Sierra Leone: Forest Cover, 2005
| Total Land Area (ha) | 7,162,000 | | Total Forest Area (ha) | 2,754,000 | | Percent Forest Cover | 38.45% | | Primary Forest Cover (ha) | - | | Primary Forest, % total forest | - | | Primary Forest, % total land | - | | Other wooded land (ha) | 384,000 |
Sierra Leone : Forest types
| Tropical (% forest area) | 100% | | Subtropical (% forest area) | 0% | | Temperate (% forest area) | 0% | | Boreal/polar (% forest area) | 0% |
Sierra Leone: Breakdown of forest types, 2005
| Primary forest (ha | %) | - | - | | Modified natural (ha | %) | 2,751,000 | 99.9% | | Semi-natural (ha | %) | - | - | | Production plantation (ha | %) | 3,000 | 0.1% | | Production plantation (ha | %) | - | - |
Sierra Leone: Change in Forest Cover
| TOTAL FOREST COVER | | Forest 1990 (ha) | 3,044,000 | | Forest 2000 (ha) | 2,851,000 | | Forest 2005 (ha) | 2,754,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (19,300) | -0.63% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (19,400) | -0.68% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (290,000) | -9.53% | | Change in rate (%) | 7.32% | | PRIMARY FOREST COVER | | Primary 1990 (ha) | - | | Primary 2000 (ha) | - | | Primary 2005 (ha) | - | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | - | - | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | - | - | | Change in rate (%) | - | | OTHER WOODED LAND | | Other 1990 (ha) | 765,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 511,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 384,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (25,400) | -3.32% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (25,400) | -4.97% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (381,000) | -49.80% | | Change in rate (%) | 49.71% | | PLANTATIONS | | Other 1990 (ha) | 2,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 3,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 3,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | 100 | 5.00% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | - | 0.00% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | 1,000 | 50.00% | | Change in rate (%) | -100.00% | TOTAL DEGRADATION/CONSERVSION
Forest area+Wooded Area-Plantations | | Other 1990 (ha) | 3,807,000 | | Other 2000 (ha) | 3,359,000 | | Other 2005 (ha) | 3,135,000 | | Annual Change 1990-2000 (ha | %) | (44,800) | -1.18% | | Annual Change 2000-2005 (ha | %) | (44,800) | -1.33% | | Total Change 1990-2005 (ha | %) | (672,000) | -17.65% | | Change in rate (%) | 13.34% |
Sierra Leone: Primary
| Primary or "old-growth" vegetation | | Primary Forest 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | - | | Other primary wooded land 2005 (ha) | 0 | | Undisturbed vegetation 2005 (% land area) | 0.00% |
Sierra Leone: Forest designation
| Ownership of forest land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Ownership of other wooded land, 2000 | | Public (%) | - | | Private (%) | - | | Other (%) | - | | Designated functions of forest � primary function 2005 | | Production (%) | 10.3% | | Protection (%) | 1.2% | | Conservation (%) | 2.8% | | Social Services (%) | - | | Multiple Services (%) | - | | None of Unknown (%) | 85.7% |
Sierra Leone: Disturbances affecting forest land 2000
| Forest Area annually affected by | | Fire (%) | 7.02% | | Insects (ha) | - | | Diseases (ha) | - | | Other (ha) | - |
Sierra Leone: Protected areas
| Protected areas | | Biosphere reserves, 2005 | | Wetlands of international importance (Ramsar sites), 2005 | 1 | | World Heritage sites, 2004 | 0 | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories I-V, percent of total land | 2.0% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories Ia, Ib, and II, extent, percent of total land | 2.00% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories III, IV, and V, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.02% | | Protected Areas: IUCN categories VI and other, percent of total land, 2004 | 0.00% |
Sierra Leone: Biodiversity - Wildlife
| Amphibians | | total species | 46 | | endemic species | 3 | | threatened species | 2 | | Birds | | total species | 626 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 10 | | Mammals | | total species | 197 | | endemic species | 0 | | threatened species | 12 | | Reptiles | | total species | 69 | | endemic species | 1 | | threatened species | 3 | | Wildlife diversity | | total species | 938 | | endemic species | 4 | | threatened species | 27 |
Sierra Leone: Biodiversity - Plants
| Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Growing stock composition | 3 most common species
% of total growing stock | - | | Number of Native tree species | | | Native tree species | 213 | | Number of tree species in IUCN red list | | Critically Endangered | | 0 | | Endangered | 4 | | Vulnerable | 42 | | Vascular Plant Species, 2004 | | Total | 2090 | | Number endemic | 74 | | Number of Threatened Plant Species, 2004 | | Species threatened | 47 |
Sierra Leone: Value of forests
| Biomass stock in forest, 2005 | | Above-ground biomass (M t) | - | | Below-ground biomass (M t) | - | | Dead wood (M t) | - | | Total (M t) | - | | Carbon stock in forest, 2005 | | Carbon in above-ground biomass (M t) | - | | Carbon in below-ground biomass (M t) | - | | Carbon in dead wood (M t) | - | | Carbon in litter (M t) | - | | Soil carbon (M t) | - | | Change in growing stock 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate (1000 cubic m/yr) | | 1990-2000 | - | | 2000-2005 | - | | Growing stock per hectare 1990 - 2005 | | Annual change rate ( cubic m/ha per yr) | | 1990-2000 | - | | 2000-2005 | - | | Wood removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (1000 cubic m) | 137 | | Wood fuel (1000 cubic m) | 6,414 | | Total wood removal 2005 (1000 cubic m) | 6,551 | | Total wood removal 2005 (% of growing stock) | - | | Plant products 2005 | | Food (t) | - | | Fodder (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Raw material for utensils, handicrafts & construction (t) | - | | Ornamental plants (t) | - | | Exudates (t) | - | | Other plant products (t) | - | | Animal products 2005 | | Living animals (units) | - | | Hides, skins and trophies (units) | - | | Wild honey and bee-wax (t) | - | | Bush meat (t) | - | | Raw material for medicine and aromatic products (t) | - | | Raw material for colorants and dyes (t) | - | | Other edible animal products (t) | - | | Other non-edible animal products (t) | - | | Value of wood and non-wood forest product removal 2005 | | Industrial roundwood (US$) | - | | Wood fuel (US$) | - | | Non-wood forest products (US$) | - | | Total value (US$) | - | | Total value ($USD/ha) | $- | | Employment in forestry 2000 | | Total people employed | n.s. |
Sierra Leone : Production, trade and consumption of forest products, 2002
| Woodfuel ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 5,374 | | Imports | - | | Exports | - | | Consumption | 5,374 | | Industrial roundwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 124 | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 124 | | Sawnwood ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | 5 | | Imports | 2 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 7 | | Wood-based panels ('000 cubic m), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 8 | | Exports | 0 | | Consumption | 8 | | Pulp for paper ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 0 | | Exports | 1 | | Consumption | 0 | | Paper and paperboard ('000 metric tons), 2002 | | Production | - | | Imports | 1 | | Exports | 1 | | Consumption | 1 |
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Sierra Leone: Environment
| Environment - current issues | rapid population growth pressuring the environment; overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion; civil war depleting natural resources; overfishing | | Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification | | Natural hazards | dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms |
Sierra Leone: Land use / Resources
| Land use (%) | arable land: 6.98%
permanent crops: 0.89%
other: 92.13% (2001) | | Natural resources | diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite |
Sierra Leone: Economy
| Economy - overview: | Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. While it possesses substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources, its economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. Alluvial diamond mining remains the major source of hard currency earnings, accounting for nearly half of Sierra Leone's exports. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad, which is essential to offset the severe trade imbalance and supplement government revenues. The IMF has completed a Poverty Reduction and Growth Facility program that helped stabilize economic growth and reduce inflation. A recent increase in political stability has led to a revival of economic activity, such as the rehabilitation of bauxite mining. | | GDP - per capita | $800 (2005 est.) | | GDP - real growth rate (%) | 5.5% (2005 est.) | | Agriculture - products | rice, coffee, cocoa, palm kernels, palm oil, peanuts; poultry, cattle, sheep, pigs; fish | | GDP - composition by sector (%) | agriculture: 49%, industry: 31%, services: 21% (2001 est.) | | Industries | diamonds mining; small-scale manufacturing (beverages, textiles, cigarettes, footwear); petroleum refining, small commercial ship repair | | Economic aid - recipient | $297.4 million (2003 est.) | | Debt - external | $1.61 billion (2003 est.) | | Population below poverty line (%) | 68% (1989 est.) | | Labor force - by occupation (%) | agriculture NA, industry NA, services NA |
Sierra Leone: Population / Demographics
| Population (July 2005) | 6,017,643 | | Population growth rate (%) (2005) | 2.22% | | Population density (people/sq km) (2005) | 84.0 | | Percent rural (2003) | 61.2% | | Median age (years) | total: 17.53 years | | Total fertility rate (children born/woman) | 5.72 (2005 est.) | | Ethnic groups (%) | 20 native African tribes 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 |
Largest Cities in Sierra Leone
Cities and urban areas in Sierra Leone with population over 100,000 All figures are estimates for 2002.
| City | Country | City Population | Urban Area Population |
| Freetown | Sierra Leone | 1032100 | 1032100 |
| Koidu | Sierra Leone | 111800 | 111800 |
| Makeni | Sierra Leone | 105900 | 105900 |
 Environment, Land use / Resources, Economy, Population / Demographics, Infrastructure, Health -- CIA World Factbook, 2005
Forest Cover, Forest types, Breakdown of forest types, Change in Forest Cover, Primary forests, Forest designation, Disturbances affecting forest land, Value of forests, Production, trade and consumption of forest products -- The FOOD AND AGRICULTURE ORGANIZATION OF THE UNITED NATIONS's Global Forest Resources Assessment (2005) and the State of the World�s Forests (2005, 2003, 2001)
Protected Areas, Plant and animal biodiversity -- United Nations Environment Programme - World Conservation Monitoring Centre (UNEP-WCMC). 2004. World Database on Protected Areas.
Biosphere reservers -- United Nations Education, Scientific, and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) - Man and Biosphere Program. 2004. UNESCO - MAB Biosphere Reserves Directory.
RAMSAR sites -- The Bureau of the Convention on Wetlands . 2005. The Ramsar List of Wetlands of International Importance.
World Resources Institute's EarthTrends web site
The 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species
Population Data -- United Nations Population Fund
With additional analysis by Rhett Butler of mongabay.com
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