upation:
agriculture 65%, industry 19%, services 16% (1981 est.)
note:
only about 65,000 wage earners (1985); 55% of population of working age

*Sierra Leone, Government

Names:
conventional long form:
Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form:
Sierra Leone
Digraph:
SL
Type:
military government
Capital:
Freetown
Administrative divisions:
3 provinces and 1 area*; Eastern, Northern, Southern, Western*, Independence:
27 April 1961 (from UK)
Constitution:
1 October 1991; amended September 1991
Legal system:
based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
National holiday:
Republic Day, 27 April (1961)
Political parties and leaders:
status of existing political parties is unknown following 29 April 1992 coup
Suffrage:
18 years of age; universal
Elections:
suspended after 29 April 1992 coup; Chairman STRASSER promises multi-party
elections sometime within three years
Executive branch:
National Provisional Ruling Council
Legislative branch:
unicameral House of Representatives (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992)
Judicial branch:
Supreme Court (suspended after coup of 29 April 1992)
Leaders:
Chief of State and Head of Government:
Chairman of the Supreme Council of State Capt. Valentine E. M. STRASSER
(since 29 April 1992)
Member of:
ACP, AfDB, C, CCC, ECA, ECOWAS, FAO, G-77, GATT, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU,
IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IOC, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAU,
OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
(vacant)
chancery:
1701 19th Street NW, Washington, DC 20009
telephone:
(202) 939-9261
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
Ambassador Lauralee M. PETERS
embassy:
Walpole and Siaka Stevens Street, Freetown
mailing address:
use embassy street address
telephone:
[232] (22) 226-481

*Sierra Leone, Government

FAX:
[232] (22) 225-471
Flag:
three equal horizontal bands of light green (top), white, and light blue

*Sierra Leone, Economy

Overview:
The economic and social infrastructure is not well developed. Subsistence
agriculture dominates the economy, generating about one-third of GDP and
employing about two-thirds of the working population. Manufacturing, which
accounts for roughly 10% of GDP, consists mainly of the processing of raw