Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone ranked 77th out of 197.
Sierra Leone has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.05% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Sierra Leone compared to the World's average
Sierra Leone
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | N/A |
| Population |
8961932
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 28.6% |
Sierra Leone population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Sierra Leone has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 61.4%. The population density rank was 95th 21 years ago and is 77th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 310 | 77 |
| 2023 | 304 | 78 |
| 2022 | 297 | 78 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 80 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 81 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 84 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 85 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 88 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 88 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 88 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 88 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 88 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 90 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 91 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 93 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 93 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 94 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 93 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 95 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 94 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 95 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 96 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 98 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 100 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 104 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 103 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 102 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 101 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 101 |
| 1995 | 150 | 99 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 99 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 97 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 94 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 84 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 83 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 82 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 82 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 82 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 82 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 83 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 83 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 82 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 82 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 82 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 82 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 82 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 82 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 81 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 81 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 79 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 79 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 79 |
| 1972 | 101 | 79 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 79 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 80 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 80 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 80 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 78 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 78 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 77 |
| 1964 | 87 | 77 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 76 |
| 1962 | 84 | 76 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 76 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Sierra Leone from 1960 to 2024: 17.4% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 35.6% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 44.8%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 144 |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 144 |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 143 |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 142 |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 142 |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 144 |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 144 |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 143 |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 143 |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 144 |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 144 |
| 2013 | 40% | 144 |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 144 |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 144 |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 145 |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 144 |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 144 |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 144 |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 144 |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 142 |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 141 |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 141 |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 140 |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 140 |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 139 |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 138 |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 140 |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 140 |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 141 |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 140 |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 141 |
| 1993 | 34% | 141 |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 141 |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 141 |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 141 |
| 1989 | 33% | 140 |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 139 |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 138 |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 137 |
| 1985 | 32% | 136 |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 136 |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 135 |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 134 |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 135 |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 135 |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 134 |
| 1978 | 29% | 134 |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 134 |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 134 |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 133 |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 135 |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 134 |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 134 |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 136 |
| 1970 | 24% | 136 |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 136 |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 136 |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 136 |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 137 |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 137 |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 138 |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 141 |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 140 |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 141 |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 141 |
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
Sierra Leone topic pages:
Population density comparisons
