Population:
5,245,695 (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 113
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 41.7% (male 1,060,463/female 1,081,333)
[see also: Age structure - 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 54.7% (male 1,344,650/female 1,461,203)
[see also: Age structure - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 83,595/female 100,894) (2010 est.)
[see also: Age structure - 65 years and over country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 19 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 18.6 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 19.5 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]

Population growth rate:
2.216% (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 38
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
38.79 births/1,000 population (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 15
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
11.97 deaths/1,000 population (July 2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 31
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Net migration rate:
-4.66 migrant(s)/1,000 population
country comparison to the world: 199
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2010 est.)
[see also: Net migration rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years: 0.98 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - under 15 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 0.81 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2010 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 80.16 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 13
[see also: Infant mortality rate - total country ranks ]
male: 89.06 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 70.99 deaths/1,000 live births (2010 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 55.69 years
country comparison to the world: 198
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - total population country ranks ]
male: 53.27 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 58.18 years (2010 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]

Total fertility rate:
4.97 children born/woman (2010 est.)
country comparison to the world: 24
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
1.7% (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 37
[see also: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
55,000 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 62
[see also: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
3,300 (2007 est.)
country comparison to the world: 54
[see also: HIV/AIDS - deaths country ranks ]

Major infectious diseases:
degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

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

Ethnic groups:
Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census)

Religions:
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

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 who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Literacy:
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 35.1%
[see also: Literacy - total population country ranks ]
male: 46.9%
[see also: Literacy - male country ranks ]
female: 24.4% (2004 est.)
[see also: Literacy - female country ranks ]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
total: 7 years
male: 9 years
female: 6 years (2001)

Education expenditures:
3.8% of GDP (2005)
country comparison to the world: 114
[see also: Education expenditures country ranks ]