Liberal Democracy Index in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Liberal Democracy Index was 0.348 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.348
Change on year
down 4.1%
World rank
89th
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.439
in 2022
All-time low
0.032
in 1993
Years of data
126
1900–2025
Liberal Democracy Index in Sierra Leone, 1900–2025
Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, liberal democracy index in Sierra Leone stood at 0.348.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and up 9.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, liberal democracy index in Sierra Leone peaked at 0.439 in 2022 and was at its lowest, 0.032, in 1993.
That places Sierra Leone 89th out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Liberal Democracy Index in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1900 | 0.052 | — |
| 1901 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1902 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1903 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1904 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1905 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1906 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1907 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1908 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1909 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1910 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1911 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1912 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1913 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1914 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1915 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1916 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1917 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1918 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1919 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1920 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1921 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1922 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1923 | 0.052 | +0.0% |
| 1924 | 0.066 | +26.9% |
| 1925 | 0.065 | -1.5% |
| 1926 | 0.065 | +0.0% |
| 1927 | 0.065 | +0.0% |
| 1928 | 0.066 | +1.5% |
| 1929 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1930 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1931 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1932 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1933 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1934 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1935 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1936 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1937 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1938 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1939 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1940 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1941 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1942 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1943 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1944 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1945 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1946 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1947 | 0.066 | +0.0% |
| 1948 | 0.067 | +1.5% |
| 1949 | 0.067 | +0.0% |
| 1950 | 0.066 | -1.5% |
| 1951 | 0.079 | +19.7% |
| 1952 | 0.086 | +8.9% |
| 1953 | 0.088 | +2.3% |
| 1954 | 0.089 | +1.1% |
| 1955 | 0.09 | +1.1% |
| 1956 | 0.09 | +0.0% |
| 1957 | 0.093 | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 0.109 | +17.2% |
| 1959 | 0.109 | +0.0% |
| 1960 | 0.121 | +11.0% |
| 1961 | 0.14 | +15.7% |
| 1962 | 0.186 | +32.9% |
| 1963 | 0.186 | +0.0% |
| 1964 | 0.186 | +0.0% |
| 1965 | 0.18 | -3.2% |
| 1966 | 0.177 | -1.7% |
| 1967 | 0.115 | -35.0% |
| 1968 | 0.077 | -33.0% |
| 1969 | 0.078 | +1.3% |
| 1970 | 0.076 | -2.6% |
| 1971 | 0.091 | +19.7% |
| 1972 | 0.09 | -1.1% |
| 1973 | 0.095 | +5.6% |
| 1974 | 0.097 | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1976 | 0.097 | +0.0% |
| 1977 | 0.096 | -1.0% |
| 1978 | 0.088 | -8.3% |
| 1979 | 0.084 | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 0.084 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 0.082 | -2.4% |
| 1982 | 0.083 | +1.2% |
| 1983 | 0.083 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 0.083 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 0.083 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 0.086 | +3.6% |
| 1987 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 0.086 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 0.087 | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 0.086 | -1.1% |
| 1991 | 0.06 | -30.2% |
| 1992 | 0.049 | -18.3% |
| 1993 | 0.032 | -34.7% |
| 1994 | 0.034 | +6.3% |
| 1995 | 0.035 | +2.9% |
| 1996 | 0.12 | +242.9% |
| 1997 | 0.094 | -21.7% |
| 1998 | 0.075 | -20.2% |
| 1999 | 0.081 | +8.0% |
| 2000 | 0.088 | +8.6% |
| 2001 | 0.088 | +0.0% |
| 2002 | 0.261 | +196.6% |
| 2003 | 0.362 | +38.7% |
| 2004 | 0.36 | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 0.353 | -1.9% |
| 2006 | 0.35 | -0.8% |
| 2007 | 0.346 | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.325 | -6.1% |
| 2009 | 0.324 | -0.3% |
| 2010 | 0.328 | +1.2% |
| 2011 | 0.328 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 0.324 | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 0.318 | -1.9% |
| 2014 | 0.318 | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 0.318 | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 0.314 | -1.3% |
| 2017 | 0.346 | +10.2% |
| 2018 | 0.38 | +9.8% |
| 2019 | 0.392 | +3.2% |
| 2020 | 0.426 | +8.7% |
| 2021 | 0.436 | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 0.439 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | 0.391 | -10.9% |
| 2024 | 0.363 | -7.2% |
| 2025 | 0.348 | -4.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 0.348 is above the median for low income countries, which is 0.102, 3.4× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 0.348 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 0.17, 2.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Liberal Democracy Index 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | +242.9% | 0.035 | 0.12 |
| 2002 | +196.6% | 0.088 | 0.261 |
| 2003 | +38.7% | 0.261 | 0.362 |
| 1967 | -35.0% | 0.177 | 0.115 |
| 1993 | -34.7% | 0.049 | 0.032 |
| 1968 | -33.0% | 0.115 | 0.077 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 0.052 | 0.052 | 0.052 | 10 |
| 1910s | 0.052 | 0.052 | 0.052 | 10 |
| 1920s | 0.0601 | 0.052 | 0.066 | 10 |
| 1930s | 0.066 | 0.066 | 0.066 | 10 |
| 1940s | 0.0662 | 0.066 | 0.067 | 10 |
| 1950s | 0.0899 | 0.066 | 0.109 | 10 |
| 1960s | 0.1446 | 0.077 | 0.186 | 10 |
| 1970s | 0.0911 | 0.076 | 0.097 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.0843 | 0.082 | 0.087 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.0666 | 0.032 | 0.12 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2857 | 0.088 | 0.362 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3366 | 0.314 | 0.392 | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.4005 | 0.348 | 0.439 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More social development data for Sierra Leone
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,925 (2025)
- Political Rights Rating 4 (2025)
- Electoral democracy 0 (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Political rights rating fh, gaps filled 4 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0.001 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 8,925 (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per person (2025)
- Refugees under the mandate of the UNHCR by country or territory of 0 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is liberal democracy index in Sierra Leone?
- Liberal democracy index in Sierra Leone was 0.348 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest liberal democracy index recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 0.439 in 2022.
- What is the lowest liberal democracy index recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.032 in 1993.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for liberal democracy index?
- Sierra Leone ranks 89th out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
- Is liberal democracy index rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 9.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Liberal Democracy Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 126 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Central estimate of the extent of suffrage, the freedom and fairness of elections, freedoms of association and expression, individual and minority rights, equality before the law, and executive constraints.