Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita was 57.7% in 2020. ▲ Rising
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone, 1950–2020
Source: European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 57.7% for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in 2020. That is the highest value across all 15 years on record.
The figure is up 10.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone peaked at 57.7% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 45.6%, in 1990.
That places Sierra Leone 189th out of 236 countries with data for 2020, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 15 years of available data.
Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 48.5% | — |
| 1955 | 48.6% | +0.2% |
| 1960 | 48.9% | +0.7% |
| 1965 | 49.8% | +1.7% |
| 1970 | 50.9% | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 52.1% | +2.3% |
| 1980 | 48.5% | -6.9% |
| 1985 | 46.6% | -4.0% |
| 1990 | 45.6% | -2.0% |
| 1995 | 46.8% | +2.5% |
| 2000 | 47.9% | +2.3% |
| 2005 | 50.9% | +6.3% |
| 2010 | 52.4% | +3.0% |
| 2015 | 54.9% | +4.7% |
| 2020 | 57.7% | +5.1% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 48.6% | 48.5% | 48.6% | 2 |
| 1960s | 49.4% | 48.9% | 49.8% | 2 |
| 1970s | 51.5% | 50.9% | 52.1% | 2 |
| 1980s | 47.5% | 46.6% | 48.5% | 2 |
| 1990s | 46.2% | 45.6% | 46.8% | 2 |
| 2000s | 49.4% | 47.9% | 50.9% | 2 |
| 2010s | 53.7% | 52.4% | 54.9% | 2 |
| 2020s | 57.7% | 57.7% | 57.7% | 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)
- 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 share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone was 57.7% in 2020, according to European Commission, Joint Research Centre (JRC) (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 57.7% in 2020.
- What is the lowest share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 45.6% in 1990.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita?
- Sierra Leone ranks 189th out of 236 countries with data for 2020.
- Is share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 10.0%. 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 major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in cities, towns and suburbs vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Estimated share of the population living in urban areas (the sum of cities and towns and suburbs). Urban areas are identified using satellite imagery and population data, applying the same definitions across countries.