Transport in Sierra Leone
Encyclopedia
West Africa
West Africa or Western Africa is the westernmost region of the African continent. Geopolitically, the UN definition of Western Africa includes the following 16 countries and an area of approximately 5 million square km:-Flags of West Africa:...
, which possess road, rail, air and water infrastructure, including a network of highways and several airports.
Railways
There are 84 kilometres (52 mi) of railway in Sierra LeoneSierra Leone
Sierra Leone , officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the west and southwest. Sierra Leone covers a total area of and has an estimated population between 5.4 and 6.4...
, of which all is of a narrow gauge, or . Sierra Leone no longer has any common carrier railroads, as the gauge Sierra Leone Government Railway
Sierra Leone Government Railway
The Sierra Leone Government Railway operated in the West African country of Sierra Leone from 1897 to 1974. It was unusual in that it formed a national railway system constructed solely to a rail gauge...
from Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
through Bo
Bo, Sierra Leone
Bo is the second largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Southern Province. It lies about 164 miles south-east of Freetown and had a population 149,957 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate is 231,494 . The city serve as the capital and administrative center of Bo District...
to Kenema
Kenema
Kenema is the third largest city in Sierra Leone and the largest city in the Eastern Province with a population of 128,402 in the 2004 census and a more recent estimate of 169,937...
and Daru
Daru, Sierra Leone
Daru is small rural town in Kailahun District in the Eastern Province of Sierra Leone with a population of 5,958 . The town is home to one of the largest military baracks in Sierra Leone. The majority of the people in the town are from the Mende ethnic group...
with a branch to Makeni
Makeni
Makeni is the largest city in the Nortern Province of Sierra Leone and the fifth largest city in Sierra Leone. The city is the capital of Bombali District and had a population of 80,840 in the 2004 census and a current estimate of 105,900...
closed in 1974. The country does not share rail links with adjacent countries, Guinea
Transport in Guinea
- Railways :total:1,086 kmstandard gauge:279 km gaugemetre gauge:807 km gauge The lines do not all connect.- Northern line :...
and Liberia
Transport in Liberia
- Railways :Historically, three railways were built in Liberia to export ore from mines; they were damaged during civil war, and as of August 2010 only one had been brought back into service....
.
The existing railroad is private and operated from 1933 until 1975 by the Sierra Leone Development Company's iron ore mines at Marampa
Marampa
Marampa in Sierra Leone is the site of an iron ore mine. Marampa is also a city with 20,000 inhabitants.- Railway :The mine is connected to the port at Port Pepel by an 84 km long gauge railway. This railway is experiencing problems with the theft of its track, and other obstructions....
, 66 km (41 mi) east-northeast of the port at Pepel
Pepel
Pepel is a coastal town in the Port Loko District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. - Railway :Pepel is connected by a gauge 84 km long railway to an iron ore mine at Marampa....
. It is now used on a limited basis. Tecsbacos, the mining company, is reported in 2006 to have problems of theft and obstruction in operating the railway. In May 2008, an extension of this line to Tonkolili with conversion to (standard gauge
Standard gauge
The standard gauge is a widely-used track gauge . Approximately 60% of the world's existing railway lines are built to this gauge...
) upgrade to carry 25000 t (24,605 LT; 27,558 ST) per year was under consideration.
Further details of the project were announced in October 2010; Dawnus planned to construct 50km of new line, and refurbish 67km of existing line.
Talks started with Russia in 2006 to seek help to rebuild railways in the country, although choice of gauge is problematic, since the original gauge is obsolete.
Walking
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.Highways
There are 11,700 kilometres (7,270 mi) of highwayHighway
A highway is any public road. In American English, the term is common and almost always designates major roads. In British English, the term designates any road open to the public. Any interconnected set of highways can be variously referred to as a "highway system", a "highway network", or a...
in Sierra Leone, of which 936 km (582 mi) are paved. When construction and reconstruction of roads and bridges in the country is complete, the Trans–West African Coastal Highway will cross Sierra Leone, connecting it to Conakry
Conakry
Conakry is the capital and largest city of Guinea. Conakry is a port city on the Atlantic Ocean and serves as the economic, financial and cultural centre of Guinea with a 2009 population of 1,548,500...
(Guinea
Guinea
Guinea , officially the Republic of Guinea , is a country in West Africa. Formerly known as French Guinea , it is today sometimes called Guinea-Conakry to distinguish it from its neighbour Guinea-Bissau. Guinea is divided into eight administrative regions and subdivided into thirty-three prefectures...
), Monrovia
Monrovia
Monrovia is the capital city of the West African nation of Liberia. Located on the Atlantic Coast at Cape Mesurado, it lies geographically within Montserrado County, but is administered separately...
(Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
), and 11 other nations of ECOWAS.
Water
There are 800 km (497 mi) of waterwayWaterway
A waterway is any navigable body of water. Waterways can include rivers, lakes, seas, oceans, and canals. In order for a waterway to be navigable, it must meet several criteria:...
s in Sierra Leone, of which 600 km (373 mi) are navigable year-round.
Major ports of Sierra Leone include: Bonthe
Bonthe
Bonthe is a town located on Sherbro Island in Bonthe District of the southern Province of Sierra Leone. The town had a population of 9,535 in the 2004 census, with a current estimate of 10,206. In colonial times it used to be a major trading centre for piassava and other agricultural products...
, Freetown
Freetown
Freetown is the capital and largest city of Sierra Leone, a country in West Africa. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean located in the Western Area of the country, and had a city proper population of 772,873 at the 2004 census. The city is the economic, financial, and cultural center of...
and Pepel
Pepel
Pepel is a coastal town in the Port Loko District in the Northern Province of Sierra Leone. - Railway :Pepel is connected by a gauge 84 km long railway to an iron ore mine at Marampa....
. Queen Elizabeth II Quay
Queen Elizabeth II Quay
Queen Elizabeth II Quay, also known as QE II Quay and by residents as the Deep Water Quay, is a locality in Freetown, Sierra Leone...
in Freetown represents the country's only deep water port facility capable of berthing large-hulled cargo or military vessels. The country possesses a merchant marine of two cargo ships with masses exceeding 1,000GRT
Gross Register Tonnage
Gross register tonnage a ship's total internal volume expressed in "register tons", one of which equals to a volume of . It is calculated from the total permanently enclosed capacity of the vessel. The ship's net register tonnage is obtained by reducing the volume of non-revenue-earning spaces i.e...
.
Airports
There are ten airportAirport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
s in Sierra Leone, of which one has paved runway
Runway
According to ICAO a runway is a "defined rectangular area on a land aerodrome prepared for the landing and take-off of aircraft." Runways may be a man-made surface or a natural surface .- Orientation and dimensions :Runways are named by a number between 01 and 36, which is generally one tenth...
s (the length of which exceeds 3047 m (9,997 ft)). Of the remaining airports, all of which having unpaved runways, seven have runways of lengths between 914 and 1523 m (2,998.7 and 4,996.7 ft); the remaining two having runways of shorter length. There are two heliport
Heliport
A heliport is a small airport suitable only for use by helicopters. Heliports typically contain one or more helipads and may have limited facilities such as fuel, lighting, a windsock, or even hangars...
s in the country.