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SIERRA LEONE

Population:

6,440,053 (July 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 104

Age structure:

0-14 years: 44.5% (male 1,407,226/female 1,460,366)
15-64 years: 52.2% (male 1,613,554/female 1,750,250)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 95,533/female 113,124) (2009 est.)

Median age:

total: 17.5 years
male: 17.2 years
female: 17.8 years (2009 est.)

Population growth rate:

2.282% (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 40

Birth rate:

44.73 births/1,000 population (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 5

Death rate:

21.91 deaths/1,000 population (July 2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 4

Net migration rate:

0 migrant(s)/1,000 population

country comparison to the world: 81
note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2009 est.)

Urbanization:

urban population: 38% of total population (2008)
rate of urbanization: 2.9% annual rate of change (2005-10 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.84 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2009 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 154.43 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 2
male: 171.57 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 136.78 deaths/1,000 live births (2009 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 41.24 years
country comparison to the world: 219
male: 38.92 years
female: 43.64 years (2009 est.)

Total fertility rate:

5.88 children born/woman (2009 est.)

country comparison to the world: 12

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

1.7% (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 37

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:

55,000 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 62

HIV/AIDS - deaths:

3,300 (2007 est.)

country comparison to the world: 54

Major infectious diseases:

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Nationality:

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups:

20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions:

Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%

Languages:

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

Literacy:

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 35.1%
male: 46.9%
female: 24.4% (2004 est.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):

total: 7 years
male: 8 years
female: 6 years (2001)

Education expenditures:


Eighteen ethnic groups make up the indigenous population of Sierra Leone. The Temne in the north and the Mende in the South are the largest. About 60,000 are Creoles, descendants of freed slaves who returned to Sierra Leone from Great Britain and North America. In addition, about 11,000 Lebanese, 500 Indians, and 2,000 Europeans reside in the country.
POPULATION GRAPH