Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Food exports (% of merchandise exports) was 45.6% in 2018. ◆ Volatile
Food exports in Sierra Leone, 1963–2018
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2018, food exports in Sierra Leone stood at 45.6%.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 37.8% on the previous year and up 1,028.5% over five years.
Over the whole period, food exports in Sierra Leone peaked at 91.6% in 2002 and was at its lowest, 4.0%, in 2014.
That places Sierra Leone 44th out of 196 countries with data for 2018, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1963 | 15.3% | — |
| 1964 | 15.4% | +0.7% |
| 1972 | 18.4% | +19.1% |
| 1973 | 21.4% | +16.5% |
| 1974 | 20.7% | -3.2% |
| 1975 | 24.8% | +19.4% |
| 1976 | 22.4% | -9.4% |
| 1983 | 32.7% | +46.0% |
| 1984 | 31.4% | -4.2% |
| 2000 | 18.9% | -39.8% |
| 2002 | 91.6% | +385.4% |
| 2014 | 4.0% | -95.6% |
| 2015 | 87.8% | +2071.3% |
| 2016 | 78.0% | -11.1% |
| 2017 | 73.3% | -6.0% |
| 2018 | 45.6% | -37.8% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 45.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.9%, 1.3× the median. (22 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 45.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 27.6%, 1.7× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Food exports (% of merchandise exports) in Sierra Leone changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | +2071.3% | 4.0% | 87.8% |
| 2002 | +385.4% | 18.9% | 91.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 15.4% | 15.3% | 15.4% | 2 |
| 1970s | 21.5% | 18.4% | 24.8% | 5 |
| 1980s | 32.1% | 31.4% | 32.7% | 2 |
| 2000s | 55.3% | 18.9% | 91.6% | 2 |
| 2010s | 57.8% | 4.0% | 87.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More private sector data for Sierra Leone
- Merchandise trade 45.9% (2025)
- Food imports 32.3% (2018)
- Manufactures imports 63.9% (2018)
- Merchandise imports 1.89 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 481.67 million current US$ (2024)
- Manufactures exports 25.1% (2018)
- Merchandise exports 1.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 49.60 million current US$ (2024)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 173.93 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2055 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is food exports in Sierra Leone?
- Food exports in Sierra Leone was 45.6% in 2018, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest food exports recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 91.6% in 2002.
- What is the lowest food exports recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.0% in 2014.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for food exports?
- Sierra Leone ranks 44th out of 196 countries with data for 2018.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Food exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 16 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Food comprises the commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 0 (food and live animals), 1 (beverages and tobacco), and 4 (animal and vegetable oils and fats) and division 22 (oil seeds, oil nuts, and oil kernels). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.