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Sierra Leone's economy is predominantly agricultural, with most of its workers engaged in subsistence farming. The principal food crops are rice, cassava, corn, millet, and peanuts. The leading cash crops, most of which are exported, are palm kernels, palm oil, cocoa, and coffee. Poultry, cattle, sheep, and goats are raised. The fishing industry is also important.
The country has an important mining industry, which is largely controlled by foreign companies. The main minerals extracted are diamonds (the country's major source of hard currency), iron ore, gold, bauxite, and rutile. However, the mining industry, like other areas of the economy, has been severely affected by civil strife. The country's few manufactures include refined petroleum and basic consumer goods. Sierra Leone has limited rail and highway networks, which mostly serve the central and western parts of the country. Freetown has excellent port facilities; smaller ports are located at Bonthe (on Sherbro Island) and Pepel (near Freetown).
The cost of Sierra Leone's imports is higher than its earnings from exports. The principal imports are machinery, manufactured consumer goods, foodstuffs, transportation equipment, and fuels; the chief exports are diamonds and other minerals, cacao, coffee, and fish. Diamond smuggling has been a problem since the 1960s, and during the civil war much of the diamond-mining area fell into the hands of rebel groups. Sierra Leone's leading trade partners are the European Union countries, the United States, and COte d'Ivoire.
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