Natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Natural population growth rate was 2.2% in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
2.2%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
37th
of 236 countries
All-time high
2.6%
in 2006
All-time low
1.3%
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 2.2% for natural population growth rate in 2023.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 7.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone peaked at 2.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 1.3%, in 1950.
Sierra Leone ranks 37th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.3% | — |
| 1951 | 1.4% | +2.0% |
| 1952 | 1.4% | +1.3% |
| 1953 | 1.4% | +1.0% |
| 1954 | 1.5% | +4.4% |
| 1955 | 1.5% | +2.8% |
| 1956 | 1.5% | +2.5% |
| 1957 | 1.6% | +2.3% |
| 1958 | 1.6% | +1.8% |
| 1959 | 1.6% | +2.1% |
| 1960 | 1.7% | +3.4% |
| 1961 | 1.7% | +3.2% |
| 1962 | 1.8% | +2.3% |
| 1963 | 1.8% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 1.9% | +2.6% |
| 1965 | 1.9% | +2.0% |
| 1966 | 2.0% | +2.9% |
| 1967 | 2.0% | +2.6% |
| 1968 | 2.0% | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 2.1% | +1.2% |
| 1970 | 2.1% | +1.2% |
| 1971 | 2.1% | +1.6% |
| 1972 | 2.1% | +1.2% |
| 1973 | 2.2% | +1.7% |
| 1974 | 2.2% | +2.8% |
| 1975 | 2.3% | +1.5% |
| 1976 | 2.3% | +1.0% |
| 1977 | 2.3% | +1.2% |
| 1978 | 2.4% | +1.5% |
| 1979 | 2.4% | +0.5% |
| 1980 | 2.4% | +0.5% |
| 1981 | 2.4% | +0.7% |
| 1982 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 1983 | 2.4% | +0.5% |
| 1984 | 2.4% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 2.4% | -0.2% |
| 1986 | 2.4% | -0.2% |
| 1987 | 2.5% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 2.4% | -0.5% |
| 1989 | 2.4% | -0.5% |
| 1990 | 2.4% | -1.5% |
| 1991 | 2.5% | +3.4% |
| 1992 | 2.5% | -0.2% |
| 1993 | 2.5% | +0.3% |
| 1994 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 1995 | 2.4% | -0.7% |
| 1996 | 2.5% | +2.7% |
| 1997 | 2.5% | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | -2.4% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -2.1% |
| 2000 | 2.5% | +5.7% |
| 2001 | 2.5% | -0.7% |
| 2002 | 2.5% | +2.3% |
| 2003 | 2.5% | -1.0% |
| 2004 | 2.5% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | +0.7% |
| 2006 | 2.6% | +2.7% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | -1.1% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 2.5% | -1.0% |
| 2011 | 2.5% | -0.4% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -1.2% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -2.2% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -3.0% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -1.0% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | +1.6% |
| 2017 | 2.3% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 2.4% | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -2.3% |
| 2021 | 2.3% | -1.0% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | -0.4% |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -1.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 2.2% is below the median for low income countries, which is 2.6%, 86% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.4%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.5% | 1.3% | 1.6% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.9% | 1.7% | 2.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.2% | 2.1% | 2.4% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.4% | 2.4% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.5% | 2.5% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.3% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 34 Sao Tome and Principe 2.3% compare
- 35 Eritrea 2.2% compare
- 36 Rwanda 2.2% compare
- 38 Solomon Islands 2.2% compare
- 39 Equatorial Guinea 2.2% compare
- 40 Iraq 2.2% compare
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 natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone?
- Natural population growth rate in Sierra Leone was 2.2% in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest natural population growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 2.6% in 2006.
- What is the lowest natural population growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.3% in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for natural population growth rate?
- Sierra Leone ranks 37th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is natural population growth rate rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Natural population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Births minus deaths, as a share of the population. This is the part of population change that comes only from births and deaths, ignoring migration.