Trade as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Trade as a share of GDP was 49.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
49.1%
Change on year
up 21.1%
World rank
153rd
of 191 countries
All-time high
68.7%
in 1990
All-time low
21.3%
in 2008
Years of data
62
1964–2025
Trade as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone, 1964–2025
Source: National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, trade as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone stood at 49.1%.
The figure is up 21.1% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone peaked at 68.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 2008.
That places Sierra Leone 153rd out of 191 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.
Trade as a share of GDP in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 58.6% | — |
| 1965 | 60.1% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 59.4% | -1.3% |
| 1967 | 58.4% | -1.7% |
| 1968 | 50.5% | -13.5% |
| 1969 | 52.8% | +4.5% |
| 1970 | 60.3% | +14.2% |
| 1971 | 63.7% | +5.6% |
| 1972 | 56.8% | -10.8% |
| 1973 | 48.0% | -15.4% |
| 1974 | 50.2% | +4.6% |
| 1975 | 59.6% | +18.6% |
| 1976 | 50.5% | -15.3% |
| 1977 | 46.4% | -8.0% |
| 1978 | 43.8% | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 47.0% | +7.2% |
| 1980 | 61.1% | +30.0% |
| 1981 | 62.8% | +2.7% |
| 1982 | 41.7% | -33.6% |
| 1983 | 33.1% | -20.6% |
| 1984 | 23.0% | -30.4% |
| 1985 | 31.4% | +36.5% |
| 1986 | 26.9% | -14.3% |
| 1987 | 55.2% | +104.8% |
| 1988 | 43.1% | -21.8% |
| 1989 | 41.6% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 68.7% | +65.2% |
| 1991 | 60.2% | -12.3% |
| 1992 | 64.5% | +7.1% |
| 1993 | 52.9% | -18.0% |
| 1994 | 55.2% | +4.4% |
| 1995 | 45.0% | -18.4% |
| 1996 | 49.6% | +10.1% |
| 1997 | 28.3% | -43.0% |
| 1998 | 35.3% | +24.9% |
| 1999 | 33.7% | -4.5% |
| 2000 | 57.5% | +70.5% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | -37.5% |
| 2002 | 38.9% | +8.3% |
| 2003 | 46.4% | +19.3% |
| 2004 | 46.2% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 47.5% | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 22.1% | -53.5% |
| 2007 | 21.8% | -1.3% |
| 2008 | 21.3% | -2.5% |
| 2009 | 23.1% | +8.6% |
| 2010 | 28.0% | +21.1% |
| 2011 | 43.8% | +56.6% |
| 2012 | 53.4% | +21.9% |
| 2013 | 53.4% | -0.0% |
| 2014 | 51.1% | -4.2% |
| 2015 | 36.5% | -28.6% |
| 2016 | 43.1% | +18.0% |
| 2017 | 41.5% | -3.6% |
| 2018 | 37.4% | -10.0% |
| 2019 | 37.6% | +0.5% |
| 2020 | 30.6% | -18.5% |
| 2021 | 42.1% | +37.7% |
| 2022 | 45.1% | +6.9% |
| 2023 | 55.3% | +22.7% |
| 2024 | 40.5% | -26.7% |
| 2025 | 49.1% | +21.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 56.6% | 50.5% | 60.1% | 6 |
| 1970s | 52.6% | 43.8% | 63.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 42.0% | 23.0% | 62.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 49.3% | 28.3% | 68.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.1% | 21.3% | 57.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 42.6% | 28.0% | 53.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 43.8% | 30.6% | 55.3% | 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)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), annual growth 6.58 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.9684 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current US$), per capita 819.54 current US$ per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), annual growth 6.91 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per unit of GDP 21.94 current LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (current LCU), per capita 18,569 current LCU per person (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), annual 4.65 % change on previous year (2025)
- Gross value added at basic prices (GVA) (constant 2015 US$), per unit 1.34 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone?
- Trade as a share of gdp in Sierra Leone was 49.1% in 2025, according to National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest trade as a share of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 68.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest trade as a share of gdp recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 2008.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for trade as a share of gdp?
- Sierra Leone ranks 153rd out of 191 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade as a share of gdp rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 34.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Trade as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 62 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Trade in goods and services as a share of GDP, shown as a percentage.