Sierra Leone

At a glance Land People Economy Achievements and challenges Links with Australia             Sierra Leone at a glance Did you know? The name Sierra Leone comes from the Portuguese Serra Leoa, meaning ‘lion mountain’. This may be a reference to the coastal regions looking like ‘lion’s teeth’ or the thunderstorms over the mountainous peninsula sounding like the roar of a lion. Region Africa Population 6,005,250 (July 2006 estimate) Land Geography: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, upland plateau, mountains in east  Climate: tropical, hot, humid, distinct rainy and dry seasons  People Religion: Muslim, 60%; indigenous beliefs, 30%; Christian, 10% Language: English (official), Mende (in the south and east), Temne (in the north), Krio (English-based Creole) Economy Diamonds, agriculture Government Constitutional democracy Land Physical geography Sierra Leone , located on the west coast of Africa, covers a total area of 71,740 square km (slightly larger than Tasmania). The coastal plain includes sandy beaches and mangrove swamps. Inland from the coast the land rises steeply to high plains covered by grasslands and forest. In the east is the Loma mountain range, the highest peak of which is Loma Marisa (Bintimani), at 1,948 metres, near the Guinean border. The main rivers are the Rokal and the Sewa. Climate The climate is tropical, with high temperatures all year round and distinct wet (April – December) and dry (December – March) seasons. The maximum temperatures in Freetown are January 26.7°C and July 25.6°C, and the average annual rainfall is 3,434 mm. Environment Sierra Leone is situated within what once was the heart of the Upper Guinea Rainforest. Deforestation has meant that only 5% of the land area, compared with 75% a hundred years ago, is still forested. There is a high biodiversity, with an estimated 2,000 plant species; 15 primate species (monkeys and chimpanzees); ten antelope and duiker (small antelopes) species; large mammals including the Pygmy hippopotamus, elephants and leopards; and more than 500 bird species (including owls and hornbills). People The total population is 6,005,250 (July 2006 estimate), of which 39% live in urban areas. The major cities are: Freetown (capital), 1,070,200; Koidu, 80,000; Bo, 26,000; Kenema, 13,000 and Makeni, 12,000. Culture and identity Twenty ethnic groups make up roughly 90% of the population. Of this, one-third belong to the Temne language group in the north and one-third belong to the Mende language group in the north and east. Krio, based on English and African languages , is spoken by descendants of freed slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late 18th century. Small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis and Indians make up the remainder of the population and are concentrated in urban areas. English, although the official language, is spoken only by educated people. Krio is understood by most of the population, although it is the first language of 1 % . The ethnic groups have links to groups in neighbouring countries. Their distinctive wooden carvings are found around the world. Health Life expectancy averages a low 40.2 years: 38 years for men and 42.5 years for women (2006 estimate). The infant mortality rate is a high 160 deaths per 1,000 live births; the maternal mortality rate is also high, at 2,000 per 100,000 live births; and diseases such as diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria and yellow fever take their toll. Three-quarters of the population have access to safe water, but less than two in five people have safe sanitation. Religion and beliefs Islam is the predominant religion, although many tribal groups have their own belief systems and 10% of the population is Christian. The many belief systems and religions co-exist peacefully. Food and shelter With much of the rural population dependent on forests for food, fuel, building materials, medicinal plants, spices, perfumes, crafts and herbicides and insecticides, there are problems preventing overuse. The staple foods are rice and tapioca, supplemented by a wide variety of green leafy vegetables. Economy Wealth and poverty Sierra Leone is an extremely poor nation, with tremendous inequality in income distribution. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. The poorest 10% of the population shares only 0.5% of the economy, while the richest 10% shares 43.6%. Education and work Primary education is partially free but not compulsory, and 40% of secondary schools are funded by the government. There are four technical institutes, a rural institute and a university. The literacy rate is a low 29.6%, with 39.8% of men and 20.5% of women able to read and write English, Mende, Temne or Arabic (2000 estimate). Industries and products Sierra Leone ’s main agricultural products include rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts, poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs and fish. Its industries include diamond mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear), petroleum refining and small commercial ship repair. Trade Sierra Leone exports diamonds, rutile (a major ore in titanium), cocoa, coffee and fish worth $185 million (2004), mainly to Belgium and Germany. It imported $531 million worth of goods such as food, machinery, fuel and chemicals from its main trading partners Germany, 14.3%; UK, 9.3%; Cote d’Ivoire, 8.9%; USA, 8.6%; China, 5.7%; Netherlands, 5.1%; South Africa, 4.2%: France, 4.1% (2004). Achievements and challenges The dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara from December to February, cooling the land but causing sandstorms. Rapid population growth is making big demands on the environment. Deforestation is caused by timber milling, the expansion of cattle grazing and slash-and-burn agriculture. The government is slowly re-establishing its authority after the 1991 – 2002 civil war, which resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of up to 2 million people (about one-third of the population), many suffering the trauma of amputation and other violence. Refugees from conflict in neighbouring Liberia are living in camps in the eastern region. Sierra Leone has been assisted by the UN-sponsored peace-keeping mission and crimes tribunal. The money earned from diamond and mineral exports is helping to rebuild the economy, but there is still much to do to overcome poverty, tribal rivalry and corruption. Links with Australia In 2004–05 Sierra Leone imported steel, car parts and telecommunication equipment to the value of $A1,133,000 from Australia. It exported goods such as paper and vegetable oils worth $A173,000 to Australia. Sierra Leone is a member of the Commonwealth and sent a small team of competitors to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006. At the 2001 Census there were 340 Sierra Leone-born people recorded in Australia. Australia has been active in curbing the worldwide trade in ‘conflict diamonds’, which helped finance the conflict in Sierra Leone. In 2001 Australia contributed $A21,227,900 to the United Nations Mission in Sierra Leone (UNAMSIL) which was one of the largest and one of the most successful UN peacekeeping operations. The Australian Government’s overseas aid program is also providing assistance to the special court that tries those responsible for the atrocities committed during the civil war in Sierra Leone.

Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, a city of more than a million people, is on the coast of Atlantic Ocean.