Personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Personal remittances, received was 4.6% in 2024. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone, 1980–2024
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 4.6% for personal remittances, received in 2024. That is the highest value across all 45 years on record.
The figure is up 0.8% on the previous year and up 466.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone peaked at 4.6% in 2024 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1991.
That places Sierra Leone 65th out of 196 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.0% | — |
| 1981 | 0.0% | -8.8% |
| 1982 | 0.0% | -21.0% |
| 1983 | 0.0% | -14.5% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | +37.5% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -37.5% |
| 1986 | 0.0% | +157.4% |
| 1987 | 0.0% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 0.0% | -34.5% |
| 1989 | 0.0% | -26.7% |
| 1990 | 0.0% | -25.0% |
| 1991 | 0.0% | -14.6% |
| 1992 | 0.0% | +171.3% |
| 1993 | 0.0% | -22.2% |
| 1994 | 0.0% | -18.5% |
| 1995 | 2.7% | +44247.9% |
| 1996 | 2.7% | -1.4% |
| 1997 | 0.7% | -73.7% |
| 1998 | 3.0% | +329.6% |
| 1999 | 3.4% | +11.0% |
| 2000 | 1.1% | -66.6% |
| 2001 | 0.4% | -67.1% |
| 2002 | 1.1% | +205.2% |
| 2003 | 1.2% | +7.1% |
| 2004 | 1.1% | -8.6% |
| 2005 | 0.1% | -91.3% |
| 2006 | 0.5% | +400.3% |
| 2007 | 1.2% | +141.4% |
| 2008 | 0.5% | -53.0% |
| 2009 | 0.9% | +67.2% |
| 2010 | 1.0% | +14.2% |
| 2011 | 1.2% | +16.6% |
| 2012 | 1.1% | -13.1% |
| 2013 | 0.9% | -11.6% |
| 2014 | 0.8% | -12.5% |
| 2015 | 0.7% | -12.6% |
| 2016 | 1.0% | +34.9% |
| 2017 | 1.1% | +15.5% |
| 2018 | 1.1% | +3.7% |
| 2019 | 2.7% | +137.5% |
| 2020 | 2.6% | -2.7% |
| 2021 | 2.6% | -3.1% |
| 2022 | 4.1% | +59.4% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | +11.7% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | +0.8% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 1.3% | 0.0% | 3.4% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.8% | 0.1% | 1.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.2% | 0.7% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.7% | 2.6% | 4.6% | 5 |
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)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), annual growth rate 11.7 % change on previous year (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per unit of GDP 0.568 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Imports of goods and services (constant 2015 US$), per capita 480.73 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current US$), annual growth -30.21 % change on previous year (2025)
- External balance on goods and services (current LCU), annual growth -30.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), annual 8.81 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 6.69 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current LCU), per 5,664 current LCU per person (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone?
- Personal remittances, received in Sierra Leone was 4.6% in 2024, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest personal remittances, received recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 4.6% in 2024.
- What is the lowest personal remittances, received recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1991.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for personal remittances, received?
- Sierra Leone ranks 65th out of 196 countries with data for 2024.
- Is personal remittances, received rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 466.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Staff estimates, World Bank (WB), published as part of Personal remittances, received (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Personal remittances comprise personal transfers and compensation of employees. Personal transfers consist of all current transfers in cash or in kind made or received by resident households to or from nonresident households. Personal transfers thus include all current transfers between resident and nonresident individuals. Compensation of employees refers to the income of border, seasonal, and other short-term workers who are employed in an economy where they are not resident and of residents employed by nonresident entities. Data are the sum of two items defined in the sixth edition of the IMF's Balance of Payments Manual: personal transfers and compensation of employees.