Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East was 22.7% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Sierra Leone, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
The most recent figure for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Sierra Leone is 22.7%, measured in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 4.0% on the previous year and up 110.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Sierra Leone peaked at 24.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.6%, in 1961.
That places Sierra Leone 75th out of 206 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in East in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.3% | — |
| 1961 | 0.6% | -74.8% |
| 1962 | 4.9% | +737.1% |
| 1963 | 3.9% | -20.8% |
| 1964 | 0.9% | -78.0% |
| 1965 | 1.3% | +49.6% |
| 1966 | 2.0% | +51.8% |
| 1967 | 5.2% | +167.7% |
| 1968 | 3.0% | -42.4% |
| 1969 | 4.0% | +31.5% |
| 1970 | 3.5% | -11.7% |
| 1971 | 3.7% | +6.9% |
| 1972 | 3.7% | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 3.5% | -6.3% |
| 1974 | 5.3% | +51.8% |
| 1975 | 6.0% | +14.0% |
| 1976 | 6.3% | +3.6% |
| 1977 | 5.4% | -14.3% |
| 1981 | 5.4% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 10.4% | +93.6% |
| 1983 | 4.5% | -56.3% |
| 1984 | 2.7% | -39.9% |
| 1985 | 8.6% | +215.3% |
| 1986 | 4.0% | -53.9% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | -31.2% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 3.0% | +9.9% |
| 1991 | 4.2% | +40.6% |
| 1992 | 4.6% | +9.2% |
| 1993 | 9.6% | +109.2% |
| 1994 | 6.8% | -29.1% |
| 1995 | 4.9% | -27.4% |
| 1996 | 7.4% | +50.3% |
| 1997 | 4.8% | -35.4% |
| 1998 | 5.5% | +13.8% |
| 1999 | 5.3% | -3.7% |
| 2000 | 3.3% | -37.3% |
| 2001 | 6.8% | +106.3% |
| 2002 | 2.6% | -61.7% |
| 2003 | 2.0% | -22.6% |
| 2004 | 3.8% | +87.3% |
| 2005 | 4.2% | +10.6% |
| 2006 | 5.6% | +33.9% |
| 2007 | 7.9% | +41.1% |
| 2008 | 9.5% | +20.0% |
| 2009 | 8.7% | -8.6% |
| 2010 | 12.7% | +46.2% |
| 2011 | 15.1% | +19.3% |
| 2012 | 14.6% | -3.5% |
| 2013 | 10.8% | -26.3% |
| 2014 | 8.8% | -18.0% |
| 2015 | 12.1% | +37.5% |
| 2016 | 15.0% | +23.7% |
| 2017 | 19.6% | +30.6% |
| 2018 | 21.6% | +9.9% |
| 2019 | 22.0% | +1.9% |
| 2020 | 24.8% | +12.7% |
| 2021 | 21.7% | -12.2% |
| 2022 | 21.8% | +0.3% |
| 2023 | 22.7% | +4.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 22.7% is above the median for low income countries, which is 21.8%, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 22.7% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.6%, 1.2× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | +737.1% | 0.6% | 4.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.8% | 0.6% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 1970s | 4.7% | 3.5% | 6.3% | 8 |
| 1980s | 4.9% | 2.7% | 10.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | 5.6% | 3.0% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.4% | 2.0% | 9.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 15.2% | 8.8% | 22.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 22.7% | 21.7% | 24.8% | 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Sierra Leone?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east in Sierra Leone was 22.7% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 24.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.6% in 1961.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east?
- Sierra Leone ranks 75th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in east rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 110.7%. 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia & Pacific (% of total merchandise imports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies in East Asia and Pacific are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from low- and middle-income economies in the East Asia and Pacific region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are expressed as a percentage of total merchandise imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.