Sierra Leone

Background: Since 1991, civil war between the government and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) has resulted in tens of thousands of deaths and the displacement of more than 2 million people (well over one-third of the population), many of whom are now refugees in neighboring countries. After several setbacks, the end to the 11-year conflict in Sierra Leone may finally be near at hand. National elections were held in May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its authority.
Location: Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia. Area: Total: 71,740 sq km, land: 71,620 sq km, water: 120 sq km. Area - comparative: Slightly smaller than South Carolina. Land boundaries: Total: 958 km, border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km. Coastline: 402 km.
Climate and Terrain: Climate: Tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April). Terrain: Coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east. Natural resources: Diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite.
People: Population: 5,732,681. Ethnic groups: 20 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians. Religions: Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%. 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%).
Government: Government type: Constitutional democracy. Capital: Freetown. Independence: 27 April 1961 (from UK).
Economy overview: Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a 11-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Plans continue to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds.
Statistics: Telephones - main lines in use: 25,000. Telephones - mobile cellular: 30,000. Radio broadcast stations: AM 1, FM 9, shortwave 1. Radios: 1.12 million. Television broadcast stations: 2. Televisions: 53,000. Internet users: 20,000. Railways: total: 84 km. Highways: Total: 11,330 km, paved: 895 km,. unpaved: 10,435 km. Airports - with paved runways: 1, with unpaved runways: 9. Heliports: 2.