Malawi vs Sierra Leone: Urban and rural population
Malawi
3.91 million
in 2025
Sierra Leone
4.05 million
in 2025
Malawi rank
116th
Sierra Leone rank
115th
Urban and rural population over time
- Malawi
- Sierra Leone
How they compare
Sierra Leone currently reports 4.05 million against 3.91 million in Malawi, a difference of 141,730.
The two have swapped places 2 times across 76 shared years of data; in 1950 it was Sierra Leone ahead.
Malawi ranks 116th and Sierra Leone ranks 115th of 236 countries.
Sierra Leone has averaged higher in every one of the 8 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Malawi | Sierra Leone | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 119,404 | 309,888 | 190,483 | Sierra Leone |
| 1960s | 186,870 | 498,552 | 311,682 | Sierra Leone |
| 1970s | 396,808 | 809,520 | 412,712 | Sierra Leone |
| 1980s | 770,168 | 1.16 million | 385,792 | Sierra Leone |
| 1990s | 1.37 million | 1.45 million | 78,740 | Sierra Leone |
| 2000s | 1.92 million | 1.97 million | 48,562 | Sierra Leone |
| 2010s | 2.67 million | 2.83 million | 164,615 | Sierra Leone |
| 2020s | 3.53 million | 3.73 million | 204,608 | Sierra Leone |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban and rural population, Malawi or Sierra Leone?
- Sierra Leone, at 4.05 million against 3.91 million in Malawi as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban and rural population between Malawi and Sierra Leone?
- 141,730, with Sierra Leone ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Malawi and Sierra Leone?
- 76 years are reported by both, from 1950 to 2025.
- How do Malawi and Sierra Leone rank globally for urban and rural population?
- Malawi ranks 116th and Sierra Leone ranks 115th of 236 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Urban and rural population. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.