Rank #166 by World Population
🇸🇱Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has a population of 8,460,512, ranking #166 in the world. The capital is Freetown. Located in Sub-Saharan Africa .
World Bank: Low income
8,460,512
Population
#166
World Rank
61.8
Life Expectancy
$758
GDP Per Capita
Sierra Leone, #166 by world population
Sierra Leone Population History (1960-2024)
The country of Sierra Leone had a population of 2,268,356 in 1960 and 8,642,022 in 2024, a 3.8× growth over 64 years. The peak was 8,642,022 in 2024. Average annual growth rate: 2.12%.
8,642,022
Population (2024)
2,268,356
Population (1960)
8,642,022
Peak (2024)
2.12%
Avg Annual Growth
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1960 | 2,268,356 |
| 1961 | 2,304,227 |
| 1962 | 2,342,242 |
| 1963 | 2,382,258 |
| 1964 | 2,424,390 |
| 1965 | 2,468,666 |
| 1966 | 2,514,638 |
| 1967 | 2,562,384 |
| 1968 | 2,611,532 |
| 1969 | 2,661,365 |
| 1970 | 2,712,286 |
| 1971 | 2,763,222 |
| 1972 | 2,814,388 |
| 1973 | 2,866,955 |
| 1974 | 2,920,459 |
| 1975 | 2,974,657 |
| 1976 | 3,028,820 |
| 1977 | 3,085,354 |
| 1978 | 3,145,517 |
| 1979 | 3,207,499 |
| 1980 | 3,272,089 |
| 1981 | 3,338,940 |
| 1982 | 3,408,183 |
| 1983 | 3,481,646 |
| 1984 | 3,558,758 |
| 1985 | 3,638,438 |
| 1986 | 3,728,380 |
| 1987 | 3,829,718 |
| 1988 | 3,934,517 |
| 1989 | 4,034,037 |
| 1990 | 4,196,828 |
| 1991 | 4,246,267 |
| 1992 | 4,166,366 |
| 1993 | 4,157,130 |
| 1994 | 4,173,105 |
| 1995 | 4,179,179 |
| 1996 | 4,199,210 |
| 1997 | 4,253,716 |
| 1998 | 4,295,785 |
| 1999 | 4,318,043 |
| 2000 | 4,423,611 |
| 2001 | 4,692,716 |
| 2002 | 4,971,435 |
| 2003 | 5,177,687 |
| 2004 | 5,355,717 |
| 2005 | 5,501,712 |
| 2006 | 5,624,466 |
| 2007 | 5,749,352 |
| 2008 | 5,894,722 |
| 2009 | 6,055,646 |
| 2010 | 6,222,714 |
| 2011 | 6,387,251 |
| 2012 | 6,551,080 |
| 2013 | 6,714,051 |
| 2014 | 6,876,385 |
| 2015 | 7,037,655 |
| 2016 | 7,205,328 |
| 2017 | 7,379,299 |
| 2018 | 7,554,563 |
| 2019 | 7,731,991 |
| 2020 | 7,912,558 |
| 2021 | 8,094,602 |
| 2022 | 8,276,807 |
| 2023 | 8,460,512 |
| 2024 | 8,642,022 |
Demographics
| Population | 8,460,512 |
| Population Growth Rate | 2.20% |
| Urban Population | 44.8% |
| Fertility Rate | 3.79 births/woman |
| Life Expectancy | 61.8 years |
| Infant Mortality Rate | 56.3 per 1,000 |
| Literacy Rate | - |
Economy & Trade
$758
GDP Per Capita
3.1%
Unemployment Rate
Low income
Income Level
55.3%
Trade (% of GDP)
Health & Education
4.7%
Health Expenditure (% GDP)
0.13
Physicians per 1,000
2.6%
Education Expenditure (% GDP)
56.3
Infant Mortality (per 1,000)
Development & Connectivity
35.5%
Electricity Access
21.5%
Internet Users
102
Mobile Subs per 100
117.2
People per km2
-4,000
Net Migration
Environment
34.3%
Forest Area
Other Countries in Sub-Saharan Africa
Sierra Leone in global context
Sierra Leone is one of 212 countries tracked. See how it ranks globally, regional shares of world population, and projections to 2050 / 2100.
World Population 2026: Top 10 Countries, Regions & Trends →Other related entities
Country rankings
Frequently Asked Questions
Sierra Leone has a population of 8,460,512, ranking #166 in the world. The annual population growth rate is 2.20%.
Life expectancy in Sierra Leone is 61.8 years. The infant mortality rate is 56.3 per 1,000 live births.
Sierra Leone's GDP per capita is $758. It is classified as a low income country by the World Bank.
44.8% of Sierra Leone's population lives in urban areas. The overall population density is 117.2 people per square kilometer.
Literacy data for Sierra Leone is available from the World Bank.
International data from the World Bank Open Data API. Population figures are latest available estimates. GDP per capita in current US dollars.
this entity is one of the data points covered by this site’s U.S. population demographics dataset. The detail above comes directly from the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files; the context that follows situates the headline numbers against the broader distribution across U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs.
The methodology behind every numeric value on this page is publicly documented on the the U.S. Census Bureau ACS and decennial files portal and described in detail on this site’s methodology page. Refresh cadence varies by underlying series; the page surfaces the as-of date for each number so readers can trace any figure back to the source release.
For readers using this page as a decision input, the related-entity pages elsewhere on the site provide the comparison set. The most useful comparison for this entity is typically a peer within U.S. states, metros, cities, and ZIPs with similar size, similar exposure, or similar geography — not the national-level summary alone.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS, 2026.