| Region | Western Africa | |
| Population (000, 2024) | 8 642a | |
| Pop. density (per km2, 2024) | 120.5a | |
| Capital city | Freetown | |
| Capital city pop. (000, 2024) | 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$) | 22.8d |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| GDP: Gross domestic product (million current US$) | 4 248 | 4 063 | 3 481b |
| GDP growth rate (annual %, const. 2015 prices) | -20.5 | -2 | 3.8b |
| GDP per capita (current US$) | 580.8 | 493.4 | 404.5b |
| Economy: Agriculture (% of Gross Value Added) | 60.5 | 62.2 | 60b |
| Economy: Industry (% of Gross Value Added) | 4.6 | 5.5 | 6.8b |
| Economy: Services and other activity (% of GVA) | 34.9 | 32.4 | 33.1b |
| Employment in agriculturee (% of employed) | 55.9 | 44.6 | 43.3b |
| Employment in industrye (% of employed) | 6.7 | 11.6 | 12b |
| Employment in servicese (% employed) | 37.3 | 43.8 | 44.6b |
| Unemploymente (% of labour force) | 4.7 | 3.6 | 3.2 |
| Labour force participation ratee (female/male pop. %) | 55.1 / 57.3 | 51.0 / 55.6 | 51.4 / 56.2 |
| CPI: Consumer Price Indexf (2010=100) | 134 | 266 | 558d |
| Agricultural production index (2014-2016=100) | 96 | 92 | 105b |
| International trade: exports (million current US$) | 93 | 313e | 521e,d |
| International trade: imports (million current US$) | 1 759 | 1 221e | 2 023e,d |
| International trade: balance (million current US$) | - 1 666 | -908e | - 1 502e,d |
| Balance of payments, current account (million US$) | - 1 003 | -320 | -157b |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Population growth rate (average annual %) | 2.3 | 2.3 | 2.1a |
| Urban population (% of total population) | 40.8 | 42.5c | ... |
| Urban population growth rate (average annual %) | 3.3g | ... | ... |
| Fertility rate, total (live births per woman) | 4.5 | 4.1 | 3.7a |
| Life expectancy at birth (females/males, years) | 56.3 / 54.5 | 61.2 / 58.2 | 63.7 / 60.2a |
| Population age distributionh (0-14/60+ years old, %) | 41.8 / 4.9 | 39.8 / 5.0 | 38.1 / 5.2a |
| International migrant stock (000/% of total pop.) | 58.8 / 0.8i | 53.7 / 0.7i | ... / ... |
| Refugees and others of concern to UNHCR (000) | 1.4 | 0.4 | 0.2d |
| Under five mortality rate (per 1000 live births) | 132.9 | 108.4 | 95.7a |
| Health: Current expenditurej (% of GDP) | 19.7 | 9.3 | 8.6k |
| Health: Physicians (per 1 000 pop.) | ~0.0l | 0.1 | ~0.0b |
| Education: Government expenditure (% of GDP) | 3.2 | 2.8 | 3.3k |
| Education: Primary gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 118.7 / 114.1 | 141.1 / 134.0 | 155.9 / 147.6k |
| Education: Lowr. sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 53.3 / 55.6 | 81.8 / 78.2 | 92.2 / 87.2k |
| Education: Upr. Sec. gross enrol. ratio (f/m per 100 pop.) | 22.3 / 27.9 | 43.9 / 44.7 | 55.6 / 55.2k |
| Intentional homicide rate (per 100 000 pop.) | 1.7 | 2.1 | ... |
| Seats held by women in national parliaments (%) | 12.4 | 12.3m | 29.5m |
| 2015 | 2020 | 2024 | |
| Individuals using the Internete (per 100 inhabitants) | 6.3 | 27.5 | 30.4b |
| Threatened species (number) | 158 | 236 | 303d |
| Forested area (% of land area) | 36.5 | 35.1 | 34.8k |
| CO2 emission estimates (million tons/tons per capita) | 1.1 / 0.2 | 1.0 / 0.1 | 1.3 / 0.2k |
| Energy production, primary (Petajoules) | 54 | 56 | 57k |
| Energy supply per capita (Gigajoules) | 9 | 9 | 9k |
| Tourist/visitor arrivals at national bordersn (000) | 24 | 24 | 40k |
| Important sites for terrestrial biodiversity protected (%) | 65.3 | 65.3 | 65.3d |
| Pop. using safely managed drinking water (urban/rural, %) | 11.8 / 6.1 | 12.1 / 7.9 | 12.2 / 8.7b |
| Pop. using safely managed sanitation (urban/rural, %) | 16.7 / 6.7 | 20.8 / 8.9 | 22.5 / 9.8b |
| Net Official Development Assist. received (% of GNI) | 22.75 | 21.1 | 17.49k |
| Footnotes |
| a | Projected estimate (medium fertility variant). | |
| b | 2022 | |
| c | 2019 | |
| d | 2023 | |
| e | Estimate. | |
| f | Calculated by the UN Statistics Division from national indices. | |
| g | Data refers to a 5-year period preceding the reference year. | |
| h | Calculated by the UN Statistics Division. | |
| i | Including refugees. | |
| j | Data based on calendar year (January 1 to December 31). | |
| k | 2021 | |
| l | 2011 | |
| m | Data are as at 1 January of reporting year. | |
| n | Arrivals by air. |