Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Personal remittances and foreign aid received was 183.79 million current US$ in 2021. ◆ Volatile
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone, 1980–2021
Source: World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in current US$.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 183.79 million current US$ for personal remittances and foreign aid received in 2021. That is the highest value across all 42 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.8% on the previous year and up 212.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone peaked at 183.79 million current US$ in 2021 and was at its lowest, 27,072 current US$, in 1990.
That places Sierra Leone 143rd out of 193 countries with data for 2021, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | current US$ | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 95,256 current US$ | — |
| 1981 | 87,995 current US$ | -7.6% |
| 1982 | 80,733 current US$ | -8.3% |
| 1983 | 53,041 current US$ | -34.3% |
| 1984 | 79,683 current US$ | +50.2% |
| 1985 | 39,261 current US$ | -50.7% |
| 1986 | 57,818 current US$ | +47.3% |
| 1987 | 76,375 current US$ | +32.1% |
| 1988 | 79,965 current US$ | +4.7% |
| 1989 | 51,828 current US$ | -35.2% |
| 1990 | 27,072 current US$ | -47.8% |
| 1991 | 27,764 current US$ | +2.6% |
| 1992 | 65,673 current US$ | +136.5% |
| 1993 | 57,802 current US$ | -12.0% |
| 1994 | 55,902 current US$ | -3.3% |
| 1995 | 23.67 million current US$ | +42248.3% |
| 1996 | 25.25 million current US$ | +6.6% |
| 1997 | 5.98 million current US$ | -76.3% |
| 1998 | 20.33 million current US$ | +239.7% |
| 1999 | 22.48 million current US$ | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 7.13 million current US$ | -68.3% |
| 2001 | 6.22 million current US$ | -12.9% |
| 2002 | 21.82 million current US$ | +251.0% |
| 2003 | 25.89 million current US$ | +18.7% |
| 2004 | 24.71 million current US$ | -4.5% |
| 2005 | 2.44 million current US$ | -90.1% |
| 2006 | 15.62 million current US$ | +541.5% |
| 2007 | 41.97 million current US$ | +168.7% |
| 2008 | 22.58 million current US$ | -46.2% |
| 2009 | 35.90 million current US$ | +59.0% |
| 2010 | 44.22 million current US$ | +23.2% |
| 2011 | 58.81 million current US$ | +33.0% |
| 2012 | 64.53 million current US$ | +9.7% |
| 2013 | 69.66 million current US$ | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 62.43 million current US$ | -10.4% |
| 2015 | 48.16 million current US$ | -22.9% |
| 2016 | 58.23 million current US$ | +20.9% |
| 2017 | 63.56 million current US$ | +9.1% |
| 2018 | 73.22 million current US$ | +15.2% |
| 2019 | 177.49 million current US$ | +142.4% |
| 2020 | 177.03 million current US$ | -0.3% |
| 2021 | 183.79 million current US$ | +3.8% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 183.79 million current US$ is below the median for low income countries, which is 439.71 million current US$, 42% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 183.79 million current US$ is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 318.64 million current US$, 58% of the median. (47 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | +42248.3% | 55,902 current US$ | 23.67 million current US$ |
| 2006 | +541.5% | 2.44 million current US$ | 15.62 million current US$ |
| 2002 | +251.0% | 6.22 million current US$ | 21.82 million current US$ |
| 1998 | +239.7% | 5.98 million current US$ | 20.33 million current US$ |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 70,196 current US$ | 39,261 current US$ | 95,256 current US$ | 10 |
| 1990s | 9.79 million current US$ | 27,072 current US$ | 25.25 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2000s | 20.43 million current US$ | 2.44 million current US$ | 41.97 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2010s | 72.03 million current US$ | 44.22 million current US$ | 177.49 million current US$ | 10 |
| 2020s | 180.41 million current US$ | 177.03 million current US$ | 183.79 million current US$ | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0238 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6534 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone?
- Personal remittances and foreign aid received in Sierra Leone was 183.79 million current US$ in 2021, according to World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 183.79 million current US$ in 2021.
- What is the lowest personal remittances and foreign aid received recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 27,072 current US$ in 1990.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for personal remittances and foreign aid received?
- Sierra Leone ranks 143rd out of 193 countries with data for 2021.
- Is personal remittances and foreign aid received rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 212.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Bank based on International Monetary Fund balance of payments data (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Personal remittances and foreign aid received. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 42 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Remittances are financial transfers from non-residents to residents of a country, such as a worker abroad sending money to family and friends. Foreign aid is measured as official development assistance. Both are measured in current US$.