Official name:
Republic of Sierra Leone
Region:
General Information
| Region | Western Africa | |
| Population (000, 2025) | 8 820a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2025) | 122.9a | |
| Capital city | Freetown | |
| Capital city pop. (000, 2025) | 1 168.4c | |
| UN membership date | 27 September 1961 | |
| Surface area (km2) | 72 300b | |
| Sex ratio (m per 100 f) | 99.5a | |
| National currency | Leone (SLE) | |
| Exchange rate (per US$) | 22.8b |
Economic indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 4 751 | 6 689 | 6 412b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | -11.1 | -1.3 | 5.7b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 675 | 845 | 758b |
| Economy: Agricultured (% of Gross Value Added) | 56.3 | 36.5e | 29.9e,b |
| Economy: Industryd (% of Gross Value Added) | 6.5 | 18.3f | 26.8f,b |
| Economy: Services and other activityd (% of GVA) | 37.1 | 45.1g | 43.4g,b |
| Employment in agricultureh (% of employed) | 56.5 | 44.5 | 43b |
| Employment in industryh (% of employed) | 6.7 | 11.5 | 11.6b |
| Employment in servicesh (% employed) | 36.8 | 43.9 | 45.3b |
| Unemploymenth (% of labour force) | 4.6 | 3.5 | 3.1 |
| Labour force participation rateh (female/male pop. %) | 55.1 / 57.3 | 51.1 / 55.5 | 50.9 / 55.7 |
| CPI: Consumer Price Indexi (2010=100) | 134 | 266 | 717j |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 96 | 92 | 108b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 93 | 323h | 568h,j |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 1 759 | 1 259h | 2 064h,j |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | - 1 666 | -936h | - 1 496h,j |
| Balance of payments, current account (million US$) | - 1 003 | -390 | -606b |
Social indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 40.8 | 42.5c | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 3.3k | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.6a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 56.3 / 54.5 | 61.2 / 58.2 | 63.9 / 60.4a |
| Population age distributionl (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 41.8 / 4.9 | 39.8 / 5.0 | 37.7 / 5.3a |
| International migrant stockm (000/% of total pop.) | 58.8 / 0.8 | 53.7 / 0.7 | 50.0 / 0.6j |
| Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000) | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2j |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 132.9 | 108.4 | 94.1a |
| Health: Current expendituren (% of GDP) | 19.7 | 9.3 | 7.9o |
| Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.) | ~0.0p | 0.1 | 0.1o |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 122.5 / 118.9 | 145.9 / 139.7 | 163.5 / 155.3b |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 55.1 / 57.8 | 84.5 / 81.5 | 114.2 / 99.5b |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 22.9 / 29.1 | 45.5 / 46.6 | 57.5 / 57.5q |
| Intentional homicide rate (per 100 000 pop.) | 1.8 | 2.2 | ... |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 12.4 | 12.3r | 29.5r |
Environment and infrastructure indicators
| 2015 | 2020 | 2025 | |
| Individuals using the Interneth (per 100 inhabitants) | 6.3 | 17.1 | 20.6b |
| Threatened species (number) | 158 | 236 | 306j |
| Forested area (% of land area) | 36.5 | 35.1 | 34.6o |
| CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita) | 1.1 / 0.2 | 1.2 / 0.2 | 1.5 / 0.2o |
| Energy production, primary (Petajoules) | 54 | 56 | 57h,o |
| Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules) | 10 | 9 | 9h,o |
| Tourist/visitor arrivals at national borderss (000) | 24 | 24 | 40q |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 65.3 | 65.3 | 65.3j |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 11.8 / 6.1 | 12.1 / 7.9 | 12.2 / 8.7o |
| Pop. using safely managed sanitation (urban/rural, %) | 16.7 / 6.7 | 20.8 / 8.9 | 22.5 / 9.8o |
| Net Official Development Assist. received (% of GNI) | 22.4 | 21.14 | 11.33b |