Country Information - Sierra Leone

ECONOMIC BACKGROUND Sierra Leone is an extremely poor African nation with tremendous inequality in income distribution. It does have substantial mineral, agricultural, and fishery resources. However, the economic and social infrastructure is not well developed, and serious social disorders continue to hamper economic development, following a 10-year civil war. About two-thirds of the working-age population engages in subsistence agriculture. Manufacturing consists mainly of the processing of raw materials and of light manufacturing for the domestic market. There are plans to reopen bauxite and rutile mines shut down during the conflict. The major source of hard currency consists of the mining of diamonds. The fate of the economy depends upon the maintenance of domestic peace and the continued receipt of substantial aid from abroad. (Source: World Factbook, 2002) Click here for Country Map [23kB]

BI-LATERAL TRADE OVERVIEW Sierra Leone recorded a slight trade surplus with the United States in 1997. Since then, bi-lateral trade between the two States has resulted in a trade deficit for Sierra Leone that has grown from $ 2.9 million in 1999 to $ 21.7 million in 2002. Imports from the U.S. have increased significantly, while exports have declined. Sierra Leone's relatively minor exports to the U.S. consist mostly of ‘minerals and metals’, 'textiles and apparel' and some ‘agricultural’ exports. Imports from the U.S. are dominated by 'agricultural products' (accounting for half of the value of all imports in 2002), while there is a spread of other product categories accounting for the rest (see link to Country Trade Profile below). Sierra Leone qualified for the AGOA retrospectively on October 23, 2002, as determined by the U.S. Trade Representative. The country also qualifies for AGOA's apparel provisions, effective from 04 April 2004, having adopted an effective apparel visa system as determined by the USTR. In November 2005, Sierra Leone further met the requirements for export of handicrafts to the US. Click here for Detailed Trade Profile