World Context: Sierra Leone

Source and mapping status

This page maps the site registry entry “Sierra Leone” to the supplied dataset entity “Sierra Leone.” Mapping status: exact-name. The source is a frozen 2025 snapshot; dates embedded in individual fields remain controlling.

• Source entity count: 1.
• Selected public fields present: 19.
• Independent corroboration in this page: none.

Place and environment

Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia Area: total : 71,740 sq km; land: 71,620 sq km; water: 120 sq km Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) Terrain: coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east Natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms Environmental issues: overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture resulting in deforestation, soil exhaustion, and flooding; loss of biodiversity; air pollution; water pollution; overfishing

Population, settlement, and language context

Population: total: 9,331,203 (2025 est.); male: 4,620,638; female: 4,710,565 Population distribution: population clusters are found in the lower elevations of the south and west; the northern third of the country is less populated, as shown on this population distribution map Urbanization: urban population: 44.3% of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves; a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Public and legal context

Capital: name: Freetown; geographic coordinates: 8 29 N, 13 14 W; time difference: UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); etymology: the name described the original settlement in 1781, which served as a haven for free-born and freed African Americans Government type: presidential republic Legal system: mixed system of English common law and customary law

Economy and connectivity context

Economic overview: low-income West African economy; primarily subsistent agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities suspended; slow recovery from 1990s civil war; systemic corruption; high-risk debt; high youth unemployment; natural resource rich Industries: diamond mining; iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear) Electricity access: electrification - total population: 29.4% (2022 est.); electrification - urban areas: 55.3%; electrification - rural areas: 5% Internet users: percent of population: 21% (2023 est.) Airports: 8 (2025) Ports: total ports: 3 (2024); large: 0; medium: 0; small: 1; very small: 2; ports with oil terminals: 2; key ports: Bonthe, Freetown, Pepel

Interpretation and freshness boundary

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