Sierra Leone

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References & Edit History Facts & Stats

Images

Physical features of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Ethnic composition

Sierra Leone: Religious affiliation

Sierra Leone: Urban-rural

Sierra Leone: Age breakdown

For Students

Sierra Leone summary

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Sierra Leone: Facts & Stats

Written and fact-checked by The Information Architects of Encyclopaedia Britannica

News •

Sierra Leone declared an emergency over a powerful synthetic drug but women were left behind • Apr. 5, 2025, 2:20 AM ET (ABC News (U.S.))

Top Zimbabwean lawyer dies in Sierra Leone • Apr. 2, 2025, 1:51 AM ET (DailyNews)

Football: Soccer-Egypt win to extend lead in World Cup qualifying group • Mar. 26, 2025, 1:55 AM ET (The Star)

Sierra Leone debates decriminalizing abortion as women and girls endanger their lives • Mar. 24, 2025, 10:50 PM ET (ABC News (U.S.))

Facts

Head Of State And Government	President: Julius Maada Bio
Capital	Freetown
Population	(2025 est.) 7,833,000
Form Of Government	republic with one legislative house (Parliament [146¹])
Official Language	English
Official Religion	none
Official Name	Republic of Sierra Leone
Total Area (Sq Km)	72,929
Total Area (Sq Mi)	28,158
Monetary Unit	leone (Le)
Population Rank	(2025) 103
Population Projection 2030	9,528,000
Density: Persons Per Sq Mi	(2025) 278.2
Density: Persons Per Sq Km	(2025) 107.4
Urban-Rural Population	Urban: (2024) 44.8% • Rural: (2024) 55.2%
Life Expectancy At Birth	Male: (2022) 57.2 years • Female: (2022) 60.4 years
Literacy: Percentage Of Population Age 15 And Over Literate	Male: (2022) 56% • Female: (2022) 41%
Gni (U.S.$ ’000,000)	(2023) 7,336
Gni Per Capita (U.S.$)	(2023) 870
¹Includes 14 paramount chiefs elected to represent each of the provincial districts.

Photos

Physical features of Sierra Leone

Diamonds-for-weapons trade in Africa

Principal kingdoms and peoples of western Africa, 17th–19th century

Bunce Island, Sierra Leone

British West Africa

National anthem of Sierra Leone

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Topics

Martin Puryear Amanda Smith Sir Milton Margai Davidson Nicol Siaka Stevens Sir Albert Margai Africa western Africa member states of the Commonwealth Commonwealth United States India United Kingdom China Canada Russia Germany Australia Japan France

Sir Milton Margai

prime minister of Sierra Leone

Davidson Nicol

Sierra Leonean physician and writer

Amanda Smith

American religious leader

Lever #3, painted ponderosa pine by Martin Puryear, 1989; in the McKee Gallery, New York City. 8412 × 162 × 13 inches.

Martin Puryear

American sculptor

Siaka Stevens

president of Sierra Leone

Sir Albert Margai

prime minister of Sierra Leone

Yengema

Sierra Leone

A map of the continent of Africa, including its countries, boundaries, and capital cities. It also shows parts of Europe and Asia and surrounding bodies of water, including the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean.

Africa

continent

western Africa

western Africa

region, Africa

Freetown

Freetown

national capital, Sierra Leone

alluvial diamond mining

Kenema

Sierra Leone

Bo

Sierra Leone

Bonthe

Sierra Leone

Pepel

Sierra Leone

Lunsar

Sierra Leone

Koidu–New Sembehun

Sierra Leone

Makeni

Sierra Leone

Magburaka

Sierra Leone

Sewa River

river, Sierra Leone

Sherbro Island

island, Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone River

river, Sierra Leone

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