Sierra Leone

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Sierra Leone

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Republic of Sierra Leone Area 71,740 sq km/27,698 sq mi Capital Freetown Language English (official), Krio (a Creole language), Mende, Limba, Temne Religion animist 45%, Muslim 44%, Protestant 8%, Roman Catholic 3% Time difference GMT +/-0 Major holidays 1 January, 19 April, 25–26 December; variable: Eid-ul-Adha, end of Ramadan, Good Friday, Easter Monday, Prophet's Birthday


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Koidu, Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Marampa Major ports Bonthe-Sherbro Physical features mountains in east; hills and forest; coastal mangrove swamps Airports one international airport and six domestic airports; total passengers carried: 14,000 (2003 est) Railways total length: 84 km/52 mi serving iron ore mines (unused since 1985); no passenger railways Roads total road network: 11,300 km/7,022 mi, of which 8% paved (2002 est); passenger cars: 3.6 per 1,000 people (2002 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government Ahmad Tejan Kabbah from 1996 Political system transitional Political executive transitional Administrative divisions four regions comprising 12 districts Political parties All People's Congress (APC), moderate socialist; United Front of Political Movements (UNIFORM), left of centre. Party political activity suspended from 1992 Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 13,000 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 1.1 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 2.7 (2001 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency leone GDP (US$) 1.2 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 7.4 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 1.2 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 780 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 11.3% (2006 est) Unemployment 50% (1990) Labour force 63.8% agriculture, 14% industry, 22.2% services (1997 est) Foreign debt (US$) 1.5 billion (2004 est) Major trading partners Belgium, Germany, India, UK, Côte d'Ivoire, USA Resources gold, diamonds, bauxite, rutile (titanium dioxide) Industries palm oil and other agro-based industries, rice mills, textiles, mining, sawn timber, furniture making Exports diamonds, cocoa beans, coffee, gold, rutile, bauxite. Principal market: Belgium 65.8% (2005) Imports fuel and lubricants, machinery and transport equipment, consumer goods, food and live animals, basic manufactures, chemicals. Principal source: Germany 18.9% (2005) Arable land 8% (2006 est) Agricultural products rice, cassava, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, bananas; cattle production


POPULATION

Population 5,678,700 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.1% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 79 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 40 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 43%, 15–59 52%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups 20 ethnic groups, 3 of which (the Mende, Temne, and Limbe) comprise almost 70% of the population; 10% Creole (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves) Life expectancy 41 (men); 43 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 283 (2004) Education not compulsory Literacy rate 51% (men); 23% (women) (2000 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 0.7 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 0.5 (2002 est) HIV infection (% of population aged 15–49) 1.6 (2005 est) AIDS deaths 4,600 (2005 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 75 (urban); 46 (rural) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 0.5 (2004 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 2.2 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 126 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 129 (2004 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 0.2 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

15th century Mende, Temne, and Fulani peoples moved from Senegal into region formerly populated by Bulom, Krim, and Gola peoples. The Portuguese, who named the area Serra Lyoa, established a coastal fort, trading manufactured goods for slaves and ivory. 17th century English trading posts established on Bund and York islands. 1787–92 English abolitionists and philanthropists bought land to establish settlement for liberated and runaway African slaves (including 1,000 rescued from Canada), known as Freetown. 1808 Became British colony and base for naval operations against slave trade after British Parliament declared it illegal. 1896 Hinterland conquered and declared British protectorate. 1951 First political party, Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP), formed by Dr Milton Margai. 1961 Independence achieved within Commonwealth, with Margai as prime minister. 1965 Free-trade area pact signed with Guinea, Liberia, and the Côte d'Ivoire. 1967 Election won by All People's Congress (APC), led by Siaka Stevens, but disputed by army, who set up National Reformation Council. 1968 Army revolt brought back Stevens as prime minister. 1971 New constitution made Sierra Leone a republic, with Stevens as president. 1978 New constitution made APC sole legal party. 1985 Stevens retired; succeeded as president and APC leader by Maj-Gen Joseph Momoh. 1991 Referendum endorsed multiparty politics and new constitution. 1991–2002 Civil war: antigovernment rebellion by Revolutionary United Front (RUF). 1992 President Momoh overthrown in military coup led by Capt Valentine Strasser. 1995 Ban on political parties lifted. 1996 Ahmad Tejan Kabbah became president after multiparty elections. 1997 Kabbah's civilian government ousted in coup led by Major Johnny Paul Koroma. 1998 Nigerian-led force drove out Major Koroma's junta; Kabbah returned from exile; former members of military government executed for treason. 1999–2000 Fragile ceasefire agreements between government and RUF rebel forces; deployment of British troops and United Nations (UN) peacekeeping force. 2002 Peaceful presidential and parliamentary elections held after decade of civil war; Kabbah returned to power in landslide SLPP victory. 2005 Departure of last UN forces. 2007 Presidential and parliamentary elections.


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