Home/Countries/Sierra Leone

West Africa

Sierra Leone

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

Muslim population77.1%of the population

Population8.5 millionpeople (current)

CapitalFreetownUTC 0

Currency21.30 = $1Leones (SLL) (2023)

Country basics

Sierra Leone is a West African republic on the Atlantic coast, between Guinea and Liberia.

Sierra Leone is a republic with Freetown as its capital and English as its official language, and Krio is widely spoken. The leone is the currency, and diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite and cocoa make up most of its export earnings.

Official name

Republic of Sierra Leone

Region

Africa · Western Africa

Government

Unitary presidential republic

Time zonesCheck the offset for your own city

UTC

Driving side

Right

Phone code

+232

Currency

Sierra Leonean leone (SLE, Le)

Member of

Commonwealth; UN; African Union

Website

https://www.statehouse.gov.sl

Faith and language

Religions

Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9%

Languages

English

People and cities

Population

8.5 million (current)

Median ageHalf the population is younger than this

19.7 years (2025)

Living in cities

44.3% (2023)

Largest cities

Freetown (capital) 1.309 million

Money and cost of living

Exchange rateYearly average; check today’s rate before you budget

21.30 leones (SLL) per US dollar (2023)

Income per personGDP per person, adjusted for local prices (2021 dollars)

$3,100 (2024)

InflationHow much prices rose over the year

28.6% (2024)

Unemployment

3.2% (2024)

Health and daily life

Life expectancy

59.4 years (2024)

Doctors

0.13 per 1,000 people (2022)

Safe drinking water

65.3% of people (2022)

Electricity

29.4% of people (2022)

Internet users

21% of people (2023)

Literacy

43.6% of adults (2019)

Land and climate

Climate

Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)

SizeSlightly smaller than South Carolina

71,740 sq km

Natural hazards

Dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms

National holiday

Independence Day, 27 April (1961)