Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 592 people in Switzerland. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 49,190 sq ft in Switzerland. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and Switzerland are ranked 77th and 51st, 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 0.11% of the population and 0.03% of the land area for Switzerland, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 47.6% lower than in Switzerland.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 592 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 51/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
9112950
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 15,255 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 47,075 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 25.7% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 74.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 0% |
Sierra Leone vs Switzerland:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 61.4%, compared to a 22.3% growth in Switzerland.
In 2004, Sierra Leone ranked 95th for population density and is in 77th place now. Switzerland was 44th in 2004 and ranks 51st out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 592 |
| 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 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Switzerland
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 74.3% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 74.2% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 74.1% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 74% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 73.9% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 73.8% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 73.8% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 73.8% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 73.7% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 73.7% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 73.7% |
| 2013 | 40% | 73.7% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 73.7% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 73.6% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 73.6% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 73.6% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 73.6% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 73.5% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 73.5% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 73.5% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 73.5% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 73.4% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 73.4% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 73.4% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 73.4% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 73.4% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 73.5% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 73.5% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 73.6% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 73.7% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 73.7% |
| 1993 | 34% | 73.8% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 73.8% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 73.9% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 73.9% |
| 1989 | 33% | 74% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 74% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 74.1% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 74.2% |
| 1985 | 32% | 74.2% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 74.3% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 74.3% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 74.4% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 74.5% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 74.5% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 74.4% |
| 1978 | 29% | 74.4% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 74.3% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 74.3% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 74.2% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 74.2% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 74.1% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 74% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 74% |
| 1970 | 24% | 73.8% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 73.6% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 73.3% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 73% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 72.7% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 72.4% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 72.1% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 71.8% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 71.5% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 71.2% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 70.9% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 73.5% to 74.3% in Switzerland.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
Switzerland
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Zurich | 449K |
| Geneva | 207K |
| Basel | 176K |
| Bern | 146K |
| Lausanne | 144K |
| Winterthur | 119K |
| Biel/Bienne | 55.9K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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