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| FACT FILE
| Location: |
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia |
| Geographic coordinates: |
8 30 N, 11 30 W |
| 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 |
| 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); 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: 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 (December to February); 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, Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Wetlands |
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| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 44.73% (male 1,190,207; female 1,237,326) |
| Religions: |
Muslim 60%, indigenous beliefs 30%, Christian 10% |
| Languages: |
English, Mende, Temne, Krio |
| Literacy: |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic |
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