Geography & environment — Sierra Leone
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources.
Profile updated 2026-06-02
⚡ Geography & environment at a glance
Location, land area, terrain, climate, and natural resources. Key figure for Sierra Leone: Africa
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Location & size
- Geographic Location
Africa
- Geographic Coordinates
8 30 N, 11 30 W
- Total Area
27,699 Square Miles 71,740 Square Kilometers
- Land Area
27,652 Square Miles 71,620 Square Kilometers
- Water Area
46 Square Miles 120 Square Kilometers
- Land Boundaries
595 Miles 958 Kilometers
- Border Countries
Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
- Coastline
250 Miles 402 Kilometers
Physical geography
- Terrain
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
- Highest Point
1,948 Meters
- Highest Point Location
Loma Mansa (Bintimani) 1,948 m
- Lowest Point Location
Atlantic Ocean 0 m
- Natural Resources
diamonds, titanium ore, bauxite, iron ore, gold, chromite
- Irrigated Land
113 Square Miles 293 Square Kilometers
Climate & time
- Time Zone
UTC 0 (5 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Climate
- Climate
The tropical climate has rainy and dry seasons, high temperatures, and almost constant humidity. The rainy season extends from May to November but is heaviest between July and September, when over half of the annual rainfall occurs. In Freetown, annual rainfall is 150 inches or more; inland areas receive less. The beginning and end of the rainy season are marked by frequent strong electrical storms, similar to those occurring during the hot summer months in the eastern U.S. Coastal temperatures during the rainy season range from a daily high of about 80°F. to a nightly low of about 76°F. Relative humidity in Freetown rarely falls below 80%, except when the harmattan reaches the coast. This current of dry, dusty air flows from the Sahara Desert toward the south and west, usually reaching Sierra Leone in December. During this season, which lasts through February, Freetown experiences its coolest weather.
- Terrain
coastal belt of mangrove swamps, wooded hill country, upland plateau, mountains in east
- Location
Western Africa, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Guinea and Liberia
- Total Area
27,699 Square Miles 71,740 Square Kilometers
- Border Countries
Guinea 652 km, Liberia 306 km
Environment
- Environment - Current Issues
rapid population growth pressuring the environment
overharvesting of timber, expansion of cattle grazing, and slash-and-burn agriculture have resulted in deforestation and soil exhaustion
civil war depleting natural resources
overfishing
- Environment - International Agreements
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification