THE WORLD FACTBOOK — Reference Edition 2026

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.

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

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.)

Environmental issues: overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture resulting in deforestation, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing
International environmental agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
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.)
Urbanization: urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions: total emissions: 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions: 45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Waste and recycling: municipal solid waste generated annually: 610,200 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled: 9.7% (2022 est.)
Total water withdrawal: municipal: 111 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial: 55.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural: 45.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Total renewable water resources: 160 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

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: info@embassyofsierraleone.nethttps://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: consularfreetown@state.govhttps://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 bluemeaning: 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)

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.)

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.)

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

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix: 9L
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: 0
medium: 0
small: 1
very small: 2
ports with oil terminals: 2
key ports: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Military and security forces: Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): organized as a Joint Force Command with land, air, and maritime componentsMinistry 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 USthe 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)

Sierra Leone