Sierra Leone — GDP growth
GDP Growth (Annual %) for Sierra Leone, 1961–2025.
GDP growth for Sierra Leone was 4.61% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 26.52% in 2002. The lowest was -19.01% in 1992 (about -4.1× the latest value). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.47% per year.
Sierra Leone ranks 59 of 212 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 28%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 4.61%, so Sierra Leone sits level with it. It peaked in 2002 and has fallen 83% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 206%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 24 of 47 economies; Central African Republic (4.50%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 5467% in 1968. That is 33% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1962; grown tenfold by 2002. Doubling roughly every 47 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 85th of 107 in 1961 → 31st of 119 in 1970 → 55th of 152 in 1980 → 90th of 176 in 1990 → 39th of 199 in 2000 → 57th of 209 in 2010 → 55th of 209 in 2020 → 52nd of 186 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2024 | 4.29% | -1.4 pp |
| 2023 | 5.71% | +0.4 pp |
| 2022 | 5.31% | -0.6 pp |
| 2021 | 5.9% | +7.2 pp |
| 2020 | -1.25% | -6.8 pp |
| 2019 | 5.5% | +2.6 pp |
| 2018 | 2.89% | -0.3 pp |
| 2017 | 3.21% | -3.2 pp |
| 2016 | 6.44% | +10.8 pp |
| 2015 | -4.36% | +3.5 pp |
| 2014 | -7.82% | -22.5 pp |
| 2013 | 14.66% | +4.1 pp |
| 2012 | 10.58% | +2.5 pp |
| 2011 | 8.1% | +1.7 pp |
| 2010 | 6.36% | +4.8 pp |
| 2009 | 1.53% | -2.2 pp |
| 2008 | 3.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 3.75% | -0.5 pp |
| 2006 | 4.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.35% | -2.1 pp |
| 2004 | 6.48% | -3.0 pp |
| 2003 | 9.48% | -17.0 pp |
| 2002 | 26.52% | +32.9 pp |
| 2001 | -6.35% | -13.0 pp |
| 2000 | 6.65% | +8.6 pp |
| 1999 | -1.98% | -3.8 pp |
| 1998 | 1.79% | +7.7 pp |
| 1997 | -5.88% | -7.6 pp |
| 1996 | 1.75% | +9.8 pp |
| 1995 | -8% | -6.1 pp |
| 1994 | -1.95% | -3.3 pp |
| 1993 | 1.37% | +20.4 pp |
| 1992 | -19.01% | -21.4 pp |
| 1991 | 2.35% | -1.0 pp |
| 1990 | 3.35% | +2.6 pp |
| 1989 | 0.73% | +7.8 pp |
| 1988 | -7.08% | -14.3 pp |
| 1987 | 7.23% | +6.0 pp |
| 1986 | 1.24% | +6.5 pp |
| 1985 | -5.31% | -9.4 pp |
| 1984 | 4.09% | +6.2 pp |
| 1983 | -2.1% | -6.9 pp |
| 1982 | 4.78% | +1.9 pp |
| 1981 | 2.88% | -2.0 pp |
| 1980 | 4.84% | +0.3 pp |
| 1979 | 4.51% | +2.1 pp |
| 1978 | 2.41% | +2.4 pp |
| 1977 | 0.05% | +0.5 pp |
| 1976 | -0.45% | -2.1 pp |
| 1975 | 1.67% | -1.8 pp |
| 1974 | 3.5% | +1.2 pp |
| 1973 | 2.26% | +1.4 pp |
| 1972 | 0.9% | -2.6 pp |
| 1971 | 3.47% | -5.2 pp |
| 1970 | 8.62% | +0.1 pp |
| 1969 | 8.53% | +6.5 pp |
| 1968 | 2.02% | +2.0 pp |
| 1967 | 0.04% | -1.7 pp |
| 1966 | 1.7% | -5.5 pp |
| 1965 | 7.18% | +0.5 pp |
| 1964 | 6.69% | +5.0 pp |
| 1963 | 1.7% | -2.8 pp |
| 1962 | 4.54% | +2.7 pp |
| 1961 | 1.81% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sierra Leone’s GDP growth in 1962?
4.54% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sierra Leone’s GDP growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +154.8% in total — about 1.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.61%; 2024: 4.29%; 2023: 5.71%; 2022: 5.31%; 2021: 5.9%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
NY.GDP.MKTP.KD.ZG — GDP Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.