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.
That places Sierra Leone 145th out of 186 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 36 years of available data.
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
- Legislation on sexual harassment in employment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Criminal sanctions or compensation for workplace sexual harassment 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Women can take the same jobs as men 1 (1=yes; 0=no) (2023)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15+) 53.4% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15+) 55.2% (2025)
- Ratio of female to male labor force participation rate (%) 93.5% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 51.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, total (% of total population ages 15-6 54.6% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, male (% of male population ages 15-64) 56.1% (2025)
- Labor force participation rate, female (% of female population ages 15 53.1% (2025)
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).