Introduction
Background
Continuously populated for at least 2,500 years, the dense jungle in the area of Sierra Leone allowed the region to remain relatively protected from invaders from empires in West Africa. 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, following the American Revolution, Sierra Leone became a destination for Black British loyalists from the new United States. After the abolition of 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. While Sierra Leone held free and fair elections in 1962 and 1967, 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 uninterrupted democratic elections, dominated by the two main political parties. 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. The next presidential election is scheduled for June 2023.
Visit the Definitions and Notes page to view a description of each topic.
Geography
Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinates
8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references
Africa
Area - comparative
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries
total: 1,093 km
border countries (2): 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: 56.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 23.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 37.5% (2018 est.)
other: 6.3% (2018 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 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
People and Society
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 who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Religions
Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.)
Demographic profile
Sierra Leone’s youthful and growing population is driven by its high total fertility rate (TFR) of almost 4 children per woman as of 2022, which has declined little over the last two decades. Its elevated TFR is sustained by the continued desire for large families, the low level of contraceptive use, and the early start of childbearing. Despite its high TFR, Sierra Leone’s population growth is somewhat tempered by high infant, child, and maternal mortality rates that are among the world’s highest and are a result of poverty, a lack of potable water and sanitation, poor nutrition, limited access to quality health care services, and the prevalence of female genital cutting.
Sierra Leone’s large youth cohort – about 60% of the population is under the age of 25 – continues to struggle with high levels of unemployment, which was one of the major causes of the country’s 1991-2002 civil war and remains a threat to stability today. Its estimated 60% youth unemployment rate is attributed to high levels of illiteracy and unskilled labor, a lack of private sector jobs, and low pay.
Sierra Leone has been a source of and destination for refugees. Sierra Leone’s civil war internally displaced as many as 2 million people, or almost half the population, and forced almost another half million to seek refuge in neighboring countries (370,000 Sierra Leoneans fled to Guinea and 120,000 to Liberia). The UNHCR has helped almost 180,000 Sierra Leoneans to return home, while more than 90,000 others have repatriated on their own. Of the more than 65,000 Liberians who took refuge in Sierra Leone during their country’s civil war (1989-2003), about 50,000 have been voluntarily repatriated by the UNHCR and others have returned home independently.
Age structure
0-14 years: 40.54% (male 1,820,988/female 1,790,185)
15-64 years: 56.89% (male 2,476,286/female 2,591,155)
65 years and over: 2.58% (2023 est.) (male 111,937/female 117,489)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 74
youth dependency ratio: 68.5
elderly dependency ratio: 5.5
potential support ratio: 18.3 (2020 est.)
Median age
total: 19.2 years (2023 est.)
male: 18.8 years
female: 19.6 years
comparison ranking: total 208
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: 0.95 male(s)/female
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2023 est.)
Mother's mean age at first birth
19.6 years (2019 est.)
note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49
Infant mortality rate
total: 72.3 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 est.)
male: 77.2 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 67.2 deaths/1,000 live births
comparison ranking: total 5
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 59.1 years (2023 est.)
male: 57.5 years
female: 60.7 years
comparison ranking: total population 223
Gross reproduction rate
1.83 (2023 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate
21.2% (2019)
Drinking water source
improved: urban: 92.5% of population
rural: 58% of population
total: 72.8% of population
unimproved: urban: 7.5% of population
rural: 42% of population
total: 27.2% of population (2020 est.)
Current health expenditure
8.8% of GDP (2020)
Physicians density
0.07 physicians/1,000 population (2018)
Sanitation facility access
improved: urban: 79.5% of population
rural: 35.5% of population
total: 54.4% of population
unimproved: urban: 20.5% of population
rural: 64.5% of population
total: 45.6% of population (2020 est.)
Major infectious diseases
degree of risk: very high (2023)
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and dengue fever
water contact diseases: schistosomiasis
animal contact diseases: rabies
aerosolized dust or soil contact diseases: Lassa fever
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.)
comparison ranking: total 107
Tobacco use
total: 13.5% (2020 est.)
male: 20.5% (2020 est.)
female: 6.4% (2020 est.)
comparison ranking: total 115
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
58.9% (2023 est.)
Child marriage
women married by age 15: 8.6%
women married by age 18: 29.6%
men married by age 18: 4.1% (2019 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 47.7%
male: 55.3%
female: 39.8% (2021)
Environment
Environment - current issues
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing
Environment - international 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: 56.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 23.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 37.5% (2018 est.)
other: 6.3% (2018 est.)
Urbanization
urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Food insecurity
severe localized food insecurity: due to high food prices and reduced incomes - according to the latest analysis, about 1.18 million people are projected to be in need of humanitarian assistance between the June to August 2023 lean season; acute food insecurity is underpinned by elevated food prices, in part driven by a weak currency, and low purchasing power of vulnerable households (2023)
Air pollutants
particulate matter emissions: 39.42 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
carbon dioxide emissions: 1.09 megatons (2016 est.)
methane emissions: 3.16 megatons (2020 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually: 610,222 tons (2004 est.)
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Atlantic Ocean drainage: Niger (2,261,741 sq km)
Total water withdrawal
municipal: 110 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
industrial: 60 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
agricultural: 50 million cubic meters (2020 est.)
Total renewable water resources
160 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)
Government
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: the Portuguese explorer Pedro de SINTRA named the country "Serra Leoa" (Lion Mountains) for the impressive mountains he saw while sailing the West African coast in 1462
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: name derived from the fact that the original settlement served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans, as well as for liberated Africans rescued from slave ships
Administrative divisions
4 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, North Western, Southern, Western*
Independence
27 April 1961 (from the UK)
National holiday
Independence Day, 27 April (1961)
Constitution
history: several previous; latest effective 1 October 1991
amendments: 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; amended several times, last in 2016
Legal system
mixed legal system of English common law and customary law
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 28 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 28 June 2023); note - the president is both chief of state, head of government, and minister of defense
head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 28 June 2023); Vice President Mohamed Juldeh JALLOH (since 28 June 2023)
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president, approved by Parliament; the cabinet is responsible to the president
elections/appointments: president directly elected by absolute majority popular vote in 2 rounds if needed for a 5-year term (eligible for a second term); election last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
election results:
2023: Julius Maada BIO elected 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%
Legislative branch
description: unicameral Parliament (146 seats; 132 members directly elected in single-seat constituencies by a district block proportional representation vote and 14 seats filled in separate elections by non-partisan members of Parliament called "paramount chiefs;" members serve 5-year terms)
elections: last held on 24 June 2023 (next to be held in 2028)
election results: percent of vote by party - n/a; seats by party - SLPP 81, APC 54; composition - men 94, women 41, percent of women 30.3%
Judicial branch
highest court(s): Superior Court of Judicature (consists of the Supreme Court - at the apex - 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); note – the Judicature has jurisdiction in all civil, criminal, and constitutional matters
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 and leaders
All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]
Coalition for Change or C4C [vacant]
Progressive Alliance Party (alliance of National Grand Coalition or NGC and Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP) [Julius Maada BIO]
numerous other parties
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
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr WAI (since 8 April 2019)
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.net
https://embassyofsierraleone.net/
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Bryan David HUNT (since 23 August 2023)
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.gov
https://sl.usembassy.gov/
Flag description
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue; green symbolizes agriculture, mountains, and natural resources, white represents unity and justice, and blue the sea and the natural harbor in Freetown
National symbol(s)
lion; national colors: green, white, blue
National anthem
name: "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free"
lyrics/music: Clifford Nelson FYLE/John Joseph AKA
note: adopted 1961
Economy
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)
$13.597 billion (2021 est.)
$13.061 billion (2020 est.)
$13.323 billion (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 158
Real GDP per capita
$1,600 (2021 est.)
$1,600 (2020 est.)
$1,700 (2019 est.)
note: data are in 2017 dollars
comparison ranking: 218
GDP (official exchange rate)
$4.132 billion (2020 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
11.87% (2021 est.)
13.45% (2020 est.)
14.8% (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 21
GDP - composition, by sector of origin
agriculture: 60.7% (2017 est.)
industry: 6.5% (2017 est.)
services: 32.9% (2017 est.)
comparison rankings: services 222; industry 218; agriculture 1
GDP - composition, by end use
household consumption: 97.9% (2017 est.)
government consumption: 12.1% (2017 est.)
investment in fixed capital: 18.1% (2017 est.)
investment in inventories: 0.4% (2017 est.)
exports of goods and services: 26.8% (2017 est.)
imports of goods and services: -55.3% (2017 est.)
Agricultural products
cassava, rice, vegetables, oil palm fruit, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruit, groundnuts, fruit, pulses nes
Industries
diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear)
Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)
total: 10.8% (2021 est.)
male: 15.8%
female: 7.6%
comparison ranking: total 147
Population below poverty line
56.8% (2018 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share
lowest 10%: 2.6%
highest 10%: 33.6% (2003)
Budget
revenues: $740 million (2019 est.)
expenditures: $867 million (2019 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year
Current account balance
-$275.638 million (2020 est.)
-$583.555 million (2019 est.)
-$504.851 million (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 105
Exports
$700.971 million (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.06 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$963.948 million (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 186
Exports - partners
Belgium 26%, China 25%, Romania 9%, United Arab Emirates 6%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)
Exports - commodities
titanium, lumber, diamonds, aluminum, cocoa beans (2019)
Imports
$1.418 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.818 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars
$1.594 billion (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 181
Imports - partners
China 27%, India 11%, United States 6%, Ghana 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)
Imports - commodities
rice, plastics, packaged medicines, sauces/seasonings, cars (2019)
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$945.908 million (31 December 2021 est.)
$707.704 million (31 December 2020 est.)
$530.138 million (31 December 2019 est.)
comparison ranking: 149
Debt - external
$1.615 billion (31 December 2017 est.)
$1.503 billion (31 December 2016 est.)
comparison ranking: 159
Exchange rates
leones (SLL) per US dollar -
Exchange rates:
10,439.425 (2021 est.)
9,829.927 (2020 est.)
9,010.221 (2019 est.)
7,931.632 (2018 est.)
7,384.432 (2017 est.)
Energy
Electricity access
population without electricity: 6 million (2020)
electrification - total population: 27.4% (2021)
electrification - urban areas: 56.9% (2021)
electrification - rural areas: 4.9% (2021)
Electricity
installed generating capacity: 180,000 kW (2020 est.)
consumption: 130.708 million kWh (2019 est.)
exports: 0 kWh (2019 est.)
imports: 0 kWh (2020 est.)
transmission/distribution losses: 77 million kWh (2019 est.)
comparison rankings: imports 165; installed generating capacity 174; transmission/distribution losses 164; exports 153; consumption 192
Electricity generation sources
fossil fuels: 8.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
nuclear: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
solar: 2.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
wind: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
hydroelectricity: 87% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
tide and wave: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
geothermal: 0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
biomass and waste: 1.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)
Coal
production: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
consumption: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
exports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
imports: 0 metric tons (2020 est.)
proven reserves: 0 metric tons (2019 est.)
Petroleum
total petroleum production: 0 bbl/day (2021 est.)
refined petroleum consumption: 5,900 bbl/day (2019 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate exports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil and lease condensate imports: 0 bbl/day (2018 est.)
crude oil estimated reserves: 0 barrels (2021 est.)
Natural gas
production: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
consumption: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
exports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
imports: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
proven reserves: 0 cubic meters (2021 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
899,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from coal and metallurgical coke: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids: 899,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
from consumed natural gas: 0 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)
comparison ranking: total emissions 175
Communications
Telephones - fixed lines
total subscriptions: 269 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 0 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 221
Telephones - mobile cellular
total subscriptions: 8,227,093 (2021 est.)
subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 98 (2021 est.)
comparison ranking: total subscriptions 99
Telecommunication systems
general assessment: the telecom sector has only gradually recovered from the destruction caused during the war years, and only since 2019 has there been an effective terrestrial fiber backbone infrastructure, while the cable link to neighboring Guinea was not completed until February 2020; there is considerable available capacity from the ACE submarine cable and the national fiber network, but this is used inefficiently and so the price of internet connectivity remains one of the highest in the region; the theft of equipment and cabling, compounded by neglect, mismanagement, and under investment, means that telcos continue to operate in difficult conditions; the telecom regulator has made efforts to improve the market, including the liberalization of the international gateway and regular checks on QoS; the regulator reduced the price floor for mobile voice calls in early 2020, though consumers objected to the MNOs withdrawing a number of cheap packages as a response; the mobile sector has been the main driver of overall telecom revenue (2022)
domestic: fixed-line less than 0 per 100 and mobile-cellular just over 98 per 100 (2021)
international: country code - 232; landing point for the ACE submarine cable linking to South Africa, over 20 western African countries and Europe; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean) (2019)
Broadcast media
1 government-owned TV station; 3 private TV stations; a pay-TV service began operations in late 2007; 1 government-owned national radio station; about two-dozen private radio stations primarily clustered in major cities; transmissions of several international broadcasters are available
(2019)Internet users
total: 1,047,499 (2022 est.)
percent of population: 12.7% (2022 est.)
comparison ranking: total 149
Transportation
National air transport system
annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 50,193 (2015)
annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 0 (2015) mt-km
Airports - with paved runways
1
note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)
Airports - with unpaved runways
7
note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control
Heliports
2 (2021)
Roadways
total: 11,701 km (2015)
paved: 1,051 km (2015)
unpaved: 10,650 km (2015)
urban: 3,000 km (2015)
non-urban: 8,700 km (2015)
comparison ranking: total 133
Merchant marine
total: 605 (2022)
by type: bulk carrier 36, container ship 6, general cargo 325, oil tanker 104, other 134
comparison ranking: total 37
Ports and terminals
major seaport(s): Freetown, Pepel, Sherbro Islands
Military and Security
Military and security forces
Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF): Land Forces, Maritime Forces, Air Wing
Ministry of Internal Affairs: Sierre Leone Police (2023)
Military expenditures
0.6% of GDP (2022 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2021 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2020 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2019 est.)
0.3% of GDP (2018 est.)
comparison ranking: 157
Military and security service personnel strengths
approximately 10,000 personnel, mostly ground forces (2023)
Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
the RSLAF has a small inventory that includes a mix of Soviet-origin and other older foreign-supplied equipment; in recent years, it has received limited amounts of mostly donations and secondhand equipment (2023)
Military service age and obligation
18-30 for voluntary military service for men and women (25-40 for specialists); no conscription (2023)
Military - note
the RSLAF’s principle responsibilities are securing the borders and the country’s territorial waters, supporting civil authorities during emergencies and reconstruction efforts, and participating in peacekeeping missions; it is small, lightly armed, and has a limited budget; since being reduced in size and restructured with British assistance after 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 has participated in peacekeeping operations in Somalia and Sudan; the Land Forces are by far the largest service with four small light infantry brigades and a separate battalion, each assigned to a separate region, including the capital; the Maritime Forces have a few small coastal and in-shore patrol boats, while the Air Wing has a handful of serviceable combat helicopters; the RSLAF operates under a Joint Forces Command
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 Gambia; the RWAFF fought in both World Wars (2023)
Transnational Issues
Disputes - international
Sierra Leone-Guinea: Sierra Leone opposed Guinean troops' continued occupation of Yenga, a small village on the Makona River that serves as a border with Guinea; Guinea's forces came to Yenga in the mid-1990s to help the Sierra Leonean military to suppress rebels and to secure their common border but remained there even after both countries signed a 2005 agreement acknowledging that Yenga belonged to Sierra Leone; in 2012, the two sides signed a declaration to demilitarize the area; in 2019, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation stated that the dispute over Yenga had been resolved; however, at a 2021 ECOWAS meeting, Sierra Leone’s President BIO called on the bloc to help resolve an incursion of Guinean troops in Yenga
Sierra Leone-Liberia: none identified
Refugees and internally displaced persons
IDPs: 5,500 (displacement caused by post-electoral violence in 2018 and clashes in the Pujehun region in 2019) (2021)