Share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population living in urbanized areas was 47.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
47.2%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
144th
of 202 countries
All-time high
47.2%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone stood at 47.2%. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone peaked at 47.2% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Sierra Leone ranks 144th of 202 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.4% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 1.2% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 1.4% | +12.7% |
| 1720 | 1.5% | +9.5% |
| 1730 | 1.6% | +9.5% |
| 1740 | 1.8% | +9.5% |
| 1750 | 2.0% | +9.5% |
| 1760 | 2.1% | +9.5% |
| 1770 | 2.3% | +9.5% |
| 1780 | 2.6% | +9.5% |
| 1790 | 2.8% | +9.5% |
| 1800 | 3.1% | +9.5% |
| 1810 | 3.4% | +9.5% |
| 1820 | 3.7% | +9.5% |
| 1830 | 4.0% | +9.5% |
| 1840 | 4.4% | +9.5% |
| 1850 | 4.8% | +9.5% |
| 1860 | 5.3% | +9.5% |
| 1870 | 5.8% | +9.5% |
| 1880 | 6.4% | +9.5% |
| 1890 | 7.0% | +9.5% |
| 1900 | 7.6% | +9.5% |
| 1910 | 8.4% | +9.5% |
| 1920 | 9.2% | +9.5% |
| 1930 | 10.0% | +9.5% |
| 1940 | 11.0% | +9.5% |
| 1950 | 12.0% | +9.5% |
| 1951 | 12.5% | +3.6% |
| 1952 | 12.9% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 13.4% | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 13.9% | +3.6% |
| 1955 | 14.4% | +3.6% |
| 1956 | 14.9% | +3.6% |
| 1957 | 15.4% | +3.5% |
| 1958 | 15.9% | +3.5% |
| 1959 | 16.5% | +3.4% |
| 1960 | 17.0% | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 17.6% | +3.3% |
| 1962 | 18.2% | +3.3% |
| 1963 | 18.8% | +3.2% |
| 1964 | 19.4% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 20.0% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 20.6% | +3.1% |
| 1967 | 21.3% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 21.9% | +3.0% |
| 1969 | 22.5% | +2.9% |
| 1970 | 23.2% | +2.8% |
| 1971 | 24.0% | +3.6% |
| 1972 | 24.9% | +3.6% |
| 1973 | 25.8% | +3.6% |
| 1974 | 26.7% | +3.7% |
| 1975 | 27.6% | +3.1% |
| 1976 | 28.0% | +1.6% |
| 1977 | 28.5% | +1.7% |
| 1978 | 29.0% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 29.5% | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 30.0% | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 30.4% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 30.8% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 31.3% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | +1.6% |
| 1985 | 32.4% | +1.9% |
| 1986 | 32.8% | +1.4% |
| 1987 | 33.3% | +1.3% |
| 1988 | 33.6% | +1.2% |
| 1989 | 33.9% | +0.6% |
| 1990 | 33.8% | -0.2% |
| 1991 | 34.3% | +1.5% |
| 1992 | 34.5% | +0.7% |
| 1993 | 34.6% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 34.7% | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 35.0% | +0.7% |
| 1996 | 34.8% | -0.5% |
| 1997 | 34.8% | +0.0% |
| 1998 | 35.0% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 35.5% | +1.3% |
| 2000 | 36.2% | +2.1% |
| 2001 | 36.5% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 36.7% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 36.9% | +0.6% |
| 2004 | 37.1% | +0.6% |
| 2005 | 37.3% | +0.6% |
| 2006 | 37.5% | +0.6% |
| 2007 | 37.7% | +0.6% |
| 2008 | 38.0% | +0.6% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 38.4% | +0.6% |
| 2011 | 39.0% | +1.6% |
| 2012 | 39.6% | +1.5% |
| 2013 | 40.2% | +1.5% |
| 2014 | 40.8% | +1.5% |
| 2015 | 41.4% | +1.5% |
| 2016 | 42.0% | +1.4% |
| 2017 | 42.6% | +1.4% |
| 2018 | 43.2% | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 43.8% | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 44.4% | +1.4% |
| 2021 | 45.0% | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 45.5% | +1.3% |
| 2023 | 46.1% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 46.6% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 47.2% | +1.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 47.2% is above the median for low income countries, which is 40.5%, 1.2× the median. (24 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 47.2% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 46.2%, 1.0× the median. (46 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urbanized areas 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.1% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.1% | 0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1 |
| 1850s | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 1 |
| 1870s | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 1 |
| 1910s | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 1930s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 11.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 14.2% | 12.0% | 16.5% | 10 |
| 1960s | 19.7% | 17.0% | 22.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 26.7% | 23.2% | 29.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 32.0% | 30.0% | 33.9% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.7% | 33.8% | 35.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 37.2% | 36.2% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 41.1% | 38.4% | 43.8% | 10 |
| 2020s | 45.8% | 44.4% | 47.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More population data for Sierra Leone
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate -1.21 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 983,692 people (2100)
- Population density 220.76 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population living in urbanized areas in Sierra Leone was 47.2% in 2025, according to HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 47.2% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urbanized areas recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population living in urbanized areas?
- Sierra Leone ranks 144th out of 202 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urbanized areas rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urbanized areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of population living in urban areas in a country over time.