Sierra Leone has a population density of 323 people per square mile compared to 596 people in Switzerland. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 49,353 sq ft in Switzerland. Sierra Leone and Switzerland rank 77th and 51st by population density, 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 all countries' land area, compared to 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, making the population density in Sierra Leone 45.8% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density by year
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2026 | 323 | 596 |
| 2025 | 317 | 594 |
| 2024 | 310 | 590 |
| 2023 | 304 | 583 |
| 2022 | 297 | 575 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 571 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 566 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 562 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 558 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 554 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 549 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 543 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 537 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 530 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 524 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 519 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 513 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 508 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 501 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 495 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 491 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 487 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 484 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 481 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 477 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 474 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 471 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 468 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 466 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 464 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 463 |
| 1995 | 150 | 461 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 458 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 455 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 450 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 446 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 440 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 436 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 432 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 429 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 426 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 424 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 422 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 421 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 419 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 416 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 414 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 412 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 412 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 412 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 413 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 415 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 416 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 413 |
| 1972 | 101 | 410 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 407 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 405 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 402 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 398 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 393 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 388 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 384 |
| 1964 | 87 | 379 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 373 |
| 1962 | 84 | 365 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 356 |
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (2025–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/switzerland | CC BY 
From 2006 to 2026, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 60%, compared to a 21.6% growth in Switzerland.
In 2006, Sierra Leone ranked 95th by population density and is 77th now. Switzerland was 44th in 2006 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
Population density comparison
|
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 323 ppl/mi² | 596 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
9049533
|
9107866
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 47,224 sq ft |
| Rural population | 54.6% | 14.5% |
| Urban population | 45.4% | 85.5% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 45.4% | 85.5% |
| 2023 | 44.8% | 85.2% |
| 2022 | 44.3% | 84.9% |
| 2021 | 43.7% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | 82.3% |
| 2019 | 42.7% | 80.8% |
| 2018 | 42.2% | 79.3% |
| 2017 | 41.7% | 77.9% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 76.7% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 75.6% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | 74.7% |
| 2013 | 39.9% | 74.1% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | 73.8% |
| 2011 | 39% | 73.7% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 37.9% | 73.5% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 36.8% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 36.3% | 73.5% |
| 2002 | 36% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 35.8% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 35.5% | 73.3% |
| 1999 | 35.3% | 73.1% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 72.9% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 72.5% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 72% |
| 1995 | 34.5% | 71.5% |
| 1994 | 34.3% | 71% |
| 1993 | 34.1% | 70.4% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | 69.8% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | 69.2% |
| 1990 | 33.5% | 68.7% |
| 1989 | 33.2% | 68% |
| 1988 | 33% | 67.3% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | 66.5% |
| 1986 | 32.4% | 65.6% |
| 1985 | 32.1% | 64.8% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | 64% |
| 1983 | 31.4% | 63.2% |
| 1982 | 31% | 62.4% |
| 1981 | 30.6% | 61.8% |
| 1980 | 30.2% | 61.3% |
| 1979 | 29.8% | 60.8% |
| 1978 | 29.3% | 60.4% |
| 1977 | 28.8% | 60.1% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | 59.7% |
| 1975 | 27.8% | 59.4% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | 59.1% |
| 1973 | 26.6% | 58.7% |
| 1972 | 25.9% | 58.3% |
| 1971 | 25.2% | 57.9% |
| 1970 | 24.4% | 57.4% |
| 1969 | 23.5% | 56.9% |
| 1968 | 22.7% | 56.3% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | 55.7% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 55.1% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | 54.4% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 53.7% |
| 1963 | 19% | 53% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 52.4% |
| 1961 | 18% | 51.7% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 51% |
Data sources: World Bank | Health (1960–2024, retrieved 2026-04-06).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/switzerland | CC BY
From 2004 to 2024, the share of urban population changed from 36.5% to 45.4% in Sierra Leone and from 73.5% to 85.5% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 209K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 145K |
| Winterthur | 110K |
| Lucerne | 86.2K |
| St. Gallen | 78.9K |
| Lugano | 63.5K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
Data sources: World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06); United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10); U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08); Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20).
GeoRank.org/population-density/sierra-leone/switzerland | CC BY
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Data sources:
- World Bank | Agriculture & Rural Development (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-04-06)
- United Nations | World Population Prospects (1961–2026, retrieved 2026-03-10)
- U.S. Census Bureau (1961–2025, retrieved 2026-02-08)
- Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) (2000–2019, retrieved 2026-02-20)
- Wikidata (2013–2024, retrieved 2026-02-08)
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