Population growth in Sierra Leone
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Sierra Leone increased from 2.32 million to 8.42 million people. This is a growth of 263.3 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Sierra Leone was recorded in 2003 with 4.74 percent. The biggest decrease in 1994 with -0.44 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Sierra Leone rose by 0.12 years from 2012 to 2021 from 18.98 to 19.10 years (median value).
Around 43 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 3.3 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Sierra Leone
Population development in Sierra Leone since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)| Year | Population Sierra Leone | Change Sierra Leone | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.35 M | 1.50 % | 47.1 ‰ | 32.1 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 2.39 M | 1.55 % | 47.3 ‰ | 31.8 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 2.43 M | 1.60 % | 47.5 ‰ | 31.5 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 2.47 M | 1.64 % | 47.6 ‰ | 31.2 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 2.51 M | 1.68 % | 47.7 ‰ | 30.8 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 2.55 M | 1.73 % | 47.7 ‰ | 30.4 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 2.60 M | 1.77 % | 47.7 ‰ | 29.9 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 2.64 M | 1.82 % | 47.7 ‰ | 29.5 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 2.69 M | 1.87 % | 47.7 ‰ | 29.0 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 2.74 M | 1.91 % | 47.7 ‰ | 28.5 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 2.80 M | 1.96 % | 47.7 ‰ | 28.1 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 2.85 M | 2.01 % | 47.6 ‰ | 27.6 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 2.91 M | 2.05 % | 47.6 ‰ | 27.2 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 2.97 M | 2.09 % | 47.5 ‰ | 26.8 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 3.04 M | 2.12 % | 47.5 ‰ | 26.4 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 3.10 M | 2.15 % | 47.5 ‰ | 26.0 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 3.17 M | 2.19 % | 47.4 ‰ | 25.6 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 3.24 M | 2.22 % | 47.5 ‰ | 25.3 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 3.31 M | 2.24 % | 47.5 ‰ | 25.0 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 3.39 M | 2.26 % | 47.5 ‰ | 24.8 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 3.46 M | 2.23 % | 47.5 ‰ | 24.6 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 3.54 M | 2.20 % | 47.5 ‰ | 24.4 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 3.62 M | 2.25 % | 47.5 ‰ | 24.3 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 3.71 M | 2.42 % | 47.4 ‰ | 24.3 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 3.81 M | 2.64 % | 47.3 ‰ | 24.3 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 3.92 M | 2.93 % | 47.2 ‰ | 24.4 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 4.04 M | 3.10 % | 47.0 ‰ | 24.6 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 4.16 M | 2.93 % | 46.9 ‰ | 24.8 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 4.25 M | 2.35 % | 46.7 ‰ | 25.1 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 4.32 M | 1.54 % | 46.6 ‰ | 25.4 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 4.35 M | 0.67 % | 46.4 ‰ | 25.7 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 4.35 M | -0.02 % | 46.2 ‰ | 25.9 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 4.33 M | -0.43 % | 46.0 ‰ | 26.1 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 4.31 M | -0.44 % | 45.8 ‰ | 26.2 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 4.30 M | -0.14 % | 45.5 ‰ | 26.1 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 4.31 M | 0.20 % | 45.3 ‰ | 25.9 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 4.34 M | 0.52 % | 45.0 ‰ | 25.5 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 4.38 M | 1.07 % | 44.7 ‰ | 25.0 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 4.46 M | 1.85 % | 44.4 ‰ | 24.4 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 4.58 M | 2.74 % | 44.1 ‰ | 23.6 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 4.75 M | 3.70 % | 43.7 ‰ | 22.7 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 4.97 M | 4.45 % | 43.4 ‰ | 21.8 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 5.20 M | 4.74 % | 43.0 ‰ | 20.9 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 5.43 M | 4.48 % | 42.6 ‰ | 20.0 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 5.65 M | 3.89 % | 42.1 ‰ | 19.1 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 5.83 M | 3.25 % | 41.6 ‰ | 18.3 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 5.99 M | 2.75 % | 40.9 ‰ | 17.5 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 6.13 M | 2.40 % | 40.2 ‰ | 16.7 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 6.27 M | 2.27 % | 39.5 ‰ | 16.0 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 6.42 M | 2.28 % | 38.7 ‰ | 15.3 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 6.56 M | 2.30 % | 37.9 ‰ | 14.6 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 6.71 M | 2.28 % | 37.1 ‰ | 14.0 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 6.86 M | 2.26 % | 36.4 ‰ | 13.5 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 7.02 M | 2.23 % | 35.5 ‰ | 11.2 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 7.31 M | 4.24 % | 34.6 ‰ | 10.7 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 7.49 M | 2.45 % | 34.0 ‰ | 10.0 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 7.68 M | 2.45 % | 33.6 ‰ | 9.9 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 7.86 M | 2.39 % | 33.1 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 8.05 M | 2.36 % | 32.5 ‰ | 9.1 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 8.23 M | 2.33 % | 31.9 ‰ | 9.3 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 8.42 M | 2.27 % | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Sierra Leone
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Sierra Leone increased by about 187,000 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 9.3 per 1,000 people (~ 74,800 deaths) and the birth rate was 31.9 per 1,000 people (~ 257,000 births). As a result, around 4,800 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 81,326 in Sierra Leone. The number of births was 254,671 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison