| Geographical Information |
| Map Location |
Africa |
| Geographical Location |
8° 30' North Latitude
11° 30' West Longitude |
| Surface Area |
71,740 sq km |
| Climate |
Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) |
| Natural Resources |
Diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite |
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| Political Information |
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| Country Name |
Republic of Sierra Leone |
| Capital City |
Freetown |
| Government Type |
Constitutional democracy |
| Administrative Divisions |
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western* |
| Independence Day |
27 April 1961 (from UK) |
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| Demographical Information |
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| Population |
6,017,643 (July 2005 est.) |
| Nationality |
Sierra Leonean |
| Ethnic Groups |
20 native African tribes 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 |
| Religion |
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10% |
| 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%) |
| Population Growth Rate |
2.22% (2005 est.) |
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| Economical Information |
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| Currency |
Leone (SLL) |
| Industries |
Diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair |
| Labor Force |
1.369 million (1981 est.) |
| Labor Force by Sectors |
Agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA |
| Agriculture Products |
Rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish |
| Export Commodities |
Diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish (1999) |
| Export Partners |
Belgium 63.1%, Germany 11.9%, US 5.8% (2004) |
| Import Commodities |
Foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals (1995) |
| Import Partners |
Germany 17.3%, UK 9.2%, Cote d'Ivoire 8%, US 8%, Ukraine 4.9%, Netherlands 4.7%, China 4.5%, Denmark 4.2% (2004) |
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| Transportation |
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| Railways |
- |
| Highways |
11,300 km |
| Pipelines |
- |
| Airports |
10 (2004 est.) |
| Ports and Harbors |
Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel |
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| Communication |
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| Phone Code |
+232 |
| Internet Abbreviation |
.sl |
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| Other |
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| Short History |
The 1991 to 2002 civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people
(about one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community,
demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its authority.
However, the gradual withdrawal of most UN Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) peacekeepers in 2004 and early 2005, deteriorating political and economic conditions in Guinea, and the tenuous security situation
in neighboring Liberia may present challenges to the continuation of Sierra Leone's stability. |
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