Population growth in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population growth was 2.0% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population growth in Sierra Leone, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 2.0% for population growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 4.1% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Sierra Leone peaked at 5.9% in 2001 and was at its lowest, -1.9%, in 1992.
Sierra Leone ranks 47th of 218 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Population growth in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 1.6% | — |
| 1962 | 1.6% | +4.3% |
| 1963 | 1.7% | +3.5% |
| 1964 | 1.8% | +3.5% |
| 1965 | 1.8% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 1.8% | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 1.9% | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 1.9% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | -0.5% |
| 1970 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 1971 | 1.9% | -1.8% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | -1.4% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | +0.9% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -0.1% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -0.6% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -1.9% |
| 1977 | 1.8% | +2.5% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | +4.4% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | +2.2% |
| 1981 | 2.0% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | +1.5% |
| 1983 | 2.1% | +3.9% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +2.7% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | +10.3% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | +9.8% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +0.7% |
| 1989 | 2.5% | -7.5% |
| 1990 | 4.0% | +58.4% |
| 1991 | 1.2% | -70.4% |
| 1992 | -1.9% | -262.2% |
| 1993 | -0.2% | -88.3% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -272.8% |
| 1995 | 0.1% | -62.1% |
| 1996 | 0.5% | +228.8% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | +169.7% |
| 1998 | 1.0% | -23.7% |
| 1999 | 0.5% | -47.5% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +367.4% |
| 2001 | 5.9% | +144.5% |
| 2002 | 5.8% | -2.3% |
| 2003 | 4.1% | -29.5% |
| 2004 | 3.4% | -16.8% |
| 2005 | 2.7% | -20.4% |
| 2006 | 2.2% | -18.0% |
| 2007 | 2.2% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +13.7% |
| 2009 | 2.7% | +7.9% |
| 2010 | 2.7% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -4.1% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -3.0% |
| 2013 | 2.5% | -3.0% |
| 2014 | 2.4% | -2.8% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -3.0% |
| 2016 | 2.4% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | +1.3% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -1.6% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -0.6% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -2.1% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 2.1% | -3.3% |
| 2025 | 2.0% | -4.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2.0% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.6%, 80% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.0% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 90% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth in Sierra Leone changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2000 | +367.4% | 0.5% | 2.4% |
| 1994 | +272.8% | -0.2% | 0.4% |
| 1992 | -262.2% | 1.2% | -1.9% |
| 1996 | +228.8% | 0.1% | 0.5% |
| 1997 | +169.7% | 0.5% | 1.3% |
| 2001 | +144.5% | 2.4% | 5.9% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.7% | -1.9% | 4.0% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.4% | 2.2% | 5.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.0% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More climate change data for Sierra Leone
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 3.65 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,547 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 538.77 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,008 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 2.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 36.02 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,431 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 201.66 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 1,229 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 0.761 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Sierra Leone?
- Population growth in Sierra Leone was 2.0% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 5.9% in 2001.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -1.9% in 1992.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population growth?
- Sierra Leone ranks 47th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.