About Sierra Leone
Quick Fact
Area: 72,325 sq km
Population: 5.1m (UN 2005)
Capital City: Freetown (1.2m)
People and languages: There are 16 tribes in Sierra Leone across the four main provinces. The predominant tribes in the four provinces can be broken down as follows:
Northern province: Limbas, Temnes, Susu, Karanko, Fullah, Madingo, Loko and Yalunka
Southern Province: Mendes Sherbros, Krim Vai and Bullom
Eastern Province: Mendes, Kissis and Konos
Western Area: Krios
Religions: Islam, Christianity and other indigenous beliefs
Currency: Leone (L). 1 leone = 100 cent
Major Political Parties: There are currently eight registered parties for the upcoming elections in August 2007. The three main ones are the Sierra Leone Peoples Party (SLPP), the All Peoples Congress (APC), and the People’s movement for Demcratic Change(PMDC).
Head of State: His Excellency President Ernest Bai Koroma
Membership of international groups/organisations: United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC), Commonwealth, Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), African Development Bank (AFDB), Mano River Union.
GDP at market prices: 1,330M US$ (2006 est)
Real GDP Growth: 7.2% (2006 est)
Inflation: 9.5% (2006 est)
(Sources: IMF, World Bank, UNDP)
Exchange rate: Dollar Weekly Exchange Rates for the period
06/12/2007 -12/12/2007
Buying / Selling
Bank of Siera Leone
[$1] Le2959.38/Le3019.16
Pound and WAUA Exchange Rates for 05/12/2007
Buying / Selling
Bank of Siera Leone
[£1] Le6115.98/ Le6240.75
Ecowas (WAUA) 4729.59
West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ) Currencies Cross rates for 3rd July 2007 (Indicative)
Major Trading Partners: Germany, United states, United Kingdom.
(Source: The Bank of Sierra Leone)
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