About Us Fact Sheet on Sierra Leone

Country – Fact Sheet
Sierra Leone


General

Official Name

Republic of Sierra Leone

Capital

Freetown

Area

71,740 sq. kms.

Currency

US$ 1 = Leone 7380 (December 2017)
Rs. 1 = Leone 117

GDP

USD  3.641 Billion (Current)  – WTO-2017)

GDP Growth Rate

6.1% (2016)

Inflation

18.4% (2017)

Unemployment

9.1% (2014)

GDP Per Capita

USD 537 (Nominal)(2015-2017-WTO)

Forest Cover

38.45%

CO2 emissions

    1. Mtpc (2016)

Tourist Arrivals

81,000 (2013)

Population

7.56 million; Male -3.74 mn; Female- 3.82 mn. (2017- UN)

Life expectancy

51 years (2016)

Languages

English, major local dialects; Mande, Temne, Krio.

Ethnic groups

Temne 35%, Mende 31%, Limba 8%, Kono 5%, Kriole 2% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century; also known as Krio), Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15% (includes refugees from Liberia’s recent civil war, and small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians) (2008 census)

Religion

Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, Indigenous faith 30%.

Internet Penetration

11% of population (2016)

Mobile phones

97% of population (2016)

Urbanisation

39.2% (annual rate of change – 3.04% (2010-15)

Exports

USD 779 mn (2017 - WTO)

Imports

USD 1090 mn (2017- WTO)

Main Trade Partners

China, Belgium, India, UK, US, Ivory Coast, Senegal, UAE

FDIs Net inflows

USD 516 m (2016- est.) (World Bank)

Net ODA receipts

USD 946 mn (2016) (World Bank)

Political

Political Structure

Unitary Republic

Major Political Parties

All People's Congress or APC [Ernest Bai KOROMA]
Sierra Leone People’s Party (SLPP) [Julius Maada BIO];
National Grand Coalition [Dr. Kandeh Yumkella]
People's Movement for Democratic Change or PMDC;
United Democratic Movement or UDM;
National Democratic Alliance [Mohamed C. Bah]

Head of State

President – Mr. JULIUS MAADA BIO

Head of Government

President – Mr. JULIUS MAADA BIO

Political Issues

Corruption, poor governance, weak institutions, poverty & environmental, health  challenges.

 

India’s Exports

USD 80.40 mn (2014-15) USD 91.17 mn (2015-16) USD 93.71 mn(2016-17),USD 93.51 mn (2017-2018)

India’s Imports

USD 23.59 mn (2014-15) USD 16.56 mn (2015-16) USD 12.23 mn (2016-17), USD 24.17 mn (2017-2018)

Indian Exports

Pharmaceuticals, rice, ethyl alcohol, bakery preparations; flat-rolled iron/steel; textiles; eggs; machine tools; motor cycles; light vehicles; plastics & packaging

Indian Imports

Diamonds; metal waste & scrap, wood pulp, waste paper,  ingots and small quantities of titanium ores.

Indian Investments in Sierra Leone

As of 2007, Indian FDI stood at US$0.02 mn (EXIM Bank). Bharti Airtel which acquired Zain Africa for USD 10.7 billion in 2010 sold off to Orange Telecom of France in January 2017. Diaspora and PIO investments may be significant.

Sierra Leoneon Investments in India

NA (Shri Raj Kumar Bhurani, an OCI has applied for investing Rs. 4 crores in Hotel industry in Rajasthan)

Indian Community

Total number of Indians, incl. PIOs: 800 (est.)
They are mostly engaged in trade and manufacturing. A few of them are into mining and trading of gold and diamonds. There are about 60 Indian owned/ registered companies. Indian Mercantile Association is the only Indian association in Sierra Leone.
A Hindu temple is run by the local Temple Committee.
Choithram Trust, managed by the Indian owned Choitram Group, runs a Charitable Hospital.

 

Bilateral Relations