Part 665

Geography ---------

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

Geographic coordinates: 8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references: Africa

Area: total area: 71,740 sq km land area: 71,620 sq km comparative area: slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries: total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline: 402 km

Maritime claims: territorial sea: 200 nm continental shelf: 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

International disputes: none

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 lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources: diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use: arable land: 25% permanent crops: 2% meadows and pastures: 31% forest and woodland: 29% other: 13%

Irrigated land: 340 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment: current issues: rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing natural hazards: dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May); sandstorms, dust storms international agreements: party to - Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Whaling; signed, but not ratified - Desertification, Environmental Modification

People ------

Population: 4,793,121 (July 1996 est.)

Age structure: 0-14 years: 45% (male 1,057,824; female 1,092,291) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,197,547; female 1,298,834) 65 years and over: 3% (male 75,066; female 71,559) (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate: 4.14% (1996 est.)

Birth rate: 47.13 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate: 18.24 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Net migration rate: 12.52 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.05 male(s)/female all ages: 0.95 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant mortality rate: 135.6 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 47.47 years male: 44.56 years female: 50.47 years (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate: 6.36 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Nationality: noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic divisions: 13 native African tribes 99% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 39%), Creole, European, Lebanese, and Asian 1%