Sierra Leone: Overview

Beautiful and weathered Sierra Leone returns to the West African trail.

If you're like most people, you associate Sierra Leone with civil war - well get those ideas out of your head. Peace has broken out and this little gem of an African nation is back. It is still desperately poor, but some of the region's best beaches and national parks are beckoning and travelling around is getting easier all the time.

Travel Warning: Some Caution Required

While peace now reigns in Sierra Leone, and conditions have improved substantially, travellers should exercise caution on the roads outside of Freetown, and avoid the area bordering Liberia and Guinea, where rebel and military activity continue.

severity: Mid-level alert

Fast Facts

Country Full Name

Sierra Leone

Population

5,732,681

Currency

Name: Leone
Code: SLL
Symbol: Le

Electrical Plugs

British-style plug with two flat blades and one flat grounding blade South African/Indian-style plug with two circular metal pins above a large circular grounding pin
230V 50Hz

Languages Spoken

Official: English

Time Zones

GMT/UTC +0 

Country Dialing Code

+232

Weights & Measures

Metric

Traveller Tips & Discussion

Thorn Tree Forum

View more Thorn Tree threads ›

BLUELISTS blu,list to recommend a travel experience

View more Bluelists ›

Jump to Navigation

Shop Online

Advertisement

Book Your Trip

Travel insurance. Be covered by our recommended partner.

Compare & book flights from 100's of domestic & international airlines.

Hotels & Hostels

Booking hotels is simple with Lonely Planet. See our reviewed and recommended hotels in one place and book online. Browse hotels ›

Lonely Planet Newsletters

Updates, offers and inspiration - straight to your inbox.
Subscribe now ›

Disclaimer: We've tried to make the information on this web site as accurate as possible, but it is provided 'as is' and we accept no responsibility for any loss, injury or inconvenience sustained by anyone resulting from this information. You should verify critical information (like visas, health and safety, customs and transportation) with the relevant authorities before you travel.

Lonely Planet