Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of urban population who live in the largest city was 38.8% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2020, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone stood at 38.8%. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 10.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone peaked at 38.8% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, in 1950.
That places Sierra Leone 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 12.8% | 12.4% | 13.1% | 2 |
| 1960s | 14.5% | 13.7% | 15.2% | 2 |
| 1970s | 18.8% | 17.7% | 20.0% | 2 |
| 1980s | 27.3% | 25.0% | 29.6% | 2 |
| 1990s | 32.9% | 30.4% | 35.4% | 2 |
| 2000s | 35.7% | 33.6% | 37.7% | 2 |
| 2010s | 35.3% | 35.2% | 35.4% | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.8% | 38.8% | 38.8% | 1 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More population data for Sierra Leone
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 0 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 3.79 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 3.31 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone?
- Share of urban population who live in the largest city in Sierra Leone was 38.8% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 38.8% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of urban population who live in the largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of urban population who live in the largest city?
- Sierra Leone ranks 46th out of 179 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of urban population who live in the largest city rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of urban population who live in the largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Percentage of the urban population living in the country's largest city (by population). City boundaries are defined using a consistent global approach based on satellite imagery and population data.