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Sierra Leone - People (Facts)

Population: 6,144,562 (July 2007 est.) Age structure: 0-14 years: 44.8% (male 1,349,878/female 1,400,297) 15-64 years: 52% (male 1,531,763/female 1,664,996) 65 years and over: 3.2% (male 92,360/female 105,268) (2007 est.) Population growth rate: 2.292% (2007 est.) Birth rate: 45.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) Death rate: 22.64 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) Net migration rate: 0.15 migrant(s)/1,000 population note: refugees currently in surrounding countries are slowly returning (2007 est.) Sex ratio: at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 0.964 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.877 male(s)/female total population: 0.938 male(s)/female (2007 est.) Infant mortality rate: total: 158.27 deaths/1,000 live births male: 175.39 deaths/1,000 live births female: 140.65 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) Life expectancy at birth: total population: 40.58 years male: 38.36 years female: 42.87 years (2007 est.) Total fertility rate: 6.01 children born/woman (2007 est.) HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 7% (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 170,000 (2001 est.) HIV/AIDS - deaths: 11,000 (2001 est.) Major infectious diseases: degree of risk: very high food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A, and typhoid fever vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever are high risks in some locations water contact disease: schistosomiasis aerosolized dust or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2007) Nationality: noun: Sierra Leonean(s) adjective: Sierra Leonean Ethnic groups: 20 African ethnic groups 90% (Temne 30%, Mende 30%, other 30%), Creole (Krio) 10% (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century), refugees from Liberia's recent civil war, small numbers of Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians Religions: Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30% Languages: English (official, regular use limited to literate minority), Mende (principal vernacular in the south), Temne (principal vernacular in the north), Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Free Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic total population: 35.1% male: 46.9% female: 24.4% (2004 est.)