Sierra Leone: Introduction

Sierra Leone is a country in Western Africa with a coast on the Atlantic Ocean. Neighboring countries include Guinea and Liberia. The geography includes swamps, beaches, wooded hills, and mountains in the interior. The government type is a presidential republic; the chief of state and head of government is the president. Sierra Leone has a largely traditional economy in which the majority of the population engages in subsistence agriculture, and direct government involvement in economic activity limits private sector development. Sierra Leone is a member of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS).