Geography
Area: 71,740 sq. km. (29,925 sq. mi.); slightly smaller than South Carolina.
Cities: Capital – Freetown (est. 786,900). Provincial capitals–Southern Province, Bo; Eastern Province, Kenema; Northern Province, Makeni.
Terrain: Mangrove swamps and beaches and mostly shallow bays along the coast, wooded hills along the immediate interior, and a mountainous plateau in the interior.
People
Nationality: Noun and adjective–Sierra Leonean(s).
Population (2009 est., World Factbook): 6,440,053.
Annual growth rate (2009 est.): 2.282%.
Ethnic groups: 20 African ethnic groups – Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%; Krio (Creole) 10%; refugees from Liberia’s recent civil war; and small numbers of Europeans, Indians, Pakistanis, and Lebanese.
Religions: (est.) Muslim 60%, Christian 30%, animist 10%.
Languages: English, Krio, Temne, Mende, and 15 other indigenous languages.
Education (2004): Literacy–35.1%.
Health: Life expectancy (2009 est.)–41.24 years. Infant mortality rate–154.43 deaths/1,000 live births. HIV infection rate for adults, ages 15-49 years (2007 est.)–1.7%.
Work force: Agriculture–52.5%; industry–30.6%; services–16.9%.
The population includes 20 African ethnic groups. The Temne in the north and the Mende in the south are the largest. About 10% of the population are Krio, the descendants of freed slaves who returned to Sierra Leone from Great Britain and North America and from slave ships captured on the high seas. In addition, about 4,000 Lebanese, 500 Indians, and 2,000 Europeans reside in the country.
In the past, Sierra Leoneans were noted for their educational achievements, trading activity, entrepreneurial skills, and arts and crafts work, particularly woodcarving. Many are part of larger ethnic networks extending into several countries, which link West African states in the area. However, the level of education and infrastructure has declined sharply over the last 30 years.
Government And Political Conditions
Type: Republic with a democratically elected president and unicameral parliament.
Independence: From Britain, April 27, 1961.
Constitution: October 1, 1991.
Political parties: The Political Parties Registration Commission was formed in late 2005 to review registered parties to see whether they still met registration requirements. Most of the parties are inactive. Major parties–Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP), All People’s Congress (APC), and People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC).
Sierra Leone is a republic with an executive president and a multi-party system of government with a 124-seat parliament (112 elected members and 12 paramount chiefs). On August 11, 2007, Sierra Leone held nationwide presidential and parliamentary elections for the first time since the departure of UN peacekeepers. In the parliamentary elections, the National Election Commission reported the All People’s Congress (APC) won a parliamentary majority taking 59 of 112 seats, while the ruling Sierra Leone’s People’s Party (SLPP) took 43 seats. The People’s Movement for Democratic Change (PMDC) won 10 seats in Parliament. In addition to their peaceful administration, the 2007 parliamentary elections were notable for the return to a constituency-based system, as called for in the 1991 constitution. In preparation for the elections, Sierra Leone redrew parliament’s constituency boundaries for the first time since 1985.
Economy
Sierra Leone Interest Rate at 15.00 Percent
The benchmark interest rate in Sierra Leone was last recorded at 15 percent. Interest Rate in Sierra Leone is reported by the Bank of Sierra Leone. Historically, from 2000 until 2013, Sierra Leone Interest Rate averaged 22.7 Percent reaching an all time high of 27.0 Percent in October of 2000 and a record low of 15.0 Percent in June of 2013. In Sierra Leone, interest rates decisions are taken by the Bank of Sierra Leone’s Monetary Policy Committee. The BSL’s official interest rate is the monetary policy rate. This page includes a chart with historical data for Interest Rate in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone Inflation Rate at 10.86 Percent
The inflation rate in Sierra Leone was recorded at 10.86 percent in May of 2013. Inflation Rate in Sierra Leone is reported by the Statistics Sierra Leone. Historically, from 1986 until 2013, Sierra Leone Inflation Rate averaged 33.7 Percent reaching an all time high of 255.6 Percent in June of 1987 and a record low of -21.8 Percent in January of 2000. In Sierra Leone, the inflation rate measures a broad rise or fall in prices that consumers pay for a standard basket of goods. This page includes a chart with historical data for Inflation Rate in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone GDP Annual Growth Rate at 6.20 Percent
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Sierra Leone expanded 6.20 percent in 2012 from the previous year. GDP Annual Growth Rate in Sierra Leone is reported by the Statistics Sierra Leone. Historically, from 1961 until 2012, Sierra Leone GDP Annual Growth Rate averaged 2.4 Percent reaching an all time high of 16.4 Percent in December of 2001 and a record low of -19.0 Percent in December of 1992. Sierra Leone is one of the poorest countries in the world. More than 50 percent of government revenue comes from foreign aid and the majority of the population rely on subsistence agriculture. However, Sierra Leone has been steadily growing since the end of a devastating civil war in 2002. Diamond production is an important source of revenue and accounts for 63 percent of total exports. Recent government efforts to develop the industry and fight corruption irradiation seem to be successful and the country is expected to keep current pace of expansion. This page includes a chart with historical data for GDP Annual Growth Rate in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone | Credit Rating at 15.00
This page displays the sovereign debt credit rating as reported by the major credit rating agencies for Sierra Leone. In general, a credit rating is used by sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and other investors to gauge the credit worthiness of Sierra Leone thus having a big impact on the country’s borrowing costs. This page includes the government debt credit rating for Sierra Leone as reported by major credit rating agencies.
Sierra Leone Population at 6.00 Million
The total population in Sierra Leone was last recorded at 6.0 million people in 2011 from 2.2 million in 1960, changing 174 percent during the last 50 years. Population in Sierra Leone is reported by the World Bank. Historically, from 1960 until 2011, Sierra Leone Population averaged 3.6 Million reaching an all time high of 6.0 Million in December of 2011 and a record low of 2.2 Million in December of 1960. The population of Sierra Leone represents 0.09 percent of the world´s total population which arguably means that one person in every 1162 people on the planet is a resident of Sierra Leone. This page includes a chart with historical data for Population in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone GDP at 2.24 USD Billion
The Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in Sierra Leone was worth 2.24 billion US dollars in 2011. The GDP value of Sierra Leone represents less than 0.01 percent of the world economy. GDP in Sierra Leone is reported by the World Bank. Historically, from 1960 until 2011, Sierra Leone GDP averaged 0.9 USD Billion reaching an all time high of 2.2 USD Billion in December of 2011 and a record low of 0.3 USD Billion in December of 1960. The gross domestic product (GDP) measures of national income and output for a given country’s economy. The gross domestic product (GDP) is equal to the total expenditures for all final goods and services produced within the country in a stipulated period of time. This page includes a chart with historical data for GDP in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone GDP per capita at 278.24 USD
The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Sierra Leone was last recorded at 278.24 US dollars in 2011. The GDP per Capita in Sierra Leone is equivalent to 2 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone is reported by the World Bank. Historically, from 1960 until 2011, Sierra Leone GDP per capita averaged 248.7 USD reaching an all time high of 303.3 USD in December of 1982 and a record low of 152.1 USD in December of 1999. The GDP per capita is obtained by dividing the country’s gross domestic product, adjusted by inflation, by the total population. This page includes a chart with historical data for GDP per capita in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone Government Debt To GDP at 37.90 Percent
Sierra Leone recorded a Government Debt to GDP of 37.90 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2011. Government Debt To GDP in Sierra Leone is reported by the Bank of Sierra Leone. Historically, from 1990 until 2011, Sierra Leone Government Debt To GDP averaged 120.0 Percent reaching an all time high of 247.4 Percent in December of 1999 and a record low of 31.5 Percent in December of 2008. Generally, Government debt as a percent of GDP is used by investors to measure a country ability to make future payments on its debt, thus affecting the country borrowing costs and government bond yields. This page includes a chart with historical data for Government Debt To GDP in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone GDP per capita PPP at 876.97 USD
The Gross Domestic Product per capita in Sierra Leone was last recorded at 876.97 US dollars in 2011, when adjusted by purchasing power parity (PPP). The GDP per Capita, in Sierra Leone, when adjusted by Purchasing Power Parity is equivalent to 4 percent of the world’s average. GDP per capita PPP in Sierra Leone is reported by the World Bank. Historically, from 1980 until 2011, Sierra Leone GDP per capita PPP averaged 531.5 USD reaching an all time high of 877.0 USD in December of 2011 and a record low of 365.0 USD in December of 1999. The GDP per capita PPP is obtained by dividing the country’s gross domestic product, adjusted by purchasing power parity, by the total population. This page includes a chart with historical data for GDP per capita PPP in Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone Current Account to GDP at -55.70 Percent
Sierra Leone recorded a Current Account deficit of 55.70 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product in 2011. Current Account to GDP in Sierra Leone is reported by the Bank of Sierra Leone. Historically, from 1977 until 2011, Sierra Leone Current Account to GDP averaged -8.6 Percent reaching an all time high of 28.7 Percent in December of 1986 and a record low of -55.7 Percent in December of 2011. The Current account balance as a percent of GDP provides an indication on the level of international competitiveness of a country. Usually, countries recording a strong current account surplus have an economy heavily dependent on exports revenues, with high savings ratings but weak domestic demand. On the other hand, countries recording a current account deficit have strong imports, a low saving rates and high personal consumption rates as a percentage of disposable incomes. This page includes a chart with historical data for Current Account to GDP in Sierra Leone.
History
European contacts with Sierra Leone were among the first in West Africa. In 1652, the first slaves in North America were brought from Sierra Leone to the Sea Islands off the coast of the southern United States. During the 1700s there was a thriving trade bringing slaves from Sierra Leone to the plantations of South Carolina and Georgia where their rice-farming skills made them particularly valuable.
In 1787 the British helped 400 freed slaves from the United States, Nova Scotia, and Great Britain return to Sierra Leone to settle in what they called the “Province of Freedom.” Disease and hostility from the indigenous people nearly eliminated the first group of returnees. This settlement was joined by other groups of freed slaves and soon became known as Freetown. In 1792, Freetown became one of Britain’s first colonies in West Africa. Foreign Relations
Sierra Leone has maintained cordial relations with the West, in particular with the United Kingdom. It also maintains diplomatic relations with China, Libya, Cuba, Iran and Russia.
Sierra Leone is a member of the UN and its specialized agencies, the Commonwealth, the African Union (AU), the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the African Development Bank (AFDB), the Mano River Union (MRU), the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC), and the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM).