Sierra Leone

Current head of state

Julius Maada Bio President of Sierra Leone In office 2018–present · 8.4y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1964 · took office at 53 European Commission · CC BY 4.0

Julius Maada Bio

President of Sierra Leone

Since 2018 8.4 years in office

Governance indicator

-0.75

−2.50+2.5

World Bank Worldwide Governance Indicators, composite of six dimensions · 2024

Chamber

Member of the Parliament of Sierra Leone

Seats

—

Speaker

—

Active alliances

25

1970 1980 1990 2000 2010 2020

Siaka Stevens Siaka Stevens President of Sierra Leone In office 1971–1985 · 14.6y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1905 · took office at 65 European Communities, 1979 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0

Joseph Saidu Momoh Joseph Saidu Momoh President of Sierra Leone In office 1984–1991 · 7y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1937 · took office at 47 White House Television Office · Public domain

Valentine Strasser Valentine Strasser President of Sierra Leone In office 1992–1996 · 3.7y Born 1967 · took office at 25 Took power coup 1992-04-30 Voice of America · Public domain

Ahmed Tejan Kabbah Ahmed Tejan Kabbah President of Sierra Leone In office 1996–1997 · 1.2y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1932 · took office at 64 Christian Lambiotte / European Communities · CC BY 4.0

Johnny Paul Koroma Johnny Paul Koroma President of Sierra Leone In office 1997–1998 · 0.7y PartyPeace and Liberation Party Born 1960 · took office at 37 Took power coup 1997-05-25 Eric Beauchemin · CC BY-SA 4.0

Ahmed Tejan Kabbah Ahmed Tejan Kabbah President of Sierra Leone In office 1998–2007 · 9.5y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1932 · took office at 66 Christian Lambiotte / European Communities · CC BY 4.0

Ernest Bai Koroma Ernest Bai Koroma President of Sierra Leone In office 2007–2018 · 10.5y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1953 · took office at 53 Valter Campanato/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br

Julius Maada Bio Julius Maada Bio President of Sierra Leone In office 2018–present · 8.4y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1964 · took office at 53 European Commission · CC BY 4.0

1967-03-21 1967-03-23 1968-04-18 1992-04-30 1996-01-16 1997-05-25 1998-02-12

Term Began with a realized coup In office Realized coup — dated

The scale spans every dated record held for this country, so it may begin before the first leader on file — a gap at the left means coups are recorded for years where no office-holder is. Coup markers link to the Cline Center source.

1. 2018– Julius Maada Bio President of Sierra Leone In office 2018–present · 8.4y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1964 · took office at 53 European Commission · CC BY 4.0 Julius Maada Bio In office 8.4y
2. 2007–2018 Ernest Bai Koroma President of Sierra Leone In office 2007–2018 · 10.5y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1953 · took office at 53 Valter Campanato/ABr · CC BY 3.0 br Ernest Bai Koroma 10.5y
3. 1998–2007 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah President of Sierra Leone In office 1998–2007 · 9.5y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1932 · took office at 66 Christian Lambiotte / European Communities · CC BY 4.0 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah 9.5y
4. 1997–1998 Johnny Paul Koroma President of Sierra Leone In office 1997–1998 · 0.7y PartyPeace and Liberation Party Born 1960 · took office at 37 Took power coup 1997-05-25 Eric Beauchemin · CC BY-SA 4.0 Johnny Paul Koroma Coup 1997 0.7y
5. 1996–1997 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah President of Sierra Leone In office 1996–1997 · 1.2y PartySierra Leone People's Party Born 1932 · took office at 64 Christian Lambiotte / European Communities · CC BY 4.0 Ahmed Tejan Kabbah 1.2y
6. 1992–1996 Valentine Strasser President of Sierra Leone In office 1992–1996 · 3.7y Born 1967 · took office at 25 Took power coup 1992-04-30 Voice of America · Public domain Valentine Strasser Coup 1992 3.7y
7. 1984–1991 Joseph Saidu Momoh President of Sierra Leone In office 1984–1991 · 7y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1937 · took office at 47 White House Television Office · Public domain Joseph Saidu Momoh 7y
8. 1971–1985 Siaka Stevens President of Sierra Leone In office 1971–1985 · 14.6y PartyAll People's Congress Born 1905 · took office at 65 European Communities, 1979 / EC - Audiovisual Service · CC BY 4.0 Siaka Stevens 14.6y

• 1998
  1998-02-12 Foreign
• 1997
  1997-05-25 Military Leader exiled
• 1996
  1996-01-16 Military Leader fled
• 1992
  1992-04-30 Military Leader exiled
• 1968
  1968-04-18 Military
• 1967
  1967-03-23 Military
• 1967
  1967-03-21 Military

Source: Cline Center Coup d’État Project — realized events only.

• 2023
  Sierra Leone Parliament June 2023 Election Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)8160% All People's Congress (APC)5440%

  Seats

  135

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  28.2%

  Parties won

  2

• 2018
  Sierra Leone Parliament March 2018 Election All People's Congress (APC)6854.8% Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP)4939.5% Coalition for Change (C4C)86.5% National Grand Coalition (NGC)43.2%

  Seats

  124

  Turnout

  84.2%

  Women

  12.3%

  Parties won

  4

• 2012
  Sierra Leone Parliament November 2012 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2007
  Sierra Leone Parliament August 2007 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 2002
  Sierra Leone Parliament May 2002 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1996
  Sierra Leone Parliament February 1996 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1986
  Sierra Leone Parliament May 1986 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1982
  Sierra Leone Parliament May 1982 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1977
  Sierra Leone Parliament May 1977 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

• 1973
  Sierra Leone Parliament May 1973 Election

  Seats

  —

  Turnout

  not recorded

  Women

  —

  Parties won

  —

Source: ipu_parline.

Fertility rate

3.7 2024

Life expectancy at birth

62.0 2024

Population growth

2.1 2024

Total population

8.6M 2024

Urban population percent

45.4 2024

Adult literacy rate

43.6 2019

Government expenditure on education percent of GDP

2.6 2023

Primary net enrollment ratio

98.1 2016

Secondary net enrollment ratio

41.8 2018

Ethnic groups

Religion

Languages

• English
• Mende
• Temne
• Krio

Composition: CIA World Factbook, 2019 estimate. Shares are reproduced as published and are not renormalised, so a country may total slightly under or over 100%.

Regional & continental

• AfCFTA
• African Union
• ECOWAS
• Mano River Union 1973
• OIC 1972

Global bodies & treaties

• African Development Bank
• Commonwealth of Nations
• International Bank for Reconstruction and Development
• International Centre for Settlement of Investment Disputes
• International Development Association
• International Finance Corporation
• International Telecommunication Union
• Interpol
• Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency
• Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
• Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States
• Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons
• UNESCO
• United Nations
• United Nations–African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur
• Universal Postal Union
• World Customs Organization
• World Health Organization
• World Meteorological Organization
• World Trade Organization

Register

Every party the observatory holds for this country, historical and current — the register is not filtered to parties currently holding seats.

• All People's Congress democratic socialism Ernest Bai Koroma
• Convention People's Party
• Democratic People's Congress
• National Alliance Democratic Party
• National Council of Sierra Leone
• National Democratic Alliance
• National Grand Coalition
• Peace and Liberation Party
• People's Democratic Party
• People's Movement for Democratic Change social liberalism
• Peoples Party
• Q54608252
• Revolutionary United Front
• Sierra Leone Independence Movement
• Sierra Leone People's Party Third Way; nationalism Julius Maada Bio
• United National People's Party
• Unity Party
• Young People's Party

Census, population and demographic documents the observatory has located for this country. These are links to the publishers’ own files — the library does not rehost them.

• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — DHS Quickstats Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MICS indicators Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — MDGs Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anthropometry Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — IYCF Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — PMI/RBM Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Anemia Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — DHS Mobile Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Access to Health Care Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — Birth Registration Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — SDGs Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Demographic and Health Data — FP2020 Data for Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — End-year stock population figures for forcibly displaced and stateless persons residing in Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Solutions for refugees and IDPs originating from Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum applications by asylum seekers originating from Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Solutions for refugees and IDPs residing in Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Demographics and locations of forcibly displaced people originating from Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum decisions taken on asylum claims of asylum seekers residing in Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Demographics and locations of forcibly displaced and stateless people residing in Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum decisions taken on asylum claims of asylum seekers originating from Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — Asylum applications by asylum seekers residing in Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Data on forcibly displaced populations and stateless persons — End-year stock population figures for forcibly displaced persons originating from Sierra Leone hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Population Statistics — sle_adm2_population_v2.csv hdx csv
• Sierra Leone - Subnational Population Statistics — sle_admpop_adm0_2020_v2.csv hdx csv