Sierra Leone is a country located on the west coast of Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Its capital and largest city is Freetown.

Sierra Leone has a population of approximately 8.5 million people, with a mix of ethnic groups including the Temne, Mende, Krio, and others. The official language is English, with Krio being widely spoken.

Sierra Leone has a tropical climate with two distinct seasons - a wet season from May to October and a dry season from November to April. The country is known for its diverse wildlife, including chimpanzees, pygmy hippos, and a variety of bird species.

The economy of Sierra Leone is largely based on agriculture, with the majority of the population engaged in subsistence farming. The country is rich in natural resources, including diamonds, gold, and other minerals, but it has struggled with political instability, corruption, and civil unrest in the past.

Sierra Leone has made significant progress in recent years, with a growing economy and improvements in education, healthcare, and infrastructure. However, the country still faces challenges including poverty, unemployment, and a lack of access to basic services for many of its citizens.

Telephone Code
232

Local Emergency Phone
Ambulance: 999; Fire: 019; Police: 999

Vaccinations
An International Certificate of Vaccination for yellow fever is required for all travelers. See WHO recommendations. On 21 March 2022, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Travel Alert for polio in Africa; Sierra Leone is currently considered a high risk to travelers for polio; the CDC recommends that before any international travel, anyone unvaccinated, incompletely vaccinated, or with an unknown polio vaccination status should complete the routine polio vaccine series; before travel to any high-risk destination, CDC recommends that adults who previously completed the full, routine polio vaccine series receive a single, lifetime booster dose of polio vaccine.


Climate
Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

Currency (Code)
Leones (SLL)

Electricity/Voltage/Plug Type(s)
230 V / 50 Hz / plug types(s): D, G

Major Languages
English, Mende, Temne, Krio

Major Religions
Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9%

Potable Water
Opt for bottled water

International Driving Permit
Suggested

Road Driving Side
Right

Tourist Destinations
Mount Bintumani; Tacugama Chimpanzee Sanctuary; Martello Tower; National Railway Museum; Tokeh Beach; Turtle Islands; Lakka Beach

Major Sports
Soccer, basketball, cricket, boxing, baseball

Cultural Practices
Hissing is the accepted way of gaining someone's attention in public.

Tipping Guidelines
Tips at restaurants are typically not expected, but appreciated. Tipping at hotels is somewhat expected, but at your discretion.

Souvenirs
Tribal art and ceremonial masks, woven baskets, pottery, handmade precious metal and stone jewelry, tailored clothing, bush-medicine items

Traditional Cuisine
Cassava leaf stew — a stew made with finely shredded Cassava leaves added to a palaver sauce made using red palm oil mixed with ingredients such as onions, pepper, fish, meat, and vegetables

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
8,908,040 (2023 est.)

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.)

Population growth rate
2.41% (2023 est.)

Government
Government type
presidential republic

Capital
name: Freetown

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.)

Real GDP per capita
$1,600 (2021 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)

Exports
$700.971 million (2020 est.)

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.)

Imports - partners
China 27%, India 11%, United States 6%, Ghana 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)

Imports - commodities
rice, plastics, packaged medicines, sauces/seasonings, cars (2019)