Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside was 54.8% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside 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 outside in Sierra Leone is 54.8%, measured in 2023.
That represents a change of up 4.3% on the previous year and up 75.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sierra Leone peaked at 55.5% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 3.3%, in 1961.
That places Sierra Leone 8th 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 5.7% | — |
| 1961 | 3.3% | -42.1% |
| 1962 | 7.4% | +126.1% |
| 1963 | 6.4% | -14.5% |
| 1964 | 4.1% | -35.9% |
| 1965 | 4.3% | +4.2% |
| 1966 | 5.2% | +21.5% |
| 1967 | 7.3% | +41.1% |
| 1968 | 8.8% | +20.3% |
| 1969 | 9.6% | +9.7% |
| 1970 | 11.5% | +19.8% |
| 1971 | 8.8% | -23.6% |
| 1972 | 8.1% | -8.2% |
| 1973 | 9.9% | +22.8% |
| 1974 | 13.4% | +35.1% |
| 1975 | 9.5% | -29.0% |
| 1976 | 9.0% | -5.8% |
| 1977 | 9.0% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 9.0% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 12.4% | +38.0% |
| 1983 | 5.4% | -56.7% |
| 1984 | 3.8% | -29.6% |
| 1985 | 9.3% | +145.5% |
| 1986 | 4.9% | -46.9% |
| 1987 | 3.8% | -23.2% |
| 1988 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 3.8% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | +4.7% |
| 1991 | 8.9% | +124.1% |
| 1992 | 7.0% | -21.3% |
| 1993 | 12.2% | +75.1% |
| 1994 | 10.3% | -16.2% |
| 1995 | 17.7% | +72.3% |
| 1996 | 11.5% | -34.7% |
| 1997 | 8.8% | -23.4% |
| 1998 | 7.6% | -14.6% |
| 1999 | 9.1% | +20.3% |
| 2000 | 8.7% | -4.4% |
| 2001 | 15.1% | +74.4% |
| 2002 | 16.3% | +7.4% |
| 2003 | 16.4% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 18.1% | +10.9% |
| 2005 | 19.3% | +6.5% |
| 2006 | 23.7% | +22.4% |
| 2007 | 23.3% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 22.3% | -4.5% |
| 2009 | 20.0% | -10.2% |
| 2010 | 26.1% | +30.6% |
| 2011 | 28.1% | +7.4% |
| 2012 | 30.9% | +10.1% |
| 2013 | 31.3% | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 19.4% | -38.0% |
| 2015 | 24.9% | +27.9% |
| 2016 | 42.3% | +70.3% |
| 2017 | 52.1% | +23.2% |
| 2018 | 50.4% | -3.3% |
| 2019 | 49.2% | -2.4% |
| 2020 | 55.5% | +12.8% |
| 2021 | 52.8% | -4.9% |
| 2022 | 52.6% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 54.8% | +4.3% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 54.8% is above the median for low income countries, which is 36.9%, 1.5× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 54.8% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 33.0%, 1.7× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 6.2% | 3.3% | 9.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 9.9% | 8.1% | 13.4% | 8 |
| 1980s | 6.2% | 3.8% | 12.4% | 9 |
| 1990s | 9.7% | 4.0% | 17.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 8.7% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2010s | 35.5% | 19.4% | 52.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.9% | 52.6% | 55.5% | 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 outside in Sierra Leone?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside in Sierra Leone was 54.8% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 55.5% in 2020.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 3.3% in 1961.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside?
- Sierra Leone ranks 8th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies outside rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 75.1%. 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 imports from low- and middle-income economies outside region (% 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 outside region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from 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 imports by the economy. Data are computed only if at least half of the economies in the partner country group had non-missing data.