Share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of the population living in cities was 38.68 in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone, 1950–2020
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone is 38.68, measured in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
That represents a change of up 16.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone peaked at 38.68 in 2020 and was at its lowest, 6.04, in 1950.
Sierra Leone ranks 107th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 6.04 | — |
| 1955 | 6.39 | +5.8% |
| 1960 | 9.13 | +42.9% |
| 1965 | 14.43 | +58.0% |
| 1970 | 18.48 | +28.1% |
| 1975 | 20.75 | +12.3% |
| 1980 | 22.35 | +7.7% |
| 1985 | 23.8 | +6.5% |
| 1990 | 23.88 | +0.3% |
| 1995 | 26.42 | +10.6% |
| 2000 | 27.96 | +5.8% |
| 2005 | 29.04 | +3.9% |
| 2010 | 33.34 | +14.8% |
| 2015 | 36.36 | +9.1% |
| 2020 | 38.68 | +6.4% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 38.68 is above the median for low income countries, which is 31.77, 1.2× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 38.68 is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 37.31, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of the population living in cities 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1965 | +58.0% | 9.13 | 14.43 |
| 1960 | +42.9% | 6.39 | 9.13 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 6.21 | 6.04 | 6.39 | 2 |
| 1960s | 11.78 | 9.13 | 14.43 | 2 |
| 1970s | 19.62 | 18.48 | 20.75 | 2 |
| 1980s | 23.08 | 22.35 | 23.8 | 2 |
| 1990s | 25.15 | 23.88 | 26.42 | 2 |
| 2000s | 28.5 | 27.96 | 29.04 | 2 |
| 2010s | 34.85 | 33.34 | 36.36 | 2 |
| 2020s | 38.68 | 38.68 | 38.68 | 1 |
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)
- 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 the population living in cities in Sierra Leone?
- Share of the population living in cities in Sierra Leone was 38.68 in 2020, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of the population living in cities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 38.68 in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of the population living in cities recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.04 in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of the population living in cities?
- Sierra Leone ranks 107th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of the population living in cities rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 16.0%. 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 the population living in cities. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 15 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).