Current account balance (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Current account balance (BoP, current US$) was -984.26 million BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Current account balance in Sierra Leone, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, current account balance in Sierra Leone stood at -984.26 million BoP, current US$.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 95.1% on the previous year and down 108.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, current account balance in Sierra Leone peaked at 140.74 million BoP, current US$ in 1986 and was at its lowest, -1.91 billion BoP, current US$, in 2011.
Sierra Leone ranks 123rd of 200 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Current account balance (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | -49.37 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | -111.74 million BoP, current US$ | +126.3% |
| 1979 | -178.81 million BoP, current US$ | +60.0% |
| 1980 | -164.87 million BoP, current US$ | -7.8% |
| 1981 | -131.74 million BoP, current US$ | -20.1% |
| 1982 | -169.87 million BoP, current US$ | +28.9% |
| 1983 | -17.61 million BoP, current US$ | -89.6% |
| 1984 | -23.03 million BoP, current US$ | +30.8% |
| 1985 | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ | -112.2% |
| 1986 | 140.74 million BoP, current US$ | +4918.3% |
| 1987 | -30.35 million BoP, current US$ | -121.6% |
| 1988 | -2.84 million BoP, current US$ | -90.6% |
| 1989 | -59.74 million BoP, current US$ | +2003.3% |
| 1990 | -69.41 million BoP, current US$ | +16.2% |
| 1991 | 15.34 million BoP, current US$ | -122.1% |
| 1992 | -5.48 million BoP, current US$ | -135.7% |
| 1993 | -57.77 million BoP, current US$ | +954.2% |
| 1994 | -89.12 million BoP, current US$ | +54.3% |
| 1995 | -118.07 million BoP, current US$ | +32.5% |
| 1996 | -150.50 million BoP, current US$ | +27.5% |
| 1997 | -54.87 million BoP, current US$ | -63.5% |
| 1998 | -33.24 million BoP, current US$ | -39.4% |
| 1999 | -99.31 million BoP, current US$ | +198.8% |
| 2000 | -112.28 million BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2001 | -97.87 million BoP, current US$ | -12.8% |
| 2002 | -73.23 million BoP, current US$ | -25.2% |
| 2003 | -82.82 million BoP, current US$ | +13.1% |
| 2004 | -99.03 million BoP, current US$ | +19.6% |
| 2005 | -104.94 million BoP, current US$ | +6.0% |
| 2006 | -95.02 million BoP, current US$ | -9.5% |
| 2007 | -160.13 million BoP, current US$ | +68.5% |
| 2008 | -225.44 million BoP, current US$ | +40.8% |
| 2009 | -326.99 million BoP, current US$ | +45.0% |
| 2010 | -585.30 million BoP, current US$ | +79.0% |
| 2011 | -1.91 billion BoP, current US$ | +226.9% |
| 2012 | -1.21 billion BoP, current US$ | -36.8% |
| 2013 | -737.10 million BoP, current US$ | -39.1% |
| 2014 | -472.73 million BoP, current US$ | -35.9% |
| 2015 | -1.00 billion BoP, current US$ | +112.2% |
| 2016 | -293.88 million BoP, current US$ | -70.7% |
| 2017 | -679.62 million BoP, current US$ | +131.3% |
| 2018 | -591.45 million BoP, current US$ | -13.0% |
| 2019 | -508.06 million BoP, current US$ | -14.1% |
| 2020 | -390.42 million BoP, current US$ | -23.2% |
| 2021 | -522.82 million BoP, current US$ | +33.9% |
| 2022 | -452.09 million BoP, current US$ | -13.5% |
| 2023 | -504.50 million BoP, current US$ | +11.6% |
| 2024 | -984.26 million BoP, current US$ | +95.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's -984.26 million BoP, current US$ is above the median for low income countries, which is -1.02 billion BoP, current US$, 96% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's -984.26 million BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is -461.46 million BoP, current US$, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Current account balance (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986 | +4918.3% | 2.80 million BoP, current US$ | 140.74 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1989 | -2003.3% | -2.84 million BoP, current US$ | -59.74 million BoP, current US$ |
| 1993 | -954.2% | -5.48 million BoP, current US$ | -57.77 million BoP, current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | -113.31 million BoP, current US$ | -178.81 million BoP, current US$ | -49.37 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | -45.65 million BoP, current US$ | -169.87 million BoP, current US$ | 140.74 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | -66.24 million BoP, current US$ | -150.50 million BoP, current US$ | 15.34 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | -137.78 million BoP, current US$ | -326.99 million BoP, current US$ | -73.23 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | -799.49 million BoP, current US$ | -1.91 billion BoP, current US$ | -293.88 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | -570.82 million BoP, current US$ | -984.26 million BoP, current US$ | -390.42 million BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 120 East Timor -701.36 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 121 North Macedonia -814.98 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 122 Burkina Faso -918.24 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 124 Georgia -995.66 million BoP, current US$ compare
- 125 Kosovo -1.01 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 125 Kosovo (UNSCR 1244) -1.01 billion BoP, current US$ compare
More economy & growth data for Sierra Leone
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate -24.83 % change on previous year (2024)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.55 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 4.53 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate -18.54 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0324 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 27.41 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -22.43 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0236 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 20.01 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 5.01 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is current account balance in Sierra Leone?
- Current account balance in Sierra Leone was -984.26 million BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest current account balance recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 140.74 million BoP, current US$ in 1986.
- What is the lowest current account balance recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.91 billion BoP, current US$ in 2011.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for current account balance?
- Sierra Leone ranks 123rd out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is current account balance rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 108.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Current account balance (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Balance of current transactions (transactions in goods and services, earned income and transfer income) between residents and non-residents. The term current account balance is used in the external accounts and is expressed from the perspective of resident units. The term current external balance is used in the national accounts and is expressed from the perspective of the non-resident units, and therefore with the opposite sign. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This indicator is expressed in United States dollars.