Location | |
Flag | |
Quick Facts | |
Capital | Freetown |
Government | Republic |
Currency | Leone (SLL) |
Area | total: 71,740 km2 water: 120 km2 land: 71,620 km2 |
Population | 4,976,871 (2004) |
Language | English (official), Krio (English-based Creole, Lingua Franca), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north) |
Religion | Muslim, Christian, indigenous beliefs |
Electricity | 220V/50Hz (British plug) |
Calling Code | +232 |
Internet TLD | .sl |
Time Zone | UTC |
Sierra Leone is on the West Coast of Africa between 7 and 10 degrees N, and longitudes 10.5 and 13 degrees W. The Republic of Guinea is to the north and northeast; Liberia is to the east and southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean on the west and south. It has 402 km of coastline.
From an approximate 100km coastal belt of low-lying land, the country rises to a mountain plateau near the eastern frontier rising 1200m to 2000m with a rich timber forest region.
The peninsula, on which the capital and main commercial centre of Freetown stands, is 40km long and 17km wide with a mountainous interior.