Senegal vs Sierra Leone Demographics: Median age, Gender, Religion

Median age history and projection chart in
Senegal vs Sierra Leone

Table

Year	Median age
	Senegal	Sierra Leone
1960	18.1	21.1
1961	18	21.1
1962	18	21.1
1963	17.9	21
1964	17.9	21
1965	17.9	20.9
1966	17.8	20.9
1967	17.9	20.8
1968	17.9	20.7
1969	17.9	20.6
1970	17.9	20.4
1971	17.9	20.2
1972	17.9	20.1
1973	17.9	19.9
1974	17.8	19.8
1975	17.7	19.6
1976	17.6	19.5
1977	17.4	19.4
1978	17.2	19.3
1979	17	19.2
1980	16.8	19.1
1981	16.7	19.1
1982	16.5	19
1983	16.4	18.9
1984	16.3	18.9
1985	16.3	18.8
1986	16.3	18.7
1987	16.3	18.7
1988	16.4	18.6
1989	16.5	18.6
1990	16.6	18.5
1991	16.7	18.5
1992	16.8	18.4
1993	16.9	18.4
1994	17	18.3
1995	17.1	18.2
1996	17.2	18.2
1997	17.3	18.1
1998	17.4	18.1
1999	17.5	18
2000	17.6	18
2001	17.7	18
2002	17.8	17.9
2003	18	17.9
2004	18.1	17.9
2005	18.2	18
2006	18.2	18
2007	18.3	18
2008	18.4	18.1
2009	18.4	18.1
2010	18.5	18.2
2011	18.5	18.3
2012	18.5	18.4
2013	18.5	18.5
2014	18.6	18.6
2015	18.6	18.7
2016	18.7	18.9
2017	18.9	19.1
2018	19	19.2
2019	19.2	19.4
2020	19.4	19.6
2021	19.7	19.8
2022	19.9	20
2023	20.1	20.3
2024	20.4	20.5
2025	20.6	20.7
2026	20.8	20.9
2027	21.1	21.2
2028	21.3	21.4
2029	21.6	21.7
2030	21.8	21.9
2031	22	22.2
2032	22.3	22.4
2033	22.5	22.7
2034	22.8	23
2035	23	23.2
2036	23.3	23.5
2037	23.5	23.8
2038	23.8	24
2039	24	24.3
2040	24.2	24.6
2041	24.5	24.8
2042	24.7	25.1
2043	24.9	25.4
2044	25.2	25.7
2045	25.4	25.9
2046	25.6	26.2
2047	25.9	26.5
2048	26.1	26.8
2049	26.3	27.1
2050	26.6	27.3

In 1960, the median age in Senegal was 18.1 years compared to 21.1 years in Sierra Leone. As of 2024, the median age had changed to 20.4 years in Senegal and to 20.5 years in Sierra Leone.

According to United Nations projections, the median age in Senegal is expected to increased to around 26.6 years by 2050 compared to 27.3 years in Sierra Leone. The aging demographics forecast is based on previous years' birth rates and increasing life expectancy.

Demographic pyramid: age and gender distribution

Table

Age range	Share of population
	Senegal		Sierra Leone
	Male	Female	Male	Female
0-4	6.91%	6.57%	6.85%	6.72%
5-9	6.58%	6%	6.32%	6.24%
10-14	6.31%	5.81%	6.01%	5.94%
15-19	5.73%	5.35%	5.48%	5.41%
20-24	4.9%	4.78%	4.9%	4.84%
25-29	4.21%	4.2%	4.17%	4.17%
30-34	3.43%	3.49%	3.52%	3.5%
35-39	2.86%	2.95%	2.96%	2.95%
40-44	2.41%	2.4%	2.45%	2.45%
45-49	1.96%	1.93%	1.99%	2.03%
50-54	1.54%	1.57%	1.59%	1.66%
55-59	1.27%	1.25%	1.25%	1.34%
60-64	0.97%	0.99%	0.94%	1.05%
65-69	0.73%	0.79%	0.65%	0.77%
70-74	0.51%	0.55%	0.4%	0.51%
75-79	0.29%	0.3%	0.24%	0.31%
80+	0.24%	0.22%	0.15%	0.22%

The chart above is a variation of a population pyramid and represents a comparison of age and gender structure. Senegal has high demographic potential with 74.3% of people in the 0-34 age group compared to 74.1% and average potential in Sierra Leone.

Age dependency chart

Table

Year	Age dependency ratio
	Senegal			Sierra Leone
	Total	Young	Old	Total	Young	Old
1960	88.6%	83.3%	5.33%	72.5%	66%	6.59%
1961	88.9%	83.6%	5.28%	72.8%	66.1%	6.68%
1962	88.9%	83.7%	5.24%	73.1%	66.3%	6.77%
1963	88.9%	83.7%	5.2%	73.7%	66.9%	6.87%
1964	89%	83.8%	5.17%	74.8%	67.9%	6.97%
1965	88.9%	83.8%	5.15%	75.9%	68.8%	7.07%
1966	88.8%	83.7%	5.12%	76.7%	69.6%	7.15%
1967	88.6%	83.6%	5.1%	77.6%	70.4%	7.23%
1968	88.5%	83.4%	5.08%	78.5%	71.2%	7.31%
1969	88.3%	83.3%	5.06%	79.3%	72%	7.38%
1970	88.2%	83.2%	5.05%	80.1%	72.7%	7.44%
1971	88.2%	83.2%	5.04%	80.8%	73.3%	7.49%
1972	88.3%	83.3%	5.04%	81.5%	73.9%	7.54%
1973	88.5%	83.4%	5.05%	82.1%	74.5%	7.57%
1974	88.9%	83.8%	5.06%	82.7%	75.1%	7.61%
1975	89.5%	84.4%	5.08%	83.3%	75.7%	7.63%
1976	90.5%	85.4%	5.12%	83.8%	76.2%	7.65%
1977	91.9%	86.7%	5.18%	84.3%	76.6%	7.66%
1978	93.5%	88.3%	5.24%	84.7%	77%	7.67%
1979	95%	89.7%	5.31%	85.1%	77.4%	7.68%
1980	96.4%	91.1%	5.38%	85.4%	77.7%	7.67%
1981	97.7%	92.2%	5.45%	85.7%	78.1%	7.67%
1982	98.7%	93.2%	5.52%	86.1%	78.4%	7.66%
1983	99.6%	94%	5.58%	86.4%	78.7%	7.64%
1984	100.2%	94.6%	5.64%	86.7%	79.1%	7.62%
1985	100.6%	94.9%	5.7%	87%	79.4%	7.6%
1986	100.6%	94.9%	5.75%	87.3%	79.7%	7.57%
1987	100.4%	94.6%	5.8%	87.6%	80%	7.54%
1988	99.9%	94%	5.85%	87.9%	80.4%	7.5%
1989	99.2%	93.3%	5.89%	88.1%	80.6%	7.46%
1990	98.5%	92.5%	5.94%	88.2%	80.8%	7.41%
1991	97.6%	91.6%	5.97%	88.4%	81%	7.36%
1992	96.6%	90.6%	6.01%	88.6%	81.3%	7.3%
1993	95.5%	89.4%	6.04%	88.7%	81.5%	7.23%
1994	94.4%	88.4%	6.06%	88.9%	81.8%	7.17%
1995	93.4%	87.3%	6.08%	89.1%	82%	7.09%
1996	92.5%	86.4%	6.1%	89.3%	82.3%	7.02%
1997	91.6%	85.5%	6.11%	89.4%	82.5%	6.95%
1998	90.8%	84.7%	6.12%	89.6%	82.7%	6.87%
1999	90%	83.9%	6.12%	89.9%	83.1%	6.8%
2000	89.3%	83.2%	6.11%	90%	83.3%	6.73%
2001	88.6%	82.5%	6.1%	90.1%	83.4%	6.66%
2002	87.8%	81.7%	6.16%	90%	83.5%	6.59%
2003	87.1%	80.9%	6.25%	89.9%	83.4%	6.53%
2004	86.8%	80.5%	6.32%	89.7%	83.2%	6.46%
2005	86.4%	80.1%	6.38%	89.4%	83%	6.4%
2006	86.2%	79.7%	6.43%	89%	82.6%	6.34%
2007	86%	79.5%	6.48%	88.5%	82.2%	6.28%
2008	85.9%	79.4%	6.53%	88%	81.8%	6.22%
2009	85.9%	79.3%	6.59%	87.5%	81.3%	6.18%
2010	86%	79.4%	6.64%	86.9%	80.7%	6.14%
2011	86.1%	79.4%	6.67%	86.2%	80.1%	6.09%
2012	86.2%	79.5%	6.69%	85.4%	79.3%	6.03%
2013	86.1%	79.4%	6.66%	84.3%	78.4%	5.95%
2014	85.6%	79%	6.59%	83.1%	77.3%	5.83%
2015	84.8%	78.3%	6.51%	81.8%	76%	5.73%
2016	83.8%	77.4%	6.45%	80.4%	74.8%	5.67%
2017	82.7%	76.3%	6.39%	79.1%	73.5%	5.61%
2018	81.3%	74.9%	6.34%	77.7%	72.2%	5.56%
2019	79.8%	73.4%	6.31%	76.5%	70.9%	5.53%
2020	78.1%	71.8%	6.28%	75.3%	69.8%	5.51%
2021	76.4%	70.1%	6.25%	74.1%	68.6%	5.49%
2022	74.6%	68.4%	6.22%	72.9%	67.4%	5.49%
2023	73.1%	66.9%	6.21%	71.6%	66.1%	5.5%
2024	71.8%	65.6%	6.22%	70.4%	64.9%	5.53%

Age dependency is the ratio of people not in the labor force (children under 15 and adults 64+) to people aged 15 to 64.

Age dependency in Senegal decreased from 86.8% to 71.8% between 2004 and 2024.

In Sierra Leone, the ratio of dependent people decreased from 89.7% to 70.4% between 2004 and 2024 with a decreased share of young people and a decreased proportion of people aged 65+.

Working age demographic

Table

Year	Working age population share
	Senegal	Sierra Leone
1960	53%	58%
1961	52.9%	57.9%
1962	52.9%	57.8%
1963	52.9%	57.6%
1964	52.9%	57.2%
1965	52.9%	56.9%
1966	53%	56.6%
1967	53%	56.3%
1968	53.1%	56%
1969	53.1%	55.8%
1970	53.1%	55.5%
1971	53.1%	55.3%
1972	53.1%	55.1%
1973	53.1%	54.9%
1974	52.9%	54.7%
1975	52.8%	54.6%
1976	52.5%	54.4%
1977	52.1%	54.3%
1978	51.7%	54.1%
1979	51.3%	54%
1980	50.9%	53.9%
1981	50.6%	53.8%
1982	50.3%	53.7%
1983	50.1%	53.7%
1984	49.9%	53.6%
1985	49.8%	53.5%
1986	49.8%	53.4%
1987	49.9%	53.3%
1988	50%	53.2%
1989	50.2%	53.2%
1990	50.4%	53.1%
1991	50.6%	53.1%
1992	50.9%	53%
1993	51.2%	53%
1994	51.4%	52.9%
1995	51.7%	52.9%
1996	52%	52.8%
1997	52.2%	52.8%
1998	52.4%	52.7%
1999	52.6%	52.7%
2000	52.8%	52.6%
2001	53%	52.6%
2002	53.2%	52.6%
2003	53.4%	52.6%
2004	53.5%	52.7%
2005	53.6%	52.8%
2006	53.7%	52.9%
2007	53.8%	53%
2008	53.8%	53.2%
2009	53.8%	53.3%
2010	53.8%	53.5%
2011	53.7%	53.7%
2012	53.7%	53.9%
2013	53.7%	54.2%
2014	53.9%	54.6%
2015	54.1%	55%
2016	54.4%	55.4%
2017	54.7%	55.8%
2018	55.2%	56.3%
2019	55.6%	56.7%
2020	56.1%	57%
2021	56.7%	57.4%
2022	57.3%	57.8%
2023	57.8%	58.3%
2024	58.2%	58.7%
2025	58.6%	59.1%
2026	59%	59.5%
2027	59.4%	59.9%
2028	59.7%	60.2%
2029	60%	60.6%
2030	60.2%	60.9%
2031	60.4%	61.2%
2032	60.7%	61.6%
2033	60.8%	61.9%
2034	61%	62.2%
2035	61.2%	62.5%
2036	61.4%	62.9%
2037	61.5%	63.2%
2038	61.7%	63.5%
2039	62%	63.8%
2040	62.2%	64.1%
2041	62.4%	64.3%
2042	62.6%	64.6%
2043	62.9%	64.8%
2044	63.1%	65.1%
2045	63.3%	65.3%
2046	63.5%	65.5%
2047	63.7%	65.7%
2048	63.9%	65.9%
2049	64%	66.1%
2050	64.2%	66.3%

Between 2004 and 2024, the share of working-age demographics aged 15-64 changed from 53.5% to 58.2% in Senegal and from 52.7% to 58.7% in Sierra Leone.

Share of young demographic (0-14 years old)

Table

Year	Share of people 0-14 years old
	Senegal	Sierra Leone
1960	44.2%	38.2%
1961	44.3%	38.3%
1962	44.3%	38.3%
1963	44.3%	38.5%
1964	44.3%	38.8%
1965	44.3%	39.1%
1966	44.3%	39.4%
1967	44.3%	39.6%
1968	44.2%	39.9%
1969	44.2%	40.1%
1970	44.2%	40.3%
1971	44.2%	40.6%
1972	44.2%	40.7%
1973	44.3%	40.9%
1974	44.4%	41.1%
1975	44.6%	41.3%
1976	44.8%	41.4%
1977	45.2%	41.6%
1978	45.6%	41.7%
1979	46%	41.8%
1980	46.4%	41.9%
1981	46.7%	42%
1982	46.9%	42.1%
1983	47.1%	42.2%
1984	47.2%	42.3%
1985	47.3%	42.5%
1986	47.3%	42.6%
1987	47.2%	42.7%
1988	47%	42.8%
1989	46.9%	42.9%
1990	46.6%	42.9%
1991	46.4%	43%
1992	46.1%	43.1%
1993	45.8%	43.2%
1994	45.4%	43.3%
1995	45.1%	43.4%
1996	44.9%	43.5%
1997	44.6%	43.5%
1998	44.4%	43.6%
1999	44.2%	43.7%
2000	43.9%	43.8%
2001	43.7%	43.9%
2002	43.5%	43.9%
2003	43.2%	43.9%
2004	43.1%	43.9%
2005	42.9%	43.8%
2006	42.8%	43.7%
2007	42.7%	43.6%
2008	42.7%	43.5%
2009	42.7%	43.4%
2010	42.7%	43.2%
2011	42.7%	43%
2012	42.7%	42.8%
2013	42.7%	42.5%
2014	42.6%	42.2%
2015	42.4%	41.8%
2016	42.1%	41.4%
2017	41.8%	41%
2018	41.3%	40.6%
2019	40.9%	40.2%
2020	40.3%	39.8%
2021	39.8%	39.4%
2022	39.2%	39%
2023	38.6%	38.5%
2024	38.2%	38.1%
2025	37.7%	37.7%
2026	37.3%	37.2%
2027	36.9%	36.8%
2028	36.6%	36.3%
2029	36.2%	35.9%
2030	35.9%	35.5%
2031	35.6%	35.2%
2032	35.4%	34.8%
2033	35.1%	34.4%
2034	34.9%	34%
2035	34.6%	33.6%
2036	34.4%	33.2%
2037	34.1%	32.8%
2038	33.9%	32.4%
2039	33.5%	32%
2040	33.2%	31.6%
2041	32.9%	31.2%
2042	32.6%	30.9%
2043	32.2%	30.5%
2044	31.9%	30.2%
2045	31.5%	29.8%
2046	31.2%	29.5%
2047	30.8%	29.2%
2048	30.5%	28.8%
2049	30.2%	28.5%
2050	29.8%	28.2%

The share of young people aged below 15 is 38.2% in Senegal and 38.1% in Sierra Leone. Birth rates in Senegal compared to Sierra Leone .

Share of old population (65+)

Table

Year	Share of population 65+ years old
	Senegal	Sierra Leone
1960	2.82%	3.82%
1961	2.8%	3.87%
1962	2.77%	3.91%
1963	2.75%	3.95%
1964	2.74%	3.99%
1965	2.72%	4.02%
1966	2.71%	4.05%
1967	2.7%	4.07%
1968	2.69%	4.09%
1969	2.69%	4.11%
1970	2.68%	4.13%
1971	2.68%	4.14%
1972	2.68%	4.15%
1973	2.68%	4.16%
1974	2.68%	4.16%
1975	2.68%	4.16%
1976	2.69%	4.16%
1977	2.7%	4.16%
1978	2.71%	4.15%
1979	2.72%	4.15%
1980	2.74%	4.14%
1981	2.76%	4.13%
1982	2.78%	4.12%
1983	2.8%	4.1%
1984	2.82%	4.08%
1985	2.84%	4.06%
1986	2.87%	4.04%
1987	2.9%	4.02%
1988	2.93%	3.99%
1989	2.96%	3.97%
1990	2.99%	3.94%
1991	3.02%	3.91%
1992	3.06%	3.87%
1993	3.09%	3.83%
1994	3.12%	3.79%
1995	3.15%	3.75%
1996	3.17%	3.71%
1997	3.19%	3.67%
1998	3.21%	3.62%
1999	3.22%	3.58%
2000	3.23%	3.54%
2001	3.23%	3.5%
2002	3.28%	3.47%
2003	3.34%	3.44%
2004	3.38%	3.41%
2005	3.42%	3.38%
2006	3.45%	3.35%
2007	3.49%	3.33%
2008	3.52%	3.31%
2009	3.54%	3.3%
2010	3.57%	3.28%
2011	3.58%	3.27%
2012	3.59%	3.26%
2013	3.58%	3.23%
2014	3.55%	3.19%
2015	3.52%	3.15%
2016	3.51%	3.14%
2017	3.5%	3.13%
2018	3.5%	3.13%
2019	3.51%	3.14%
2020	3.53%	3.14%
2021	3.54%	3.15%
2022	3.56%	3.18%
2023	3.59%	3.21%
2024	3.62%	3.24%
2025	3.65%	3.28%
2026	3.68%	3.33%
2027	3.71%	3.38%
2028	3.76%	3.43%
2029	3.81%	3.49%
2030	3.86%	3.56%
2031	3.92%	3.62%
2032	3.98%	3.69%
2033	4.05%	3.76%
2034	4.11%	3.83%
2035	4.18%	3.91%
2036	4.25%	3.99%
2037	4.33%	4.07%
2038	4.41%	4.15%
2039	4.5%	4.24%
2040	4.6%	4.33%
2041	4.7%	4.43%
2042	4.81%	4.53%
2043	4.93%	4.64%
2044	5.05%	4.75%
2045	5.18%	4.86%
2046	5.32%	4.98%
2047	5.47%	5.1%
2048	5.62%	5.23%
2049	5.79%	5.36%
2050	5.96%	5.5%

The share of older people aged 65 and over is 3.62% in Senegal and 3.24% in Sierra Leone. Life expectancy in Senegal compared to Sierra Leone .