Sierra Leone

The main languages spoken in Sierra Leone are:
English - the official language, though its regular use is limited to a literate minority.
Krio - an English-based Creole spoken by descendants of freed Jamaican and African American settlers; a first language for about 10% of the population but understood by 95%, serving as the country's lingua franca.
Mende - the principal vernacular in the south.
Temne - the principal vernacular in the north.
English is the sole official language of Sierra Leone.

Geography

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

Map references: Africa

Area:
total: 71,620-73,252 sq km

Land boundaries:
border countries: Guinea, Liberia

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

People

Population: 8.46-9.33 million (2023-2025 est.)

Age structure:
0-14 years: 40.1%
15-64 years: 57.4%
65 years and over: 2.5% (2024 est.)

Median age: 19.7 years (2025 est.)

Nationality:
noun/adjective: Sierra Leonean(s)

Ethnic groups: over a dozen ethnic groups; Temne and Mende are the largest, together accounting for a significant portion of the population

Religions: Muslim approximately 60%, Christian approximately 30%, with traditional beliefs also practiced

Languages: English (official, regular use limited to a literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, first language for 10%, understood by 95%)

Literacy: total population 43.6% (male 54.6%, female 33.9%) (2019 est.)

Population distribution: clusters found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated

Government

Country name:
conventional long form: Republic of Sierra Leone
conventional short form: Sierra Leone; Portuguese explorer Pedro de Sintra is usually credited with naming the country "Serra da Leao" (Lion Mountains) in 1462

Data code: SL

Government type: presidential republic

National capital: Freetown; the name described the original 1781 settlement, which served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans

Economy

Economy - overview: low-income, least-developed West African economy; primarily subsistence agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities have been suspended in recent years; slow recovery from the 1990s civil war; systemic corruption, high-risk debt, and high youth unemployment persist despite significant natural resource wealth

GDP (purchasing power parity): $32.51 billion (2025 est.)

GDP - real growth rate: 4.7% (2025)

GDP - per capita: $3,550 PPP (2025 est.)

Inflation rate: 16.862% (2018 est.)

Population below poverty line: 52.9% (2011)

Currency: Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)

Military

Military branches: Republic of Sierra Leone Armed Forces (RSLAF), organized as a Joint Force Command with land, air, and maritime components; primary responsibilities include securing borders and territorial waters, supporting civil authorities during emergencies, and participating in peacekeeping missions; has received assistance from Canada, China, France, the UK, and the US since the end of the civil war in 2002 (2025)