External balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: External balance on goods and services was -7.3% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
External balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone, 1964–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, external balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone stood at -7.3%.
That represents a change of down 21.6% on the previous year and up 52.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, external balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone peaked at 14.3% in 1988 and was at its lowest, -24.6%, in 2011.
Sierra Leone ranks 122nd of 193 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.
External balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | -0.4% | — |
| 1965 | -2.4% | +449.9% |
| 1966 | -3.8% | +59.0% |
| 1967 | -4.2% | +10.3% |
| 1968 | -3.2% | -25.3% |
| 1969 | 2.4% | -177.0% |
| 1970 | 1.7% | -28.6% |
| 1971 | -1.1% | -164.3% |
| 1972 | -1.3% | +12.7% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | -197.9% |
| 1974 | -2.0% | -264.9% |
| 1975 | -9.4% | +359.7% |
| 1976 | -7.4% | -21.1% |
| 1977 | -7.0% | -5.1% |
| 1978 | -4.2% | -40.3% |
| 1979 | -7.2% | +71.6% |
| 1980 | -15.4% | +113.8% |
| 1981 | -16.7% | +8.9% |
| 1982 | -10.2% | -39.1% |
| 1983 | -11.0% | +7.7% |
| 1984 | -1.8% | -83.8% |
| 1985 | -1.8% | +0.4% |
| 1986 | -3.1% | +73.1% |
| 1987 | 8.8% | -383.7% |
| 1988 | 14.3% | +63.3% |
| 1989 | 6.2% | -56.4% |
| 1990 | 0.7% | -89.0% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | +227.2% |
| 1992 | -1.3% | -158.1% |
| 1993 | -4.3% | +227.6% |
| 1994 | 3.9% | -189.9% |
| 1995 | -7.9% | -303.3% |
| 1996 | -14.7% | +87.3% |
| 1997 | -1.9% | -87.2% |
| 1998 | -7.2% | +283.8% |
| 1999 | -6.1% | -15.5% |
| 2000 | -21.3% | +248.9% |
| 2001 | -20.0% | -5.8% |
| 2002 | -21.6% | +7.7% |
| 2003 | -18.3% | -15.3% |
| 2004 | -12.8% | -29.9% |
| 2005 | -11.9% | -7.1% |
| 2006 | -3.1% | -74.2% |
| 2007 | -3.7% | +21.0% |
| 2008 | -5.7% | +54.4% |
| 2009 | -7.1% | +23.2% |
| 2010 | -8.2% | +15.7% |
| 2011 | -24.6% | +201.0% |
| 2012 | -12.2% | -50.4% |
| 2013 | -15.5% | +27.0% |
| 2014 | -10.7% | -31.0% |
| 2015 | -15.5% | +45.1% |
| 2016 | -14.8% | -4.3% |
| 2017 | -13.8% | -6.9% |
| 2018 | -14.9% | +7.8% |
| 2019 | -18.2% | +22.0% |
| 2020 | -10.8% | -40.4% |
| 2021 | -11.0% | +2.0% |
| 2022 | -11.5% | +4.0% |
| 2023 | -13.4% | +16.2% |
| 2024 | -6.0% | -55.0% |
| 2025 | -7.3% | +21.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -1.9% | -4.2% | 2.4% | 6 |
| 1970s | -3.7% | -9.4% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | -3.1% | -16.7% | 14.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | -3.7% | -14.7% | 3.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | -12.5% | -21.6% | -3.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | -14.8% | -24.6% | -8.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | -10.0% | -13.4% | -6.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
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)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), annual growth rate -12.59 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.0622 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total reserves minus gold (current US$), per capita 50.14 current US$ per person (2024)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$) 13.28 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 0.0595 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current US$), per 50.33 current US$ per person (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU) 13.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- General government final consumption expenditure (current LCU), per 1.35 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is external balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone?
- External balance on goods and services in Sierra Leone was -7.3% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 14.3% in 1988.
- What is the lowest external balance on goods and services recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -24.6% in 2011.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for external balance on goods and services?
- Sierra Leone ranks 122nd out of 193 countries with data for 2025.
- Is external balance on goods and services rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 52.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of External balance on goods and services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
The balance of international trade in goods and services is the difference between the exports and imports of goods and services. 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.