Share of population urban in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population urban was 45.93 in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.93
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
171st
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.93
in 2025
All-time low
12.43
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population urban in Sierra Leone, 1950–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of population urban in Sierra Leone is 45.93, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
The figure is up 1.2% on the previous year and up 12.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population urban in Sierra Leone peaked at 45.93 in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.43, in 1950.
Sierra Leone ranks 171st of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population urban in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.43 | — |
| 1951 | 12.9 | +3.7% |
| 1952 | 13.37 | +3.7% |
| 1953 | 13.85 | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 14.34 | +3.5% |
| 1955 | 14.84 | +3.5% |
| 1956 | 15.35 | +3.4% |
| 1957 | 15.86 | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 16.38 | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 16.9 | +3.2% |
| 1960 | 17.43 | +3.1% |
| 1961 | 17.96 | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 18.5 | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 19.05 | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 19.65 | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 20.34 | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 21.09 | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 21.88 | +3.8% |
| 1968 | 22.7 | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 23.54 | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 24.36 | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 25.16 | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 25.92 | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 26.62 | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 27.24 | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 27.8 | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 28.32 | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 28.82 | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 29.31 | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 29.77 | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 30.21 | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 30.63 | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 31.03 | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 31.41 | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 31.77 | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 32.1 | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 32.41 | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 32.7 | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 32.97 | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 33.22 | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 33.46 | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 33.68 | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 33.9 | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 34.1 | +0.6% |
| 1994 | 34.3 | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 34.5 | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 34.7 | +0.6% |
| 1997 | 34.9 | +0.6% |
| 1998 | 35.1 | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 35.31 | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 35.53 | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 35.76 | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 36.01 | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 36.27 | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 36.55 | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 36.85 | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 37.17 | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 37.51 | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 37.87 | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 38.25 | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 38.64 | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 39.05 | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 39.46 | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 39.89 | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 40.33 | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 40.77 | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 41.23 | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 41.71 | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 42.2 | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 42.7 | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 43.21 | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 43.73 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 44.27 | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 44.81 | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 45.36 | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 45.93 | +1.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 45.93 is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.54, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 45.93 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.89, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 14.62 | 12.43 | 16.9 | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.22 | 17.43 | 23.54 | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.33 | 24.36 | 29.77 | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.85 | 30.21 | 33.22 | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.4 | 33.46 | 35.31 | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.78 | 35.53 | 38.25 | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.6 | 38.64 | 42.7 | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.55 | 43.21 | 45.93 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 168 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 47.98 compare
- 169 Turkmenistan 47.11 compare
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.65 compare
- 172 Zambia 45.92 compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.48 compare
- 174 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.11 compare
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)
- Population growth rate -0.137 (2100)
- Population density 220.76 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 983,692 (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population urban in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population urban in Sierra Leone was 45.93 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population urban recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 45.93 in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population urban recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.43 in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population urban?
- Sierra Leone ranks 171st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population urban rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 12.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population urban. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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