Total population (thousands) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Total population (thousands) was 8,731 thousands in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
8,731 thousands
Change on year
up 2.1%
World rank
101st
of 233 countries
All-time high
8,731 thousands
in 2025
All-time low
2,687 thousands
in 1970
Years of data
56
1970–2025
Total population in Sierra Leone, 1970–2025
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in thousands.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 8,731 thousands for total population in 2025. That is the highest value across all 56 years on record.
That represents a change of up 2.1% on the previous year and up 25.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, total population in Sierra Leone peaked at 8,731 thousands in 2025 and was at its lowest, 2,687 thousands, in 1970.
Sierra Leone ranks 101st of 233 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 56 years of available data.
Total population (thousands) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | thousands | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 2,687 thousands | — |
| 1971 | 2,738 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 2,788 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 2,840 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 2,894 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1975 | 2,947 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 3,002 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1977 | 3,056 thousands | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 3,115 thousands | +1.9% |
| 1979 | 3,176 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 3,239 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1981 | 3,305 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 3,373 thousands | +2.0% |
| 1983 | 3,444 thousands | +2.1% |
| 1984 | 3,520 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1985 | 3,598 thousands | +2.2% |
| 1986 | 3,679 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 3,778 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1988 | 3,882 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1989 | 3,987 thousands | +2.7% |
| 1990 | 4,081 thousands | +2.3% |
| 1991 | 4,313 thousands | +5.7% |
| 1992 | 4,180 thousands | -3.1% |
| 1993 | 4,153 thousands | -0.6% |
| 1994 | 4,161 thousands | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 4,185 thousands | +0.6% |
| 1996 | 4,173 thousands | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 4,225 thousands | +1.2% |
| 1998 | 4,282 thousands | +1.3% |
| 1999 | 4,309 thousands | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 4,327 thousands | +0.4% |
| 2001 | 4,520 thousands | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 4,865 thousands | +7.6% |
| 2003 | 5,078 thousands | +4.4% |
| 2004 | 5,277 thousands | +3.9% |
| 2005 | 5,434 thousands | +3.0% |
| 2006 | 5,569 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 5,680 thousands | +2.0% |
| 2008 | 5,819 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2009 | 5,970 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 6,141 thousands | +2.9% |
| 2011 | 6,304 thousands | +2.7% |
| 2012 | 6,470 thousands | +2.6% |
| 2013 | 6,632 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2014 | 6,796 thousands | +2.5% |
| 2015 | 6,957 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 7,119 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2017 | 7,292 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2018 | 7,467 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2019 | 7,643 thousands | +2.4% |
| 2020 | 7,821 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 8,004 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2022 | 8,185 thousands | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 8,368 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2024 | 8,553 thousands | +2.2% |
| 2025 | 8,731 thousands | +2.1% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 8,731 thousands is below the median for low income countries, which is 23,812 thousands, 37% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 8,731 thousands is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14,783 thousands, 59% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 2,924 thousands | 2,687 thousands | 3,176 thousands | 10 |
| 1980s | 3,580 thousands | 3,239 thousands | 3,987 thousands | 10 |
| 1990s | 4,206 thousands | 4,081 thousands | 4,313 thousands | 10 |
| 2000s | 5,254 thousands | 4,327 thousands | 5,970 thousands | 10 |
| 2010s | 6,882 thousands | 6,141 thousands | 7,643 thousands | 10 |
| 2020s | 8,277 thousands | 7,821 thousands | 8,731 thousands | 6 |
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 total population in Sierra Leone?
- Total population in Sierra Leone was 8,731 thousands in 2025, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest total population recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 8,731 thousands in 2025.
- What is the lowest total population recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 2,687 thousands in 1970.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for total population?
- Sierra Leone ranks 101st out of 233 countries with data for 2025.
- Is total population rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 25.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Total population (thousands). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release