Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
8 30 N, 11 30 W
Africa
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water: 120 sq km
slightly smaller than South Carolina
total: 1,093 km
border countries (2): Guinea 794 km, Liberia 299 km
402 km
territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 24 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm
continental shelf: 200 nm
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
mean elevation: 279 m
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
agricultural land: 56.2% (2018 est.)
arable land: 23.4% (2018 est.)
permanent crops: 2.3% (2018 est.)
permanent pasture: 30.5% (2018 est.)
forest: 37.5% (2018 est.)
other: 6.3% (2018 est.)
300 sq km (2012)
160 billion cubic meters (2017 est.)
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
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification
rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa
NOTE: The information regarding Sierra Leone on this page is re-published from the 2021 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency and other sources. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Sierra Leone 2021 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Sierra Leone 2021 should be addressed to the CIA or the source cited on each page.
This page was last modified 16 Dec 23, Copyright © 2023 ITA all rights reserved.