Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP was 29.8% in 2024. ▬ Flat

Latest (2024)
29.8%
Change on year
down 2.8%
World rank
107th
of 201 countries
All-time high
34.7%
in 2003
All-time low
12.2%
in 1985
Years of data
62
1960–2024

Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone, 1960–2024

0102030196019922024

Source: International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.

Analysis

Sierra Leone recorded 29.8% for value of imported goods as a share of gdp in 2024.

Compared with earlier readings it is down 2.8% on the previous year and up 8.0% over ten years.

Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone peaked at 34.7% in 2003 and was at its lowest, 12.2%, in 1985.

Sierra Leone ranks 107th of 201 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone, year by year

Annual values for Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone, 1960 to 2024.
Year % Change
1960 21.3%
1961 25.9% +21.6%
1962 23.2% -10.4%
1963 22.2% -4.3%
1964 23.7% +6.8%
1965 27.9% +17.4%
1966 23.2% -16.6%
1967 23.7% +2.2%
1968 24.8% +4.5%
1969 24.3% -2.2%
1970 24.1% -0.5%
1971 24.1% -0.2%
1972 22.5% -6.6%
1973 23.5% +4.2%
1974 30.6% +30.3%
1975 27.5% -10.1%
1976 25.0% -8.9%
1977 26.9% +7.6%
1981 27.0% +0.2%
1982 15.8% -41.3%
1983 13.0% -17.6%
1984 12.9% -1.2%
1985 12.2% -5.4%
1986 21.3% +74.6%
1987 17.4% -18.2%
1988 12.4% -28.6%
1989 16.5% +32.5%
1990 28.8% +74.9%
1991 26.5% -8.1%
1992 31.5% +19.1%
1993 29.8% -5.4%
1994 26.4% -11.5%
1995 26.6% +0.9%
1996 28.6% +7.5%
1997 26.7% -6.8%
1998 27.9% +4.6%
1999 28.3% +1.6%
2000 34.4% +21.6%
2001 21.4% -37.8%
2002 31.8% +48.3%
2003 34.7% +9.1%
2004 28.4% -18.0%
2005 25.9% -8.8%
2006 18.6% -28.3%
2007 17.6% -5.3%
2008 19.1% +8.3%
2009 19.5% +2.3%
2010 18.8% -3.8%
2011 27.3% +45.5%
2012 24.4% -10.4%
2013 19.5% -20.3%
2014 27.6% +41.3%
2015 26.8% -2.8%
2016 16.9% -36.9%
2017 20.1% +18.8%
2018 17.0% -15.5%
2019 18.0% +6.2%
2020 17.8% -1.0%
2021 23.6% +32.5%
2022 26.5% +12.0%
2023 30.6% +15.6%
2024 29.8% -2.8%

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1960s 24.0% 21.3% 27.9% 10
1970s 25.5% 22.5% 30.6% 8
1980s 16.5% 12.2% 27.0% 9
1990s 28.1% 26.4% 31.5% 10
2000s 25.1% 17.6% 34.7% 10
2010s 21.6% 16.9% 27.6% 10
2020s 25.7% 17.8% 30.6% 5

Countries ranked near Sierra Leone

  1. 104 Togo 30.3% compare
  2. 105 Lao People's Democratic Republic 30.2% compare
  3. 106 Trinidad and Tobago 29.9% compare
  4. 108 Bahamas 29.7% compare
  5. 109 Iceland 29.6% compare
  6. 110 Congo, Democratic Republic of the 29.5% compare

See the full ranking of 201 places →

More economy & growth data for Sierra Leone

All data for Sierra Leone →

Frequently asked questions

What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone?
Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone was 29.8% in 2024, according to International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
The highest recorded value was 34.7% in 2003.
What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
The lowest recorded value was 12.2% in 1985.
How does Sierra Leone rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
Sierra Leone ranks 107th out of 201 countries with data for 2024.
Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
Over the last ten years it is up 8.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is flat.
Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone. Statizoid, drawing on International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 11 September 2026, from https://economy.statizoid.com/stat/merchandise-imports-as-a-share-of-countrys-gdp/sierra-leone/

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About this data

Indicator
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP
Unit
%
Source
International Monetary Fund (2025); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
201 places, 10,161 data points, 1960–2024
Last refreshed

Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).