COUNTRY PROFILESierra Leone
Sierra Leone's population is 8,819,794 (2025) — the 100th-largest in the world and the 33rd-largest in Africa, growing by about 177,772 people a year.
8,918,961
Population right now, ticking live from the last confirmed count.▲ growing8,819,794 (World Bank, 2025) + +177,772/year × elapsed time since 2025-12-31 — open formula, updates every tick
Sierra Leone Facts at a Glance
Five numbers that summarise the country — population trend, rank, density, wealth, share of humanity.
Population2025
8,819,794
World rank
#100
of 217 tracked geographies
Density
122.2 / km²
72,180 km² land area
GDP / capita
$846
#151 economy overall
Share of humanity
1 in 931 people on Earth lives in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone's Population Growth
Yes — Sierra Leone's population rose by 177,772 people (+2.06%) between 2024 and 2025. The fertility rate is 3.7 births per woman. Net migration was negative in the latest year on record.
You, in Sierra Leone
A personal read on the numbers above — nothing is stored, it never leaves your browser.
Enter a birth year between 1960 and 2025 to see where you'd land.
Sierra Leone Demographics
Every indicator has its own source and dataset year — shown honestly rather than smoothed into one.
Population density2025
122.2 people / km²
72,180 km² land area, 2025
Median age2025
20.7 years
half the population is older, half younger
Life expectancy2024
62.0 years
M 60.2 · F 63.7
Average height2019
166.4 cm (male)
female 157.3 cm
Homicide rate2020
2.2 per 100,000
#87 safest of 196
Air quality (PM2.5)2023
22.5 µg/m³
lower is cleaner
Urban population2025
45.9 %
share living in cities
Fertility rate2025
3.7 births / woman
replacement level ≈ 2.1
Net migration2025
−11,309 people
negative in latest year
Sierra Leone in World Rankings
Every world ranking we publish, where this country sits in each one, and its overall percentile profile.
Population8,819,794 people
#100 / 217
→
GDP$7.5B
#151 / 186
→
Life expectancy62 years
#206 / 217
→
Average height166.4 cm (male)
#181 / 200
→
Cleanest air22.46 µg/m³ PM2.5
#132 / 200
→
Safest countries2.2 homicides / 100k
#87 / 196
→
Most dangerous2.2 homicides / 100k
#112 / 196
→
Percentile in each ranking — further from centre is a higher rank (closer to #1).
Population, 1960 to 2025
66 years of estimates from the same source.
Source: World Bank (SP.POP.TOTL) · annual estimates, 1960–2025 · hover the line for any year.
Age & sex structure
17 five-year bands, male and female, 2025.
Male — 4,399,022Female — 4,420,772
Largest cities
By population, GeoNames city-proper figures (not metro area).
Where is Sierra Leone Located?
- Capital
- Freetown
- Currency
- Leone (SLE)
- Language(s)
- English, MEN, TEM
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Continent
- 54 countries in Africa →
- Land area
- 72,180 km²
- Area (GeoNames)
- 71,740 km²
- Borders
- 2 countries
Liberia
GuineaSierra LeoneVSExplore Sierra Leone in Every Ranking
Jump straight to the full world table for any of these indicators.
Frequently asked
What is the population of Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone's population is 8,819,794 as of 2025 (World Bank estimate), ranking #100 of 217 countries and territories by population.
How many people live in Sierra Leone?
8,819,794 people, as of the 2025 World Bank estimate — the most recent figure this page tracks.
What is Sierra Leone's population density?
122.2 people per km², based on a land area of 72,180 km².
What is Sierra Leone ranked in population worldwide?
#100 of 217 countries and territories by population — see the full ranking table for every country's position.
What is the life expectancy in Sierra Leone?
62.0 years on average (2024) — 60.2 for men, 63.7 for women.
What is Sierra Leone's GDP?
$7.5B, ranking #151 of 186 economies we track — $846 per capita.
Sources
World Bank Open Data
CC BY 4.0 · population, GDP, life expectancy, homicide, PM2.5, vitals
data.worldbank.org →