Internet users (Internet Service Providers (ISPs)) [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Radio broadcast stations) [time series]

AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1 (1999)

Radios [time series]

1.12 million (1997)

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

marginal telephone and telegraph service domestic: national microwave radio relay system made unserviceable by military activities international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)

Telephones - fixed lines (Telephones - main lines in use) [time series]

17,000 (1995)

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

NA

Broadcast media (Television broadcast stations) [time series]

2 (1999)

Televisions [time series]

53,000 (1997)

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

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

Budget [time series]

revenues: $96 million expenditures: $150 million, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Exchange rates (Currency) [time series]

1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

Debt - external [time series]

$1.15 billion (1998)

Economic aid (Economic aid - recipient) [time series]

$203.7 million (1995)

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Sierra Leone has substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds 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. Bauxite and rutile mines have been shut down by civil strife. The major source of hard currency is found in the mining of diamonds, the large majority of which are smuggled out of the country. The resurgence of internal warfare in 1999 brought another substantial drop in GDP. The fate of the economy in 2000 depends on the mid-1999 peace accord holding and the rebels reopening territory under their control.

Electricity - consumption [time series]

219 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (1998)

Electricity - production [time series]

235 million kWh (1998)

Electricity - production by source [time series]

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1998)

Exchange rates [time series]

leones (Le) per US$1 - 2,324.77 (January 2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997), 920.73 (1996), 755.22 (1995)

Exports [time series]

$41 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Exports - commodities [time series]

diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish

Exports - partners [time series]

Benelux 49%, Spain 10%, US 8%, UK 3% (1997)

Fiscal year [time series]

1 July - 30 June

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $2.5 billion (1999 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin (GDP - composition by sector) [time series]

agriculture: 52% industry: 16% services: 32% (1996)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita) [time series]

purchasing power parity - $500 (1999 est.)

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

-10% (1999 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

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

Imports [time series]

$166 million (f.o.b., 1998)

Imports - commodities [time series]

foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals

Imports - partners [time series]

UK 24%, Cote d'Ivoire 14%, Benelux 10%, US 8% (1997)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

NA%

Industries [time series]

mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

30% (1999 est.)

Labor force [time series]

1.369 million (1981 est.) note: only about 65,000 wage earners (1985)

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%

Population below poverty line [time series]

68% (1989 est.)

Unemployment rate [time series]

NA%

Area [time series]

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

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Climate [time series]

tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Coastline [time series]

402 km

Elevation (Elevation extremes) [time series]

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

Environment - current issues [time series]

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 depleting natural resources; overfishing

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geographic coordinates [time series]

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Irrigated land [time series]

290 sq km (1993 est.)

Land boundaries [time series]

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

Land use [time series]

arable land: 7% permanent crops: 1% permanent pastures: 31% forests and woodland: 28% other: 33% (1993 est.)

Location [time series]

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

Map references [time series]

Africa

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Natural hazards [time series]

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms

Natural resources [time series]

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Terrain [time series]

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

Administrative divisions [time series]

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

Capital [time series]

Freetown

Constitution [time series]

1 October 1991; subsequently amended several times

Country name [time series]

conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone conventional short form: Sierra Leone

Data code [time series]

SL

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph MELROSE embassy: Corner of Walpole and Siaka Stevens Streets, Freetown mailing address: use embassy street address telephone: [232] (22) 226481 through 226485 FAX: [232] (22) 225471

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador John Ernest LEIGH chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009 telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263 FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government 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; election held 26-27 February and 15 March 1996 (next to be held NA 2001); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH elected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 59.5%, John Karefa-Smart (UNPP) 40.5%

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

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

Government type [time series]

constitutional democracy

Independence [time series]

27 April 1961 (from UK)

International organization participation [time series]

ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO

Judicial branch [time series]

Supreme Court

Legal system [time series]

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

Legislative branch [time series]

unicameral House of Representatives (80 seats - 68 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms) elections: last held 26-27 February 1996 (next to be held NA 2001) election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 36.1%, UNPP 21.6%, PDP 15.3%, APC 5.7%, NUP 5.3%, DCP 4.8%, other 11.2%; seats by party - SLPP 27, UNPP 17, PDP 12, APC 5, NUP 4, DCP 3; note - first elections since the former House of Representatives was shut down by the military coup of 29 April 1992

National holiday [time series]

Republic Day, 27 April (1961)

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

All People's Congress or APC [Edward Mohammed TURAY, chairman]; Democratic Centre Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National Republican Party or NRP [Sahr Stephen MAMBU]; National Unity Party or NUP [Dr. John KARIMU, chairman]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Thaimu BANGURA, chairman]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday SANKOH, chairman]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KARIFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]

Suffrage [time series]

18 years of age; universal

Background [time series]

Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. A peace agreement, signed on 7 July 1999, offers hope that the country will be able to rebuild its devastated economy and infrastructure, but previous peace efforts have failed. As of late 1999, up to 6,000 UN peacekeepers were in the process of deploying to bolster the peace accord.

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Army

Military expenditures - dollar figure [time series]

$46 million (FY96/97)

Military expenditures (Military expenditures - percent of GDP) [time series]

2% (FY96/97)

Military manpower - availability [time series]

males age 15-49: 1,119,540 (2000 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service [time series]

males age 15-49: 543,124 (2000 est.)

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 44.73% (male 1,148,264; female 1,192,533) 15-64 years: 52.16% (male 1,305,039; female 1,424,076) 65 years and over: 3.11% (male 81,291; female 81,421) (2000 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

45.63 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate [time series]

19.58 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Ethnic groups [time series]

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

Infant mortality rate [time series]

148.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Languages [time series]

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 [time series]

total population: 45.25 years male: 42.37 years female: 48.21 years (2000 est.)

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 31.4% male: 45.4% female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Nationality [time series]

noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean

Net migration rate [time series]

10.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.) note: by the end of 1999 refugees from Sierra Leone are assumed to be returning

Population [time series]

5,232,624 (July 2000 est.)

Population growth rate [time series]

3.67% (2000 est.)

Religions [time series]

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

Sex ratio [time series]

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate [time series]

6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)

Disputes - international [time series]

none [Country Listing] [ The World Factbook Home]

Airports [time series]

10 (1999 est.)

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 1 over 3,047 m: 1 (1999 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 9 914 to 1,523 m: 7 under 914 m: 2 (1999 est.)

Heliports [time series]

1 (1999 est.)

Roadways (Highways) [time series]

total: 11,300 km paved: 904 km unpaved: 10,396 km (1999 est.)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 1 ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,105 GRT/1,307 DWT ships by type: specialized tanker 1 (1999 est.)

Ports (Ports and harbors) [time series]

Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Railways [time series]

total: 84 km used on a limited basis because the mine at Marampa is closed narrow gauge: 84 km 1.067-m gauge

Waterways [time series]

800 km; 600 km navigable year round