Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and South Africa are ranked 77th and 136th, 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 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 126.9% higher than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.8% |
Sierra Leone vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 61.4%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Sierra Leone ranked 95th for population density and is in 77th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 304 | 135 |
| 2022 | 297 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 150 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 94 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 89 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 87 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 63 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 101 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 49 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 42 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 87 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 84 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 40% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 59% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 55% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 54% |
| 1993 | 34% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 53% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 52% |
| 1989 | 33% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 51% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 32% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 29% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 48% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 48% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 24% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 47% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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