# Sierra Leone

> sovereign state in West Africa

**Wikidata**: [Q1044](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1044)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sierra_Leone)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sierra-leone

## Summary
Sierra Leone is a sovereign state and republic located in West Africa, officially established in its current republican form on April 19, 1971. Situated on the coast of the Atlantic Ocean, it borders Guinea and Liberia and serves as a member of major international bodies including the United Nations and the Commonwealth of Nations. The country is named after the "Lion Mountains," a name attributed to the Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra.

## Key Facts
- **Official Name:** Republic of Sierra Leone.
- **Location:** West Africa; borders Guinea and Liberia; coast along the Atlantic Ocean.
- **Capital:** Freetown.
- **Inception (Republic):** April 19, 1971.
- **Sovereign State Status:** Since April 27, 1961.
- **Government:** Presidential system.
- **Head of State:** Julius Maada Bio (assumed office April 4, 2018).
- **Head of Government:** David Sengeh (assumed office 2023).
- **Legislature:** Parliament of Sierra Leone.
- **Currency:** Leone.
- **Area:** 71,740 square kilometers.
- **Population:** Approximately 7.56 million (2017 estimate).
- **Coordinates:** 8.5°N, 12.1°W.
- **Official Languages:** English, Krio.
- **Anthem:** "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free".
- **Motto:** "Unity, Freedom, Justice".
- **Highest Point:** Mount Bintumani.
- **Timezone:** UTC±00:00 (Africa/Freetown).
- **Driving Side:** Right.
- **Internet TLD:** .sl.
- **ISO Codes:** SL (Alpha-2), SLE (Alpha-3), 694 (Numeric).
- **Telephone Code:** +232.
- **Human Development Index (2021):** 0.477.
- **Democracy Index (2020):** 4.86.

## FAQs
**What is the political structure of Sierra Leone?**
Sierra Leone functions as a presidential republic. The President serves as the head of state; the current president is Julius Maada Bio. The legislative body is the Parliament of Sierra Leone. The country transitioned from a Commonwealth realm to a republic on April 19, 1971.

**What languages are spoken in Sierra Leone?**
The official languages are English and Krio. The population also uses various other languages including Mende, Temne, Limba, Kono, and Sierra Leonean Sign Language.

**What is the demographic profile of the country?**
As of 2022, the population exceeds 8.6 million people. The population is predominantly rural, though urban populations are growing. Life expectancy was recorded at approximately 51.8 years in 2016.

**Which international organizations does Sierra Leone belong to?**
Sierra Leone is a member of the United Nations (since 1961), the Commonwealth of Nations (since 1961), the African Union, the World Trade Organization, and the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).

## Why It Matters
Sierra Leone plays a significant role in West African geopolitics and history, particularly noted for its capital, Freetown, which was established as a settlement for freed African Americans and West Indians. As a post-conflict nation, its development metrics—such as the Human Development Index and the Bertelsmann Transformation Index—are crucial for studying political and economic recovery in the region. Its active membership in organizations like the UN, African Union, and ECOWAS highlights its engagement in international diplomacy and regional stability efforts.

## Notable For
- **Etymology:** Named "Sierra Leone" (Lion Mountains) by explorer Pedro de Sintra.
- **Unique Capital History:** Freetown was historically a settlement for freed slaves.
- **Geographical Extremes:** Features Mount Bintumani as its highest peak and the Atlantic Ocean as its lowest point.
- **Linguistic Heritage:** Krio functions as a widely spoken lingua franca alongside English.
- **Regional Integration:** A founding or active member in key African and Islamic cooperation organizations.

## Body

### Geography and Climate
Sierra Leone is situated in West Africa, located within the continent of Africa. It lies between latitudes 8.5° and 10°N and longitudes -12.1° and -11.5°W. The country covers a total area of 71,740 square kilometers, with water constituting 0.2% of this area. It shares land borders with Guinea and Liberia and is located next to the Atlantic Ocean. The nation's highest point is Mount Bintumani, while its lowest point is the Atlantic Ocean at sea level. The climate and time zone are aligned with UTC±00:00, specifically the Africa/Freetown timezone.

### Government and Politics
The political framework of Sierra Leone is defined as a republic and sovereign state operating under a presidential system. The current head of state is President Julius Maada Bio, who took office on April 4, 2018. The head of government position is held by Chief Minister David Sengeh (as of 2023). The legislative authority resides in the Parliament of Sierra Leone. Historically, the office of the head of government was held by the President until 2018. The country's legal age of majority is 21 years, and the marriageable age is 18 years for all genders.

### History and Independence
Sierra Leone replaced the "Commonwealth realm of Sierra Leone" following its inception as a republic on April 19, 1971. It had previously gained sovereign state status on April 27, 1961. The land was named "Sierra Leone" by the discoverer Pedro de Sintra, referring to the Lion Mountains.

### International Relations
Sierra Leone maintains diplomatic relations with countries such as Liberia, Taiwan, the United States, China, Bangladesh, Germany, Hungary, and North Korea. It is a member of a vast array of international organizations:
- **United Nations:** Member since September 27, 1961.
- **Commonwealth of Nations:** Member since 1961.
- **African Union:** Member.
- **Organisation of Islamic Cooperation:** Member since 1972.
- **World Trade Organization:** Member.
- **Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS):** Member.
- **Other Memberships:** Includes UNESCO (since 1962), Interpol (since 1962), and the African Continental Free Trade Area.

### Economy and Development
The economy of Sierra Leone utilizes the leone (currency) and operates with a VAT rate of 15%. Nominal GDP was approximately $4.25 billion in 2021 and $3.97 billion in 2022. The unemployment rate was recorded at 3% in 2014. Development indices show a Human Development Index (HDI) of 0.477 in 2021 and an inequality-adjusted HDI of 0.309. The Gini coefficient was 35.7 in 2018. The country's central bank is the Bank of Sierra Leone.

### Demographics and Society
The population has grown from 2.16 million in 1960 to over 7.55 million in 2017. By 2022, the male population was approximately 4.31 million and the female population 4.29 million. The rural population outnumbers the urban population (4.83 million vs 3.77 million in 2022). Life expectancy has risen steadily, reaching 51.8 years in 2016. The birth rate in 2022 was 30.788, and the death rate was 8.909. The total fertility rate in 2014 was estimated at 4.626 children per woman. The country is characterized as "partly free" according to Freedom in the World.

### Culture and National Symbols
Sierra Leone's culture is distinguished by its national anthem, "High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free," and the motto "Unity, Freedom, Justice." The flag and coat of arms are primary symbols of the state. Demonyms include Sierra Leonean (English), Sierraléonais (French), and various others in languages like Arabic, Hebrew, and Italian. The culture is studied under "Sierra Leone studies."

### Infrastructure and Utilities
The country utilizes right-hand traffic. The mains voltage is 230 volts at 50 Hz, using British Standard (BS 1363) plugs. The telephone country code is +232, with 0 as the trunk prefix. Emergency numbers include 999 (fire/medical) and 019 (police). The internet top-level domain is .sl.

### Administrative Divisions
The country contains several administrative territorial entities: the Northern Province, Southern Province, Eastern Province, North West Province, and the Western Area. These divisions serve as the primary subdivisions of the state.

## References

1. [Source](https://www.workwithdata.com/place/sierra-leone)
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6. Lingua Libre
7. [Source](http://thecommonwealth.org/our-member-countries/sierra-leone)
8. [Source](https://www.oic-oci.org/states/?lan=en)
9. [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/African_Development_Bank)
10. [Interpol](https://www.interpol.int/Member-countries/World)
11. [Source](https://www.interpol.int/Who-we-are/Member-countries/Africa/SIERRA-LEONE)
12. [Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons](https://www.opcw.org/about-opcw/member-states/)
13. [Source](https://www.opcw.org/about-us/member-states/sierra-leone)
14. [Source](http://www.unesco.org/eri/cp/ListeMS_Indicators.asp)
15. [Source](http://www.upu.int/en/the-upu/member-countries.html)
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17. [Source](https://www.itu.int/online/mm/scripts/gensel8)
18. [Source](https://public.wmo.int/en/members/sierra-leone)
19. [Source](https://www.who.int/choice/demography/by_country/en/)
20. [Source](https://www.wcoomd.org/-/media/wco/public/global/pdf/about-us/wco-members/list-of-members-with-membership-date.pdf)
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23. [Source](https://www.ncnk.org/sites/default/files/content/resources/publications/NCNK_Issue_Brief_DPRK_Diplomatic_Relations.pdf)
24. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
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29. World Bank Open Data
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31. [Source](https://www.statistics.sl/images/StatisticsSL/Documents/Census/2015/sl_2015_phc_thematic_report_on_population_projections.pdf)
32. [World Bank Open Data](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL)
33. [Source](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SI.POV.GINI)
34. [Source](http://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS)
35. [Source](http://cnig.gouv.fr/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/CNT-PVM_r%C3%A9vis%C3%A9_2020-01-27-1.pdf)
36. [Source](https://onzetaal.nl/taaladvies/advies/new-yorker-new-yorker-newyorker)
37. [Source](https://ca.wiktionary.org/wiki/serralleon%C3%A8s#ca)
38. The National Terminology Database for Irish
39. [Source](https://freedomhouse.org/report/freedom-world/freedom-world-2017)
40. [Source](https://statehouse.gov.sl/)
41. [World Bank](https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/NY.GDP.MKTP.CD)
42. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/Index.aspx?DataSetCode=DEMO_DS)
43. [World Plugs](http://www.iec.ch/worldplugs/list_bylocation.htm)
44. WikiUMLS: Aligning UMLS to Wikipedia via Cross-lingual Neural Ranking
45. English as a Global Language, second edition
46. [Source](https://countrycodebase.com/undp/)
47. Treccani's Enciclopedia on line
48. Enciclopedia Treccani
49. [UNESCO Institute for Statistics](http://data.uis.unesco.org/index.aspx?queryid=239)
50. [archINFORM](https://www.archinform.net/service/wd_aiort.php)