Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region was 8.5% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise exports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone stood at 8.5%.
The figure is down 27.6% on the previous year and up 31.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone peaked at 69.9% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 0.3%, in 1963.
That places Sierra Leone 127th out of 203 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 0.8% | — |
| 1961 | 0.6% | -31.4% |
| 1962 | 0.9% | +51.3% |
| 1963 | 0.3% | -67.3% |
| 1964 | 1.7% | +507.7% |
| 1965 | 0.8% | -53.3% |
| 1966 | 1.2% | +46.9% |
| 1967 | 1.1% | -8.3% |
| 1968 | 0.3% | -69.4% |
| 1969 | 0.7% | +110.1% |
| 1970 | 1.1% | +64.4% |
| 1971 | 1.4% | +25.5% |
| 1972 | 1.4% | -2.3% |
| 1973 | 1.2% | -11.1% |
| 1974 | 2.0% | +62.7% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | +12.1% |
| 1976 | 1.0% | -54.2% |
| 1977 | 1.2% | +15.9% |
| 1982 | 1.7% | +42.5% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | +39.6% |
| 1984 | 3.9% | +62.7% |
| 1985 | 3.6% | -8.9% |
| 2000 | 49.2% | +1286.9% |
| 2001 | 1.9% | -96.1% |
| 2002 | 19.4% | +903.3% |
| 2003 | 59.0% | +203.6% |
| 2004 | 69.9% | +18.5% |
| 2005 | 68.7% | -1.8% |
| 2006 | 40.3% | -41.3% |
| 2007 | 37.9% | -6.1% |
| 2008 | 32.8% | -13.5% |
| 2009 | 54.8% | +67.4% |
| 2010 | 28.9% | -47.2% |
| 2011 | 23.2% | -19.8% |
| 2012 | 16.4% | -29.5% |
| 2013 | 6.4% | -60.6% |
| 2014 | 7.8% | +20.4% |
| 2015 | 11.3% | +46.1% |
| 2016 | 27.8% | +145.5% |
| 2017 | 14.6% | -47.5% |
| 2018 | 19.1% | +30.7% |
| 2019 | 17.1% | -10.4% |
| 2020 | 15.8% | -7.4% |
| 2021 | 17.2% | +8.4% |
| 2022 | 11.7% | -31.7% |
| 2023 | 8.5% | -27.6% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 8.5% is below the median for low income countries, which is 16.5%, 51% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 8.5% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 16.5%, 52% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within 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 | +1286.9% | 3.6% | 49.2% |
| 2002 | +903.3% | 1.9% | 19.4% |
| 1964 | +507.7% | 0.3% | 1.7% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.8% | 0.3% | 1.7% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.5% | 1.0% | 2.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 2.9% | 1.7% | 3.9% | 4 |
| 2000s | 43.4% | 1.9% | 69.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 17.3% | 6.4% | 28.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 13.3% | 8.5% | 17.2% | 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 within region in Sierra Leone?
- Merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region in Sierra Leone was 8.5% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 69.9% in 2004.
- What is the lowest merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3% in 1963.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region?
- Sierra Leone ranks 127th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise exports to low- and middle-income economies within region rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 31.8%. 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 within 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 within region are the sum of merchandise exports from the reporting economy to other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region 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. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.