment rate

NA%

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

1.311 million Mt (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 182

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 121

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 188

Electricity - consumption

134.9 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - from fossil fuels

33.3% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 175

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

66.7% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 28

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Electricity - from other renewable sources

0% of total installed capacity (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 123

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 200

Electricity - installed generating capacity

81,000 kW (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Electricity - production

145 million kWh (2011 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 179

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 190

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Refined petroleum products - consumption

9,540 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 156

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 129

Refined petroleum products - imports

9,373 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 131

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2010 est.) | country comparison to the world: 194

Area

total: 71,740 sq km | land: 71,620 sq km | water: 120 sq km | country comparison to the world: 119

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 extremes

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m | highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

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

Environment - 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 | signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural)

total: 0.21 cu km/yr (52%/26%/22%) | per capita: 38.74 cu m/yr (2005)

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

293.6 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 1,093 km | border countries (2): Guinea 794 km, Liberia 299 km

Land use

agricultural land: 56.2% | arable land 23.4%; permanent crops 2.3%; permanent pasture 30.5% | forest: 37.5% | other: 6.3% (2011 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Africa

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 24 nm | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | continental shelf: 200 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

Terrain

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

Total renewable water resources

160 cu km (2011)

Administrative divisions

3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*

Capital

name: Freetown | geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W | time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Constitution

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)

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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

Diplomatic representation in the US

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

Executive branch

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%

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

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, 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

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 subject to the approval of Parliament; all Judicature judges appointed 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 (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

National anthem

name: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free" | lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA | note: adopted 1961

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

National symbol(s)

lion; national colors: green, white, blue

Political parties and leaders

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

other: student unions; trade unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

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.

Manpower available for military service

males age 16-49: 1,183,093 (2010 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 16-49: 731,898 | females age 16-49: 838,032 (2010 est.)

Manpower reaching militarily significant age annually

male: 54,212 | female: 57,154 (2010 est.)

Military branches

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2013)

Military expenditures

0.72% of GDP (2012) | 0.8% of GDP (2011) | 0.72% of GDP (2010) | country comparison to the world: 118

Military service age and obligation

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)

Age structure

0-14 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.)

Birth rate

37.03 births/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 14

Child labor - children ages 5-14

total number: 573,287 | percentage: 48% (2005 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.1% (2013) | country comparison to the world: 34

Contraceptive prevalence rate

16.6% (2013)

Death rate

10.81 deaths/1,000 population (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 81.9% | youth dependency ratio: 77.1% | elderly dependency ratio: 4.9% | potential support ratio: 20.6% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

urban: 84.9% of population | rural: 47.8% of population | total: 62.6% of population | urban: 15.1% of population | rural: 52.2% of population | total: 37.4% of population (2015 est.)

Education expenditures

2.9% of GDP (2012) | country comparison to the world: 141

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)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.4% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,700 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 48

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

54,000 (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Health expenditures

11.8% of GDP (2013) | country comparison to the world: 5

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2006)

Infant mortality rate

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: 11

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%)

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 57.79 years | male: 55.23 years | female: 60.42 years (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 204

Literacy

definition: 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.)

Major infectious diseases

degree 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)

Major urban areas - population

FREETOWN (capital) 1.007 million (2015)

Median age

total: 19 years | male: 18.4 years | female: 19.6 years (2015 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sierra Leonean(s) | adjective: Sierra Leonean

Net migration rate

-2.77 migrant(s)/1,000 population | note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 178

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

6.6% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 144

Physicians density

0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Population

5,879,098 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 112

Population growth rate

2.35% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 32

Religions

Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Sanitation facility access

urban: 22.8% of population | rural: 6.9% of population | total: 13.3% of population | urban: 77.2% of population | rural: 93.1% of population | total: 86.7% of population (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

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 fertility rate

4.8 children born/woman (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 19

Urbanization

urban population: 39.9% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.75% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Disputes - international

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

Airports

8 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 164

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 | over 3,047 m: 1 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 7 | 914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2013)

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 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: 34

Ports and terminals

major seaport(s): Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Roadways

total: 11,300 km | paved: 904 km | unpaved: 10,396 km (2002) | country comparison to the world: 131

Waterways

800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2011) | country comparison to the world: 71