Arable land in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Arable land was 21.9% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Arable land in Sierra Leone, 1961–2023
Source: FAO electronic files and website, 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
Sierra Leone recorded 21.9% for arable land in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, arable land in Sierra Leone peaked at 23.4% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 4.9%, in 1961.
Sierra Leone ranks 49th of 206 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Arable land in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of land area | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 4.9% | — |
| 1962 | 5.0% | +1.4% |
| 1963 | 5.1% | +1.4% |
| 1964 | 5.1% | +1.4% |
| 1965 | 5.2% | +1.4% |
| 1966 | 5.3% | +1.3% |
| 1967 | 5.3% | +1.3% |
| 1968 | 5.4% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 5.5% | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 5.5% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 5.6% | +1.2% |
| 1972 | 5.7% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 5.7% | +1.2% |
| 1974 | 5.8% | +1.2% |
| 1975 | 5.9% | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 6.0% | +1.2% |
| 1977 | 6.0% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 6.1% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 6.2% | +1.1% |
| 1980 | 6.2% | +1.1% |
| 1981 | 6.3% | +1.1% |
| 1982 | 6.4% | +1.1% |
| 1983 | 6.4% | +1.1% |
| 1984 | 6.5% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 6.6% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 6.7% | +1.1% |
| 1987 | 6.7% | +1.0% |
| 1988 | 6.7% | +0.2% |
| 1989 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1990 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1991 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 6.7% | -0.2% |
| 1995 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1996 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1997 | 6.7% | -0.2% |
| 1998 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 1999 | 6.7% | +0.0% |
| 2000 | 6.8% | +1.2% |
| 2001 | 9.4% | +39.1% |
| 2002 | 12.6% | +33.5% |
| 2003 | 17.1% | +35.9% |
| 2004 | 19.9% | +16.3% |
| 2005 | 20.4% | +2.4% |
| 2006 | 23.4% | +14.8% |
| 2007 | 17.8% | -24.0% |
| 2008 | 19.0% | +6.9% |
| 2009 | 20.2% | +6.5% |
| 2010 | 21.9% | +8.2% |
| 2011 | 22.9% | +4.6% |
| 2012 | 20.4% | -11.0% |
| 2013 | 21.9% | +7.6% |
| 2014 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 21.9% | +0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 5.2% | 4.9% | 5.5% | 9 |
| 1970s | 5.9% | 5.5% | 6.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 6.5% | 6.2% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 6.7% | 6.7% | 6.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.7% | 6.8% | 23.4% | 10 |
| 2010s | 21.9% | 20.4% | 22.9% | 10 |
| 2020s | 21.9% | 21.9% | 21.9% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
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 arable land in Sierra Leone?
- Arable land in Sierra Leone was 21.9% in 2023, according to FAO electronic files and website, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
- What is the highest arable land recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 23.4% in 2006.
- What is the lowest arable land recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 4.9% in 1961.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for arable land?
- Sierra Leone ranks 49th out of 206 countries with data for 2023.
- Is arable 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 volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from FAO electronic files and website, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), published as part of Arable 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
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.