Sierra Leone — Labor participation
Labor Force Participation Rate for Sierra Leone, 1990–2025.
Labor participation for Sierra Leone was 53.37% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 36 years, from 1990 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 66.11% in 2004. The lowest was 53.30% in 2020 (about 1.0× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to -0.53% per year.
Sierra Leone ranks 146 of 187 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 78%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 64.31%, so Sierra Leone sits below it. It peaked in 2004 and has fallen 19% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 5%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 38 of 47 economies; Guinea (52.61%) is just below it.
Data highlights
World ranking. Slipped: 72nd of 187 in 1990 → 69th of 187 in 2000 → 94th of 187 in 2010 → 140th of 187 in 2020 → 144th of 182 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1990 to 2025
| Year | % of population ages 15+ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 53.37% | -0.2 pp |
| 2024 | 53.58% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 53.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 53.67% | +0.1 pp |
| 2021 | 53.61% | +0.3 pp |
| 2020 | 53.3% | -0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 53.81% | -0.1 pp |
| 2018 | 53.91% | -0.8 pp |
| 2017 | 54.68% | -0.8 pp |
| 2016 | 55.44% | -0.8 pp |
| 2015 | 56.19% | -0.8 pp |
| 2014 | 56.95% | -1.0 pp |
| 2013 | 57.9% | -0.9 pp |
| 2012 | 58.84% | -0.9 pp |
| 2011 | 59.78% | -0.9 pp |
| 2010 | 60.71% | -0.9 pp |
| 2009 | 61.63% | -0.9 pp |
| 2008 | 62.55% | -0.9 pp |
| 2007 | 63.45% | -0.9 pp |
| 2006 | 64.35% | -0.9 pp |
| 2005 | 65.23% | -0.9 pp |
| 2004 | 66.11% | +1.5 pp |
| 2003 | 64.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 2002 | 64.64% | +0.0 pp |
| 2001 | 64.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 2000 | 64.62% | +0.0 pp |
| 1999 | 64.59% | +0.0 pp |
| 1998 | 64.56% | +0.0 pp |
| 1997 | 64.53% | +0.0 pp |
| 1996 | 64.51% | +0.0 pp |
| 1995 | 64.48% | +0.0 pp |
| 1994 | 64.45% | +0.0 pp |
| 1993 | 64.42% | +0.0 pp |
| 1992 | 64.4% | +0.0 pp |
| 1991 | 64.37% | +0.0 pp |
| 1990 | 64.35% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sierra Leone’s Labor participation in 1991?
64.37% (1991). 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 % of population ages 15+, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sierra Leone’s Labor participation growing or shrinking?
Between 1990 and 2025 the series was shrinking overall: -17.1% in total — about 0.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SL.TLF.CACT.ZS. 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: 53.37%; 2024: 53.58%; 2023: 53.63%; 2022: 53.67%; 2021: 53.61%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SL.TLF.CACT.ZS — Labor Force Participation Rate. 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.