Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within was 10.0% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Sierra Leone, 1960–2023
Source: Staff estimates, World Bank (WB). Measured in % of total merchandise imports.
Analysis
In 2023, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Sierra Leone stood at 10.0%.
That represents a change of up 7.3% on the previous year and down 48.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Sierra Leone peaked at 60.4% in 2000 and was at its lowest, 1.2%, in 1963.
Sierra Leone ranks 120th of 203 countries on this measure, 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 within in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total merchandise imports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 1.3% | — |
| 1961 | 1.5% | +16.4% |
| 1962 | 1.3% | -17.4% |
| 1963 | 1.2% | -7.3% |
| 1964 | 2.5% | +111.1% |
| 1965 | 2.6% | +4.1% |
| 1966 | 3.4% | +33.9% |
| 1967 | 3.3% | -4.8% |
| 1968 | 2.3% | -31.2% |
| 1969 | 6.0% | +164.1% |
| 1970 | 6.6% | +10.2% |
| 1971 | 9.5% | +45.3% |
| 1972 | 11.3% | +18.6% |
| 1973 | 6.8% | -39.8% |
| 1974 | 11.9% | +75.4% |
| 1975 | 26.1% | +118.5% |
| 1976 | 16.4% | -37.0% |
| 1977 | 27.4% | +66.4% |
| 1981 | 27.4% | +0.0% |
| 1982 | 16.1% | -41.2% |
| 1983 | 36.8% | +128.4% |
| 1984 | 40.1% | +9.0% |
| 1985 | 30.8% | -23.1% |
| 1986 | 14.9% | -51.7% |
| 1987 | 40.1% | +168.9% |
| 1988 | 40.1% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 40.1% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 25.7% | -35.7% |
| 1991 | 16.1% | -37.5% |
| 1992 | 18.5% | +15.1% |
| 1993 | 18.4% | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 17.5% | -5.0% |
| 1995 | 16.8% | -3.8% |
| 1996 | 18.1% | +7.4% |
| 1997 | 21.2% | +17.1% |
| 1998 | 13.7% | -35.2% |
| 1999 | 12.0% | -12.8% |
| 2000 | 60.4% | +405.3% |
| 2001 | 43.7% | -27.7% |
| 2002 | 27.3% | -37.5% |
| 2003 | 24.7% | -9.5% |
| 2004 | 28.8% | +16.6% |
| 2005 | 32.5% | +12.7% |
| 2006 | 32.9% | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 30.3% | -8.0% |
| 2008 | 25.8% | -14.8% |
| 2009 | 35.5% | +37.8% |
| 2010 | 27.1% | -23.8% |
| 2011 | 26.4% | -2.4% |
| 2012 | 22.2% | -16.1% |
| 2013 | 19.3% | -12.9% |
| 2014 | 41.2% | +113.4% |
| 2015 | 28.7% | -30.4% |
| 2016 | 11.1% | -61.2% |
| 2017 | 6.3% | -43.2% |
| 2018 | 10.0% | +57.5% |
| 2019 | 14.7% | +48.1% |
| 2020 | 7.1% | -51.7% |
| 2021 | 7.2% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 9.3% | +29.2% |
| 2023 | 10.0% | +7.3% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 10.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 21.7%, 46% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 10.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 15.0%, 67% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within 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 | +405.3% | 12.0% | 60.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.5% | 1.2% | 6.0% | 10 |
| 1970s | 14.5% | 6.6% | 27.4% | 8 |
| 1980s | 31.8% | 14.9% | 40.1% | 9 |
| 1990s | 17.8% | 12.0% | 25.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 34.2% | 24.7% | 60.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 20.7% | 6.3% | 41.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.4% | 7.1% | 10.0% | 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 within in Sierra Leone?
- Merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within in Sierra Leone was 10.0% in 2023, according to Staff estimates, World Bank (WB).
- What is the highest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 60.4% in 2000.
- What is the lowest merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.2% in 1963.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within?
- Sierra Leone ranks 120th out of 203 countries with data for 2023.
- Is merchandise imports from low- and middle-income economies within rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 48.2%. 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 within 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 within region are the sum of merchandise imports by the reporting economy from other low- and middle-income economies in the same World Bank region according to the World Bank classification of economies. Data are 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. No figures are shown for high-income economies, because they are a separate category in the World Bank classification of economies.