Water in the World: Sierra Leone

Log into World Book Student through Firefly- Select World Book Student and type in your search Sierra Leone.

Here you will find useful information about the capital city, population, major landforms, rivers in the country, water usage, climate statistics etc.   

On the southwestern coast of the bulge of West Africa, Sierra Leone lies less than 10° from the Equator. Facing the Atlantic Ocean to the west, it is bounded by Guinea to the north and east and Liberia to the southeast.

Sierra Leone is a small country bursting with potential. Between wealth in natural minerals, a huge harbour and beautiful landscapes of white beaches and rainforests, its young population should be prospering from trade and tourism.

Sierra Leone is a familiar and news-worthy country. It is most often noted for its large and controversial industry of diamond mining. A brutal civil war that lasted a decade has left many images of amputees and refugees, impoverished and displaced.

Lack of running water is bad news if you want to stop the spread of infection. Providing access to sufficient quantities of safe water, to facilities for the sanitary disposal of waste, and to sound hygiene behaviours are vital to reduce the spread of infectious diseases.

Concern is building and maintaining desperately needed wells in Tokolili, the poorest region of Sierra Leone.

Sierra Leone struggles every year during the dry season, but according to officials, this is the worst ever. Tap water in many homes has stopped running and community pumps have also dried up.

Sierra Leone is in the midst of a water crisis. Throughout Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa, you will find many who are still drinking water from unclean and polluted rivers. Listen to this Sierra Leonean woman tell her story of water crisis. She says, “Long ago our river was clean. Today it is dirty and full of sickness—malaria, cholera, and fever. My little Susan almost died from diarrhea. Our family was all affected by the dirty water. But we needed it; we all need water. We knew there was a problem. We saw the problem. But we are a poor village and could do nothing to change it. I was sad and afraid of losing a child. Then, last year, we received a miracle. It was a well! We were given the supplies and also the guidance, but the men of my village built it. They built it for our family—for all the families!”

Find out how something as simple as having clean water can make the world of difference to a child's life, education and entire future.

Ten years of civil war has set the people of Sierra Leone up against immense challenges. The country is one of the world's poorest, and 58.09% of the total population lacks access to an improved water source to drink from.

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