Sierra LeoneDownload light PDF version

Overview

Since the brutal civil war ended in 2002, Sierra Leone has held two rounds of democratic elections and has emerged as a success story for international peacebuilding initiatives. The Special Court for Sierra Leone was set up in 2002 to deal with war crimes committed since 1996 and the primary perpetrators have been brought to justice.

This political stability has led to a revival of economic activity. Sierra Leone is among the top 10 diamond producing nations in the world and is also among the largest producers of titanium and bauxite, and a major producer of gold.

Regionally, Sierra Leone is a founding member of the Mano River Union (MRU), which was created to foster economic co-operation with Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea and Liberia. Nevertheless, like its neighbouring country, Liberia, Sierra Leone suffers from a dramatic lack of transport infrastructure which limits its integration in the regional economy.

Institutional Framework

Government type:

Constitutional democracy
Constitution: 1 October 1991; amended several times

 
Legal system:
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
Administrative division
3 provinces and 1 area*: Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
Executive branch:
  • Chief of state: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
  • Head of government: President Ernest Bai KOROMA (since 17 September 2007)
  • Cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval
Legislative branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats; 112 members elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members to serve five-year terms)
Judical branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
Political parties:
  • All People's Congress or APC;
  • Peace and Liberation Party or PLP;
  • People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC;
  • Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 11 August 2007 and 8 September 2007 (next to be held in 2012)
Election results: :second round results; percent of vote - Ernest Bai KOROMA 54.6%, Solomon BEREWA 45.4%
Central bank: Central Bank of Sierra Leone
Military branches:

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Army (includes Maritime Wing and Air Wing)

Military age and obligations:

17 years 6 months of age for male and female voluntary military service (younger with parental consent); no conscription; candidates must be HIV negative (2009)
Membership in regional organisations:

AfDB, AU, ECOWAS, MRU, Cen-sad

Source: CIA Factbook, Country Profile Sierra Leone

Regional Indicators

Land boundaries:

958 km

Border countries:

Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline:

402 km

Airports: 9, including 1 with paved runways
Railways: -
Roadways:

11 300 km; paved: 904 km; unpaved: 10 396 km (2002)

Waterways:

800 km (600 km navigable year round) (2009)

Ports and terminals:

Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands

Demographic Trends

  • Population 2010: 5 868 000
  • Projection 2050: 12 446 000
  • Population < 15 years: 2523240 (43% * 5868000)
  • Population density:  82/sq. km
  • Urban agglomeration: Freetown (901 000 =15.4%)
  • Annual Growth: 2.60% (2005-2010) > 2.09% (2010-2015)
  • Woman fertility (children per women): 5.22 (2005-2010)> 4.73
  • Median age: 18.4
  • Dependency ratio: 81

Migration and Mobility

  • Number of emigrants (2010): 267 000 =4.6% of pop
  • Number of immigrants (2010): 106 800 = 1.8% of pop
  • Top destination countries: Guinea, the United Kingdom, the United States, Liberia, Germany, the Netherlands, Nigeria, The Gambia, Canada, Australia
  • Refugees within country: 7 800 (2009)

Economic Indicators

  • GDP total: USD  5 128 million
  • GDP per capita: USD 879
  • Annual Growth: 3.2%
  • Average growth (2002-10): 8.7%
  • Currency: leones (SLL)
  • Inflation Rate: 9.2%
  • Main Exports: diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
  • Main Export partners: Belgium 27%, US 12%, Netherlands 8%, UK 7.5%, Cote d’Ivoire 6.2%, China 4.4%, Greece 4.1% (2009)
  • Main Imports: foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
  • Main import partners: South Africa 14.6%, China 7.6%, Malaysia 6.7%, US 5.9%, Côte d'Ivoire 5.6%, France 5.1%, India 4.7%, UK 4.5%, Netherlands 4.1% (2009)
  • Trade balance: USD -187 million
  • Foreign Direct Investment inflows: USD 33 million (2008)
  • Estimated Diaspora Remittances 2009: 2.3% of GDP
  • = USD 47 million
  • = USD 8 per capita
  • ODA received 2009: USD 437 million
  • =as % of GDP: 8.52%
  • =per capita: 74.47 USDCategory: Low income (2011)

Public Spending on:

  • Education as a percentage of total government expenditure (2000-2007): NA.
  • Health as a percentage of total government expenditure (WHO, 2009): 7.8%
  • Military: USD  42.9  million =2.4% of GDP (2008 e)

External Debt: USD  683 million (2009)
Debt service (as % of Exports 2010e): 4%
Public finance (% of GDP 2009):

  • Revenue and grants: 19.7%
  • Expenditures and net lending: 22.9%
  • Overall balance:-3.2
  • IMF Adjustment Programme:  yes
  • Corruption Perception Index (xx/10):  2.4 (134/178)
  • Index of Economic Freedom (xx/100):  49.6 (149/179)
  • WB Doing Business Index: 143/183
  • Ibrahim African Governance index: 49.1

 

Food Security

Global Hunger Index (IFPRI, 2011): 25.2
Food supply (kcal per capita/day) 2 128
Number of people undernourished:
1.8 million

:Percentage of people undernourished:

 35%
Child malnutrition, underweight: 30%
Child malnutrition, stunting: 40%

Land use

Land area (1 000 ha): 7 162
Agricultural land area (1 000 ha):
3 415

Arable land (1 000 ha):

 1 795
Permanent crops (1 000 ha): 135
Pastures (1 000 ha): 2 200
Irrigated land (1 000 ha): 30
Share in total water use by
  • agriculture: 92.1%
  • industry: 2.6%
  • domestic use: 5.3%
Forest area (1000 ha): 2 726

Source: FAOStat and FAO Country Profile

Social Indicators

Religion & Ethnicity

  • Ethnic Groups : Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census)
  • Major Religions: Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Health

  • Life Expectancy: 47.4 (2005-2010)
  • Under-five Mortality Rate (per 1000 live births) (2008): 194
  • Number of physicians (for 100 000 people) (2004): 3.1
  • Hospital Beds (for 10 000 people): 4 (2006)
  • Estimated HIV prevalence (2007): 1,7%

Education:

  • Adult literacy rate: (% age 15 and above): 39,8% (2008)
  • Youth Literacy Rate: 55,7% (2008)
  • Net Primary Enrolment Ratio: 1322205 (2007)
  • Net Secondary Enrolment Ration: 239579 (2007)
  • Tertiary Students: N.A
  • University attendance Ration: N.A

ICT & Media:

  • Internet Access (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 0.26
  • Internet domain: .sl
  • International dialing code: 232
  • Mobile line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 20.36
  • Main telephone line (per 100 inhabitants) 2009: 0.58

Basic Services

  • Access to electricity 2007: kWh 58 millions
  • Water supply coverage 2008: 49% (urban 86%, rural 26%)
  • Sanitation coverage2008: 13% (urban 24%, rural 6%)