Identity
- Official name
- Republic of Sierra Leone
- Status
- Sovereign country profile
- Demonym
- Sierra Leonean
- Codes
- SL / SLE
Daily discoveryDid you know?
The listed currency code is SLE.
SLRepublic of Sierra LeoneSovereign country profile
Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is in Western Africa. This profile brings its status, flag, geography, people, languages, and latest available indicators into one clear visual story.
FlagSLE · 165 / 207
🇸🇱 The flag shown for Sierra Leone. Profile code: SL / SLE.
01Population9M
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
02CapitalFreetown
Republic of Sierra Leone
03CurrencySLE
Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)
04Life expectancy62.3 years
UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
National anthemHigh We Exalt Thee, Realm of the FreeNational anthem audio · Wikidata / Wikimedia Commons · 0:46
Basic info
Expanded country facts
Core identity, people, geography, government, and practical reference data in one scan-friendly board.
People
- Population
- 9M · UN DESA · 2026 medium projection
- Median age
- 19.9 years · UN DESA 2026 medium projection
- Languages
- English
- Largest cities
- Freetown
Place
- Region
- Africa
- Subregion
- Western Africa
- Area
- 71,740 km²
- Coordinates
- 8.5° N, 11.5° W
Practical
- Currency
- Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)
- Calling code
- +232
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Emergency
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Government
- Type
- presidential system
- Head of state
- Julius Maada Bio
- Head of government
- David Sengeh
- Constitution
- Comparable date pending
Geography
- Connections
- This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Highest point
- Mount Bintumani
- Driving side
- Right
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See Sierra Leone
in context.
Start with a neighbor or a similar regional profile, then adjust the matchup across the complete atlas.
At a glance
Meet
Sierra Leone.
Sierra Leone is a world profile in Western Africa. Its status is sovereign country profile.
RegionWestern Africa
DemonymSierra Leonean
Area71,740 km²
Calling code+232
Economy
The latest available indicators.
Economic values use the latest non-empty World Bank year from 2019–2026, shown below each figure.
GDP$7.5B2025 · current USD
GDP per person$846.32025 · current USD
GDP growth4.6%2025 annual growth
A deeper profile
People, systems
& everyday life.
Comparable facts are shown with clear dates and neutral framing. Gaps stay visible instead of being filled with guesses.
How people live
Urban 45.9%Rural 54.1%
World Bank · 2025- Median age
- 19.9 years
- Languages
- English
- Capital / principal city
- Freetown
Ethnic and religious categories vary by national census and are not presented without a directly comparable, dated source.
Placed in context
Population0.2× atlas average
GDP#156 of 192
Population compares the 207 atlas profiles. GDP ranking includes profiles with a published World Bank value.
A concise timeline
Wikidata records the current state as dating from 1971. Earlier state forms, independence milestones, and later constitutional changes may use different dates, so this is a starting point rather than a complete national timeline.
- Government
- presidential system
- Head of state
- Julius Maada Bio
- Head of government
- David Sengeh
- Current constitution
- Comparable date pending
Land and climate
- Climate
- Tropical to subtropical zones
- Geography
- Sierra Leone is in Western Africa and has coastal access. Its listed area is 71,740 km².
- Highest point
- Mount Bintumani
- Major rivers
- Profile-specific value pending
- Natural resources
- Profile-specific value pending
Practical essentials
- Driving side
- Right
- Calling code
- +232
- Time zones
- Profile-specific value pending
- Plug types
- Profile-specific value pending
- Tipping
- Local customs vary by setting
- Emergency numbers
- Emergency numbers vary; check official guidance
Remember Sierra Leone
- Freetown is the capital city.
- Sierra Leone covers 71,740 km².
- Sierra Leone has coastal access.
- It shares land borders with Guinea, Liberia.
- Listed official languages include English.
- Its international calling code is +232.
- The latest published population in this atlas is 8.8M (2025).
- The listed currency code is SLE.
Connected places
Neighboring profiles
Continue exploring across each listed land border or connected geography.
This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
Visual atlas
Sierra Leone in view
People & place
Country
essentials.
English
Languages listed in the open country catalog for Sierra Leone.
2 listed connections
This profile has coastal access and listed land connections.
Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)
The primary currency code and name used in the country catalog.
Identity card
Four essentials
SLTwo-letter country code
SLEThree-letter country code
FreetownCapital city
AfricaWorld region
Sources & notes
Numbers you can trace.
Statistics show their reference year because country data changes. Unavailable values are clearly marked instead of estimated.
- UN DESA World Population Prospects — population, age, sex balance, and longevity ↗
- World Bank — latest available economic indicators ↗
- World Bank — urban population share ↗
- Wikidata — government and current officeholders ↗
- National anthem audio source — High We Exalt Thee, Realm of the Free ↗
- Open country catalog — names, codes and geography ↗
- OpenStreetMap — map data ↗
Verified data & AI projection
Sierra Leone
Special Report.
Sierra Leone is profiled through long-run World Bank indicators covering the economy, population, health, work, technology, and environment. Western Africa context, regional connectivity, demographic direction, and long-run development indicators.
Current demographic baselineUN DESA · 2026
Medium projection from World Population Prospects, 2024 Revision
Executive read
What the numbers suggest
- Population has moved up since 2000, giving the report a clear demographic baseline.
- Life expectancy is higher than in 2000, showing the direction of health and longevity conditions.
- Recent GDP growth averages 5.2% across the latest 5 available observations.
Human development pressure
11.1MPopulation base
69.6 yrsLife expectancy
2.64Fertility rate
48.9%Internet access
2035 scenarios are simple educational trend projections from recent historical observations. They are not official forecasts.
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG
HighGDP growth
20006.65%
20254.61%
2035 base4.26%
Low4.38%Base4.26%High4.14%
recent average · % annual
people · SP.POP.GROW
HighPopulation growth
20002.42%
20252.04%
2035 base1.69%
Low1.81%Base1.69%High1.56%
linear trend · % annual
people · SP.POP.TOTL
HighPopulation
20004.4M
20258.8M
2035 base11.1M
Low10.2MBase11.1MHigh11.9M
compound trend · people
health · SP.DYN.LE00.IN
HighLife expectancy
200044.8 yrs
202462.0 yrs
2035 base69.6 yrs
Low66.9 yrsBase69.6 yrsHigh72.2 yrs
linear trend · years
people · SP.DYN.TFRT.IN
HighFertility rate
20006.36
20243.70
2035 base2.64
Low3.01Base2.64High2.27
linear trend · births per woman
people · SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS
HighUrban population
200035.5%
202545.9%
2035 base51.1%
Low49.3%Base51.1%High53.0%
linear trend · % of total
economy · FP.CPI.TOTL.ZG
MediumInflation
200711.6%
20257.49%
2035 base19.6%
Low15.4%Base19.6%High23.9%
recent average · % annual
work · SL.UEM.TOTL.ZS
HighUnemployment
20004.14%
20253.15%
2035 base3.38%
Low3.30%Base3.38%High3.46%
recent average · % labor force
economy · NY.GDP.PCAP.CD
HighGDP per capita
2000$143.7
2025$846.3
2035 base$742.5
Low$777.5Base$742.5High$709
compound trend · current US$
environment · EN.GHG.CO2.PC.CE.AR5
HighCO2 per person
20000.10
20240.17
2035 base0.21
Low0.19Base0.21High0.22
linear trend · t CO2e/capita
technology · IT.NET.USER.ZS
HighInternet access
20000.12%
202425.1%
2035 base48.9%
Low40.5%Base48.9%High57.2%
linear trend · % of people
economy · NY.GDP.MKTP.CD
HighGDP
2000$635.9M
2025$7.5B
2035 base$8.2B
Low$7.9BBase$8.2BHigh$8.5B
compound trend · current US$
Educational projection, not an official forecast.Historical values are World Bank observations retrieved 2026-08-13. The 2026 demographic baseline is the official UN DESA medium projection from World Population Prospects 2024. The atlas's 2035 scenarios use simple trend math.