Sierra Leone Geography 1997

Location Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea andLiberia

Geographic coordinates 8 30 N, 11 30 W

Map references Africa

Area
total: 71,740 sq km
land: 71,620 sq km
water : 120 sq km

Area - comparative slightly smaller than South Carolina

Land boundaries
total: 958 km
border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km

Coastline 402 km

Maritime claims
territorial sea: 200 nm
continental shelf : 200-m depth or to the depth of exploitation

Climate tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winterdry season (December to April)

Terrain coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau,mountains in east

Elevation extremes
lowest point : Atlantic Ocean 0 m
highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m

Natural resources diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite

Land use
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 31%
forests and woodland: 28%
other : 33% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land 290 sq km (1993 est.)

Natural hazards dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (November to May);sandstorms, dust storms

Environment - current issues rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting oftimber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resultedin deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources;overfishing

Environment - international agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, MarineLife Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Whaling
signed, but not ratified: Desertification, Environmental Modification

NOTE: The information regarding Sierra Leone on this page is re-published from the 1997 World Fact Book of the United States Central Intelligence Agency. No claims are made regarding the accuracy of Sierra Leone Geography 1997 information contained here. All suggestions for corrections of any errors about Sierra Leone Geography 1997 should be addressed to the CIA.