Country profile: Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone, in West Africa, emerged from a decade of civil war in 2002, with the help of Britain, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission.

More than 17,000 foreign troops disarmed tens of thousands of rebels and militia fighters. Several years on, the country still faces the challenge of reconstruction.

Overview

Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media

A lasting feature of the war, in which tens of thousands died, was the atrocities committed by the rebels, whose trademark was to hack off the hands or feet of their victims.

AT-A-GLANCE

Politics: Sierra Leone is recovering from a 10-year civil war which ended in 2002; war centred around a power struggle and had a regional dimension

Economics: Substantial growth in recent years, but Sierra Leone remains bottom of UN's league for human development

Timeline

A UN-backed war crimes court was set up to try those, from both sides, who bear the greatest responsibility for the brutalities. It completed its work at the end of 2009. Its remaining case, the trial of Charles Taylor, continues in The Hague.
Sierra Leone has experienced substantial economic growth in recent years, although poverty and unemployment remain major challenges.
In September 2010, the UN Security Council lifted the last remaining sanctions against Sierra Leone saying the government had fully re-established control over its territory, and former rebel fighters had been disarmed and demobilised.
Economic recovery has been slow partly because the reconstruction needs are so great. Around half of government revenue comes from donors.
The restoration of peace was expected to aid the the country's promotion as a tourist destination in the long term. Sierra Leone boasts miles of unspoilt beaches along its Atlantic coast, and hopes to emulate its neighbour Gambia in attracting tourists.
Sierra Leone is also rich in diamonds and other minerals. The trade in illicit gems, known as "blood diamonds" for their role in funding conflicts, perpetuated the civil war. The government has attempted to crack down on cross-border diamond trafficking.
Sierra Leone has a special significance in the history of the transatlantic slave trade. It was the departure point for thousands of west African captives. The capital, Freetown, was founded as a home for repatriated former slaves in 1787.

Facts

Full name: Republic of Sierra Leone
Population: 5.7 million (UN, 2009)
Capital: Freetown
Area: 71,740 sq km (27,699 sq miles)
Major languages: English, Krio (Creole language derived from English) and a range of African languages
Major religions: Islam, Christianity
Life expectancy: 46 years (men), 49 years (women) (UN)
Monetary unit: Leone
Main exports: Diamonds, rutile, cocoa, coffee, fish
GNI per capita: US $320 (World Bank, 2008)
Internet domain: .sl
International dialling code: +232

Leaders

Overview
Facts
Leaders
Media

President : Ernest Bai Koroma
Ernest Bai Koroma was sworn in as Sierra Leone's new president on 17 September 2007. He won 54.6% of the vote in a run-off with the incumbent vice-president Solomon Berewa.

President Koroma has pledged to fight corruption

Mr Koroma promised zero tolerance on corruption in his inaugural speech. He also said he'd fight against the mismanagement of state resources.
Addressing thousands of cheering supporters, Mr Koroma said: "We know how high your expectations are and that you have suffered for too long."
Mr Koroma's All People's Congress (APC) also won a majority in parliamentary elections held in August 2007.
He was born in northern Makeni in 1953, and is an insurance broker who says he wants to run Sierra Leone like a business concern.
His predecessor Ahmad Tejan Kabbah is credited with bringing in foreign help to rescue the country. Mr Kabbah stepped down in August 2007 after serving two terms in office.

Media

Media freedom in Sierra Leone has its limits; media rights monitors say high-level corruption is a taboo topic, with officials using libel laws to target errant journalists.
Challenges facing broadcasters include unreliable power supplies, poor funding and low advertising revenues. There are dozens of radio stations, most of them privately owned.
A national public broadcaster, the Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC), was formed in April 2010 by a merger of the former state-run broadcaster and a UN radio network.
BBC World Service can be heard on FM in Freetown (94.3), Bo (94.5) and Kenema (95.3). Voice of America and Radio France Internationale broadcast on FM in Freetown.
Dozens of newspapers are published in Freetown, despite low literacy levels. Most of them are privately-run and are often critical of the government.
By June 2009 there were 13,900 internet users, comprising less than 0.5% of the population (Internetworldstats).
The press

Awoko
Concord Times
Standard Times
Independent Observer
For di People

Television

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) - terrestrial network with limited coverage
ABC TV - private

Radio

Sierra Leone Broadcasting Corporation (SLBC) - national broadcaster
Radio Democracy 98.1 FM - Freetown station, once the voice of the exiled Kabbah government, regarded as pro-government
Kiss FM - private station in Bo
SKYY FM - private station in Freetown
Capital Radio - private station in Freetown
Believers Broadcasting Network - Freetown, Christian FM station
Voice of the Handicapped - founded as an FM station for disabled citizens, but attracts a wider audience

News agency/websites