Sierra Leone

Internet country code

.sl

Internet hosts

46 (2007)

Internet users

10,000 (2005)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (2001)

Telephone system

general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema international: country code - 232; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2000)

Telephones - main lines in use

24,000 (2002)

Telephones - mobile cellular

113,200 (2003)

Television broadcast stations

2 (1999)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: $96 million expenditures: $351 million (2000 est.)

Currency (code)

leone (SLL)

Debt - external

$1.61 billion (2003 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

62.9 (1989)

Economic aid - recipient

$343.4 million (2005 est.)

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 economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, 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. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.

Electricity - consumption

227.9 million kWh (2005)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2005)

Electricity - production

245 million kWh (2005)

Exchange rates

leones per US dollar - 2,961.7 (2006), 2,889.6 (2005), 2,701.3 (2004), 2,347.9 (2003), 2,099 (2002)

Exports

$185 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Exports - commodities

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners

Belgium 52.1%, US 19.1%, Netherlands 6.8% (2006)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.236 billion (2006 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$5.452 billion (2006 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 49% industry: 31% services: 21% (2001 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$900 (2006 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

7.1% (2006 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 0.5% highest 10%: 43.6% (1989)

Imports

$531 million f.o.b. (2004 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners

Cote d'Ivoire 9.3%, US 7.7%, China 7.7%, Brazil 6.9%, UK 6.7%, Netherlands 5.5%, South Africa 4.5%, India 4.3%, France 4.2% (2006)

Industrial production growth rate

NA%

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

1% (2002 est.)

Labor force

1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

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

Market value of publicly traded shares

$NA

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2005 est.)

Oil - consumption

6,600 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - exports

NA bbl/day

Oil - imports

NA bbl/day

Oil - production

4 bbl/day (2004 est.)

Oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2006)

Population below poverty line

70.2% (2004)

Unemployment rate

NA%

Area

total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km

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

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

300 sq km (2003)

Land boundaries

total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Land use

arable land: 7.95% permanent crops: 1.05% other: 91% (2005)

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

Administrative divisions

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

Capital

name: Freetown geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 13 15 W time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)

Constitution

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

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 Thomas N. HULL embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Ibrahim M. KAMARA 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 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 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%

Flag description

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

Government type

constitutional democracy

Independence

27 April 1961 (from UK)

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, ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch

Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; 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

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

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

Political pressure groups and leaders

trade unions and student unions

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

Background

The government is slowly reestablishing its authority 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 last UN peacekeepers withdrew in December 2005 leaving full responsibility for security with domestic forces. A new civilian UN mission - the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - was established to support the government's efforts to consolidate peace. The most pressing long-term threat to stability in Sierra Leone is the potential for political insecurity surrounding elections in July 2007.

Manpower available for military service

males age 18-49: 1,086,091 (2005 est.)

Manpower fit for military service

males age 18-49: 539,697 (2005 est.)

Military branches

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Air Wing, Navy (Maritime Wing)) (2007)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

2.3% (2006)

Military service age and obligation

18 years of age (est.); no conscription (2001)

Age structure

0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,349,878/female 1,400,297) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,531,763/female 1,664,996) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 92,360/female 105,268) (2007 est.)

Birth rate

45.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Death rate

22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Ethnic groups

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

11,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

170,000 (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 158.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 175.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 140.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 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 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: 40.58 years male: 38.36 years female: 42.87 years (2007 est.)

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.)

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 are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007)

Median age

total: 17.5 years male: 17.2 years female: 17.7 years (2007 est.)

Nationality

noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean

Net migration rate

0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.)

Population

6,144,562 (July 2007 est.)

Population growth rate

2.292% (2007 est.)

Religions

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.964 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.01 children born/woman (2007 est.)

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 abate, the number of refugees in border areas has begun to slowly dwindle; UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) has maintained over 4,000 peacekeepers in Sierra Leone since 1999; 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 (country of origin): 59,952 (Liberia) (2006)

Airports

10 (2007)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (2007)

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (2007)

Heliports

2 (2007)

Merchant marine

total: 113 ships (1000 GRT or over) 314,549 GRT/419,409 DWT by type: bulk carrier 1, cargo 85, chemical tanker 4, combination ore/oil 1, container 4, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 4, petroleum tanker 7, roll on/roll off 4 foreign-owned: 47 (Belgium 1, China 8, Greece 1, Romania 2, Russia 5, Syria 8, Turkey 7, Ukraine 8, UAE 7) (2007)

Ports and terminals

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Roadways

total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (2002)

Waterways

800 km (600 km year round) (2005)