Share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of forest area within protected areas was 40.6% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone, 1990–2025
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 40.6% for share of forest area within protected areas in 2025. That is the highest value across all 10 years on record.
That represents a change of up 348.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone peaked at 40.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1990.
That places Sierra Leone 33rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 0.1% | — |
| 2000 | 4.3% | +8420.0% |
| 2010 | 4.3% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 9.1% | +112.7% |
| 2016 | 9.1% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 9.1% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 9.1% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 9.1% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 9.1% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 40.6% | +348.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 40.6% is above the median for low income countries, which is 15.9%, 2.6× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 40.6% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 19.7%, 2.1× the median. (47 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 2000s | 4.3% | 4.3% | 4.3% | 1 |
| 2010s | 8.3% | 4.3% | 9.1% | 6 |
| 2020s | 24.9% | 9.1% | 40.6% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More environment data for Sierra Leone
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.232 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.28 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 1.72 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 1.11 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone?
- Share of forest area within protected areas in Sierra Leone was 40.6% in 2025, according to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 40.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of forest area within protected areas recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1990.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of forest area within protected areas?
- Sierra Leone ranks 33rd out of 197 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of forest area within protected areas rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 348.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of forest area within protected areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Proportion of forest area within legally established protected areas (%).