PEOPLE
The indigenous population 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 Great Britain and North America and from 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.
Nationality: Noun and adjective--Sierra Leonean(s).
Population (2007 est.): 6,144,562.
Annual growth rate (2007 est.): 2.292%.
Ethnic groups: Temne 30%, Mende 30%, Krio 1%, balance spread over 15 other tribal groups, and a small Lebanese community.
Religions: (est.) Muslim 60%, Christian 30%, animist 10%.
Languages: English, Krio, Temne, Mende, and 15 other indigenous languages.
Education (2002): Literacy--36%.
Health: Life expectancy (2007 est.)--40.58 years. Infant mortality rate--158.27 deaths/1,000 live births. HIV infection rate for adults, ages 15-49 years (2002 est.)--1.4%.
Work force: Agriculture--52.5%; industry--30.6%; services--16.9%.
