Goods imports (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Goods imports (BoP, current US$) was 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Goods imports in Sierra Leone, 1977–2024
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in BoP, current US$.
Analysis
In 2024, goods imports in Sierra Leone stood at 2.40 billion BoP, current US$. That is the highest value across all 48 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 30.3% on the previous year and up 46.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, goods imports in Sierra Leone peaked at 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024 and was at its lowest, 71.94 million BoP, current US$, in 1997.
Sierra Leone ranks 151st of 200 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Goods imports (BoP, current US$) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | BoP, current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1977 | 165.02 million BoP, current US$ | — |
| 1978 | 253.00 million BoP, current US$ | +53.3% |
| 1979 | 336.34 million BoP, current US$ | +32.9% |
| 1980 | 385.88 million BoP, current US$ | +14.7% |
| 1981 | 282.03 million BoP, current US$ | -26.9% |
| 1982 | 260.28 million BoP, current US$ | -7.7% |
| 1983 | 132.97 million BoP, current US$ | -48.9% |
| 1984 | 149.72 million BoP, current US$ | +12.6% |
| 1985 | 141.22 million BoP, current US$ | -5.7% |
| 1986 | 111.42 million BoP, current US$ | -21.1% |
| 1987 | 114.83 million BoP, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 1988 | 138.21 million BoP, current US$ | +20.4% |
| 1989 | 160.36 million BoP, current US$ | +16.0% |
| 1990 | 140.44 million BoP, current US$ | -12.4% |
| 1991 | 138.55 million BoP, current US$ | -1.3% |
| 1992 | 139.02 million BoP, current US$ | +0.3% |
| 1993 | 187.11 million BoP, current US$ | +34.6% |
| 1994 | 188.74 million BoP, current US$ | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 168.13 million BoP, current US$ | -10.9% |
| 1996 | 226.50 million BoP, current US$ | +34.7% |
| 1997 | 71.94 million BoP, current US$ | -68.2% |
| 1998 | 88.80 million BoP, current US$ | +23.4% |
| 1999 | 86.80 million BoP, current US$ | -2.3% |
| 2000 | 136.92 million BoP, current US$ | +57.7% |
| 2001 | 165.13 million BoP, current US$ | +20.6% |
| 2002 | 254.94 million BoP, current US$ | +54.4% |
| 2003 | 310.70 million BoP, current US$ | +21.9% |
| 2004 | 274.32 million BoP, current US$ | -11.7% |
| 2005 | 361.67 million BoP, current US$ | +31.8% |
| 2006 | 351.19 million BoP, current US$ | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 395.45 million BoP, current US$ | +12.6% |
| 2008 | 471.21 million BoP, current US$ | +19.2% |
| 2009 | 617.50 million BoP, current US$ | +31.0% |
| 2010 | 880.75 million BoP, current US$ | +42.6% |
| 2011 | 2.06 billion BoP, current US$ | +133.4% |
| 2012 | 1.97 billion BoP, current US$ | -4.2% |
| 2013 | 1.57 billion BoP, current US$ | -20.3% |
| 2014 | 1.63 billion BoP, current US$ | +4.1% |
| 2015 | 1.35 billion BoP, current US$ | -17.6% |
| 2016 | 972.80 million BoP, current US$ | -27.8% |
| 2017 | 1.20 billion BoP, current US$ | +23.7% |
| 2018 | 1.08 billion BoP, current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2019 | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | +10.7% |
| 2020 | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 1.64 billion BoP, current US$ | +38.3% |
| 2022 | 1.79 billion BoP, current US$ | +8.7% |
| 2023 | 1.84 billion BoP, current US$ | +3.1% |
| 2024 | 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | +30.3% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 4.52 billion BoP, current US$, 53% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 4.65 billion BoP, current US$, 52% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 251.45 million BoP, current US$ | 165.02 million BoP, current US$ | 336.34 million BoP, current US$ | 3 |
| 1980s | 187.69 million BoP, current US$ | 111.42 million BoP, current US$ | 385.88 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 143.60 million BoP, current US$ | 71.94 million BoP, current US$ | 226.50 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 333.90 million BoP, current US$ | 136.92 million BoP, current US$ | 617.50 million BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.39 billion BoP, current US$ | 880.75 million BoP, current US$ | 2.06 billion BoP, current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.77 billion BoP, current US$ | 1.19 billion BoP, current US$ | 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 148 Gabon 3.17 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 149 Fiji 2.86 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 150 Congo 2.78 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 152 New Caledonia 2.27 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 153 South Sudan 2.25 billion BoP, current US$ compare
- 154 Andorra 2.21 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 goods imports in Sierra Leone?
- Goods imports in Sierra Leone was 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest goods imports recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 2.40 billion BoP, current US$ in 2024.
- What is the lowest goods imports recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 71.94 million BoP, current US$ in 1997.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for goods imports?
- Sierra Leone ranks 151st out of 200 countries with data for 2024.
- Is goods imports rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 46.7%. 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 Goods imports (BoP, current US$). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 48 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Imports of goods occur when there are changes in the economic ownership of goods from non-residents to residents of the compiling economy, irrespective of physical movement of goods across national borders. 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.