Introduction
Background
The British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown in the 17th century. The colony gradually expanded inland during the course of the 19th century. Independence was attained in 1961. An authoritarian regime in the 1960s led to a lengthy civil war that ended in 2002, and the country has since conducted democratic elections.
Geography
Area
total : 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km
Climate
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Natural resources
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
People and Society
Population
total: 9,121,049
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.)
Population growth rate
2.32% (2024 est.)
Government
Government type
presidential republic
Capital
name: Freetown
Executive branch
chief of state: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)
head of government: President Julius Maada BIO (since 27 June 2023)
Legislative branch
summary: unicameral Parliament (149 seats)
Diplomatic representation in the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Sidique Abou-Bakarr WAI (since 8 April 2019)
Diplomatic representation from the US
chief of mission: Ambassador Bryan David HUNT (since 8 September 2023)
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)
$14.633 billion (2023 est.)
$14.148 billion (2022 est.)
$13.675 billion (2021 est.)
Real GDP per capita
$1,700 (2023 est.)
$1,600 (2022 est.)
$1,600 (2021 est.)
Exports
$1.195 billion (2022 est.)
$1.114 billion (2021 est.)
$661.505 million (2020 est.)
Exports - partners
China 54%, Belgium 12%, UAE 6%, Germany 4%, Netherlands 4% (2022)
Exports - commodities
iron ore, titanium ore, diamonds, wood, aluminum ore (2022)
Imports
$2.013 billion (2022 est.)
$1.906 billion (2021 est.)
$1.386 billion (2020 est.)
Imports - partners
China 33%, India 12%, Turkey 9%, US 6%, UAE 5% (2022)
Imports - commodities
rice, plastic products, refined petroleum, vaccines, packaged medicine (2022)
Page last updated: Thursday, October 03, 2024
