Sierra Leone

Location

• Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
• rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 in) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal western Africa

Population

Notable Population Centers

City	Population	Note
Freetown	802,639	Capital
Bo	174,354
Kenema	143,137
Koidu	124,662
Makeni	87,679
Waterloo	55,000
Njala	40,000
Lunsar	22,461
Port Loko	21,308
Goderich	19,209

Size

• 27,699 square miles
• 71,740 square kilometers
• slightly smaller than South Carolina

History

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.

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

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.)

Government

presidential republic

• Constitution: history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991amendment process: 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
• Political Parties and Leaders: n/a
• Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
• Legal System: mixed system of English common law and customary law
• 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 presidentelection/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 2023election results: 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 2028note: the president is chief of state, head of government, and minister of defense
• Judicial Branch: highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court at the top, 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)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 65subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts
• Legislative Branch: legislature name: Parliamentlegislative structure: unicameralnumber of seats: 149 (135 directly elected; 14 indirectly elected)electoral system: proportional representationscope of elections: full renewalterm in office: 5 yearsmost recent election date: 6/24/2023parties 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 2028note: 14 seats are reserved for "paramount chiefs," who are indirectly elected to represent the 14 provincial districts

Demographic Profile

n/a

Economy

• low-income West African economy; primarily subsistent agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities suspended; slow recovery from 1990s civil war; systemic corruption; high-risk debt; high youth unemployment; natural resource rich
• Budget: revenues: $740 million (2019 est.)expenditures: $867 million (2019 est.)
• Credit Rating: n/a
• Natural Resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
• Industries: diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear)
• Agricultural Products: cassava, rice, oil palm fruit, vegetables, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruits, fruits, groundnuts, sugarcane (2023)note: top ten agricultural products based on tonnage
• Land Use: agricultural land: 54.7% (2022 est.)arable land: 21.9% (2022 est.)permanent crops: 2.3% (2022 est.)permanent pasture: 30.5% (2022 est.)forest: 34.6% (2022 est.)other: 10.7% (2022 est.)
• Labor Force by Occupation: n/a
• Imports
• Imported Commodities: rice, plastic products, packaged medicine, cement, cars (2023)note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars
• Import Partners: China 32%, India 15%, UAE 5%, USA 5%, Turkey 5% (2023)note: top five import partners based on percentage share of imports
• Exports
• Exported Commodities: iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, aluminum ore, cocoa beans (2023)note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars
• Export Partners: China 67%, India 6%, Belgium 5%, Netherlands 4%, Ireland 3% (2023)note: top five export partners based on percentage share of exports