Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 78.5 people in Somalia. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 361,073 sq ft in Somalia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and Somalia are ranked 77th and 154th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Sierra Leone has 0.11% of the world's population and 0.05% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.23% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for Somalia, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 295.1% higher than in Somalia.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
Somalia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 78.5 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 154/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
20177806
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 242,217 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 355,231 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 51.5% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 48.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 11.2% |
Sierra Leone vs Somalia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 61.4%, compared to a 84.9% growth in Somalia.
In 2004, Sierra Leone ranked 95th for population density and is in 77th place now. Somalia was 161st in 2004 and ranks 154th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 78.5 |
| 2023 | 304 | 75.8 |
| 2022 | 297 | 73.5 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 71.3 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 68.7 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 66.2 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 63.8 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 61.6 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 59.2 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 57 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 55.1 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 53.1 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 51.4 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 51 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 50.6 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 49.4 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 48.2 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 46.7 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 45.3 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 43.9 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 42.4 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 40.9 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 39.4 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 38 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 36.5 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 35.1 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 33.7 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 32.3 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 31.2 |
| 1995 | 150 | 30.1 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 29 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 27.6 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 26.8 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 28.1 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 29.2 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 29.4 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 29.9 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 29.8 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 28.8 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 27.6 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 26.5 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 25.6 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 24.8 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 24.7 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 24.5 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 22.5 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 19.9 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 18 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 17.6 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 17.1 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 16.7 |
| 1972 | 101 | 16.3 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 15.8 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 15.4 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 15 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 14.6 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 14.3 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 13.9 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 13.5 |
| 1964 | 87 | 13.2 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 12.8 |
| 1962 | 84 | 12.5 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 12.2 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Somalia
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 48.5% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 47.9% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 47.3% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 46.7% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 46.1% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 45.6% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 45% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 44.4% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 43.8% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 43.2% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 42.7% |
| 2013 | 40% | 42.1% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 41.6% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 41% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 39.3% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 37.6% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 36% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 34.4% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 37.1% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 36.3% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 35.5% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 34.8% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 34% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 33.6% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 33.2% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 32.9% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 32.5% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 32.1% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 31.8% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 31.4% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 31.1% |
| 1993 | 34% | 30.7% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 30.4% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 30% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 29.7% |
| 1989 | 33% | 29.3% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 29% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 28.6% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 28.3% |
| 1985 | 32% | 28.1% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 27.8% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 27.5% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 27.3% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 27% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 26.8% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 26.5% |
| 1978 | 29% | 26.3% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 26% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 25.7% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 25.5% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 25% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 24.4% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 23.8% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 23.3% |
| 1970 | 24% | 22.7% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 22.1% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 21.6% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 21% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 20.5% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 20% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 19.5% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 18.9% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 18.4% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 17.8% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 17.3% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 35.5% to 48.5% in Somalia.
Densely populated cities
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