Sierra Leone

Broadcast media

1 government-owned TV station; 3 private TV stations; 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 (2019)

Internet country code

.sl

Internet users

total: 708,615 | percent of population: 11.8% (July 2016 est.)

Telephone system

general assessment: telephone service improving with the expansion of the mobile sector; the national microwave radio relay trunk system connects Freetown to Bo and Kenema; mobile-cellular service has grown rapidly from a small base, overcoming the deficiencies of the fixed-line sector; mobile sector high penetration; investments in upgrades to LTE (2018) | domestic: fixed-line less than 1 per 100 and mobile-cellular 102 per 100 (2018) | international: country code - 232; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking South Africa, over 20 western African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 17,000 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: less than 1 (July 2016 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 6,279,270 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 102 (July 2016 est.)

Agriculture - products

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

Budget

revenues: 562 million (2017 est.) | expenditures: 846.4 million (2017 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-7.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Central bank discount rate

NA

Commercial bank prime lending rate

17.92% (31 December 2017 est.) | 18.04% (31 December 2016 est.)

Current account balance

-$407 million (2017 est.) | -$88 million (2016 est.)

Debt - external

$1.615 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.503 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Distribution of family income - Gini index

34 (2011) | 62.9 (1989)

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. Until 2014, the government had relied on external assistance to support its budget, but it was gradually becoming more independent. The Ebola outbreak of 2014 and 2015, combined with falling global commodities prices, caused a significant contraction of economic activity in all areas. While the World Health Organization declared an end to the Ebola outbreak in Sierra Leone in November 2015, low commodity prices in 2015-2016 contributed to the country’s biggest fiscal shortfall since 2001. In 2017, increased iron ore exports, together with the end of the Ebola epidemic, supported a resumption of economic growth. Continued economic growth will depend on rising commodities prices and increased efforts to diversify the sources of growth. Non-mining activities will remain constrained by inadequate infrastructure, such as power and roads, even though power sector projects may provide some additional electricity capacity in the near term. Pervasive corruption and undeveloped human capital will continue to deter foreign investors. Sustained international donor support in the near future will partially offset these fiscal constraints.

Exchange rates

leones (SLL) per US dollar - | 7,396.3 (2017 est.) | 6,289.9 (2016 est.) | 6,289.9 (2015 est.) | 5,080.8 (2014 est.) | 4,524.2 (2013 est.)

Exports

$808.4 million (2017 est.) | $670 million (2016 est.)

Exports - commodities

iron ore, diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners

Cote dIvoire 37.7%, Belgium 20.5%, US 15.7%, China 10.2%, Netherlands 6.1% (2017)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate)

$3.612 billion (2017 est.)

GDP (purchasing power parity)

$11.55 billion (2017 est.) | $11.14 billion (2016 est.) | $10.48 billion (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption: 97.9% (2017 est.) | government consumption: 12.1% (2017 est.) | investment in fixed capital: 18.1% (2017 est.) | investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.) | exports of goods and services: 26.8% (2017 est.) | imports of goods and services: -55.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 60.7% (2017 est.) | industry: 6.5% (2017 est.) | services: 32.9% (2017 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP)

$1,600 (2017 est.) | $1,500 (2016 est.) | $1,500 (2015 est.) | note: data are in 2017 dollars

GDP - real growth rate

3.7% (2017 est.) | 6.3% (2016 est.) | -20.5% (2015 est.)

Gross national saving

10% of GDP (2017 est.) | 7.9% of GDP (2016 est.) | -5.9% of GDP (2015 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

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

Imports

$1.107 billion (2017 est.) | $972.8 million (2016 est.)

Imports - commodities

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners

China 11.5%, US 9.2%, Belgium 8.8%, UAE 7.7%, India 7.4%, Turkey 5.2%, Senegal 5.1%, Netherlands 4.3% (2017)

Industrial production growth rate

15.5% (2017 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

18.2% (2017 est.) | 10.9% (2016 est.)

Labor force

2.972 million (2017 est.)

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture: 61.1% | industry: 5.5% | services: 33.4% (2014 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares

NA

Population below poverty line

70.2% (2004 est.)

Public debt

63.9% of GDP (2017 est.) | 54.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

$478 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $497.2 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of broad money

$387.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $381.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad

$56.8 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $6.7 million (31 December 2014 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home

$1.042 billion (31 December 2017 est.) | $1.832 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of domestic credit

$572.6 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $527.6 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Stock of narrow money

$387.4 million (31 December 2017 est.) | $381.8 million (31 December 2016 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

15.6% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Unemployment rate

15% (2017 est.) | 17.2% (2016 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy

984,800 Mt (2017 est.)

Crude oil - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - imports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Crude oil - production

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

Crude oil - proved reserves

0 bbl (1 January 2018 est.)

Electricity - consumption

279 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - from fossil fuels

23% of total installed capacity (2016 est.)

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants

51% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from nuclear fuels

0% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - from other renewable sources

26% of total installed capacity (2017 est.)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity - installed generating capacity

113,300 kW (2016 est.)

Electricity - production

300 million kWh (2016 est.)

Electricity access

population without electricity: 6 million (2017) | electrification - total population: 20% (2017) | electrification - urban areas: 19% (2017) | electrification - rural areas: 20% (2017)

Natural gas - consumption

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - exports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - imports

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - production

0 cu m (2017 est.)

Natural gas - proved reserves

0 cu m (1 January 2014 est.)

Refined petroleum products - consumption

6,500 bbl/day (2016 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

0 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

6,439 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

0 bbl/day (2017 est.)

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

mean elevation: 279 m | 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, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing

Environment - international agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, 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 (2012)

Land boundaries

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

Land use

agricultural land: 56.2% (2011 est.) | arable land: 23.4% (2011 est.) / permanent crops: 2.3% (2011 est.) / permanent pasture: 30.5% (2011 est.) | forest: 37.5% (2011 est.) | 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 | exclusive economic zone: 200 nm | contiguous zone: 24 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

Population distribution

population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated

Terrain

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

Administrative divisions

4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, 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) | etymology: name derived from the fact that the original settlement served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans, as well as for liberated Africans rescued from slave ships

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone | dual citizenship recognized: yes | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution

history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991 | amendments: proposed by Parliament; passage of amendments requires at least two-thirds majority vote of Parliament in two successive readings and assent of the president of the republic; passage of amendments affecting fundamental rights and freedoms and many other constitutional sections also requires approval in a referendum with participation of at least one half of qualified voters and at least two thirds of votes cast; amended several times, last in 2013 (2017)

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 | etymology: the Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA named the country "Serra Leoa" (Lion Mountains) for the impressive mountains he saw while sailing the West African coast in 1462

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Maria E. BREWER (since 20 December 2017) | telephone: [232] 99 105 000 | embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown | mailing address: use embassy street address | FAX: [232] 99 515 355

Diplomatic representation in the US

Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr WAI (since 4 April 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 Julius Maada BIO (since 4 April 2018); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 4 April 2018) ; note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and minister of defense | head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 4 April 2018); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 4 April 2018) | 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 4 April 2018 (next to be in March 2023) | election results: Julius Maada BIO elected president in second round; percent of vote - Julius Maada BIO (SLPP) 51.8%, Samura KAMARA (APC) 48.2%

Flag description

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

presidential republic

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 courts: 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 are subject to approval by Parliament; all Judicature judges serve 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 (146 seats; 132 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by simple majority vote and 14 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms) | elections: last held on 7 March 2018 (next to be held in March 2023) | election results: percent of vote by party - n/a; seats by party - APC 68, SLPP 49, C4C 8, other 7; composition - men 131, women 15, percent of women 10.3%

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] Coalition for Change or C4C [Tamba R. SANDY] National Grand Coalition or NGC [Dr. Dennis BRIGHT] Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Dr. Prince HARDING] numerous other parties

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 to 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, has developed as a guarantor of the country's stability; the armed forces remained on the sideline during the 2007, 2012, and 2018 national elections. 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 free primary and secondary education, economic growth, accountable governance, health, and infrastructure.

Military and security forces

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing) (2019)

Military expenditures

0.8% of GDP (2018) | 1.11% of GDP (2017) | 1.14% of GDP (2016) | 0.92% of GDP (2015) | 0.97% of GDP (2014)

Military service age and obligation

18-29 for voluntary military service; women are eligible to serve; no conscription (2019)

Age structure

0-14 years: 41.71% (male 1,314,905 /female 1,317,921) | 15-24 years: 18.6% (male 572,274 /female 602,105) | 25-54 years: 32.23% (male 973,698 /female 1,060,688) | 55-64 years: 3.7% (male 110,176 /female 123,268) | 65 years and over: 3.76% (male 97,922 /female 139,255) (2018 est.) | population pyramid: The World Factbook Field Image Modal × Africa :: Sierra Leone Print Image Description This is the population pyramid for Sierra Leone. A population pyramid illustrates the age and sex structure of a country's population and may provide insights about political and social stability, as well as economic development. The population is distributed along the horizontal axis, with males shown on the left and females on the right. The male and female populations are broken down into 5-year age groups represented as horizontal bars along the vertical axis, with the youngest age groups at the bottom and the oldest at the top. The shape of the population pyramid gradually evolves over time based on fertility, mortality, and international migration trends. For additional information, please see the entry for Population pyramid on the Definitions and Notes page under the References tab.

Birth rate

36 births/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

18.2% (2013)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

22.5% (2017)

Current Health Expenditure

16.5% (2016)

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Demographic profile

Sierra Leone’s youthful and growing population is driven by its high total fertility rate (TFR) of almost 5 children per woman, which has declined little over the last two decades. Its elevated TFR is sustained by the continued desire for large families, the low level of contraceptive use, and the early start of childbearing. Despite its high TFR, Sierra Leone’s population growth is somewhat tempered by high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates that are among the world’s highest and are a result of poverty, a lack of potable water and sanitation, poor nutrition, limited access to quality health care services, and the prevalence of female genital cutting. Sierra Leone’s large youth cohort – about 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment, which was one of the major causes of the country’s 1991-2002 civil war and remains a threat to stability today. Its estimated 60% youth unemployment rate is attributed to high levels of illiteracy and unskilled labor, a lack of private sector jobs, and low pay. Sierra Leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Sierra Leone’s civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries (370,000 Sierra Leoneans fled to Guinea and 120,000 to Liberia). The UNHCR has helped almost 180,000 Sierra Leoneans to return home, while more than 90,000 others have repatriated on their own. Of the more than 65,000 Liberians who took refuge in Sierra Leone during their country’s civil war (1989-2003), about 50,000 have been voluntarily repatriated by the UNHCR and others have returned home independently. As of 2015, less than 1,000 Liberians still reside in Sierra Leone.

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 82.6 (2015 est.) | youth dependency ratio: 78 (2015 est.) | elderly dependency ratio: 4.6 (2015 est.) | potential support ratio: 21.9 (2015 est.)

Drinking water source

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

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2017)

Ethnic groups

Temne 35.5%, Mende 33.2%, Limba 6.4%, Kono 4.4%, Fullah 3.4%, Loko 2.9%, Koranko 2.8%, Sherbro 2.6%, Mandingo 2.4%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other Sierra Leone 4.7%, other foreign 0.3% (includes refugees from Liberia's civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians), unspecified 0.2% (2013 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

1.5% (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

2,100 (2018 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

70,000 (2018 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 66.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2018 est.) | male: 74.9 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 58.3 deaths/1,000 live births

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: 59 years (2018 est.) | male: 56.4 years | female: 61.7 years

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)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high (2016) | food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever (2016) | vectorborne diseases: malaria, dengue fever, and yellow fever (2016) | water contact diseases: schistosomiasis (2016) | animal contact diseases: rabies (2016) | aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever (2016)

Major urban areas - population

1.168 million FREETOWN (capital) (2019)

Maternal mortality rate

1,120 deaths/100,000 live births (2017 est.)

Median age

total: 19.1 years (2018 est.) | male: 18.4 years | female: 19.7 years

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.2 years (2013 est.) | note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

-1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.7% (2016)

Physicians density

0.03 physicians/1,000 population (2011)

Population

6,312,212 (July 2018 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

Population growth rate

2.4% (2018 est.)

Religions

Muslim 78.6%, Christian 20.8%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2013 est.)

Sanitation facility access

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

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female | 0-14 years: 1 male(s)/female | 15-24 years: 0.95 male(s)/female | 25-54 years: 0.92 male(s)/female | 55-64 years: 0.89 male(s)/female | 65 years and over: 0.7 male(s)/female | total population: 0.95 male(s)/female (2018 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.69 children born/woman (2018 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.4% | male: 14.8% | female: 6.1% (2014 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 42.5% of total population (2019) | rate of urbanization: 3.12% annual rate of change (2015-20 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)

Airports - with paved runways

total: 1 (2017) | over 3,047 m: 1 (2017)

Airports - with unpaved runways

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

9L (2016)

Heliports

2 (2013)

Merchant marine

total: 469 | by type: bulk carrier 21, container ship 10, general cargo 255, oil tanker 68, other 115 (2018)

National air transport system

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 50,193 (2015) | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 mt-km (2015)

Ports and terminals

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

Waterways

800 km (600 km navigable year-round) (2011)