Sierra Leone has a population density of 310 people per square mile compared to 74.3 people in Zambia. Sierra Leone has 89,354 sq ft of land per person vs 380,067 sq ft in Zambia. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Sierra Leone and Zambia are ranked 77th and 158th, 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 0.26% of the population and 0.5% of the land area for Zambia, hence the population density in Sierra Leone is 318% higher than in Zambia.
Population density comparison
Sierra Leone
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 310 ppl/mi² | 74.3 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 77/197 | 158/197 |
| Population |
8961932
|
22402291
|
| Land area | 27,869 sq mi | 287,024 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 89,902 sq ft | 375,407 sq ft |
| Rural population | 55.2% | 53.1% |
| Urban population | 44.8% | 46.9% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 0% | 11.6% |
Sierra Leone vs Zambia:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Sierra Leone increased by 61.4%, compared to a 88% growth in Zambia.
In 2004, Sierra Leone ranked 95th for population density and is in 77th place now. Zambia was 163rd in 2004 and ranks 158th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 310 | 74.3 |
| 2023 | 304 | 72.2 |
| 2022 | 297 | 70.2 |
| 2021 | 290.5 | 68.3 |
| 2020 | 283.9 | 66.4 |
| 2019 | 277.4 | 64.5 |
| 2018 | 271.1 | 62.6 |
| 2017 | 264.8 | 60.8 |
| 2016 | 258.5 | 58.9 |
| 2015 | 252.5 | 57.1 |
| 2014 | 246.7 | 55.4 |
| 2013 | 240.9 | 53.7 |
| 2012 | 235.1 | 52 |
| 2011 | 229.2 | 50.3 |
| 2010 | 223.3 | 48.7 |
| 2009 | 217.3 | 47 |
| 2008 | 211.5 | 45.4 |
| 2007 | 206.3 | 43.8 |
| 2006 | 201.8 | 42.3 |
| 2005 | 197.4 | 40.8 |
| 2004 | 192.2 | 39.5 |
| 2003 | 185.8 | 38.3 |
| 2002 | 178.4 | 37.1 |
| 2001 | 168.4 | 36 |
| 2000 | 158.7 | 34.9 |
| 1999 | 154.9 | 33.9 |
| 1998 | 154.1 | 33 |
| 1997 | 152.6 | 32.2 |
| 1996 | 150.7 | 31.4 |
| 1995 | 150 | 30.6 |
| 1994 | 149.7 | 29.9 |
| 1993 | 149.2 | 29.2 |
| 1992 | 149.5 | 28.5 |
| 1991 | 152.4 | 27.8 |
| 1990 | 150.6 | 27.1 |
| 1989 | 144.8 | 26.4 |
| 1988 | 141.2 | 25.8 |
| 1987 | 137.4 | 25.1 |
| 1986 | 133.8 | 24.3 |
| 1985 | 130.6 | 23.6 |
| 1984 | 127.7 | 22.9 |
| 1983 | 124.9 | 22.2 |
| 1982 | 122.3 | 21.5 |
| 1981 | 119.8 | 20.8 |
| 1980 | 117.4 | 20.2 |
| 1979 | 115.1 | 19.6 |
| 1978 | 112.9 | 19 |
| 1977 | 110.7 | 18.5 |
| 1976 | 108.7 | 17.9 |
| 1975 | 106.7 | 17.4 |
| 1974 | 104.8 | 16.9 |
| 1973 | 102.9 | 16.4 |
| 1972 | 101 | 15.9 |
| 1971 | 99.2 | 15.5 |
| 1970 | 97.3 | 15.1 |
| 1969 | 95.5 | 14.6 |
| 1968 | 93.7 | 14.2 |
| 1967 | 91.9 | 13.7 |
| 1966 | 90.2 | 13.3 |
| 1965 | 88.6 | 12.9 |
| 1964 | 87 | 12.5 |
| 1963 | 85.5 | 12.1 |
| 1962 | 84 | 11.7 |
| 1961 | 82.7 | 11.3 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Sierra Leone
|
Zambia
|
|
| 2024 | 44.8% | 46.9% |
| 2023 | 44.3% | 46.3% |
| 2022 | 43.8% | 45.8% |
| 2021 | 43.4% | 45.2% |
| 2020 | 42.9% | 44.6% |
| 2019 | 42.5% | 44.1% |
| 2018 | 42.1% | 43.5% |
| 2017 | 41.6% | 43% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | 42.4% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | 41.9% |
| 2014 | 40.4% | 41.4% |
| 2013 | 40% | 40.9% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | 40.4% |
| 2011 | 39.2% | 39.9% |
| 2010 | 38.9% | 39.4% |
| 2009 | 38.5% | 38.9% |
| 2008 | 38.1% | 38.4% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | 37.9% |
| 2006 | 37.3% | 37.4% |
| 2005 | 36.9% | 36.9% |
| 2004 | 36.6% | 36.4% |
| 2003 | 36.4% | 36% |
| 2002 | 36.1% | 35.5% |
| 2001 | 35.9% | 35% |
| 2000 | 35.6% | 34.8% |
| 1999 | 35.4% | 35.3% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | 35.7% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | 36.2% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | 36.6% |
| 1995 | 34.4% | 37.1% |
| 1994 | 34.2% | 37.6% |
| 1993 | 34% | 38% |
| 1992 | 33.7% | 38.5% |
| 1991 | 33.5% | 39% |
| 1990 | 33.3% | 39.4% |
| 1989 | 33% | 39.5% |
| 1988 | 32.8% | 39.5% |
| 1987 | 32.6% | 39.6% |
| 1986 | 32.3% | 39.6% |
| 1985 | 32% | 39.7% |
| 1984 | 31.6% | 39.7% |
| 1983 | 31.1% | 39.8% |
| 1982 | 30.7% | 39.8% |
| 1981 | 30.2% | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 29.8% | 39.8% |
| 1979 | 29.4% | 38.8% |
| 1978 | 29% | 37.8% |
| 1977 | 28.6% | 36.9% |
| 1976 | 28.1% | 35.9% |
| 1975 | 27.7% | 34.9% |
| 1974 | 27.1% | 34% |
| 1973 | 26.3% | 33.1% |
| 1972 | 25.5% | 32.1% |
| 1971 | 24.7% | 31.2% |
| 1970 | 24% | 30.4% |
| 1969 | 23.2% | 29.4% |
| 1968 | 22.5% | 27.8% |
| 1967 | 21.8% | 26.3% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | 24.8% |
| 1965 | 20.4% | 23.4% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | 22% |
| 1963 | 19.1% | 20.7% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | 19.8% |
| 1961 | 17.9% | 19% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 18.1% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 36.6% to 44.8% in Sierra Leone and from 36.4% to 46.9% in Zambia.
Densely populated cities
|
Sierra Leone
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Freetown | 951K |
| Bo | 234K |
| Kenema | 188K |
|
Zambia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Lusaka | 2.47M |
| Kitwe | 625K |
| Ndola | 528K |
| Chingola | 255K |
| Mufulira | 182K |
| Livingstone | 177K |
| Kasama | 158K |
| Kapiri Mposhi | 65.2K |
| Choma | 51.8K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
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comparisons:
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