Agricultural land in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Agricultural land was 54.7% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Agricultural land in Sierra Leone, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO). Measured in % of land area.
Analysis
The most recent figure for agricultural land in Sierra Leone is 54.7%, measured in 2023.
The figure is up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, agricultural land in Sierra Leone peaked at 55.8% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 36.2%, in 1961.
That places Sierra Leone 51st out of 210 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 63 years of available data.
Agricultural land in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 36.2% | — |
| 1962 | 36.3% | +0.2% |
| 1963 | 36.4% | +0.3% |
| 1964 | 36.4% | +0.2% |
| 1965 | 36.5% | +0.2% |
| 1966 | 36.6% | +0.2% |
| 1967 | 36.6% | +0.2% |
| 1968 | 36.8% | +0.4% |
| 1969 | 36.8% | +0.2% |
| 1970 | 36.9% | +0.2% |
| 1971 | 37.0% | +0.2% |
| 1972 | 37.0% | +0.2% |
| 1973 | 37.1% | +0.2% |
| 1974 | 37.2% | +0.2% |
| 1975 | 37.3% | +0.2% |
| 1976 | 37.3% | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 37.4% | +0.2% |
| 1978 | 37.5% | +0.4% |
| 1979 | 37.7% | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 37.7% | +0.2% |
| 1981 | 37.8% | +0.2% |
| 1982 | 38.0% | +0.5% |
| 1983 | 38.1% | +0.2% |
| 1984 | 38.3% | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 39.0% | +1.8% |
| 1986 | 39.1% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 39.1% | +0.2% |
| 1988 | 39.1% | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 39.1% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 39.1% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 39.1% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 39.0% | -0.4% |
| 1993 | 38.9% | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 38.9% | -0.0% |
| 1995 | 38.9% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 38.9% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 38.9% | -0.0% |
| 1998 | 38.9% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 38.8% | -0.2% |
| 2000 | 38.9% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 41.6% | +6.8% |
| 2002 | 44.8% | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 49.4% | +10.4% |
| 2004 | 52.3% | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 52.8% | +1.0% |
| 2006 | 55.8% | +5.7% |
| 2007 | 50.2% | -10.1% |
| 2008 | 51.4% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 52.7% | +2.4% |
| 2010 | 54.5% | +3.4% |
| 2011 | 55.7% | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 53.2% | -4.5% |
| 2013 | 54.7% | +2.9% |
| 2014 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 54.7% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 36.5% | 36.2% | 36.8% | 9 |
| 1970s | 37.2% | 36.9% | 37.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 38.5% | 37.7% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 39.0% | 38.8% | 39.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 49.0% | 38.9% | 55.8% | 10 |
| 2010s | 54.6% | 53.2% | 55.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 54.7% | 54.7% | 54.7% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 48 Ghana 55.4% compare
- 49 Dominican Republic 55.4% compare
- 50 Romania 55.3% compare
- 52 Paraguay 54.1% compare
- 53 Kyrgyzstan 54.0% compare
- 54 Netherlands 53.5% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sierra Leone
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2954 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 250 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2025)
- Rural population, per unit of GDP 0.0006 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Rural population, per capita 0.5407 units per person (2025)
- Share of GDP from agriculture 29.5% (2025)
- Agriculture as a share of GDP vs. GDP per capita 29.5% (2025)
- Agricultural raw materials exports 9.4% (2018)
- Agricultural raw materials imports 1.6% (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is agricultural land in Sierra Leone?
- Agricultural land in Sierra Leone was 54.7% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest agricultural land recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 55.8% in 2006.
- What is the lowest agricultural land recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 36.2% in 1961.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for agricultural land?
- Sierra Leone ranks 51st out of 210 countries with data for 2023.
- Is agricultural land rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and web site, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Agricultural land (% of land area). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Agricultural land refers to the share of land area that is arable, under permanent crops, and under permanent pastures. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded. Land under permanent crops is land cultivated with crops that occupy the land for long periods and need not be replanted after each harvest, such as cocoa, coffee, and rubber. This category includes land under flowering shrubs, fruit trees, nut trees, and vines, but excludes land under trees grown for wood or timber. Permanent pasture is land used for five or more years for forage, including natural and cultivated crops.