Home

Adoption Resources Adoption Fundraiser Adoption Steps Adoption Cost Interview an Agency Financing an Adoption Types of Adoption Country Information, Recipes and Language Resources Adoption Links

Your donations support adoption grants for hard to place orphans!

This site receives 3,000+ visitors daily.

Sierra Leone

Capital city: Freetown
Nationality: Sierra Leonean(s)
Population: 5,732,681 (July 2003 est.)

Life expectancy at birth: total population: 42.69 years, male: 40.23 years, female: 45.21 years (2004 est.)

Ethnic groups that make up the population: 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%)

Literacy rate (Definition: age 15 and over can read and write): definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic; total population: 31.4%,male: 45.4%, female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Legal system: based on English law and customary laws indigenous to local tribes; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Industries:mining (diamonds); small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining

Agriculture: rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish

GDP: $3.057 billion (2003 est.)

GDP per capita: purchasing power parity - $500 (2003 est.)

Currency: leone (SLL)

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. With the support of the UN peacekeeping force and contributions from the World Bank and international community, demobilization and disarmament of the RUF and Civil Defense Forces (CDF) combatants has been completed. National elections were held in May 2002 and the government continues to slowly reestablish its authority.