Sierra Leone

Republic of Sierra Leone

Africa Freetown

Population

9.33M

Area

71,740 km²

GDP

$7.55B

GDP Per Capita

$3,100

Pop. Density

130/km²

Quick Facts

Currency

LeLeone(SLE)

Calling Code

+232

Timezone

UTC

Languages

English

Driving Side

right

Demonym

Sierra Leonean

Background

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.

Historical Trends

GDP (USD)

↑113.6% since 2006

$3B (2006)$7B (2024)

Population

↑53.7% since 2006

5.6M (2006)8.6M (2024)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Latest: 61.8 years

2006: 49.5 years2023: 61.8 years

Data source: World Bank Open Data

Geography18

Location

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia

Geographic coordinates

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references

Africa

Area

total : 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries

total: 1,093 km
border countries: Guinea 794 km; Liberia 299 km

Coastline

402 km

Maritime claims

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

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

Elevation

highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 279 m

Natural resources

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use

agricultural land

54.7% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.)

forest

34.3% (2023 est.)

other

11% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land

300 sq km (2012)

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)

Population distribution

population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated, as shown on this population distribution map

Natural hazards

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

Geography - note

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 in) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal western Africa

People & Society34

Population

total: 9,331,203 (2025 est.)
male: 4,620,638
female: 4,710,565

Nationality

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups

Temne 35.4%, Mende 30.8%, Limba 8.8%, Kono 4.3%, Korankoh 4%, Fullah 3.8%, Mandingo 2.8%, Loko 2%, Sherbro 1.9%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other 5% (2019 est.)

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.)

Age structure

0-14 years: 40.1% (male 1,843,606/female 1,812,304)
15-64 years: 57.4% (male 2,557,715/female 2,675,418)
65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 114,405/female 117,601)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 72.7 (2025 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 68.4 (2025 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 4.4 (2025 est.)
potential support ratio: 22.9 (2025 est.)

Median age

total: 19.7 years (2025 est.)
male: 19 years
female: 19.9 years

Population growth rate

2.24% (2025 est.)

Birth rate

30.04 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Death rate

8.8 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Net migration rate

1.13 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Population distribution

population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated, as shown on this population distribution map

Urbanization

urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

Major urban areas - population

1.309 million FREETOWN (capital) (2023)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.6 years (2019 est.)

Maternal mortality ratio

354 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate

total: 70.1 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
male: 76 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 59.4 years (2024 est.)
male: 57.8 years
female: 61 years

Total fertility rate

3.52 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Gross reproduction rate

1.73 (2025 est.)

Drinking water source

improved: urban

urban: 79.8% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 54.1% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 65.3% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 20.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 45.9% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 34.7% of population (2022 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP): 8.6% of GDP (2021)
Health expenditure (as % of national budget): 5.2% of national budget (2022 est.)

Physician density

0.13 physicians/1,000 population (2022)

Sanitation facility access

improved: urban

urban: 81.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: rural

rural: 37.9% of population (2022 est.)

improved: total

total: 57.2% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: 18.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: rural

rural: 62.1% of population (2022 est.)

unimproved: total

total: 42.8% of population (2022 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

8.7% (2016)

Alcohol consumption per capita

total: 3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
beer: 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
wine: 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
spirits: 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
other alcohols: 2.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Tobacco use

total: 9.8% (2025 est.)
male: 14.8% (2025 est.)
female: 4.9% (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

12% (2021 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

61.5% (2019 est.)

Child marriage

women married by age 15: 8.6% (2019)
women married by age 18: 29.6% (2019)
men married by age 18: 4.1% (2019)

Education expenditure

Education expenditure (% GDP): 2.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Education expenditure (% national budget): 20.5% national budget (2025 est.)

Literacy

total population: 43.6% (2019 est.)
male: 54.6% (2019 est.)
female: 33.9% (2019 est.)

Government23

Country name

conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone
local long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
local short form: Sierra Leone
etymology: Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA is usually credited with naming the country "Serra da Leao" (Lion Mountains) in 1462, but Venetian explorer Alvise CA' DA MOSTO recorded the name as "Serre-Lionne" in 1457, referring to the rumbling of thunder over the mountains

Government type

presidential republic

Capital

name: Freetown
geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W
time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
etymology: the name described the original settlement in 1781, which served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans

Administrative divisions

4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, Western*

Legal system

mixed system of English common law and customary law

Constitution

history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991
amendment 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

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; accepts ICCt jurisdiction

Citizenship

citizenship by birth: no
citizenship by descent only: at least one parent or grandparent must be a citizen of Sierra Leone
dual citizenship recognized: yes
residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal

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 president

election/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 2023

election 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 2028

Legislative branch

legislature name

Parliament

legislative structure

unicameral

number of seats

149 (135 directly elected; 14 indirectly elected)

electoral system

proportional representation

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

5 years

most recent election date

6/24/2023

parties 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 2028

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 65
subordinate courts: magistrates' courts; District Appeals Court; local courts

Political parties

All People's Congress or APC
Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP

Diplomatic representation in the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Amara Sheikh Mohammed SOWA (since 24 July 2025)
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009-1605
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://embassyofsierraleone.net/

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d'Affaires Jared M. YANCEY (since 18 September 2025)
embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown
mailing address: 2160 Freetown Place, Washington DC 20521-2160
telephone: [232] 99 105 000
email address and website:
[email protected]

https://sl.usembassy.gov/

International organization participation

ACP, AfDB, ATMIS, AU, C, ECOWAS, EITI (compliant country), FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO (pending member), ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU, ISO (correspondent), ITU, ITUC (NGOs), MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNAMID, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNISFA, UNOOSA, UNSOM, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Independence

27 April 1961 (from the UK)

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)

Flag

description: three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

meaning: green stands for agriculture, mountains, and natural resources; white for unity and justice; and blue for the sea and the natural harbor in Freetown

National symbol(s)

lion

National color(s)

green, white, blue

National anthem(s)

title: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free"
lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA
history: adopted 1961

National heritage

total World Heritage Sites: 1 (natural)
selected World Heritage Site locales: Gola-Tiwai Complex (n)

Economy30

Economic overview

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

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024: $26.728 billion (2024 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023: $25.7 billion (2023 est.)
Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022: $24.312 billion (2022 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2024: 4% (2024 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2023: 5.7% (2023 est.)
Real GDP growth rate 2022: 5.3% (2022 est.)

Real GDP per capita

Real GDP per capita 2024: $3,100 (2024 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2023: $3,000 (2023 est.)
Real GDP per capita 2022: $2,900 (2022 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$7.548 billion (2024 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024: 28.6% (2024 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023: 47.6% (2023 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022: 27.2% (2022 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture: 25.4% (2024 est.)
industry: 27.3% (2024 est.)
services: 44.8% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by end use

household consumption

87.6% (2024 est.)

government consumption

5.5% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

29.5% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

0% (2024 est.)

exports of goods and services

20.9% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-43.5% (2024 est.)

Agricultural products

cassava, rice, oil palm fruit, vegetables, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruits, fruits, groundnuts, sugarcane (2023)

Industries

diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear)

Industrial production growth rate

4.7% (2024 est.)

Labor force

2.863 million (2024 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2024: 3.2% (2024 est.)
Unemployment rate 2023: 3.2% (2023 est.)
Unemployment rate 2022: 3.2% (2022 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

total: 3.6% (2024 est.)
male: 4.8% (2024 est.)
female: 2.5% (2024 est.)

Population below poverty line

56.8% (2018 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2018: 35.7 (2018 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: 3.4% (2018 est.)
highest 10%: 29.4% (2018 est.)

Remittances

Remittances 2023: 4.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Remittances 2022: 4.1% of GDP (2022 est.)
Remittances 2021: 2.6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Budget

revenues: $740 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $867 million (2019 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016: 54.9% of GDP (2016 est.)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2023: -$606.358 million (2023 est.)
Current account balance 2022: -$452.094 million (2022 est.)
Current account balance 2021: -$522.815 million (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2023: $1.382 billion (2023 est.)
Exports 2022: $1.202 billion (2022 est.)
Exports 2021: $928.689 million (2021 est.)

Exports - partners

China 67%, India 6%, Belgium 5%, Netherlands 4%, Ireland 3% (2023)

Exports - commodities

iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, aluminum ore, cocoa beans (2023)

Imports

Imports 2023: $2.264 billion (2023 est.)
Imports 2022: $2.074 billion (2022 est.)
Imports 2021: $1.91 billion (2021 est.)

Imports - partners

China 32%, India 15%, UAE 5%, USA 5%, Turkey 5% (2023)

Imports - commodities

rice, plastic products, packaged medicine, cement, cars (2023)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023: $495.699 million (2023 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022: $624.496 million (2022 est.)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2021: $945.908 million (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 2023: $1.451 billion (2023 est.)

Exchange rates

Currency

leones (SLL) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2023

21.305 (2023 est.)

Exchange rates 2022

14.048 (2022 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

10.439 (2021 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

9.83 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

9.01 (2019 est.)

Energy5

Electricity access

electrification - total population: 29.4% (2022 est.)
electrification - urban areas: 55.3%
electrification - rural areas: 5%

Electricity

installed generating capacity: 149,000 kW (2023 est.)
consumption: 131.321 million kWh (2023 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 81.921 million kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels: 3.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
solar: 9.8% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
hydroelectricity: 84.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
biomass and waste: 2.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Petroleum

refined petroleum consumption: 9,000 bbl/day (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023: 2.301 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Communications6

Telephones - fixed lines

total subscriptions: 0 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2022 est.) less than 1

Telephones - mobile cellular

total subscriptions: 8.93 million (2022 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 108 (2022 est.)

Broadcast media

1 state-owned TV station; 3 private TV stations; 1 pay-TV service; 1 state-owned national radio station; about 24 private radio stations; transmissions of several international broadcasters available (2019)

Internet country code

.sl

Internet users

percent of population: 21% (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

total: 0 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: (2021 est.) less than 1

Transportation5

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports

8 (2025)

Heliports

3 (2025)

Merchant marine

total: 584 (2023)
by type: bulk carrier 33, container ship 8, general cargo 320, oil tanker 97, other 126

Ports

total ports

3 (2024)

large

medium

small

very small

ports with oil terminals

key ports

Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Military & Security6

Military and security forces

Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): organized as a Joint Force Command with land, air, and maritime components

Ministry of Internal Affairs: Sierra Leone Police (2025)

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2024: 0.5% of GDP (2024 est.)
Military Expenditures 2023: 0.6% of GDP (2023 est.)
Military Expenditures 2022: 0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
Military Expenditures 2021: 0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
Military Expenditures 2020: 0.3% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military and security service personnel strengths

estimated 10,000 active Armed Forces (2025)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the RSLAF has a small inventory comprised of obsolescent or secondhand imported armaments (2025)

Military service age and obligation

18-25 for voluntary military service for men and women; no conscription (2025)

Military - note

the RSLAF’s primary responsibilities are securing the country's borders and territorial waters, supporting civil authorities during internal emergencies, and participating in peacekeeping missions; since the end of the civil war in 2002, it has received assistance from several foreign militaries, including those of Canada, China, France, the UK, and the US

the RSLAF’s origins lie in the Sierra Leone Battalion of the Royal West African Frontier Force (RWAFF), a multi-regiment force formed by the British colonial office in 1900 to garrison the West African colonies of Gold Coast (Ghana), Nigeria (Lagos and the protectorates of Northern and Southern Nigeria), Sierra Leone, and The Gambia; the RWAFF fought in both World Wars (2025)

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