Muslim 53.1%, Catholic 20.1%, Protestant 14.2%, animist 7.3%, other 0.5%, unknown 1.7%, atheist 3.1% (1993 census)
Muslim 60%, Christian 10%, indigenous beliefs 30%
Languages
French (official), Arabic (official), Sara (in south), more than 120 different languages and dialects
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 Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)
Exports
External Debt
Exchange Rate
Military Budget as percentage of GDP
Beijing Olympics Medal Count
Location
Central Africa, south of Libya
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
Area
1,284,000 km sq
71,740 km sq
Coastline
0 km
402 km
Climate
tropical in south, desert in north
tropical; hot, humid; summer rainy season (May to December); winter dry season (December to April)
