Population growth in Sierra Leone
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Sierra Leone increased from 2.32 million to 8.14 million people. This is a growth by 251.3 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Sierra Leone was recorded in 2003 with 4.74%. The biggest decrease in 1994 with -0.44%.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 158.5 percent.
The average age in Sierra Leone rose by 0.12 years from 2012 to 2020 from 18.98 to 19.10 years (median value).
Around 43% of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 3.1% 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 | Birthrate | Deathrate | Population World | Change | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 % | 35.7 ‰ | 13.0 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 7.17 M | 2.21 % | 35.1 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 7,348 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2016 | 7.33 M | 2.19 % | 34.5 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 7,434 M | 1.17 % | |
| 2017 | 7.49 M | 2.18 % | 33.9 ‰ | 12.0 ‰ | 7,519 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 7.65 M | 2.16 % | 33.4 ‰ | 11.7 ‰ | 7,603 M | 1.11 % | |
| 2019 | 7.81 M | 2.13 % | 32.9 ‰ | 11.5 ‰ | 7,684 M | 1.07 % | |
| 2020 | 7.98 M | 2.10 % | 32.4 ‰ | 11.3 ‰ | 7,764 M | 1.04 % | |
| 2021 | 8.14 M | 2.06 % | 7,837 M | 0.94 % |
Birth- and deathrate in Sierra Leone
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. The example of the year 2020 in the graph: The population in Sierra Leone increased by about 164,000 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 11.3 per 1000 people (~ 88,300 deaths) and the birth rate was 32.4 per 1000 people (~ 253,000 births). As a result, around 700 inhabitants have migrated to other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 91,425 in Sierra Leone. The number of births was 252,626 annually.
The development of births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1000 inhabitants.
Birthrate Deathrate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life in country comparison
Public holidays in the United States 2022-2026