Sierra Leone: DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$)

Key figures

What the numbers say

In 2025, Sierra Leone's DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) rose US$0.07 on 2024 (from US$22.59 to US$22.66).

Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +US$0.73 and a typical year strayed about US$1.42 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

On record, the biggest yearly rise was US$7.26 in 2023 and the biggest yearly fall was US$0.11 in 2001. The numbers show how large and when, not why; for the cause, look at what happened in that country in those years.

From 2016 to 2025 the straight-line trend is upward, about US$2.04 a year. A straight line explains 88% of the movement over 10 observed years.

Worked out from the yearly values above. How the checks work: standard deviation, z-scores and straight-line trends.

How it compares

In 2025, Sierra Leone had the 93rd highest value of the 207 economies reporting that year. Higher is not always better: for some indicators the lowest value is the one to aim for. See the full ranking.

Closest to Sierra Leone in the 2025 ranking

• Zimbabwe — 89th of 207: US$31.8
• Honduras — 90th of 207: US$25.95
• Zambia — 91st of 207: US$25.13
• Czechia — 93rd of 207: US$21.88
• São Tomé and Principe — 94th of 207: US$21.69
• Mexico — 95th of 207: US$19.24

What this measures

The DEC alternative conversion factor is the underlying annual exchange rate (the price of one country’s currency in relation to another country's currency) used for the World Bank Atlas method. As a rule, it is the official exchange rate reported in the IMF's International Financial Statistics. Exceptions arise where further refinements are made by World Bank staff. It is expressed in local currency units per U.S. dollar.

All 66 values

DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) in nearby economies

• Angola — US$1,058 (2025)
• Benin — US$581.93 (2025)
• Botswana — US$13.5 (2025)
• Burkina Faso — US$581.93 (2025)
• Burundi — US$5,336 (2025)
• Cabo Verde — US$97.86 (2025)
• Cameroon — US$581.93 (2025)
• Central African Republic — US$581.93 (2025)
• Chad — US$581.93 (2025)
• Comoros

More financial sector data for Sierra Leone

• Domestic credit to private sector by banks (% of GDP) — 5.48% (2025)
• Net domestic credit (current LCU) — 41.83 billion (2025)
• Net foreign assets (current LCU) — 417.37 million (2025)
• Monetary sector credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 5.5% (2025)
• Broad money (current LCU) — 38.15 billion (2025)
• Broad money (% of GDP) — 22.56% (2025)
• Claims on central government, etc. (% of GDP) — 19.17% (2025)
• Domestic credit to private sector (% of GDP) — 5.5% (2025)
• GDP deflator (base year varies by country) — 249 (2025)

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Questions people ask

What is Sierra Leone's DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$)?

US$22.66 in 2025, according to the World Bank (World Development Indicators).

How has it changed since 1960?

It is up 3.7 million% from US$0.000612 in 1960 (17.57% a year on average, compounded). The highest value was US$22.66 in 2025 and the lowest US$0.000612 in 1960.

How does Sierra Leone rank?

93rd highest of 207 economies with data for 2025.

Is the latest change in DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) unusual for Sierra Leone?

In 2025, Sierra Leone's DEC alternative conversion factor (LCU per US$) rose US$0.07 on 2024 (from US$22.59 to US$22.66). Across the 30 yearly changes before that (1995 to 2024), the average change was +US$0.73 and a typical year strayed about US$1.42 from that (the standard deviation). This year's change was 0.5 standard deviations below that average, so it was an ordinary year: it sits within the range of normal year-to-year movement.

Source

World Bank, World Development Indicators, indicator PA.NUS.ATLS, licensed CC BY 4.0. Original source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF); Staff estimates, World Bank (WB) Figures are fetched from the World Bank API and refreshed monthly; see the series on data.worldbank.org. The full definition and method are in the World Bank's metadata glossary. Comparisons use the same World Bank release.

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