ing out endemic
corruption.

Geography
Sierra Leone

Location:

Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea
and Liberia

Geographic coordinates:

8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references:

Africa

Area:

total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries:

total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline:

402 km

Maritime claims:

territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm

Climate:

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

Terrain:

coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland
plateau, mountains in east

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources:

diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use:

arable land: 7.95%
permanent crops: 1.05%
other: 91% (2005)

Irrigated land:

300 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

160 cu km (1987)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 0.38 cu km/yr (5%/3%/92%)
per capita: 69 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to
February); sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current 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 depleted natural resources; overfishing

Environment - international agreements:

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto
Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea,
Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution,
Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification

Geography - note:

rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year,
making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa

People
Sierra Leone

Population:

6,294,774 (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.6% (male 1,377,981/female 1,429,993)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,573,990/female 1,708,840)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 94,359/female 109,611) (2008 est.)

Median age: