Environment
Sierra Leone
Climate
tropical; characterized by high temperatures and humidity; summer precipitation period (May to December); winter dry period (December to April)
Land use
other
11% (2023 est.)
forest
34.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land
54.7% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: arable land
arable land: 21.9% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent crops
permanent crops: 2.3% (2023 est.)
agricultural land: permanent pasture
permanent pasture: 30.5% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
urban population
44.3% of total population (2023)
rate of urbanization
3.02% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Waste and recycling
municipal solid waste generated annually
610,200 tons (2024 est.)
percent of municipal solid waste recycled
9.7% (2022 est.)
Environmental issues
unsustainable logging practices, growth of cattle ranching, and slash-and-burn farming leading to deforestation, soil depletion, and increased flooding; reduction in biodiversity; air contamination; water contamination; overexploitation of fish populations
Total water withdrawal
municipal
111 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
industrial
55.5 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
agricultural
45.7 million cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon dioxide emissions
total emissions
1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
from petroleum and other liquids
1.342 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
Particulate matter emissions
45.4 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
Total renewable water resources
160 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International environmental agreements
party to
Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Comprehensive Nuclear Test Ban, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Convention, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Marine Life Conservation, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands
signed, but not ratified
Environmental Modification