Sierra Leone
Africa Β· Capital: Freetown
How it is run: Sierra Leone is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Sierra Leone is home to 8.8 million people in Western Africa, where people speak English.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
8.8 million people
That is 0.1% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
71,740 kmΒ²
Roughly the size of Italy or the state of Arizona.
ποΈ How crowded
About 123 people per square kilometre β busy towns with countryside in between.
π Size in its region
33rd most people in Africa
41st largest by land in Africa.
π£οΈ Official languages
English
π° Money
Sierra Leonean leone (Le)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
62 years on average
Doctors, clean water and food supply all change this number over time.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$846
A lower-income country: money for schools, clinics and roads has to stretch a very long way.
π’ Living in cities
45.9% of people
Many people still live in villages and farming towns.
π Kids under 15
37.7% of the population
A very young country β schools have to be built quickly.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+232
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.sl
π§ People here are called
Sierra Leonean
π·οΈ Name at home
Sierra Leone
Also written: Republic of Sierra Leone.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
African Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Sierra Leone touches 2 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Sierra Leone
French
Sierra Leone
Arabic
Ψ³ΩΨ±Ψ§ΩΩΩΩ
Chinese
ε‘ζε©ζ
Japanese
γ·γ¨γ©γ¬γͺγ
Russian
Π‘ΡΠ΅ΡΡΠ°-ΠΠ΅ΠΎΠ½Π΅
Portuguese
Serra Leoa
German
Sierra Leone
Put it in perspective π
- Nigeria β the most populated country in Africa β has about 26.9Γ as many people as Sierra Leone.
- Sierra Leone covers roughly 683 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Sierra Leone lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 4,410 km.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: πΈπ± is the flag of Sierra Leone. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is SL.
π·οΈ Official name
Republic of Sierra Leone
ποΈ Capital
Freetown
π Region
Africa Β· Western Africa
π€ Country code
SL
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Sierra Leone π
π§ Where on the map
8.5Β° N, 11.5Β° W
π Half of the world
Northern & Western hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC-1 β when it is noon in London it is about 11:00 in Freetown.
- Sierra Leone sits in Western Africa, in the northern and western half of the globe.
- The capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Sierra Leone shares its part of the world with Ivory Coast. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Sierra Leone is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- πΈπ± is the flag of Sierra Leone. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is SL.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Sierra Leone has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Sierra Leone can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Sierra Leone spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Sierra Leone?
Freetown
Which money do people spend in Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leonean leone (Le)
How many countries share a land border with Sierra Leone?
2 β Guinea, Liberia.
Roughly how many people live in Sierra Leone?
8.8 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.