Editing Economy of Sierra Leone (section)

==Economic sectors==
{| style="margin:1em; background:#f9f9f9; border:1px #aaa solid; border-collapse:collapse; font-size:90%; float:right;"
|+'''''Percentage of GDP by sector (2007)<ref name = "AFEC"/> '''''
|- style="background:lightblue;"
! Rank !! Sector !! Percentage of [[GDP]]
|-
|1 || Agriculture || 58.5
|-
|2 ||Other Services || 10.4
|-
|3 || Trade and tourism || 9.5
|-
|4 || Wholesale and retail trade || 9.0
|-
|5 || Mining and quarying || 4.5
|-
|6 || Government Services || 4.0
|-
|7 || Manufacturing and handicrafts || 2.0
|-
|8 || Construction || 1.7
|-
|9 || Electricity and water || 0.4
|}

===Agriculture===
{{Further|Agriculture in Sierra Leone}}

[[File:Sierra Leone rice farmer.jpg|thumb|A farmer with his rice harvest in Sierra Leone]]
Two-thirds of the population of [[Sierra Leone]] are directly involved in [[subsistence agriculture]].<ref name="future"/> Agriculture accounted for 58 percent national [[Gross Domestic Product]] (GDP) in 2007.<ref name = "AFEC"/>

Agriculture is the largest employer with 80 percent of the population working in the sector.<ref name = "tour">{{Cite book |last=König|first=Dirk | title =Linking Agriculture to Tourism in Sierra Leone - a Preliminary Research | publisher =GRIN Verlag| year =2008| page =67  | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=ChOkCqPu_QMC&q=agriculture+economy+sierra+leone&pg=PA65|isbn=978-3-638-94680-3}}</ref> [[Rice]] is the most important staple crop in Sierra Leone with 85 percent of farmers cultivating rice during the rainy season<ref name = "deep rice">{{Cite book |last=Catling|first=David| title = Rice in deep water| publisher =Int. Rice Res. Inst.| year =1992| page = 372 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=N5JxwKx1RAgC&q=rice+sierra+leone&pg=PA372|isbn=978-971-22-0005-2}}</ref> and an annual consumption of 76&nbsp;kg per person.<ref name = "rice facts">{{Cite book | title =Rice today, Volume 3:Rice facts | publisher =International Rice Research| year =2004| page =48  | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=3PZjte6EADYC&q=rice+sierra+leone&pg=PA48}}</ref>

===Energy===
{{excerpt|Sierra Leone|Energy|subsections=yes}}

===Mining===
{{Further|Mining in Sierra Leone}}
Rich in minerals, [[Sierra Leone]] has relied on the [[mining]] sector in general, and [[diamond]]s in particular, for its economic base. In the 1970s and early 1980s, [[economic growth]] rate slowed because of a decline in the mining sector. Financially disadvantageous exchange rates and government [[budget deficit]]s led to sizable balance-of-payments deficits and inflation.

Certain policy responses to external factors as well as implementations of aid projects and maintenance have led to a general decline in economic activity and a serious degradation of economic [[infrastructure]]s. Sierra Leone's short-term prospects depend upon continued adherence to [[International Monetary Fund]] programs and continued external assistance.

=== Telecommunications ===
{{Further|Telecommunications in Sierra Leone}}

Radio is the most-popular and most-trusted media source in Sierra Leone, with 72% of people in the country listening to the radio daily. Sierra Leone is home to one government-owned national radio station and roughly two dozen private radio stations, as well as one government-owned and one private TV station.

Telephone and telegraph services are marginal, but improving. Internet usage is low, reaching just 1.3% of the population in 2012, but improving with growth in [[3G|3G mobile cellular data services]] and the mid-2011 arrival of the [[ACE (cable system)|ACE international fiber-optic cable system]] in [[Freetown]].

=== Tourism ===
{{Further|Tourism in Sierra Leone}}

According to the [[International Labour Organization]], approximately 8,000 Sierra Leoneans are employed in the [[tourism]] industry, with a growing number of jobs expected to be created in the future. The main entrance point is [[Freetown International Airport]], where transport to and from has been problematic.  The main attractions for tourist in Sierra Leone are the beaches, nature reserves and mountains.<ref name="Limited2002">{{cite book|author=Europa Publications Limited|title=Africa South of the Sahara 2003|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1KBP7QbalX0C&pg=PA934|access-date=22 March 2011|date=31 December 2002|publisher=Psychology Press|isbn=978-1-85743-131-5|page=934}}</ref>

=== Transport ===
{{Further|Transport in Sierra Leone}}

Because of widespread poverty, high petroleum prices and a large portion of the population residing in small communities, walking is often the preferred method of transportation in Sierra Leone. There are 11,700 kilometres (7,270 &nbsp;mi) of [[highway]] in Sierra Leone, of which 936&nbsp;km (582&nbsp;mi) are paved.

There are 800&nbsp;km (497&nbsp;mi) of [[waterway]]s in Sierra Leone, of which 600&nbsp;km (373&nbsp;mi) are navigable year-round. Major ports of Sierra Leone include: [[Bonthe]], [[Freetown]] and [[Pepel]]. [[Queen Elizabeth II Quay]] in Freetown represents the country's only deep water port facility capable of berthing large-hulled cargo or military vessels.

There are ten [[airport]]s in Sierra Leone, of which one - Lungi International Airport in Freetown -  has a paved runway in excess of 3000m in length.  Of the remaining airports, all of which have unpaved runways, seven have runways of lengths between {{convert|914|and|1523|m|ft|0|abbr=on}}; the remaining two having runways of shorter length. There are two [[heliport]]s in the country.{{where|date=October 2014}}