Facts & Figures

POPULATION: 5.4 million

CAPITAL CITY: Freetown. Provincial capitals: Bo, Kenema, Makeni.

GEOGRAPHY: mangrove swamps on the coast, wooded hills, upland plateau, mountains in the east

AREA: 29,925 sq miles

CURRENCY: Leone (SLL)

EXCHANGE RATE: US$1 = 1.9 SLL

GDP: US$2.7 billion. Per capita US$510

PEOPLE: Temne 30%, Mende 30%, Krio 1%, 15 other tribal groups,

NATURAL RESOURCES: diamonds, rutile, bauxite, iron ore, gold

INDUSTRIES: Mining, forestry, beverages, cigarettes, construction goods