Islamic countries

Islamic countries

REPUBLIC OF SIERRA LEONE

General Information

Total Land Area:	71,620 km²
Land boundaries:	958 km
Coastline:	402 km
Capital:	Freetown
Other Large Cities:	Bo, Kenema, Makeni
Official Language:	English
National Currency Unit:	Leone (SLL)
National Day:	April 27

Location and Geography

Sierra Leone is almost circular in shape and located on the South-western part of the great bulge of West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea in the North and East, Liberia in the South, and the Atlantic Ocean in the West. Three main topographical regions run North-west to South-east, roughly parallel with the coast. The terrain is made up of a coastal belt of mangrove swamps, the upland plateau, a wooded hill, and the mountains in the East. Meadows and pastures cover one third of the land and forests a quarter. The climate is tropical with both rainy and dry seasons. The beginning and end of the rainy season are marked by strong thunderstorms and very high humidity.

Demography

Population:	4.80 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	44 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	25 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	165 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 36 years, Female: 39 years (2002)
Urban Population:	38.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	36.00 percent (2001)

Economy

Agriculture is the backbone of Sierra Leone’s economy with a majority of the workforce engaged in plantations of around 70 different crops. Rice is the staple food crop. Coffee, cocoa, palm kernels and cassava are the other major crops. Mining is the second most important sector constituting the largest portion of the country’s export earnings. The main natural resources are diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold and chromite. Sierra Leone has the world’s largest deposits of rutile (a mineral used to manufacture paints and alloys) mostly located in the South-western part of the country. The industrial sector involves the manufacture of paint, beverages, plastic footwear, and textiles.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	790 million US$ (2002)
Per Capita GDP:	165 US$ (2002)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	53.0% Agriculture, 32.0% Industry, 15.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	99 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	490 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Diamonds, rutile, bauxite, palm kernels, cocoa, coffee and fish
Major Imports Items:	Foodstuffs, machinery and transportation equipment, fuels and lubricants
Major Trading Partners:	UK, Belgium, Germany, India and Netherlands