fit for military service 9,900
Defense expenditures:
exchange rate conversion - $12 million, 4% of GDP (1990 est.)

@Sierra Leone, Geography

Location:
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean between Guinea and
Liberia
Map references:
Africa, Standard Time Zones of the World
Area:
total area:
71,740 sq km
land area:
71,620 sq km
comparative area:
slightly smaller than South Carolina
Land boundaries:
total 958 km, Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Coastline:
402 km
Maritime claims:
territorial sea:
200 nm
International disputes:
none
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
Land use:
arable land:
25%
permanent crops:
2%
meadows and pastures:
31%
forest and woodland:
29%
other:
13%
Irrigated land:
340 sq km (1989 est.)
Environment:
current issues:
rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of
timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture
have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war
depleting natural resources
natural hazards:
dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May)
international agreements:
party to - Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban; signed, but not
ratified - Climate Change, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea

@Sierra Leone, People

Population:
4,630,037 (July 1994 est.)
Population growth rate:
2.62% (1994 est.)
Birth rate:
45.06 births/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Death rate:
18.87 deaths/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Net migration rate:
0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1994 est.)
Infant mortality rate:
141.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1994 est.)
Life expectancy at birth:
total population:
46.4 years
male:
43.58 years
female:
49.3 years (1994 est.)
Total fertility rate:
5.96 children born/woman (1994 est.)
Nationality:
noun:
Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective:
Sierra Leonean
Ethnic divisions:
13 native African tribes 99% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 39%),
Creole, European, Lebanese, and Asian 1%
Religions:
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%
Languages:
English (official; regular use limited to literate minority), Men