ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICRM,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, IPU,
ITU, ITUC, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIT,
UNWTO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Diplomatic representation in the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador Bockari Kortu STEVENS
chancery: 1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone: [1] (202) 939-9261 through 9263
FAX: [1] (202) 483-1793

Diplomatic representation from the US:

chief of mission: Ambassador June Carter PERRY
embassy: Southridge-Hill Station, Freetown
mailing address: use embassy street address
telephone: [232] (22) 515 000 or [232] (76) 515 000
FAX: [232] (22) 515 355

Flag description:

three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light
blue

Economy
Sierra Leone

Economy - overview:

Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation with tremendous inequality
in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral,
agricultural, and fishery resources, its physical and social
infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders
continue to hamper economic development. Nearly half 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. Alluvial diamond
mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings accounting
for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of the economy
depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued
receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset
the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. The
IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program
that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent
increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic
activity such as the rehabilitation of bauxite and rutile mining.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$3.991 billion (2007 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate):

$1.664 billion (2007 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

7% (2007 est.)

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$600 (2007 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:

agriculture: 49%
industry: 31%
services: 21% (2001 est.)

Labor force:

1.369 million (1981 est.)

Labor force - by occupation:

agriculture: NA%
industry: NA%
services: NA%

Unemployment rate:

NA%

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