Dialing code +232
ISO 2 code SL
ISO 3 code SLE
Capital Freetown
Main Language English
Currency Leone (SLL)
GDP $4.3 billion 157th
Population 5,245,695 113th

Geography

Continent Africa
Location Western Africa bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and Liberia
Land 71,740 km2 120th
Terrain Coastal belt of mangrove swamps wooded hill country upland plateau mountains in east
Climate Tropical; hot humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Natural Hazards Coastal belt of mangrove swamps wooded hill country upland plateau mountains in east
Note: Rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year making it one of the wettest places along coastal western Africa

Neighbouring Countries

Guinea Liberia

History

Democracy is slowly being reestablished after the civil war from 1991 to 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 is increasingly developing as a guarantor of the country's stability. The armed forces remained on the sideline during the 2007 presidential election but still look to the UN Integrated Office in Sierra Leone (UNIOSIL) - a civilian UN mission - to support efforts to consolidate peace. The new government's priorities include furthering development creating jobs and stamping out endemic corruption.
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Demographics

Life Expectancy 41.24 years 201st
Median Age 17.5 years 191st
Birth Rate 44.73 births/1,000 population 5th
Death Rate 21.91 births/1,000 population 4th
Sex Ratio 0.84 male(s)/female 68th
Literacy 35.1% 200th
Population

5.2 million

Transportation

Roadways 11300 km 133rd
Railways None km
Airports 10 152nd
Waterways 800 km 71st
Heliports 2 58th
Airports paved 1 195th

Economy

Currency Leone (SLL)
GDP $4.3 billion 157th
GDP per capita (PPP) $700 199th