Labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Labor force participation rate was 53.4% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone, 1990–2025
Source: ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 53.4% for labor force participation rate in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone peaked at 66.1% in 2004 and was at its lowest, 53.3%, in 2020.
Sierra Leone ranks 145th of 186 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
Labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 64.3% | — |
| 1991 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 64.4% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1995 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 64.5% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 64.6% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 64.6% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 64.6% | +0.0% |
| 2001 | 64.6% | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 64.6% | +0.0% |
| 2003 | 64.6% | +0.0% |
| 2004 | 66.1% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 65.2% | -1.3% |
| 2006 | 64.3% | -1.4% |
| 2007 | 63.5% | -1.4% |
| 2008 | 62.5% | -1.4% |
| 2009 | 61.6% | -1.5% |
| 2010 | 60.7% | -1.5% |
| 2011 | 59.8% | -1.5% |
| 2012 | 58.8% | -1.6% |
| 2013 | 57.9% | -1.6% |
| 2014 | 56.9% | -1.6% |
| 2015 | 56.2% | -1.3% |
| 2016 | 55.4% | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 54.7% | -1.4% |
| 2018 | 53.9% | -1.4% |
| 2019 | 53.8% | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 53.3% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 53.6% | +0.6% |
| 2022 | 53.7% | +0.1% |
| 2023 | 53.6% | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 53.6% | -0.1% |
| 2025 | 53.4% | -0.4% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 53.4% is below the median for low income countries, which is 67.0%, 80% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 53.4% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 64.3%, 83% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 64.5% | 64.3% | 64.6% | 10 |
| 2000s | 64.2% | 61.6% | 66.1% | 10 |
| 2010s | 56.8% | 53.8% | 60.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 53.5% | 53.3% | 53.7% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More work & labour data for Sierra Leone
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes, annual -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male, annual growth -0.1389 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female, annual growth -0.091 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population, annual growth rate -0.2881 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population, annual growth rate 2.17 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Urban population 7,725 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Rural population 5,247 1000 No (2050)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Female 8,103 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Male 7,832 1000 No (2100)
- Population - Est. & Proj. — Total Population - Both sexes 15,934 1000 No (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone?
- Labor force participation rate in Sierra Leone was 53.4% in 2025, according to ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest labor force participation rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 66.1% in 2004.
- What is the lowest labor force participation rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 53.3% in 2020.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for labor force participation rate?
- Sierra Leone ranks 145th out of 186 countries with data for 2025.
- Is labor force participation rate rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from ILO Modelled Estimates, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Labor force participation rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the working-age population (ages 15 and over) who are economically active (employed or unemployed).