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Sierra Leone vs Ghana

29 metrics with data for both countries. The solid line is Sierra Leone; the dashed grey line is Ghana.

Country A · Sierra Leone
Country B · Ghana

Climate

CO2 emissions

Sierra Leone: 1.43 Mt CO2/year · 2024Ghana: 21.0 Mt CO2/year · 2024
010201960198020002020Ghanahigh 2021low 1951

Carbon dioxide released each year from burning fossil fuels and industry. The main driver of global warming. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

CO2 emissions per person

Sierra Leone: 0.17 t CO2/person/year · 2024Ghana: 0.61 t CO2/person/year · 2024
00.20.40.61960198020002020Ghanahigh 1969low 1999

Each person's share of their country's yearly CO2 emissions. A fairer way to compare countries of very different sizes. Global Carbon Budget via Our World in Data

Temperature anomaly

Sierra Leone: 0.58 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025Ghana: 0.54 °C vs 1991-2020 · 2025
-10119401960198020002020Ghanahigh 2024low 1954

How much warmer or cooler a country's year was compared with its 1991-2020 average. Watch the map turn red as you move the slider towards today. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Methane emissions

Sierra Leone: 5.42 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Ghana: 19.5 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
010201850190019502000Ghanahigh 2018

Methane traps around 80 times more heat than CO2 over 20 years. It comes mainly from livestock, rice, landfill and leaky fossil fuel infrastructure. Global Carbon Project / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

All greenhouse gases

Sierra Leone: 16.3 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Ghana: 52.0 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
0501850190019502000Ghanahigh 2002low 1917

Every warming gas combined: CO2, methane and nitrous oxide, expressed as CO2-equivalents. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Nitrous oxide emissions

Sierra Leone: 1.46 Mt CO2e/year · 2024Ghana: 6.77 Mt CO2e/year · 2024
02461850190019502000Ghanahigh 2015

N2O is nearly 300 times more warming than CO2 and comes mostly from fertilised farmland and livestock. Jones et al. / PRIMAP via Our World in Data

Energy

Energy use per person

Sierra Leone: 674.5 kWh/person/year · 2023Ghana: 3,075 kWh/person/year · 2023
01k2k3k19801990200020102020Ghanahigh 1988low 2005

How much energy each person uses in a year, across electricity, transport, heating and industry. Energy Institute / Ember via Our World in Data

Solar electricity

Sierra Leone: 9.52 % of electricity · 2024Ghana: 0.70 % of electricity · 2024
051020002005201020152020Ghanahigh 2023

The share of a country's electricity generated from solar panels. The fastest-growing energy source in history. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Wind electricity

Sierra Leone: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Ghana: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
-10120002005201020152020Ghana

The share of a country's electricity generated from wind turbines, onshore and offshore. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Coal electricity

Sierra Leone: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Ghana: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024
-10120002005201020152020Ghana

The share of electricity still generated by burning coal, the most polluting fuel. The number that must reach zero first. Ember / Energy Institute via Our World in Data

Oil electricity

Sierra Leone: 4.76 % of electricity · 2024Ghana: 2.35 % of electricity · 2024
05010020002005201020152020Ghanahigh 2006low 2023

The share of a country's electricity generated by burning oil. Rare on big grids, still common on islands. Ember via Our World in Data

Gas electricity

Sierra Leone: 0.00 % of electricity · 2024Ghana: 61.4 % of electricity · 2024
020406020002005201020152020Ghana

The share of a country's electricity generated from natural gas, the least polluting fossil fuel but still a fossil fuel. Ember via Our World in Data

Land & Life

Tree cover loss

Sierra Leone: 130,659 ha/year · 2024Ghana: 107,910 ha/year · 2024
0100k200k2005201020152020Ghanahigh 2015low 2004

Forest area lost each year to fire, logging, farming and storms. Not all loss is permanent deforestation, but the trend matters. Global Forest Watch (Hansen/UMD) via Our World in Data

Forest area

Sierra Leone: 33.8 % of land · 2025Ghana: 31.0 % of land · 2025
020401990200020102020Ghana

How much of a country's land is covered by forest. FAO via Our World in Data

Deaths from natural disasters

Sierra Leone: 0.00 deaths/year · 2021Ghana: 8.63 deaths/year · 2021
05001k20002005201020152020Ghanahigh 2017

People killed by floods, storms, droughts, heatwaves, earthquakes and other disasters each year. Single events dominate single years. IHME Global Burden of Disease via Our World in Data

Red List Index

Sierra Leone: 0.94 index (1 = species safe) · 2024Ghana: 0.83 index (1 = species safe) · 2024
00.51200020102020Ghana

Tracks extinction risk across all assessed species. 1 means no species at risk; falling values mean wildlife sliding towards extinction. IUCN / SDG 15.5.1 via Our World in Data

Protected land

Sierra Leone: 12.6 % of land area · 2024Ghana: 14.8 % of land area · 2024
051015201420162018202020222024Ghana

The share of a country's land under legal protection for nature. The global 30x30 target aims for 30% by 2030. World Bank / UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Meat supply per person

Sierra Leone: 10.8 kg/person/year · 2023Ghana: 17.4 kg/person/year · 2023
01020198020002020Ghanahigh 2021low 2001

Meat available for consumption per person. Livestock drives around 15% of global emissions and most deforestation. FAO via Our World in Data

Nitrogen fertiliser use

Sierra Leone: 1.42 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023Ghana: 10.6 kg N/ha of cropland · 2023
0510197019801990200020102020Ghanahigh 2002

Nitrogen applied per hectare of cropland. It feeds half the world, but runoff chokes rivers and coastal seas. FAO via Our World in Data

Marine protected areas

Sierra Leone: 1.70 % of territorial waters · 2024Ghana: 0.10 % of territorial waters · 2024
00.511.5201420162018202020222024Ghana

How much of a country's coastal waters are protected for nature. The global goal is 30% by 2030. UNEP-WCMC via Our World in Data

Urban population

Sierra Leone: 45.9 % living in cities · 2025Ghana: 58.9 % living in cities · 2025
02040601960198020002020Ghana

The share of people living in towns and cities. Urbanisation shapes energy use, land use and how people experience climate change. UN World Urbanization Prospects via Our World in Data

Water

Water stress

Sierra Leone: 0.50 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022Ghana: 6.31 % of renewable resources withdrawn · 2022
024620002005201020152020Ghanahigh 2005

How much of a country's renewable freshwater is withdrawn each year. Above 25% counts as stressed; above 100% means drawing down reserves. FAO AQUASTAT (SDG 6.4.2) via Our World in Data

Renewable water per person

Sierra Leone: 19,331 m³/person/year · 2022Ghana: 914.1 m³/person/year · 2022
020k40k60k198020002020Ghana

Each person's share of the country's renewable freshwater. Below 1,700 m³ is water stress; below 1,000 m³ is scarcity. FAO AQUASTAT via Our World in Data

Safely managed drinking water

Sierra Leone: 10.9 % of population · 2024Ghana: 42.9 % of population · 2024
0204020002005201020152020Ghana

The share of people with safe drinking water at home, available when needed and free from contamination. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Annual precipitation

Sierra Leone: 2,951 mm/year · 2025Ghana: 875.6 mm/year · 2025
01k2k3k19401960198020002020Ghanahigh 1957low 1942

Total rain and snow that fell over a country in a year, averaged across its land area. Copernicus Climate Change Service (ERA5) via Our World in Data

Rainfall anomaly

Sierra Leone: 11.1 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025Ghana: -27.9 % vs 1961-1990 · 2025
-200204019401960198020002020Ghanahigh 1957low 1942

How much wetter (teal) or drier (brown) a country's year was compared with its 1961-1990 average. A simple drought and deluge signal. Derived from Copernicus ERA5 precipitation via Our World in Data

Safely managed sanitation

Sierra Leone: 16.8 % of population · 2024Ghana: 18.8 % of population · 2024
0102020002005201020152020Ghana

The share of people whose toilet waste is safely treated rather than left to contaminate water and soil. WHO/UNICEF JMP via Our World in Data

Pollution

Air pollution (PM2.5)

Sierra Leone: 20.2 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024Ghana: 28.2 µg/m³ annual mean · 2024
010203020002005201020152020Ghanalow 2006

Average exposure to fine particles small enough to enter the bloodstream. The WHO guideline is 5 µg/m³. World Bank / van Donkelaar et al. via Our World in Data

Ozone-depleting substances

Sierra Leone: 0.56 ODP tonnes/year · 2021Ghana: 16.6 ODP tonnes/year · 2021
0501001990200020102020Ghanahigh 1996low 2019

Consumption of chemicals that destroy the ozone layer. Watch the map fade towards zero: the Montreal Protocol is the world's most successful environmental treaty. UN Environment Programme via Our World in Data