Population by income level in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population by income level was 8.82 million in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8.82 million
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
100th
of 215 countries
All-time high
8.82 million
in 2025
All-time low
2.27 million
in 1960
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Population by income level in Sierra Leone, 1960–2025
Source: United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
Analysis
In 2025, population by income level in Sierra Leone stood at 8.82 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.1% on the previous year and up 25.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population by income level in Sierra Leone peaked at 8.82 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2.27 million, in 1960.
Sierra Leone ranks 100th of 215 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population by income level in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 2.27 million | — |
| 1961 | 2.30 million | +1.6% |
| 1962 | 2.34 million | +1.6% |
| 1963 | 2.38 million | +1.7% |
| 1964 | 2.42 million | +1.8% |
| 1965 | 2.47 million | +1.8% |
| 1966 | 2.51 million | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 2.56 million | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 2.61 million | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 2.66 million | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 2.71 million | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.76 million | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 2.81 million | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 2.87 million | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 2.92 million | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 2.97 million | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 3.03 million | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 3.09 million | +1.9% |
| 1978 | 3.15 million | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 3.21 million | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 3.27 million | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 3.34 million | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 3.41 million | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 3.48 million | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.56 million | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 3.64 million | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 3.73 million | +2.5% |
| 1987 | 3.83 million | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 3.93 million | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 4.03 million | +2.5% |
| 1990 | 4.20 million | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 4.25 million | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 4.17 million | -1.9% |
| 1993 | 4.16 million | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 4.17 million | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 4.18 million | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 4.20 million | +0.5% |
| 1997 | 4.25 million | +1.3% |
| 1998 | 4.30 million | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 4.32 million | +0.5% |
| 2000 | 4.42 million | +2.4% |
| 2001 | 4.69 million | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 4.97 million | +5.9% |
| 2003 | 5.18 million | +4.1% |
| 2004 | 5.36 million | +3.4% |
| 2005 | 5.50 million | +2.7% |
| 2006 | 5.62 million | +2.2% |
| 2007 | 5.75 million | +2.2% |
| 2008 | 5.89 million | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 6.06 million | +2.7% |
| 2010 | 6.22 million | +2.8% |
| 2011 | 6.39 million | +2.6% |
| 2012 | 6.55 million | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 6.71 million | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 6.88 million | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 7.04 million | +2.3% |
| 2016 | 7.21 million | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 7.38 million | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7.55 million | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 7.73 million | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 7.91 million | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 8.09 million | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 8.28 million | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 8.46 million | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 8.64 million | +2.1% |
| 2025 | 8.82 million | +2.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 8.82 million is below the median for low income countries, which is 24.07 million, 37% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 8.82 million is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.96 million, 59% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.45 million | 2.27 million | 2.66 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.95 million | 2.71 million | 3.21 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.62 million | 3.27 million | 4.03 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.22 million | 4.16 million | 4.32 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.34 million | 4.42 million | 6.06 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.97 million | 6.22 million | 7.73 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.37 million | 7.91 million | 8.82 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More population data for Sierra Leone
- Population regions 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 long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 13,595 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6516 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 220.76 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 983,692 people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population by income level in Sierra Leone?
- Population by income level in Sierra Leone was 8.82 million in 2025, according to United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest population by income level recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 8.82 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population by income level recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.27 million in 1960.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population by income level?
- Sierra Leone ranks 100th out of 215 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population by income level rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Population Division, national statistical offices, and Eurostat, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Population by income level. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, differentiated by World Bank income level.