Sierra Leone Population (2025) - Worldometer (original) (raw)
- The current population of Sierra Leone is 8,730,732 as of Tuesday, December 31, 2024, based on Worldometer's elaboration of the latest United Nations data1.
- Sierra Leone 2025 population is estimated at 8,819,794 people at mid year.
- Sierra Leone population is equivalent to 0.11% of the total world population.
- Sierra Leone ranks number 102 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
- The population density in Sierra Leone is 122 per Km2 (316 people per mi2).
- The total land area is 72,180 Km2 (27,869 sq. miles).
- 45.5 % of the population is urban (4,017,056 people in 2025).
- The median age in Sierra Leone is 19.7 years.
Population of Sierra Leone (2025 and historical)
| Year | Population | Yearly % Change | Yearly Change | Migrants (net) | Median Age | Fertility Rate | Density (P/Km²) | Urban Pop % | Urban Population | Country's Share of World Pop | World Population | Sierra LeoneGlobal Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 8,819,794 | 2.06 % | 177,772 | -11,309 | 19.7 | 3.61 | 122 | 45.5 % | 4,017,056 | 0.11 % | 8,231,613,070 | 102 |
| 2024 | 8,642,022 | 2.15 % | 181,510 | -11,000 | 19.5 | 3.70 | 120 | 45.1 % | 3,898,920 | 0.11 % | 8,161,972,572 | 102 |
| 2023 | 8,460,512 | 2.22 % | 183,705 | -4,000 | 19.3 | 3.79 | 117 | 44.7 % | 3,783,663 | 0.10 % | 8,091,734,930 | 102 |
| 2022 | 8,276,807 | 2.25 % | 182,205 | -4,000 | 19.0 | 3.88 | 115 | 44.4 % | 3,671,170 | 0.10 % | 8,021,407,192 | 102 |
| 2020 | 7,912,558 | 2.34 % | 180,567 | 1,292 | 18.6 | 4.08 | 110 | 43.7 % | 3,453,971 | 0.10 % | 7,887,001,292 | 102 |
| 2015 | 7,037,655 | 2.49 % | 162,988 | -356 | 17.7 | 4.55 | 98 | 42.0 % | 2,954,791 | 0.09 % | 7,470,491,872 | 105 |
| 2010 | 6,222,714 | 2.49 % | 144,200 | 7,983 | 17.1 | 5.33 | 86 | 40.3 % | 2,509,605 | 0.09 % | 7,021,732,148 | 107 |
| 2005 | 5,501,712 | 4.46 % | 215,620 | -1,805 | 16.9 | 5.81 | 76 | 38.0 % | 2,089,028 | 0.08 % | 6,586,970,132 | 107 |
| 2000 | 4,423,611 | 1.14 % | 48,886 | 83,013 | 16.9 | 6.36 | 61 | 36.8 % | 1,626,055 | 0.07 % | 6,171,702,993 | 115 |
| 1995 | 4,179,179 | -0.08 % | -3,530 | -112,857 | 17.2 | 6.56 | 58 | 35.2 % | 1,471,764 | 0.07 % | 5,758,878,982 | 118 |
| 1990 | 4,196,828 | 2.90 % | 111,678 | 131,587 | 17.4 | 6.57 | 58 | 34.2 % | 1,433,891 | 0.08 % | 5,327,803,110 | 113 |
| 1985 | 3,638,438 | 2.15 % | 73,270 | -7,873 | 17.7 | 6.59 | 50 | 33.4 % | 1,215,725 | 0.07 % | 4,868,943,465 | 114 |
| 1980 | 3,272,089 | 1.92 % | 59,486 | -11,641 | 18.1 | 6.56 | 45 | 30.7 % | 1,003,558 | 0.07 % | 4,447,606,236 | 115 |
| 1975 | 2,974,657 | 1.86 % | 52,474 | -13,058 | 18.6 | 6.55 | 41 | 27.9 % | 830,173 | 0.07 % | 4,070,735,277 | 115 |
| 1970 | 2,712,286 | 1.90 % | 48,724 | -4,957 | 19.4 | 6.41 | 38 | 23.8 % | 645,306 | 0.07 % | 3,694,683,794 | 116 |
| 1965 | 2,468,666 | 1.71 % | 40,062 | -1,851 | 19.9 | 6.31 | 34 | 20.4 % | 504,032 | 0.07 % | 3,334,533,703 | 111 |
| 1960 | 2,268,356 | 1.35 % | 29,493 | -3,528 | 20.1 | 6.18 | 31 | 17.6 % | 398,599 | 0.08 % | 3,015,470,894 | 112 |
| 1955 | 2,120,889 | 1.18 % | 24,253 | -5,237 | 19.9 | 6.07 | 29 | 15.1 % | 319,261 | 0.08 % | 2,740,213,792 | 111 |
Sierra Leone Population Forecast
| Year | Population | Yearly % Change | Yearly Change | Migrants (net) | Median Age | Fertility Rate | Density (P/Km²) | Urban Pop % | Urban Population | Country's Share of World Pop | World Population | Sierra LeoneGlobal Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2030 | 9,694,858 | 1.91 % | 175,013 | -13,030 | 20.9 | 3.24 | 134 | 48.0 % | 4,650,675 | 0.11 % | 8,569,124,911 | 98 |
| 2035 | 10,563,167 | 1.73 % | 173,662 | -11,108 | 22.2 | 2.97 | 146 | 50.7 % | 5,351,187 | 0.12 % | 8,885,210,181 | 94 |
| 2040 | 11,398,400 | 1.53 % | 167,047 | -7,726 | 23.6 | 2.76 | 158 | 53.6 % | 6,110,530 | 0.12 % | 9,177,190,203 | 92 |
| 2045 | 12,208,880 | 1.38 % | 162,096 | -14,090 | 24.9 | 2.59 | 169 | 56.6 % | 6,908,947 | 0.13 % | 9,439,639,668 | 91 |
| 2050 | 12,948,325 | 1.18 % | 147,889 | 26.3 | 2.45 | 179 | 59.7 % | 7,724,557 | 0.13 % | 9,664,378,587 | 91 |
Sierra Leone Demographics
Main Cities by Population in Sierra Leone
(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)
| # | CITY NAME | POPULATION |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freetown | 802,639 |
| 2 | Bo | 174,354 |
| 3 | Kenema | 143,137 |
| 4 | Koidu | 124,662 |
| 5 | Makeni | 87,679 |
| 6 | Waterloo | 55,000 |
| 7 | Lunsar | 22,461 |
| 8 | Port Loko | 21,308 |
| 9 | Goderich | 19,209 |
| 10 | Kabala | 17,948 |
| 11 | Segbwema | 16,532 |
| 12 | Bumpe | 16,123 |
| 13 | Mile 91 | 15,491 |
See also
- Demographics of Sierra Leone
- Median Age (Historical Chart)
- Total Fertility Rate (Historical Chart)
- Urban vs. Rural Population (Historical Chart)
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Sierra Leone
- Africa Population
- World Population
- World Map
- World Population by Country
Notes
The Sierra Leone Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Sierra Leone delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.
The Population of Sierra Leone (1950 - 2024) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2024.
The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2024. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.
Definitions
Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.
Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the country as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.
Yearly % Change: For 2024: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.
Yearly Change: For 2024: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.
Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.
Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.
Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the country, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.
Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).
Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.
Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.
Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.
World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.
Global Rank: Position held by Sierra Leone in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.