Energy intensity in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Energy intensity was 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022. ▼ Falling
Latest (2022)
0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar
Change on year
down 5.5%
World rank
145th
of 166 countries
All-time high
1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 1999
All-time low
0.3462 kilowatt-hours per dollar
in 2009
Years of data
43
1980–2022
Energy intensity in Sierra Leone, 1980–2022
Source: Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Analysis
In 2022, energy intensity in Sierra Leone stood at 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 5.5% on the previous year and up 26.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, energy intensity in Sierra Leone peaked at 1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1999 and was at its lowest, 0.3462 kilowatt-hours per dollar, in 2009.
That places Sierra Leone 145th out of 166 countries with data for 2022, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 43 years of available data.
Energy intensity in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | kilowatt-hours per dollar | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 0.5942 kilowatt-hours per dollar | — |
| 1981 | 0.5697 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.1% |
| 1982 | 0.6048 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.2% |
| 1983 | 0.5605 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -7.3% |
| 1984 | 0.5388 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.9% |
| 1985 | 0.5776 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +7.2% |
| 1986 | 0.6011 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.1% |
| 1987 | 0.6328 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.3% |
| 1988 | 0.6717 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.1% |
| 1989 | 0.6316 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -6.0% |
| 1990 | 0.6187 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.0% |
| 1991 | 0.7123 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +15.1% |
| 1992 | 0.5692 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -20.1% |
| 1993 | 0.5675 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 0.5201 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -8.4% |
| 1995 | 0.665 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +27.9% |
| 1996 | 0.8702 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +30.9% |
| 1997 | 1.11 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +27.5% |
| 1998 | 1.12 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +0.8% |
| 1999 | 1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +8.7% |
| 2000 | 0.5848 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -51.9% |
| 2001 | 0.6227 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.5% |
| 2002 | 0.4948 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -20.5% |
| 2003 | 0.465 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -6.0% |
| 2004 | 0.4351 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -6.4% |
| 2005 | 0.3757 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -13.7% |
| 2006 | 0.4415 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +17.5% |
| 2007 | 0.3816 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -13.6% |
| 2008 | 0.3561 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -6.7% |
| 2009 | 0.3462 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.8% |
| 2010 | 0.365 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +5.4% |
| 2011 | 0.4357 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +19.4% |
| 2012 | 0.4312 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -1.0% |
| 2013 | 0.4203 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -2.5% |
| 2014 | 0.4407 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +4.9% |
| 2015 | 0.4485 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +1.8% |
| 2016 | 0.432 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -3.7% |
| 2017 | 0.4123 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -4.6% |
| 2018 | 0.4377 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +6.1% |
| 2019 | 0.4532 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +3.5% |
| 2020 | 0.4852 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +7.1% |
| 2021 | 0.5748 kilowatt-hours per dollar | +18.5% |
| 2022 | 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar | -5.5% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.477 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 1.1× the median. (21 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.6483 kilowatt-hours per dollar, 84% of the median. (44 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | 0.5983 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5388 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.6717 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7966 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5201 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.4504 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.3462 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.6227 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.4277 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.365 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4532 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.5345 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.4852 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 0.5748 kilowatt-hours per dollar | 3 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 142 Costa Rica 0.5829 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 143 Nepal 0.5637 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 144 Niger 0.546 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 146 Ireland 0.5407 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 147 Denmark 0.5257 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
- 148 Central African Republic 0.477 kilowatt-hours per dollar compare
More energy & mining data for Sierra Leone
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 3.19 % change on previous year (2024)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Fuel imports 1.1% (2018)
Frequently asked questions
- What is energy intensity in Sierra Leone?
- Energy intensity in Sierra Leone was 0.5434 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2022, according to Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest energy intensity recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 1.22 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 1999.
- What is the lowest energy intensity recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3462 kilowatt-hours per dollar in 2009.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for energy intensity?
- Sierra Leone ranks 145th out of 166 countries with data for 2022.
- Is energy intensity rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Energy Institute – Statistical Review of World Energy (2026) and other sources – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Energy intensity. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Measured in kilowatt-hours of total energy supply per international-$ of GDP.