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Background: Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population) many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the eleven-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. Reestablishment of government authority throughout the country is slowly proceeding and national elections took place in May 2002.
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Common Name: Sierra Leone
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Local Official Name: Sierra Leone
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Abbreviated Name: Republic of Sierra Leone
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Official Name: Sierra Leone
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Official Script Name: Sierra Leone
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Local Common Name: Sierra Leone
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Former Name: Sierra Leone
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Territory of: NA
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Head of State: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH
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Government Type: constitutional democracy
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Independence: 1961 April 27 (from UK)
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Constitution: 1991 October 1 (subsequently amended several times)
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National Holiday: Independence Day, 27 April
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International Organization Participation: ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ITU, NAM, OAU, OIC, OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
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Administrative Divisions: 3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*
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Dependent Areas: NA
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Legal System: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage: 18 years of age years
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Executive, Legislative and Judicial Branches: Executive Branch:
chief of state: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: President Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (since 29 March 1996, reinstated 10 March 1998); note - the president is both the chief of state and head of government
cabinet: Ministers of State appointed by the president with the approval of the House of Representatives; the cabinet is responsible to the president
elections: president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; election last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007); note - president's tenure of office is limited to two five-year terms
election results: Ahmad Tejan KABBAH reelected president; percent of vote - Ahmad Tejan KABBAH (SLPP) 70.6%, Ernest KOROMA 22.4%
Legislative Branch:
unicameral Parliament (124 seats - 112 elected by popular vote, 12 filled by paramount chiefs elected in separate elections; members serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 14 May 2002 (next to be held NA May 2007)
election results: percent of vote by party - SLPP 70.06%, APC 22.35%, PLP 3%, others 4.59%; seats by party - SLPP 83, APC 27, PLP 2
Judicial Branch:
Supreme Court; Appeals Court; High Court
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Party Leaders: All People's Congress or APC [Alhaji Sat KOROMA, interim chairman]; Citizens United for Peace and Progress or CUPP [Alfred Musa CONTEH, interim chairman]; Coalition for Progress Party or CPP [Jeridine WILLIAM-SARHO, interim leader]; Democratic Center Party or DCP [Adu Aiah KOROMA]; Democratic Labor Party or DLP [George E. L. PALMER]; Democratic Party or DP [Henry BALO, acting chairman]; National Alliance Democratic Party or NADP [Mohamed Yahya SILLAH, chairman]; National Democratic Alliance or NDA [Amadu M. B. JALLOH]; National People's Party or NPP [Andrew TURAY]; National Republican Party or NRP [Stephen Sahr MAMBU]; National Unity Movement or NUM [Sam LEIGH, interim chairman]; National Unity Party or NUP [John BENJAMINE, interim leader]; Peace and Liberation Party or PLP [Darlington MORRISON, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Alliance or PDA [Cpl. (Ret.) Abdul Rahman KAMARA, interim chairman]; People's Democratic Party or PDP [Osman KAMARA]; People's National Convention or PNC [Edward John KARGBO]; People's Progressive Party or PPP [Abass Chernok BUNDU, chairman]; Revolutionary United Front Party or RUFP [Foday Saybana SANKOH, chairman]; Social Democratic Party or SDP [Andrew Victor LUNGAY]; Sierra Leone People's Party or SLPP [Ahmad Tejan KABBAH, chairman]; United National People's Party or UNPP [John KAREFA-SMART in exile, Raymond KAMARA, acting leader]; Young People's Party or YPP [Cornelius DEVEAUS, interim chairman]
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International Disputes: ongoing conflict in Sierra Leone has engendered refugee movements into neighboring Guinea and Liberia
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Illicit Drugs: NA
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Location of Sierra Leone: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
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Continent: Africa
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Land Area Total: 71,740 sq km
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Region: Western African |
Land Area Land: 71,620 sq km
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Capitol City: Freetown
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Land Area Water: 120 sq km
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Current:
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Latitude: 008 30 N
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Border Boundary Land: 958 km
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Longitude: 011 30 W
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Border Boundary Coastline: 402 km
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Arable Land: 7.00 %
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Pastures: 0.00 %
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Crops: 1.00 %
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Woodlands and Forests: 0.00
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Highest Elevation: 1,948 m
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Location: Loma Mansa (Bintimani)
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Lowest Elevation: 0 m
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Location: Atlantic Ocean
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Largest City in Sierra Leone: Freetown
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Freetown Largest City Population: 822,000
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Threatened Species: 0
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Environmental Issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing
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Environmental Agreements: party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
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Irrigated Land: 290
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Bordering Countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
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Natural Resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
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Geographical Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
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Comparative Area of Sierra Leone: slightly smaller than South Carolina
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Sierra Leone's Geography: rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
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Click Here for detailed information about the weather conditions in Sierra Leone.
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General Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
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Natural Hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
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Economic Overview: Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a 10-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. There are plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad.
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GDP: $2,700,000,000 USD
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Currency: leone
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GDP per Capita: $500 USD
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Currency Code: SLL
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GDP Growth Rate: 3.00 %
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One $USD Equals: %fincurrencyequals% SLL
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Currency Exchange Rate History: leones per US dollar - 2,212.47 (January 2002), 1,985.89 (2001), 2,092.13 (2000), 1,804.20 (1999), 1,563.62 (1998), 981.48 (1997)
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GDP of Agriculture: 43.00 %
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GDP of Industry: 27.00 %
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GDP of Services: 30.00 % |
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Inflation Rate: 15.00 % |
Population in Poverty: 68.00 %
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Unemployment Rate: 0.00 %
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Tourism: 6,000.00 visitors each year
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Consumption by lowest 10%: 0.50 %
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Budget Revenue in USD: $96,000,000 USD
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Consumption by upper 10%: 43.60 %
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Budget Expenditures in USD: $351,000,000 USD
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Electricity Production: 245,000,000 kWh
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Electricity Exports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Consumption: 227,850,000 kWh
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Electricity Imports: 0 kWh
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Electricity Production by Source:
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Fossil Fuel Electricity Production: 100.00%
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Nuclear Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Hydro Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Other Electricity Production: 0.00%
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Oil Production: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Production: 0 cu m
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Oil Consumption: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Consumption: 0 cu m
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Oil Exports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Exports: 0 cu m
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Oil Imports: 0 barrels per day
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Natural Gas Imports: 0 cu m
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Proven Oil Reserves: 0 barrels
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Proven Natural Gas Reserves: 0 cu m
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External Debt: $1,300,000,000 USD |
Received in economic aid: $103,000,000 USD
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Donated in economic aid: $0 USD
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Agricultural Products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish
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Primary Industries: mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining
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Industrial Growth Rate: 0.00 %
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Import Amount in USD: $145,000,000 USD - foodstuffs, machinery and equipment, fuels and lubricants, chemicals
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Import Partners: Czech Republic 26.7%, UK 26.6%, US 5.1%, Netherlands 4.6%
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Export Amount in USD: $65,000,000 USD - diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
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Export Partners: NZ 33.7%, Belgium 32.6%, US 7.4%, France 5.1%
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GINI Index: 62.90%
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Labor Force Number of People: 1,369,000
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Labor Force by Occupations: agriculture NA%, industry NA%, services NA%
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Radio Broadcast Stations: 11 |
Number of People with Radios: 1,120,000 |
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Television Broadcast Stations: 2 |
Number of People with Televisions: 53,000 |
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Number of People with Mainline Telephones: 25,000 |
Number of People with Mobile Phones: 30,000 |
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Internet Service Providers: 1 |
Internet Users: 20,000 |
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Internet Country Code: .sl |
Newspapers: 5 |
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Two Letter Country Code: SL |
Weights and Measures: |
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Phone Country Code: +232 |
Electricity Voltage: Volts |
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Telephone Systems: general assessment: marginal telephone and telegraph service
domestic: national microwave radio relay trunk system, made unserviceable by military activities, is now operating from Freetown to Bo and Kenema (April 2001)
international: satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
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Highways: 936 km |
Railways: 84 km
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Gas And Oil Pipelines: 0 km |
Waterways: 800 km
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Airports: 1 |
Heliports: 2
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Motor Vehicles: 10 per 1,000 people |
CO2 Emissions: 0 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Per capita CO2 emissions: 0.00 Metric Tons of CO2 per year |
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Merchant Marines: NA
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Ports and Harbors: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel
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Population: 5,614,743 people type - nationality |
Birth Rate: 44.58 births per 1,000 people |
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Population Density: 66.00 people per sq km |
Death Rate: 18.83 deaths per 1,000 people |
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Population Growth: 3.21% per year |
Fertility Rate per Women: 5.94 babies born per woman |
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Population Male 0-14: 1,230,530 |
Population Female 0-14: 1,280,084 |
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Population Male 15-64: 1,397,070 |
Population Female 15-64: 1,528,986 |
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Population Male 65+: 87,256 |
Population Female 65+: 90,817 |
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Population 0-14: 44.70% |
Literacy Rate: 31.40% |
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Population 15-64: 52.10% |
Literacy rate of Males: 45.40% |
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Population 65+: 3.20% |
Literacy rate of Females: 18.20% |
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Population that is Male: 47.00
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Population that is Female: 53.00% |
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Life expectancy at birth in years: 45.96 years |
Infant mortality rate - baby deaths per 1000 births: 144.38 Babies die per 1,000 births |
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Life expectancy at birth for Males: 43.01 years |
Life expectancy at birth for Females: 49.01 years |
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Rate of AIDS/HIV infection: 2.99%
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Number of people living with AIDS or HIV: 68,000
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Number of people who died of AIDS: 8,200 |
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Disease Risk:
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Diseases:
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Net Migration Rate per 1,000 people: 6.32
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Nationality: SIERRA LEONEAN
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Ethnic Groups: 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans,
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Primary Language: English
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Other 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 Free
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Primary Religion: Muslim
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Other Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
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Branches: Army (RSLAF)
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Manpower Fit to Serve: NA years
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Manpower Available: 1,203,682 People
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Manpower Fit to Serve: 583,946 People
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Amount of Manpower Available each Year: 0 People per year
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Expenditures: $10,300,000 USD per year
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Expenditures as a Percentage of GDP: 1.50
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Note: Phrasebase uses a variety of sources when compiling the facts and information presented above. This information is continually updated throughout the year.
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Sierra Leone Spa and Resort Directory
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Sierra Leone Home Exchanges and Home Swaps
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Sierra Leone Vacation Rentals And Holiday Villas
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Sierra Leone City Information Game Earn Real Money
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