SIERRA LEONE COUNTRY PROFILE

The British set up a trading post near present-day Freetown in the 17th century. The colony gradually expanded inland during the course of the 19th century. Independence was attained in 1961. Recovering from a long civil war, the government's stated priorities include free primary and secondary education, economic growth, accountable governance, health, and infrastructure.

ECONOMY

Economic Overview

Low-income West African economy; primarily agriculture; key iron and diamond mining activities suspended; slow recovery from 1990s civil war; systemic corruption; high-risk debt; high youth unemployment; natural resource rich. 

GDP (Purchasing Power Parity) $13.15 billion (2020 est.)

GDP per capita (Purchasing Power Parity) $1,6000 (2020 est.)

Industries - diamond mining, iron ore, rutile and bauxite mining, small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, footwear)

Agricultural products - cassava, rice, vegetables, oil palm fruit, sweet potatoes, milk, citrus fruit, groundnuts, fruit

Exports $1.085 billion (2018 est.) titanium, lumber, diamonds, aluminum, cocoa beans (2019) 

Partners: Belgium 26%, China 25%, Romania 9%, UAE 6%, Germany 5%, Netherlands 5% (2019)

Imports $2.619 billion (2020 est.)

rice, plastics, packaged medicines, sauces/seasonings, cars (2019)

Partners: China 27%, India 11%, US 6%, Ghana 5%, Turkey 5% (2019)

*Information obtained from CIA.GOV Click on our Country Profile  to get a complete downloadable copy of Sierra Leone's World Factbook profile.