Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region was 77.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone, 1965–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 77.8% for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in 2023.
That represents a change of up 6.7% on the previous year and down 13.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone peaked at 89.5% in 2013 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1985.
That places Sierra Leone 6th out of 206 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top 10%.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1965 | 0.1% | — |
| 1969 | 0.0% | -98.5% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | +142095.6% |
| 1971 | 0.2% | -91.4% |
| 1972 | 1.0% | +289.1% |
| 1973 | 0.0% | -96.6% |
| 1974 | 0.0% | -95.7% |
| 1975 | 0.3% | +22864.8% |
| 1976 | 3.7% | +1038.2% |
| 1977 | 0.0% | -100.0% |
| 1982 | 0.4% | +49950.3% |
| 1984 | 0.0% | -99.3% |
| 1985 | 0.0% | -72.7% |
| 2000 | 22.1% | +2754739.1% |
| 2001 | 46.9% | +112.1% |
| 2002 | 15.1% | -67.9% |
| 2003 | 3.3% | -78.1% |
| 2004 | 6.4% | +95.3% |
| 2005 | 9.2% | +42.4% |
| 2006 | 5.3% | -42.0% |
| 2007 | 17.4% | +227.4% |
| 2008 | 18.4% | +5.6% |
| 2009 | 6.3% | -65.8% |
| 2010 | 5.7% | -9.5% |
| 2011 | 29.8% | +425.0% |
| 2012 | 62.7% | +109.9% |
| 2013 | 89.5% | +42.8% |
| 2014 | 87.9% | -1.8% |
| 2015 | 55.3% | -37.1% |
| 2016 | 30.2% | -45.4% |
| 2017 | 66.7% | +121.0% |
| 2018 | 54.1% | -18.9% |
| 2019 | 57.7% | +6.7% |
| 2020 | 59.1% | +2.4% |
| 2021 | 62.5% | +5.7% |
| 2022 | 72.9% | +16.6% |
| 2023 | 77.8% | +6.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 77.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 19.8%, 3.9× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 77.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 22.0%, 3.5× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +2754739.1% | 0.0% | 22.1% |
| 1970 | +142095.6% | 0.0% | 2.9% |
| 1982 | +49950.3% | 0.0% | 0.4% |
| 1975 | +22864.8% | 0.0% | 0.3% |
| 1976 | +1038.2% | 0.3% | 3.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 1.0% | 0.0% | 3.7% | 8 |
| 1980s | 0.1% | 0.0% | 0.4% | 3 |
| 2000s | 15.0% | 3.3% | 46.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.0% | 5.7% | 89.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 68.1% | 59.1% | 77.8% | 4 |
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)
- Food exports 45.6% (2018)
- Manufactures exports 25.1% (2018)
- Merchandise exports 1.53 billion current US$ (2025)
- 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)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), annual growth rate 6.75 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region in Sierra Leone was 77.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 89.5% in 2013.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1985.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region?
- Sierra Leone ranks 6th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 13.1%. 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 Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region (% of total merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies outside region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in other World Bank regions according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise exports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.