Geography of Sierra Leone
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Location: Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Geographic coordinates: Template:Coor dm
Map references: Africa
Area:
total:
71,740 km²
land:
71,620 km²
water:
120 km²
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 nautical miles (370 km)
continental shelf:
200 m depth or to the depth of exploitation
Climate: tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry 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: 6.76%
permanent crops: 0.78%
other: 92.46% (1998 est.)
arable land: 7%
permanent crops: 1%
permanent pastures: 31%
forests and woodland: 28%
other: 33% (1993 est.)
Irrigated land: 290 km² (1998, 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 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, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification