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 5,132,138 (July 2009 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 GDP per person (PPP): $900 (2009 estimate) GDP by sector: Agriculture: 49%, Industry: 31%, Services: 25% 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 the capital Freetown are 26.7°C in January and 25.6°C in July, and the average annual rainfall is 3,434 millimetres. Environment Sierra Leone is situated within what once was the heart of the Upper Guinea Rainforest. Deforestation has meant that only 4% of the land area, compared with 75% a hundred years ago, is still forested. The dry, sand-laden Harmattan winds blow from the Sahara from December to February, cooling the land but causing sandstorms. 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 5,132,138 (July 2009 estimate), of which 38% 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. Sierra Leone is also host to over 27,000 refugees from neighbouring Liberia (2007 figures). 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 few (1% of the population). The ethnic groups have links to groups in neighbouring countries. Health In 2009 life expectancy averaged 55 years: 53 for males and 58 for females. This is a good improvement from only 40.2 years in 2006. The infant mortality rate is just under 82 per 1000 live births, again an improvement from a high 160 deaths per 1,000 live births just a few years ago. However, diseases such as diarrhoea, hepatitis A, typhoid fever, malaria and yellow fever take their toll. Roughly 1.7% of the adult population (55,000 people) are living with HIV/AIDS. Just over half 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 Cooking in rural areas is done outdoors using pots set on three stones. Rice is the principal staple and is consumed daily. It is rolled into balls and dipped into a spicy sauce made from fish, meat, peanuts and vegetables such as eggplant, yam, okra and tomato. Starchy vegetables such as potato, cassava, and plantains (a kind of banana) are also eaten. Tropical fruits including papaya, mango, avocado, guava and pineapple are consumed where available. In rural parts of the country houses are typically constructed from clay and mud and may have thatched or bamboo roofs. Housing in towns and villages may be constructed from cement using metal sheeting for roofing. Economy Wealth and poverty While the country has experienced improvements in recent years Sierra Leone is still 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 2.6% of the economy, while the richest 10% shares 33.6% (2003 figures). 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 35%, with 47% of men and 24% of women able to read and write English, Mende, Temne or Arabic (2004 estimate). Industries and products Sierra Leone ’s main agricultural products include rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts, poultry, beef, lamb, pork and fish. Agriculture accounts for 49% of the country’s GDP (2005 figure). 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 US$216 million, mainly to Belgium, the United States and India. In 2006 it imported US$561 million worth of goods such as food, machinery, fuel and chemicals from its main trading partners: China 10.3%, Cote d'Ivoire 8.8%, USA 7.8%, Belgium 6.6%, UK 6.6%, Thailand 5.2%, India 4.2% (2008). Achievements and challenges 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 country has a very young population (45% of the total population is aged under 15) which places great demand for education and employment opportunities in the future. 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 2004–2005 Sierra Leone imported piping made from steel or iron, machinery and nails, screws, nuts and bolts to the value of $A1,603,000 from Australia. It exported goods such as musical instruments, tea, rubber tyres, treads and tubes and vegetable oils worth $A3,612,000 to Australia. At the 2006 Census there were 1,810 Sierra Leone-born people recorded in Australia, almost half of which live in New South Wales. Also of note, much of the Sierra Leone community in Australia is young with the median age at 25.7 years. Australia has supported the role of the UN Peacebuilding Commission (PBC) in countries after fighting has stopped providing $3 million over the last three years. Australia has committed another $6 million over the next two year for the PBC’s peace building work focussing on two countries including Sierra Leone. The Australian Government’s overseas aid program also supports the Special Court for Sierra Leone that tries those responsible for the atrocities committed during the civil war in Sierra Leone. Australia has also been active in curbing the worldwide trade in ‘conflict diamonds’, which helped finance the conflict in Sierra Leone. Main sources: https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html http://hdr.undp.org/ http://www.dfat.gov.au/geo/index.html http://www.immi.gov.au/living-in-australia/delivering-assistance/government-programs/settlement-planning/_pdf/community-profile-sierra-leone.pdf

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