Exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Exports of goods and services was 20.9% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone, 1964–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 20.9% for exports of goods and services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.0% on the previous year and up 99.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone peaked at 34.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 7.8%, in 2008.
That places Sierra Leone 153rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 62 years of available data.
Exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 29.1% | — |
| 1965 | 28.9% | -0.7% |
| 1966 | 27.8% | -3.8% |
| 1967 | 27.1% | -2.5% |
| 1968 | 23.7% | -12.5% |
| 1969 | 27.6% | +16.7% |
| 1970 | 31.0% | +12.3% |
| 1971 | 31.3% | +0.8% |
| 1972 | 27.8% | -11.2% |
| 1973 | 24.6% | -11.3% |
| 1974 | 24.1% | -2.2% |
| 1975 | 25.1% | +4.2% |
| 1976 | 21.5% | -14.2% |
| 1977 | 19.7% | -8.5% |
| 1978 | 19.8% | +0.5% |
| 1979 | 19.9% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 22.9% | +14.9% |
| 1981 | 23.0% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 15.8% | -31.5% |
| 1983 | 11.1% | -29.7% |
| 1984 | 10.6% | -4.0% |
| 1985 | 14.8% | +39.5% |
| 1986 | 11.9% | -19.6% |
| 1987 | 32.0% | +168.2% |
| 1988 | 28.7% | -10.1% |
| 1989 | 23.9% | -16.7% |
| 1990 | 34.7% | +45.0% |
| 1991 | 31.2% | -9.9% |
| 1992 | 31.6% | +1.1% |
| 1993 | 24.3% | -23.1% |
| 1994 | 29.5% | +21.5% |
| 1995 | 18.6% | -37.0% |
| 1996 | 17.4% | -6.2% |
| 1997 | 13.2% | -24.3% |
| 1998 | 14.1% | +6.5% |
| 1999 | 13.8% | -1.7% |
| 2000 | 18.1% | +31.1% |
| 2001 | 8.0% | -56.1% |
| 2002 | 8.7% | +9.0% |
| 2003 | 14.1% | +62.5% |
| 2004 | 16.7% | +18.4% |
| 2005 | 17.8% | +6.9% |
| 2006 | 9.5% | -46.6% |
| 2007 | 9.0% | -4.9% |
| 2008 | 7.8% | -14.2% |
| 2009 | 8.0% | +3.2% |
| 2010 | 9.9% | +23.5% |
| 2011 | 9.6% | -3.0% |
| 2012 | 20.6% | +114.6% |
| 2013 | 18.9% | -8.0% |
| 2014 | 20.2% | +6.7% |
| 2015 | 10.5% | -48.1% |
| 2016 | 14.1% | +34.6% |
| 2017 | 13.9% | -1.9% |
| 2018 | 11.2% | -18.9% |
| 2019 | 9.7% | -13.7% |
| 2020 | 9.9% | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 15.5% | +57.2% |
| 2022 | 16.8% | +7.9% |
| 2023 | 21.0% | +24.9% |
| 2024 | 17.3% | -17.6% |
| 2025 | 20.9% | +21.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 20.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 20.1%, 1.0× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 20.9% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 29.2%, 71% of the median. (45 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Exports of goods and services 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | +168.2% | 11.9% | 32.0% |
| 2012 | +114.6% | 9.6% | 20.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 27.4% | 23.7% | 29.1% | 6 |
| 1970s | 24.5% | 19.7% | 31.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 19.5% | 10.6% | 32.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 22.8% | 13.2% | 34.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 11.8% | 7.8% | 18.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.9% | 9.6% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 16.9% | 9.9% | 21.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 150 Madagascar 21.3% compare
- 151 Palestine, State of 21.2% compare
- 152 China 21.1% compare
- 154 Egypt 19.8% compare
- 155 Central African Republic 19.3% compare
- 156 Tanzania, United Republic of 19.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Sierra Leone
- 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)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), gaps -33,272 BoP, current US$ (2010)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per unit -0 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2010)
- Foreign direct investment, net outflows (BoP, current US$), per capita -0.0053 BoP, current US$ per person (2010)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), gaps filled 121.78 million BoP, current US$ (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), annual -16.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per unit 0.0175 BoP, current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$), per capita 14.09 BoP, current US$ per person (2024)
- Total reserves (includes gold, current US$), annual growth rate -12.59 % change on previous year (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone?
- Exports of goods and services in Sierra Leone was 20.9% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs).
- What is the highest exports of goods and services recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 34.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest exports of goods and services recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 7.8% in 2008.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for exports of goods and services?
- Sierra Leone ranks 153rd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is exports of goods and services rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 99.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Offices (NSOs), published as part of Exports of goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Exports of goods includes changes in the economic ownership of goods from residents of the compiling economy to non-residents, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. Exports of services includes services provided by residents to non-residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.