Demographics of Sierra Leone

The indigenous population of Sierra Leone is made up of 18 ethnic groups. The Temne in the north and the Mende in the South are the largest. About 60,000 are Krio, the descendants of freed slaves who returned to Sierra Leone from the British Isles and North America and slave ships captured on the high seas. In addition, about 4,000 Lebanese, 500 Indians, and 2,000 Europeans reside in the country.

In the past, Sierra Leoneans were noted for their educational achievements, trading activity, entrepreneurial skills, and arts and crafts work, particularly woodcarving. Many are part of larger ethnic networks extending into several countries, which link West African states in the area. However, the level of education and infrastructure has declined sharply over the last 30 years.

Demographics of Sierra Leone, Data of FAO, year 2005 ; Number of inhabitants in thousands.

Population:
6,017,643 (July 2005 est.); 5,732,681 (July 2003 est.); 5,232,624 (July 2000 est.)

Age structure:
0–14 years: 44.7% (male 1,318,508/female 1,371,164)
15–64 years: 52% (male 1,494,068/female 1,637,276)
65 years and over: 3.3% (male 93,047/female 103,580) (2005 est.)

0–14 years: 44.8% (male 1,259,421; female 1,310,516)
15–64 years: 52% (male 1,420,900; female 1,557,597)
65 years and over: 3.2% (male 89,078; female 95,169) (2003 est.)

0–14 years: 44.73% (male 1,148,264; female 1,192,533)
15–64 years: 52.16% (male 1,305,039; female 1,424,076)
65 years and over: 3.11% (male 81,291; female 81,421) (2000 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.22% (2005 est.), 2.94% (2003 est.), 3.67% (2000 est.)

Birth rate: 42.84 births/1,000 population (2005 est.), 43.89 births/1,000 population (2003 est.), 45.63 births/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Death rate: 20.61 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.), 20.66 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.), 19.58 deaths/1,000 population (2000 est.)

Net migration rate: 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2005 est.) 6.19 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.), 10.61 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2000 est.)
note: note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.9 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2005 est.)

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.96 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.91 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.94 male(s)/female
total population: 0.93 male(s)/female (2003 est.)

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: 1 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2000 est.)

Maternal Mortality Ratio: 2000 deaths/100 000 births (2000 est.). Sierra Leone's MMR is the worst of any country in the world, according to the 2000 WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA report.

Infant mortality rate:
total: 143.64 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 161.06 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 125.69 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)

total: 146.86 deaths/1,000 live births
female: 128.96 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 164.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)

total: 148.66 deaths/1,000 live births (2000 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 39.87 years
male: 37.74 years
female: 42.06 years (2005 est.)

total population: 42.84 years
male: 40.33 years
female: 45.42 years (2003 est.)

total population: 45.25 years
male: 42.37 years
female: 48.21 years (2000 est.)

Total fertility rate: 5.72 children born/woman (2005 est.), 5.86 children born/woman (2003 est.), 6.08 children born/woman (2000 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 7% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 170,000 (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths: 11,000 (2001 est.)

Nationality:
noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups: 20 native African tribes 90% ( Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole 10% (descendants of freed Jamaica 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%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10%

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: 29.6%
male: 39.8%
female: 20.5% (2000 est.)

definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic
total population: 31.4%
male: 45.4%
female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

See also : Sierra Leone