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Country comparison

Sierra Leone vs South Africa

Sierra Leone and South Africa side by side across 202 indicators — each row links to the full 54-country ranking, with sources and the API call behind every figure.

GDP$8.27B vs $479.96BSierra Leone vs South Africa
GDP per Capita$919 vs $7,503Sierra Leone vs South Africa
Population8.82M vs 64.75MSierra Leone vs South Africa

Indicator by indicator

202 indicators

Each country shows its latest available year, which can differ by indicator. Rows where the two sides are 5+ years apart are marked ⚠ in the Period column.

Indicator Sierra Leone South AfricaPeriod
GDPEconomy$8.27B$479.96B2026
GDP per CapitaEconomy$919$7,5032026
Inflation RateEconomy7.5%5%2026
Central Bank Policy RateEconomy—7%2026-07-01
Official Exchange RateEconomy24.09 LCU/USD16.37 LCU/USD2026-07
Budget BalanceEconomy-2.2%-4.9%2026
Unemployment RateEconomy3.2%32.4%2025
Public DebtEconomy44.3%78.9%2026
Trade BalanceEconomy$-545.92M$8.16B2025
GDP GrowthEconomy4.5%1%2026
GNI per CapitaEconomy$830$6,2702025
GNI per Capita (PPP)Economy$3,690$15,6002025
GDP (PPP)Economy$32.78B$1.03T2025
Agriculture (% of GDP)Economy29.5%2.8%2025
Industry (% of GDP)Economy25.7%24.1%2025
Manufacturing (% of GDP)Economy7%12.3%2024/2025
Services (% of GDP)Economy41.6%63.1%2025
Investment (% of GDP)Economy23.2%13.9%2025
Remittances ReceivedEconomy$320.83M$1B2024/2025
Remittances (% of GDP)Economy4.6%0.2%2024/2025
External Debt (% of GNI)Economy31.1%44.8%2024
Foreign ReservesEconomy$433.27M$76.02B2024/2025
Credit to Private Sector (% of GDP)Economy5.5%89.4%2025/2024
Tax Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—25.9%2024
Labor Force ParticipationEconomy53.4%55.6%2025
Female Labor Force ParticipationEconomy51.6%49.9%2025
Income Inequality (Gini)Economy35.754.12018/2022
Extreme Poverty RateEconomy41.5%17.4%2018/2022
Account OwnershipEconomy38.6%81.1%2024
Youth NEET RateEconomy25.9%34.6%2018/2024 ⚠
Military Spending (% of GDP)Economy0.5%0.7%2024
Trade Openness (% of GDP)Economy49.1%60.9%2025
Inflation (GDP Deflator)Economy2.7%2.8%2025
Tourism ReceiptsEconomy$39M$2.72B2018/2020
Tourist ArrivalsEconomy71K3.89M2019/2020
Current Account BalanceEconomy-3.3%-0.9%2026
Foreign Direct InvestmentEconomy$274M$2.47B2024
FDI (% of GDP)Economy4%0.6%2024
Government Revenue (% of GDP)Economy—27.2%2024
Government Spending (% of GDP)Economy—33%2024
Youth Unemployment RateEconomy2.2%60.1%2018/2024 ⚠
Productive Capacity IndexEconomy24.751.72024
Natural Resource RentsEconomy9%7.3%2021
Oil Rents (% of GDP)Economy0%0.4%2021
Mineral Rents (% of GDP)Economy0.2%3.8%2021
Natural Gas Rents (% of GDP)Economy—0%2021
Foreign Aid (% of GNI)Economy7.8%0.4%2023
Foreign Aid per CapitaEconomy$59$242023
Lending Interest RateEconomy21.4%10.7%2025
Real Interest RateEconomy18.3%7.7%2025
Gross Savings (% of GDP)Economy19.2%12.9%2024/2025
Adjusted Net Income per CapitaEconomy$426$5,5212021
Employment in AgricultureEconomy44.5%5.4%2025
Employment in IndustryEconomy11.5%20.8%2025
Employment in ServicesEconomy44%73.8%2025
Vulnerable EmploymentEconomy86%11.7%2025
Household Consumption (% of GDP)Economy78.2%65.8%2025
Income Share of Poorest 20%Economy7.9%3.7%2018/2022
Bank Branches per 100,000Economy2.182024
ATMs per 100,000Economy3.5462024
GDP per Capita GrowthEconomy2.5%-0%2025
Debt Service (% of GNI)Economy2.2%5.7%2024
Poverty Rate ($3.65/day)Economy65%30.2%2018/2022
Poverty Rate ($6.85/day)Economy91.5%59.6%2018/2022
Exports of Goods & ServicesTrade$1.56B$134.18B2025
Imports of Goods & ServicesTrade$2.11B$126.02B2025
Export Diversification IndexTrade0.8190.5532024
Export Concentration IndexTrade0.3890.1452024
Liner Shipping ConnectivityTrade7.339.12021
Fuel Exports (% of Exports)Trade0.1%8.2%2018/2025 ⚠
Manufactures Exports (% of Exports)Trade25.1%38.3%2018/2025 ⚠
Food Exports (% of Exports)Trade45.6%12.8%2018/2025 ⚠
High-Tech Exports (% of Manufactured)Trade0.7%5.7%2018/2024 ⚠
Exports (% of GDP)Trade20.9%31.4%2025
Imports (% of GDP)Trade28.2%29.5%2025
Human Development IndexDevelopment0.4670.7412023
Gender Inequality IndexDevelopment0.5660.3882023
Inequality-adjusted HDIDevelopment0.2810.4762023
PopulationDemographics8.82M64.75M2025
Population GrowthDemographics2%1.1%2025
Life ExpectancyDemographics62 years66.3 years2024
Median AgeDemographics19.9 years28.9 years2026
Fertility RateDemographics3.72.212024
Rural PopulationDemographics54.1%36.2%2025
Population Under 15Demographics37.7%25.7%2025
Urban PopulationDemographics45.9%63.8%2025
Population DensityDemographics125.4/km²53.6/km²2026
Birth RateDemographics2917.82026
Death RateDemographics8.059.312026
Net Migration RateDemographics-1.372.012026
Life Expectancy (Female)Demographics63.7 years69.8 years2024
Life Expectancy (Male)Demographics60.2 years62.8 years2024
Urban Population GrowthDemographics3.3%1.3%2025
Infant MortalityHealth54.624.22024
HIV PrevalenceHealth1.4%17.2%2024
Health Spending (% of GDP)Health4.7%8.9%2023
Physicians per 1,000Health0.130.792022
UHC Service Coverage IndexHealth48742023
Road Traffic DeathsHealth13.824.52021
Premature NCD MortalityHealth23.9%22.7%2021
Out-of-Pocket Health SpendingHealth54.5%6.7%2023
Safely Managed SanitationHealth16.8%73.8%2024
Maternal MortalityHealth353.6117.62023
Under-Five MortalityHealth94.334.72023
Neonatal MortalityHealth29.311.72023
Tuberculosis IncidenceHealth3723892024
Measles ImmunizationHealth90%66%2025
DTP3 ImmunizationHealth91%65%2025
Basic Drinking WaterHealth57.2%22.2%2024
Basic SanitationHealth8.1%3.6%2024
Diabetes PrevalenceHealth4.8%7.2%2024
Hospital Beds per 1,000Health0.42.252006/2010
Contraceptive PrevalenceHealth21.2%54.6%2019/2016
Skilled Birth AttendanceHealth86.9%96.7%2019/2016
Nurses & Midwives per 1,000Health1.166.392022
Adolescent Fertility RateHealth91.251.82024
Health Spending per CapitaHealth$36$5372023
NCD Share of DeathsHealth34.5%37.2%2021
Smoking PrevalenceHealth11.3%23.7%2024
Antenatal Care CoverageHealth97.9%93.7%2019/2016
Child StuntingChild Welfare25.2%24.4%2024
Child WastingChild Welfare6.3%3.6%2021/2017
Birth RegistrationChild Welfare90.4%88.6%2019/2017
Child MarriageChild Welfare29.6%3.6%2019/2016
Overweight ChildrenChild Welfare2.8%11.8%2021/2017
Education Spending (% of GDP)Education2.6%6%2023/2024
Tertiary EnrollmentEducation2%23.5%2002/2023 ⚠
Adult Literacy RateEducation43.6%91.2%2019/2024 ⚠
Youth Literacy RateEducation73%97.2%2019/2024 ⚠
Primary Completion RateEducation69.4%97.6%2019/2024 ⚠
Lower Secondary CompletionEducation47%92.5%2019/2024 ⚠
Primary Net EnrollmentEducation97.4%93.9%2023
Lower Secondary EnrollmentEducation96.2%90.4%2024/2023
Upper Secondary EnrollmentEducation71.8%86.9%2024/2023
Upper Secondary CompletionEducation19.6%62.2%2019/2024 ⚠
Qualified Primary TeachersEducation69.8%77.9%2024/2002 ⚠
Secondary EnrollmentEducation86.9%104.1%2023
UndernourishmentFood Security24.1%10%2023
Agricultural Land (% of Land)Agriculture54.7%79.4%2023
Food Production IndexAgriculture104.7113.22022
Cassava ProductionAgriculture2.86M t—2024
Coffee ProductionAgriculture2.21K t—2024
Cocoa ProductionAgriculture93.75K t—2024
Sorghum ProductionAgriculture60K t98K t2024
Millet ProductionAgriculture7.44K t6.33K t2024
Maize ProductionAgriculture27.44K t12.85M t2024
Rice ProductionAgriculture1.39M t3.08K t2024
Wheat ProductionAgriculture—1.92M t2024
Maize YieldAgriculture1,704 kg/ha4,874 kg/ha2024
Rice YieldAgriculture1,409 kg/ha2,912 kg/ha2024
Wheat YieldAgriculture—3,809 kg/ha2024
Cattle StockAgriculture682.1K head12.1M head2024
Homicide RateGovernance2.243.72020/2022
Corruption Perceptions IndexGovernance33412024
Electoral Democracy IndexGovernance0.4710.7432025
Liberal Democracy IndexGovernance0.3480.6332025
Political Corruption IndexGovernance0.5710.5382025
Control of CorruptionGovernance-0.7-0.192024
Government EffectivenessGovernance-0.97-0.232024
Rule of LawGovernance-0.840.022024
Political StabilityGovernance-0.45-0.622024
Regulatory QualityGovernance-1.06-0.062024
Voice and AccountabilityGovernance-0.510.612024
Refugees HostedHumanitarian055.18K2025
Internally Displaced PeopleHumanitarian002025
Asylum Seekers HostedHumanitarian082.36K2025
Stateless PeopleHumanitarian002025
Internet UsersTechnology25.1%78.4%2024
Mobile SubscriptionsTechnology107.9179.32022/2024
4G CoverageTechnology81.6%99.4%2024
Fixed Broadband SubscriptionsTechnology05.32021/2024
Mobile Data PriceTechnology6.1%1.3%2025
3G CoverageTechnology97.2%99.9%2024
Fixed Broadband PriceTechnology38.2%3.4%2017/2025 ⚠
Mobile Bundle PriceTechnology9.1%1.1%2025
R&D Spending (% of GDP)Technology—0.6%2022
Electricity AccessInfrastructure39.2%90.2%2024
Air Transport PassengersInfrastructure50.19K15.45M2012/2023 ⚠
Slum PopulationInfrastructure49.3%24.2%2022
Renewable Energy CapacityEnergy112.1 MW16.6K MW2025
Solar CapacityEnergy17.4 MW11.3K MW2025
Wind CapacityEnergy—4.3K MW2025
Hydropower CapacityEnergy60.9 MW751.7 MW2025
Renewable Energy ShareEnergy71.6%9.7%2022/2021
Clean Cooking AccessEnergy0.9%89.8%2023
Electricity Consumption per CapitaEnergy—3,247 kWh2023
Power Transmission LossesEnergy—10.2%2023
Off-grid Renewable CapacityEnergy16.2 MW14.1 MW2025
Rural Electricity AccessEnergy24.9%86.3%2024
Solar Share of ElectricityEnergy9.5%8%2024/2025
Wind Share of ElectricityEnergy0%4.7%2024/2025
Hydropower Share of ElectricityEnergy85.7%0.8%2024/2025
Fossil Share of ElectricityEnergy4.8%82.2%2024/2025
Electricity DemandEnergy0.2 TWh237 TWh2024/2025
Electricity Carbon IntensityEnergy48 gCO₂/kWh699 gCO₂/kWh2024/2025
Primary Energy per CapitaEnergy674 kWh21,287 kWh2023/2024
CO2 Emissions per CapitaClimate0.17 t6.88 t2024
Renewable Electricity OutputClimate75.3%6.4%2021
Forest AreaClimate34.3%14%2023
Protected AreasClimate5.1%12.9%2025
Freshwater WithdrawalsClimate0.1%47.1%2022
PM2.5 Air PollutionClimate22.5 µg/m³27.7 µg/m³2023

Get this comparison via API

GET /v1/data

One call returns both countries' latest value for any indicator — JSON, with source metadata.

curl "https://api.africa-api.com/v1/data?metric_key=gdp_current_usd&latest=true&country_codes=SL,ZA" \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $AFRICA_API_KEY"
Sierra Leone profileSouth Africa profileGet a free API key

Frequently asked questions

Does Sierra Leone or South Africa have the larger economy?

South Africa has the larger economy: $8.27B for Sierra Leone versus $479.96B for South Africa (GDP, current US$).

How do Sierra Leone and South Africa compare across indicators?

This page compares Sierra Leone and South Africa on 202 indicators — economy, demographics, health, governance and more — each with its latest value, source, and a link to the full 54-country ranking.

How do I get this comparison via the API?

Call GET /v1/data?metric_key=<key>&latest=true&country_codes=SL,ZA with a free Africa API key to get both countries' latest values as JSON.

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