Trade in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Trade was 49.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Trade in Sierra Leone, 1964–2025
Source: Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks. Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
In 2025, trade in Sierra Leone stood at 49.1%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 21.1% on the previous year and up 34.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in Sierra Leone peaked at 68.7% in 1990 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 2008.
That places Sierra Leone 154th out of 192 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 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)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 2.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 0.254 constant 2015 US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant 2015 US$) 214.96 constant 2015 US$ per person (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), annual 2.9 % change on previous year (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 1.76 constant LCU per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Industry (including construction), value added (constant LCU), per 1,489 constant LCU per person (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), annual growth rate 4.64 % change on previous year (2025)
- Services, value added (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.416 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in Sierra Leone?
- Trade in Sierra Leone was 49.1% in 2025, according to Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks.
- What is the highest trade recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 68.7% in 1990.
- What is the lowest trade recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 2008.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for trade?
- Sierra Leone ranks 154th out of 192 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade 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 Country official statistics, National Statistical Organizations and/or Central Banks, published as part of Trade (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Trade is the sum of 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.