Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 49 people in South Sudan. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 580,697 sq ft in South Sudan. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and South Sudan are ranked 77th and 172nd, 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 0.15% of the population and 0.42% of the land area for South Sudan, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 533% higher than in South Sudan.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
South Sudan
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 49 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 172/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
12387398
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 243,990 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 569,522 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 78.4% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 21.6% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Sierra Leone vs South Sudan:
Population density chart by year
From 2012 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 31.9%, compared to a 11% growth in South Sudan.
In 2012, Sierra Leone ranked 90th for population density and is in 77th place now. South Sudan was 169th in 2012 and ranks 172nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 49 |
| 2023 | 304 | 47.1 |
| 2022 | 297 | 45.2 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 44.5 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 43.8 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 42.7 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 41.5 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 42 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 44.4 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 45.5 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 46 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 45.8 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 44.1 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | - |
| 2010 | 223.3 | - |
| 2009 | 217.3 | - |
| 2008 | 211.5 | - |
| 2007 | 206.3 | - |
| 2006 | 201.8 | - |
| 2005 | 197.4 | - |
| 2004 | 192.2 | - |
| 2003 | 185.8 | - |
| 2002 | 178.4 | - |
| 2001 | 168.4 | - |
| 2000 | 158.7 | - |
| 1999 | 154.9 | - |
| 1998 | 154.1 | - |
| 1997 | 152.6 | - |
| 1996 | 150.7 | - |
| 1995 | 150 | - |
| 1994 | 149.7 | - |
| 1993 | 149.2 | - |
| 1992 | 149.5 | - |
| 1991 | 152.4 | - |
| 1990 | 150.6 | - |
| 1989 | 144.8 | - |
| 1988 | 141.2 | - |
| 1987 | 137.4 | - |
| 1986 | 133.8 | - |
| 1985 | 130.6 | - |
| 1984 | 127.7 | - |
| 1983 | 124.9 | - |
| 1982 | 122.3 | - |
| 1981 | 119.8 | - |
| 1980 | 117.4 | - |
| 1979 | 115.1 | - |
| 1978 | 112.9 | - |
| 1977 | 110.7 | - |
| 1976 | 108.7 | - |
| 1975 | 106.7 | - |
| 1974 | 104.8 | - |
| 1973 | 102.9 | - |
| 1972 | 101 | - |
| 1971 | 99.2 | - |
| 1970 | 97.3 | - |
| 1969 | 95.5 | - |
| 1968 | 93.7 | - |
| 1967 | 91.9 | - |
| 1966 | 90.2 | - |
| 1965 | 88.6 | - |
| 1964 | 87 | - |
| 1963 | 85.5 | - |
| 1962 | 84 | - |
| 1961 | 82.7 | - |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
South Sudan
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 21.6% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 21.2% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 20.8% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 20.5% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 20.2% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 19.9% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 19.6% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 19.3% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 19.1% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 18.9% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 18.6% |
| 2013 | 40% | 18.4% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 18.2% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 18% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 17.9% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 17.7% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 17.6% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 17.4% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 17.3% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 17.2% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 17% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 16.9% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 16.8% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 16.6% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 16.5% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 16.4% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 16.2% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 16.1% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 16% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 15.9% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 15.7% |
| 1993 | 34% | 15.6% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 14.9% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 14.1% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 13.3% |
| 1989 | 33% | 12.5% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 11.8% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 11.1% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 10.5% |
| 1985 | 32% | 9.84% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 9.26% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 8.71% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 8.5% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 8.51% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 8.52% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 8.53% |
| 1978 | 29% | 8.54% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 8.55% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 8.57% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 8.58% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 8.59% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 8.6% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 8.61% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 8.62% |
| 1970 | 24% | 8.63% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 8.64% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 8.66% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 8.67% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 8.68% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 8.69% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 8.7% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 8.71% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 8.73% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 8.74% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 8.75% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 17% to 21.6% in South Sudan.
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:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
