Sierra Leone
An outline of the country
National flagPopulation: approximately 4 million. There are many Sierra Leoneans dispersed in Europe and North America.
Capital: Freetown
Major Cities: Bo, Kenema, Makeni, Sefadu, Koidu, Kono, Bonthe, Kabala, Lunsar
Industries: Agriculture, mining, commerce, forestry, fishery
Major Agricultural Products: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm oil, fiber coco, peanuts, ginger, cassava
Major minerals: diamond, gold, iron, platinum, and bauxite.
Race: Most are of African origin. All of the 17 tribes live in the northern, southern, and eastern provinces
Major tribes (chiefdoms): Temne, Mende, Limba
Creoles (descendants of former slaves) mostly live in the western province.
Lebanese (sometimes referred to as Syrians) and Indians live in the cities. Religion: Muslim (70%) Christian (20%) Indigenous Religions (10%)
Languages: English is the official language, but each tribe has its own language, and Krio is also spoken.
Average Life Expectancy: 26 years (shortest in the world, due to disease and war) WHO statistics, 1999
Major diseases: malaria, polio, cholera, typhoid, filaria, tuberculosis, AIDS, Hansen's disease, neonate tetanus, yellow fever, lassa fever
Quality of Life: Lowest in the world (UNDP research, 1999)
