Sierra Leone Population (LIVE)

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Sierra Leone Population (1950 - 2025)

Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Sierra Leone is 8,768,819 as of Friday, March 21, 2025, 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).
  • 45.55% of the population is urban (4,017,056 people in 2025)
  • The median age in Sierra Leone is 19.7 years.
1. U.N. Dept. of Economic and Social Affairs - Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

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 Leone
Global
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 3.7 120 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 2.28% 182,125 −4,000 19 3.88 115 44.4% 3,671,170 0.10% 8,021,407,192 102
2020 7,912,558 2.37% 174,981 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% 2,954,791 0.094% 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 0.089% 7,021,732,148 107
2005 5,501,712 4.46% 215,620 −1,805 16.9 5.81 76 38% 2,089,028 0.084% 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 0.072% 6,171,702,993 115
1995 4,179,179 −0.08% −3,530 −112,857 17.2 6.55 58 35.2% 1,471,764 0.073% 5,758,878,982 118
1990 4,196,828 2.9% 111,678 131,587 17.4 6.57 58 34.2% 1,433,891 0.079% 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 0.075% 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 0.074% 4,447,606,236 115
1975 2,974,657 1.86% 52,474 −13,058 18.6 6.55 41 27.9% 830,173 0.073% 4,070,735,277 115
1970 2,712,286 1.9% 48,724 −4,957 19.4 6.41 38 23.8% 645,306 0.073% 3,694,683,794 116
1965 2,468,666 1.71% 40,062 −1,851 19.9 6.31 34 20.4% 504,032 0.074% 3,334,533,703 114
1960 2,268,356 1.35% 29,493 −3,528 20.1 6.17 31 17.6% 398,599 0.075% 3,015,470,894 112
1955 2,120,889 1.18% 24,253 −5,237 19.9 6.07 29 15.1% 319,261 0.077% 2,740,213,792 111

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

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 Leone
Global
Rank
2030 9,694,858 1.91% 175,013 −13,030 20.9 3.23 134 48% 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 2.58 169 56.6% 6,908,947 0.13% 9,439,639,668 91
2050 12,948,325 1.18% 147,889 −12,333 26.3 2.45 179 59.7% 7,724,557 0.13% 9,664,378,587 91

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Sierra Leone Demographics

Life Expectancy
62.1 years

(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)

View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality Rate
69.3

(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
94.1

(per 1,000 live births)

View historical chart

See also


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 - 2025) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2025.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2025. 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.