Sierra Leone: Geography#
Location | Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia |
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Geographic Coordinates | 8 30 N, 11 30 W 8.5,-11.5 |
Area | total: 71,740 sq km land: 71,620 sq km water: 120 sq km [Verified in 8 databases] |
Land boundaries | total: 958 km border countries: Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km |
Coastline | 402 km |
Elevation Extremes | lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m highest point: Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m |
Highest Mountains | As there is no entry in Wolfram we are listing mountain list of Geonames only: According to Geonames: Loma Mansa 1945 m Attempted Explanation: Please help us to try to explain the discrepancies by sending us helpful information to office nospam@TUGraz.at @global-geography.org |
Terrain | coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east |
Natural Hazards | dry, sand-laden harmattan winds blow from the Sahara (December to February); sandstorms, dust storms |
Natural Resource | diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite |
Land Use | arable land: 15.33% permanent crops: 1.88% other: 82.79% (2011) |
Climate | tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April) |
Irrigated Land | 293.6 sq km (2003) |
Renewable Water Resources | 160 cu km (2011) |
Environment_CurrentIssues | 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 depleted natural resources; overfishing |
Environment - international agreements | party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification |
Large Cities | Freetown; Bo; Kenema; Koidu; Makeni [Verified] Important Cities |
Geography-note | rainfall along the coast can reach 495 cm (195 inches) a year, making it one of the wettest places along coastal, western Africa |