Sierra Leone Country Profile

Sierrra Leone
Countrry Profile
Summaary
The Rep
public of Sieerra Leone is a countrry in West Africa
A
that is bordered by
b Guinea to
t the
northeastt, Liberia to the southeaast, and the Atlantic Occean to the southwest.
s
S
Sierra
Leonee is a
Constituttional Repub
blic with a directly eleected presiddent and a Unicameral
U
Legislature.. The
country has
h a tropicaal climate, with
w a diverse environmeent ranging from
f
savannnah to rainforests.
The counntry covers a total area of
o 71,740 km
m2 (27,699 sq mi) and with
w an estim
mated popullation
of 6 milliion (2011 Un
nited Nationns estimate).
Historyy
In 1462, the area th
hat is now Sierra
S
Leonee was visiteed by the Poortuguese exxplorer Pedrro de
w named it Serra Leoaa, meaning "Lioness Mountains". Sierra
S
Leonee later becam
me an
Sintra, who
importannt centre of the transatlaantic trade in
i slaves unntil 11 Marcch 1792 wheen Freetownn was
founded by the Sierrra Leone Company as a home for foormer slavess enslaved frrom (or freed by)
me a British Crown Coloony, and in 1896, the intterior
the Britissh Empire. In 1808, Freeetown becam
of the couuntry becam
me a British Protectorate.
P
. Between 19991 and 20002 the Sierra Leone Civill War
devastateed the coun
ntry leavingg more thaan 50,000 people deaad, much of
o the counntry's
infrastruccture destroyed, and ovver two milllion peoplee displaced in neighborring countries as
refugees..
Sierra Leeone has em
merged from
m a protractted civil waar and is shoowing signss of a succeessful
transitionn. Investor and consum
mer confidennce have coontinued to rise, addingg impetus too the
country's economic recovery. There is greater freedom of movement and the successful rehabitation and resettlement of residential areas.
Political System
Sierra Leone is divided into four administrative regions: the Northern Province, Eastern
Province, Southern Province and the Western Area; which are subdivided into fourteen districts.
Each district has its own directly elected local government known as district council, headed by a
council chairman, in whom local executive authority is vested. Freetown is the capital, largest
city as well as its economic, commercial and political centre. Since Independence to present,
Sierra Leone's politics has been dominated by two major political parties, the Sierra Leone
People's Party and the All People's Congress.
Membership
Sierra Leone is a member of the United Nations and its specialized agencies, the African Union,
the African Development Bank (AFDB), the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the
Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). Sierra Leone is also a member of the International Criminal
Court with a Bilateral Immunity Agreement of protection for the US military (as covered under
Article 98).
Basic Facts
Capital City
Freetown
Population
6 Millions
Total Area
71,740 km², (27,699 sq miles)
Languages
English, Krio language (derived from English and several indigenous
African languages)
Ethnicity
Temne (North), Mende (South)
Religion
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%
Political System
Unitary state, Presidential system, Constitutional republic
Branches of Government
judiciary, executive and legislative
Ernest Bai Koroma
Current President
Currency
Sierra Leonean leone
Health
Sierra Leone spends 1.5 percent of its GDP on health. Life expectancy at birth in Sierra Leone
is estimated at 47.5 years. It is associated with the heavy disease burden and the high child and
maternal morbidity and
a mortalitty in the coountry. Sierraa Leone hass one of thee highest rattes of
y; in the woorld at 1 ouut of 8 wom
men dying inn childbirthh. The underrlying
maternaal mortality
factors are
a mainly caused by pervasive poverty,
p
higgh level of illiteracy especially
e
am
mong
females, limited acceess to safe drrinking wateer and adequuate sanitatioon, poor feedding and hyggienic
practices, overcrowd
ded housing and
a limited access
a
to quality health services.
s
Health Indicators
20000
2005
2010
20111
Underr 5 mortality rate
r ( per 10000 live births)
2441
214
189
1855
Life exxpectancy at birth
b
(years)
400
44
47
488
Populaation using im
mproved drinkking water sources (%)
477
52
57
588
Populaation using ad
dequate sanitaation facilitiess (%)
122
12
13
133
Prevallence of HIV,, total (% of population
p
agees 15-49)
0.8
1.4
1.6
1.66
T
Top Diseases
s Killing Children Under 5
25%
21%
20%
20%
15%
1
13%
10%
8%
%
5%
0%
Diarrhea Pn
neumonia
Maalaria Prematurity
Educattion
Education in Sierra Leone
L
is leggally requireed for all children for siix years at primary
p
leveel and
three yeaars in junior secondaryy education, but a shorttage of schoools and teaachers has made
m
implemenntation impossible. Thee Sierra Leoone Civil War
W resulted in the desttruction of 1,270
1
primary schools and
d in 2001 67
6 percent of
o all schooll-age children were ouut of school.. The
situation has improved considerably since then with primary school enrollment doubling
between 2001 and 2005 and the reconstruction of many schools since the end of the war.
Education Indicators
2012
Public Expenditure on Education (% of GDP)
403
Expected Years of Schooling
7.3
Adult Literacy Rate
42.1
Number of Schools (2007)-Primary
3960
Number of Schools (2007)-Secondary
227
Number of Teachers (2007) before war
20000
Number of Teachers (2007) after war
15000
Number of Universities
5
Economy
Rich in minerals, Sierra Leone has relied on mining, especially diamonds, for its economic base.
The country is among the top ten diamond producing nations. Mineral exports remain the main
foreign currency earner. Sierra Leone is a major producer of gem-quality diamonds. Though rich
in diamonds, it has historically struggled to manage their exploitation and export. Annual
production of Sierra Leone's diamond estimates range between US$250 million–$300 million.
The agricultural products of Sierra Leone include rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, and
peanuts.
Economy Indicators
GDP (USD)$ Billions
2012
8.4
Country Rank in the world
155
GDP Growth(Annual)
19.8%
GDP Per Capita(USD)$
1.400
Agriculture Sector
Industry Sector
Services Sector
51.5%
14.9%
33.6%
Inflation Rate (%)
16.6% 16.9% 17.7%
20%
10%
12.0%
3.3%
0%
2000
2005
2010
2011
2012
GDP by Sector: 1980
4%
9%
Services
Agriculture
51%
36%
Manufacturing
Other Industry
GDP by Sector:2002
3%
7%
Services
47%
Agriculture
Manufacturing
43%
Other Industry
GDP by Sector:2006
3%
9%
Services
41%
Agriculture
Manufacturing
47%
Other Industry
Imports
Main impport commodities of Sierrra Leone innclude foodsttuffs, machinnery and equuipment, fueels,
lubricantts, and chem
micals.
Imporrt Partners (%
%)
20%
16.3%
%
15%
10.1%
10%
7.1%
6.6%
%
5%
4.6%
4.5%
0%
Chinaa
India
South Africa
U.SS.
Cote Belgium
d'Ivoire
Exports
Formal exports
e
havee dramatically improveed since the civil war, with effortss to improve the
managem
ment of them
m having som
me success. In
I October 2000,
2
a UN-aapproved cerrtification syystem
for exporrting diamon
nds from thee country waas put in placce and led too a dramaticc increase in legal
exports. Main
M exportts include diaamonds, rutiile, cocoa, cooffee, and fish.
Exporrt Partners (%
%)
60%
5
50.5%
50%
40%
30%
18.0%
20%
7.6%
10%
8%
4.8
0%
China
Beelgium
Jap
pan Turkkey
Natural Resources
Sierra Leeone has rellied on minning, especiaally diamondds, for its economic
e
baase. It is a major
m
diamond producing nation.
n
The country is among
a
the laargest producers of titannium and bauuxite,
and a maajor producerr of gold. Thhe country has
h one of thee world's larrgest depositts of rutile. Sierra
S
Leone is also home to the third largest natural harbor in the world, where shipping from all over
the globe berth at Freetown's famous Queen Elizabeth II Quay. Despite this natural wealth, 70%
of its people live in poverty.
Sierra Leone Trade Profile 2012
Sierra Leone Tariff Profile 2012
Human
n Developm
ment Indeex
Between 1980 and 20
012 Sierra Leeone's HDI declined
d
by -0.3%
annuallly from 0.2555 to 0.359 today,
t
which givves the counttry a rank off 177 out of 187 countriees with compparable data. The HDI off SubSaharan Africa
A
as a region increaseed from 0.3666 in 1980 to 0.475
0
today, placing
p
Sierra Leone beloow the
regional average.
a
The HDI trends tell an impoortant story both
b
at the national
n
and regional
r
leveel and
highlight the very larg
ge gaps in weell-being andd life chancess that continuue to divide our
o interconnnected
world.
Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Industry and agriculture
Executive Secretary
A.D.Scot-Boyle (Mrs.)
Telephone
00232-22-22-6305
E-mail
info@chamberofcommerce.sl
Website
www.chamberofcommerce.sl
Sierra Leone Chamber of Commerce, Industry and agriculture
Business
Allan S. Tuborku-Metzger
Development
Officer
00232-33-42-0222/00232-76-48-3017
Telephone
E-mail
metzgera@chmaberofcommerce.sl
alainmetzger@hotmail.com
Sierra Leone Banks
Sierra Leone Banks
Access Bank
Bank of Sierra Leone
Ecobank
First International Bank
Guaranty Trust Bank
International Commercial Bank
Marampa Masimera Community Bank
Mattru Community Bank
Pro-Credit Bank
Rokel Commercial bank
Sierra Leone Commercial Bank
Skye Bank Sierra Leone
Standard Charter Bank
Union Trust Bank
United Bank for Africa
Yoni Community Bank
Zenith Bank Sierra Leone
Iran and Sierra Leone
900
769
800
769
700
600
496
Thousand Dollars
500
524 524
496
454
400
345
300
225
454
Export Import
318
Trade Balance
225
200
100
66 66
27
0
2007
2008
2009
2010
2011
2012
2013
Sierra Leone Insurance Companies
Name
Telephone
Fax
Aureol Insurance Company
+ 232 22 223441 / + + 232 22 229336
232 22 223435
Commercial Insurance Company (SLIEPA)
International Insurance Company (SL) Limited
+232 25 332 863
+ 232 22 222446
+ 232 22 290459 / + + 232 22 223794
232 22 222159
Reliance Insurance Trust Corporation
Transworld Insurance Company
Consolidated Financial Consultants
Sierra Leone Insurance Commission
Marine and General Insurance Company Limited
Motor & General Insurance Company Limited
Sierra Leone Insurance Company
Website
___________
www.aureolinsurance.com info@sliepa.org www.investsierraleone.biz
info@iic‐sl.com
www.iic‐sl.com
+ 232 22 220362
info@nassitsl.org
www.nassitsl.org + 232 22 226146
+ 232 22 222494
+ 232 22 221513 / + ___________
232 22 228051
+ 232 22 228949
650‐348‐7318
+ 232 22 223262 / + 232 22 229046 / + ___________
232 76 601766
+ 232 76 626813
___________
niasl@sierratel.sl
www.newindia.co.in
ritcorp_sl@yahoo.co.uk
www.ritcorpltd.com
National Social Security and Insurance Trust + 232 22 225365
New India Assurance Company
E‐mail
___________
___________
+ 232 22 223119 / + ___________
232 22 226479
+ 232 22 226164 / + + 232 22 222115
232 22 224920
___________
info@consolidatedfc.com www.consolidatedfc.com info@slicom.gov.sl
www.slicom.gov.sl
info@mginsure.ie
www.mginsure.ie
___________
info@slicom.gov.sl
Sierra Leone Economic Ministries
Ministry of Agriculture, Food Security & Forestry Minister Dr. J. Sam Sesay Telephone 00232‐76‐724422 Fax NA Website NA E‐mail NA Ministry of Finance and Economic Development Minister Dr. Kaifala Marah Telephone +232 22 222 211 Fax NA Website www.mofed.gov.sl E‐mail NA www.twasite.com
www.sierralii.org
www.slicom.gov.sl
Ministry of Trade and Industry Minister Alhaji Osman Boie Kamara Telephone +232 (0)76 607441 Fax NA Website www.trade.gov.sl
E‐mail info@trade.gov.sl
Ministry of Mines and Mineral Resources Minister Alhaji Minkailu Mansaray Telephone NA Fax NA Website www.slminerals.org
E‐mail NA