Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 741 people in the United Kingdom. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 37,705 sq ft in the United Kingdom. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and the United Kingdom are ranked 77th and 35th, 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 0.85% of the population and 0.16% of the land area for the United Kingdom, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 58.2% lower than in the United Kingdom.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 741 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 35/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
69945462
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 93,410 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 37,618 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 15.1% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 84.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 14.4% |
Sierra Leone vs the United Kingdom:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 61.4%, compared to a 15.4% growth in the United Kingdom.
In 2004, Sierra Leone ranked 95th for population density and is in 77th place now. The United Kingdom was 35th in 2004 and still ranks 35th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 741 |
| 2023 | 304 | 733 |
| 2022 | 297 | 724 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 717 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 715 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 713 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 710 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 706 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 702 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 697 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 692 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 687 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 682 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 677 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 672 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 667 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 662 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 656 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 651 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 647 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 642 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 639 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 636 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 633 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 630 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 628 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 626 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 624 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 623 |
| 1995 | 150 | 621 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 619 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 618 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 616 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 615 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 613 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 611 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 609 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 608 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 607 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 605 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 604 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 603 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 603 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 603 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 603 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 602 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 602 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 602 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 602 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 602 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 602 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 602 |
| 1972 | 101 | 600 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 598 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 596 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 594 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 591 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 588 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 585 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 582 |
| 1964 | 87 | 578 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 574 |
| 1962 | 84 | 570 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 565 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
United Kingdom
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 84.9% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 84.6% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 84.4% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 84.2% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 83.9% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 83.7% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 83.4% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 83.1% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 82.9% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 82.6% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 82.4% |
| 2013 | 40% | 82.1% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 81.8% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 81.6% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 81.3% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 81% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 80.8% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 80.5% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 80.2% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 79.9% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 79.6% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 79.3% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 79% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 78.8% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 78.7% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 78.6% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 78.5% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 78.5% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 78.4% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 78.4% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 78.3% |
| 1993 | 34% | 78.2% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 78.2% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 78.1% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 78.1% |
| 1989 | 33% | 78.2% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 78.2% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 78.3% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 78.3% |
| 1985 | 32% | 78.4% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 78.4% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 78.5% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 78.5% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 78.6% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 78.5% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 78.3% |
| 1978 | 29% | 78.2% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 78% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 77.8% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 77.7% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 77.5% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 77.4% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 77.2% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 77% |
| 1970 | 24% | 77.1% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 77.3% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 77.4% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 77.5% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 77.7% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 77.8% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 78% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 78.1% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 78.2% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 78.4% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 78.4% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 79.6% to 84.9% in the United Kingdom.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
United Kingdom
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| London | 8.8M |
| Birmingham | 1.14M |
| Glasgow | 626K |
| Manchester | 548K |
| Leeds | 536K |
| Sheffield | 518K |
| Liverpool | 513K |
| Edinburgh | 488K |
| Bristol | 472K |
| Leicester | 464K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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