Sierra Leone - Geography

Here, let us take a look at the Geography of Sierra Leone. Rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa. Mother's mean age at first birth is 19.6 years (2019 est.) (Note: data represents median age at first birth among women 20-49), whereas, the Maternal mortality ratio is 443 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Geographical data of Sierra Leone
Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinates 8 30 N, 11 30 W
Map references Africa
Tarrain coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
Natural Resources diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
Natural Hazards dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
Irrigated Land 300 sq km (2012)
Major rivers (by length in km)
Major aquifers
Land Boundaries 1,093 km
Border Countries Guinea 794 km; Liberia 299 km
Coastline 402 km
Climate tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
Area
Total Area
Land Area 71,620 sq km
Water Area 120 sq km
comparative Area slightly smaller than South Carolina
Maritime Claims
Territorial sea 12 nm
Contiguous zone 24 nm
Exclusive economic zone 200 nm
Continental shelf 200 nm
Elevations
Highest point Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
Lowest point Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Mean elevation 279 m
Land Use
Agricultural land 54.7% (2022 est.)
Agricultural land: arable land arable land: 21.9% (2022 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent crops permanent crops: 2.3% (2022 est.)
Agricultural land: permanent pasture permanent pasture: 30.5% (2022 est.)
Forest 34.6% (2022 est.)
Other 10.7% (2022 est.)
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

People and Society

In Sierra Leone, the different Ethnic groups are such that we have: Temne 35.4%, Mende 30.8%, Limba 8.8%, Kono 4.3%, Korankoh 4%, Fullah 3.8%, Mandingo 2.8%, Loko 2%, Sherbro 1.9%, Creole 1.2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), other 5% (2019 est.)

Population
Pop growth rate 2.32% (2024 est.)
Birth rate 30.8 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Death rate 9 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Health expenditure 8.6% of GDP (2021)
Physicians Density
Hospital bed Density
Total fertility rate 3.61 children born/woman (2024 est.)
Gross reproduction rate 1.78 (2024 est.)
Contraceptive prevalence rate 21.2% (2019)
Est married women (ages 15-49) 58.9% (2023 est.)
Literacy age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
Education expenditures 9.1% of GDP (2021 est.)
Net Migration rate 1.4 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2024 est.)
Nationality Sierra Leonean | Sierra Leonean(s)
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%)
Religions Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.)
Age Structure
0-14 years 40.1% (male 1,843,606/female 1,812,304)
15-64 years 57.4% (male 2,557,715/female 2,675,418)
65 years and over 2.5% (2024 est.) (male 114,405/female 117,601)
Dependency Ratios
Total dependency ratio 74
Youth dependency ratio 68.5
Elderly dependency ratio 5.5
Potential support ratio 18.3 (2020 est.)
Median Age
Total 19.4 years (2024 est.)
Male 19 years
Female 19.9 years
Urbanization
Urban population 44.3% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization 3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Major urban areas (Pop) 1.309 million FREETOWN (capital) (2023).
Sex Ratio
At birth 1.03 male(s)/female
0-14 years 1.02 male(s)/female
15-64 years 0.96 male(s)/female
65 years and over 0.97 male(s)/female
Total population 0.98 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Infant Motality
Total 71.2 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male 76 deaths/1,000 live births
Female 66.2 deaths/1,000 live births
Life Expectancy at birth
Total population 59.4 years (2024 est.)
Male 57.8 years
Female 61 years
Drinking Water Sources
Improved: urban urban: 92.5% of population
Improved: rural rural: 58% of population
Improved: total total: 72.8% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 7.5% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 42% of population
Unimproved: total total: 27.2% of population (2020 est.)
Sanitation facility acess
Improved: urban urban: 79.5% of population
Improved: rural rural: 35.5% of population
Improved: total total: 54.4% of population
Unimproved: urban urban: 20.5% of population
Unimproved: rural rural: 64.5% of population
Unimproved: total total: 45.6% of population (2020 est.)
Alcohol consumption per capita
Total 3.22 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Beer 0.17 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Wine 0.01 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Spirits 0.15 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Other alcohols 2.9 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Tobacco use
Total 13.5% (2020 est.)
Male 20.5% (2020 est.)
Female 6.4% (2020 est.)
Child marriage
Women married by age 15 8.6%
Women married by age 18 29.6%
Men married by age 18 4.1% (2019 est.)
Demographic profile
All Important Facts about Sierra Leone

Want to know more about Sierra Leone? Check all different factbooks for Sierra Leone below.

Sierra Leone is found in Western Africa