Country profile
Sierra Leone
Republic of Sierra Leone · Western Africa
👥 Population
8,819,794
World Bank · 2025
🏛 Capital
Freetown
🗺 Area
71,740 km²
💹 GDP (nominal)
$7.46B
World Bank · 2025
📈 HDI
0.467
UNDP · 2023
📍 Pop. density
123 /km²
💱 Currency
SLL
Sierra Leonean leone
🗣 Languages
English
About Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone (officially Republic of Sierra Leone) is a country in Western Africa, with Freetown as its capital. It is home to roughly 8.82 million people, giving a population density of about 123 people per square kilometre. The country covers 71,740 km² of land and shares land borders with 2 neighbouring countries. Its economy is valued at approximately $7.46B in nominal GDP (2025), and it records a Human Development Index of 0.467. The official currency is the Sierra Leonean leone (SLL), and the main language is English.
Key indicators
Latest available data · World Bank & UNDP.
💹 Economy
GDP (PPP)
$30.44B
GDP/capita (PPP)
$3,522
GDP growth
4.6%
Inflation
7.5%
Unemployment
3.1%
👥 People
Life expectancy
62.0 yrs
Fertility rate
3.7
Pop. growth
2.0%
Urban population
45.9%
Infant mortality /1k
54.6
🌍 Quality of Life
Internet users
25.1%
Literacy rate
43.6%
Physicians /1k
0.13
Renewable energy
71.6%
Travel & practical
Capital
Freetown
Currency
SLL
Dialing code
+232
Internet TLD
.sl
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Fun facts about Sierra Leone
- Sierra Leone is the 100th most populous country in the world, with about 8.82 million people.
- By land area it is the 117th-largest country in the world, covering 71,740 km².
- It has the world's 156th-largest economy by nominal GDP ($7.46B).
- Sierra Leone shares land borders with 2 countries.
- It is classed by the UN as a country of low human development, with an HDI of 0.467.
- Sierra Leone has a population density of about 123 people per square kilometre.
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