Population growth rate in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population growth rate was 2.2% in 2023. ◆ Volatile
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 population growth rate in 2023.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 10.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth rate in Sierra Leone peaked at 7.3% in 2001 and was at its lowest, -3.1%, in 1991.
Sierra Leone ranks 46th of 236 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 rate in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1.2% | — |
| 1951 | 1.2% | +1.2% |
| 1952 | 1.2% | -1.3% |
| 1953 | 1.1% | -3.6% |
| 1954 | 1.2% | +6.8% |
| 1955 | 1.2% | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 1.3% | +3.5% |
| 1957 | 1.3% | +2.6% |
| 1958 | 1.3% | -2.8% |
| 1959 | 1.4% | +11.3% |
| 1960 | 1.5% | +6.7% |
| 1961 | 1.6% | +5.3% |
| 1962 | 1.7% | +3.4% |
| 1963 | 1.7% | +3.7% |
| 1964 | 1.8% | +3.3% |
| 1965 | 1.8% | +3.2% |
| 1966 | 1.9% | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 1.9% | +3.1% |
| 1968 | 1.9% | -0.9% |
| 1969 | 1.9% | -0.1% |
| 1970 | 1.9% | +0.6% |
| 1971 | 1.8% | -4.2% |
| 1972 | 1.8% | +1.5% |
| 1973 | 1.9% | +0.3% |
| 1974 | 1.8% | -0.4% |
| 1975 | 1.8% | -0.7% |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -3.1% |
| 1977 | 1.9% | +8.1% |
| 1978 | 1.9% | +1.1% |
| 1979 | 2.0% | +1.0% |
| 1980 | 2.0% | +3.3% |
| 1981 | 2.0% | -0.3% |
| 1982 | 2.1% | +3.3% |
| 1983 | 2.2% | +4.5% |
| 1984 | 2.2% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 2.2% | +1.1% |
| 1986 | 2.7% | +19.2% |
| 1987 | 2.7% | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 2.7% | -0.7% |
| 1989 | 2.3% | -14.1% |
| 1990 | 5.5% | +139.6% |
| 1991 | -3.1% | -156.8% |
| 1992 | -0.6% | -79.9% |
| 1993 | 0.2% | -129.9% |
| 1994 | 0.6% | +205.8% |
| 1995 | -0.3% | -149.5% |
| 1996 | 1.2% | -533.2% |
| 1997 | 1.3% | +8.2% |
| 1998 | 0.6% | -52.8% |
| 1999 | 0.4% | -36.4% |
| 2000 | 4.4% | +989.8% |
| 2001 | 7.3% | +67.6% |
| 2002 | 4.3% | -41.6% |
| 2003 | 3.9% | -10.1% |
| 2004 | 2.9% | -24.2% |
| 2005 | 2.5% | -15.8% |
| 2006 | 2.0% | -20.5% |
| 2007 | 2.4% | +24.2% |
| 2008 | 2.6% | +5.4% |
| 2009 | 2.8% | +10.1% |
| 2010 | 2.6% | -6.9% |
| 2011 | 2.6% | -1.1% |
| 2012 | 2.5% | -4.7% |
| 2013 | 2.4% | -1.2% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -4.4% |
| 2015 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2016 | 2.4% | +4.6% |
| 2017 | 2.4% | -1.7% |
| 2018 | 2.3% | -1.5% |
| 2019 | 2.3% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 2.3% | -0.4% |
| 2021 | 2.2% | -2.5% |
| 2022 | 2.2% | -1.7% |
| 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 2.7%, 81% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 2.2% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.3%, 93% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth rate 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 | +989.8% | 0.4% | 4.4% |
| 1996 | +533.2% | -0.3% | 1.2% |
| 1994 | +205.8% | 0.2% | 0.6% |
| 1991 | -156.8% | 5.5% | -3.1% |
| 1995 | -149.5% | 0.6% | -0.3% |
| 1990 | +139.6% | 2.3% | 5.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1.2% | 1.1% | 1.4% | 10 |
| 1960s | 1.8% | 1.5% | 1.9% | 10 |
| 1970s | 1.9% | 1.8% | 2.0% | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2.7% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6% | -3.1% | 5.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.5% | 2.0% | 7.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.2% | 2.2% | 2.3% | 4 |
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 growth rate in Sierra Leone?
- 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 population growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 7.3% in 2001.
- What is the lowest population growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was -3.1% in 1991.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population growth rate?
- Sierra Leone ranks 46th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is population growth rate rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 10.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- 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 Population growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual rate at which the population is growing, expressed as a percentage.