omy, generating about one-third of
GDP and employing about two-thirds of the working population. Manufacturing
accounts for less than 10% of GDP, consisting mainly of the processing of
raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Diamond mining
provides an important source of hard currency. The economy suffers from high
unemployment, rising inflation, large trade deficits, and a growing dependency
on foreign assistance.

GDP: $965 million, per capita $250; real growth rate 1.8% (FY87)

Inflation rate (consumer prices): 42% (September 1988)

Unemployment rate: NA%

Budget: revenues $86 million; expenditures $128 million,
including capital expenditures of $NA (FY90 est.)

Exports: $106 million (f.o.b., 1988);
commodities--rutile 50%, bauxite 17%, cocoa 11%, diamonds 3%,
coffee 3%;
partners--US, UK, Belgium, FRG, other Western Europe

Imports: $167 million (c.i.f., 1988);
commodities--capital goods 40%, food 32%, petroleum 12%,
consumer goods 7%, light industrial goods;
partners--US, EC, Japan, China, Nigeria

External debt: $805 million (1989 est.)

Industrial production: growth rate - 19% (FY88 est.)

Electricity: 83,000 kW capacity; 180 million kWh produced,
45 kWh per capita (1989)

Industries: mining (diamonds, bauxite, rutile), small-scale
manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear), petroleum refinery

Agriculture: accounts for over 30% of GDP and two-thirds of the
labor force; largely subsistence farming; cash crops--coffee, cocoa, palm
kernels; harvests of food staple rice meets 80% of domestic needs;
annual fish catch averages 53,000 metric tons

Aid: US commitments, including Ex-Im (FY70-88), $149 million; Western
(non-US) countries, ODA and OOF bilateral commitments (1970-87), $698 million;
OPEC bilateral aid (1979-89), $18 million; Communist countries (1970-88),
$101 million

Currency: leone (plural--leones); 1 leone (Le) = 100 cents

Exchange rates: leones per US$1--87.7193 (January 1990), 58.1395 (1989),
31.2500 (1988), 30.7692 (1987), 8.3963 (1986), 4.7304 (1985)

Fiscal year: 1 July-30 June

- Communications
Railroads: 84 km 1.067-meter narrow-gauge mineral line is used on a
limited basis because the mine at Marampa is closed

Highways: 7,400 km total; 1,150 km bituminous, 490 km laterite (some
gravel), remainder improved earth

Inland waterways: 800 km; 600 km navigable year round

Ports: Freetown, Pepel

Civil air: no major transport aircraft