Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Number of children, working-age adults, and older people was 271,295 people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
271,295 people
Change on year
up 3.2%
World rank
134th
of 236 countries
All-time high
271,295 people
in 2023
All-time low
60,363 people
in 1950
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone is 271,295 people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.2% on the previous year and up 25.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone peaked at 271,295 people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 60,363 people, in 1950.
That places Sierra Leone 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 60,363 people | — |
| 1951 | 63,228 people | +4.7% |
| 1952 | 66,036 people | +4.4% |
| 1953 | 68,783 people | +4.2% |
| 1954 | 71,463 people | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 74,094 people | +3.7% |
| 1956 | 76,676 people | +3.5% |
| 1957 | 79,221 people | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 81,701 people | +3.1% |
| 1959 | 84,157 people | +3.0% |
| 1960 | 86,645 people | +3.0% |
| 1961 | 89,154 people | +2.9% |
| 1962 | 91,666 people | +2.8% |
| 1963 | 94,176 people | +2.7% |
| 1964 | 96,685 people | +2.7% |
| 1965 | 99,217 people | +2.6% |
| 1966 | 101,771 people | +2.6% |
| 1967 | 104,346 people | +2.5% |
| 1968 | 106,927 people | +2.5% |
| 1969 | 109,477 people | +2.4% |
| 1970 | 112,006 people | +2.3% |
| 1971 | 114,465 people | +2.2% |
| 1972 | 116,862 people | +2.1% |
| 1973 | 119,232 people | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 121,556 people | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 123,837 people | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 126,068 people | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 128,338 people | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 130,681 people | +1.8% |
| 1979 | 133,029 people | +1.8% |
| 1980 | 135,425 people | +1.8% |
| 1981 | 137,847 people | +1.8% |
| 1982 | 140,274 people | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 142,770 people | +1.8% |
| 1984 | 145,312 people | +1.8% |
| 1985 | 147,846 people | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 150,677 people | +1.9% |
| 1987 | 153,852 people | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 157,061 people | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 159,957 people | +1.8% |
| 1990 | 165,219 people | +3.3% |
| 1991 | 165,820 people | +0.4% |
| 1992 | 161,206 people | -2.8% |
| 1993 | 159,334 people | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 158,289 people | -0.7% |
| 1995 | 156,720 people | -1.0% |
| 1996 | 155,691 people | -0.7% |
| 1997 | 156,001 people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 155,715 people | -0.2% |
| 1999 | 154,617 people | -0.7% |
| 2000 | 156,558 people | +1.3% |
| 2001 | 164,352 people | +5.0% |
| 2002 | 172,477 people | +4.9% |
| 2003 | 178,000 people | +3.2% |
| 2004 | 182,505 people | +2.5% |
| 2005 | 185,889 people | +1.9% |
| 2006 | 188,566 people | +1.4% |
| 2007 | 191,440 people | +1.5% |
| 2008 | 195,147 people | +1.9% |
| 2009 | 199,609 people | +2.3% |
| 2010 | 204,363 people | +2.4% |
| 2011 | 208,847 people | +2.2% |
| 2012 | 213,246 people | +2.1% |
| 2013 | 216,759 people | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 219,022 people | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 221,980 people | +1.4% |
| 2016 | 226,291 people | +1.9% |
| 2017 | 231,126 people | +2.1% |
| 2018 | 236,445 people | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 242,400 people | +2.5% |
| 2020 | 248,521 people | +2.5% |
| 2021 | 255,102 people | +2.6% |
| 2022 | 262,814 people | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 271,295 people | +3.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 271,295 people is below the median for low income countries, which is 571,728 people, 47% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 271,295 people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 418,208 people, 65% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 72,572 people | 60,363 people | 84,157 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 98,006 people | 86,645 people | 109,477 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 122,607 people | 112,006 people | 133,029 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 147,102 people | 135,425 people | 159,957 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 158,861 people | 154,617 people | 165,820 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 181,454 people | 156,558 people | 199,609 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 222,048 people | 204,363 people | 242,400 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 259,433 people | 248,521 people | 271,295 people | 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 number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone?
- Number of children, working-age adults, and older people in Sierra Leone was 271,295 people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 271,295 people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children, working-age adults, and older people recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 60,363 people in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for number of children, working-age adults, and older people?
- Sierra Leone ranks 134th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children, working-age adults, and older people rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.2%. 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 Number of children, working-age adults, and older people. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 65+.