Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 45.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Sierra Leone, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 45.9% for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 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 living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Sierra Leone peaked at 45.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
That places Sierra Leone 173rd out of 238 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1700s | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1.2% | 1 |
| 1710s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1720s | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1.5% | 1 |
| 1730s | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1.6% | 1 |
| 1740s | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1.8% | 1 |
| 1750s | 2.0% | 2.0% | 2.0% | 1 |
| 1760s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1770s | 2.3% | 2.3% | 2.3% | 1 |
| 1780s | 2.6% | 2.6% | 2.6% | 1 |
| 1790s | 2.8% | 2.8% | 2.8% | 1 |
| 1800s | 3.1% | 3.1% | 3.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 3.4% | 3.4% | 3.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 3.7% | 3.7% | 3.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 4.0% | 4.0% | 4.0% | 1 |
| 1840s | 4.4% | 4.4% | 4.4% | 1 |
| 1850s | 4.8% | 4.8% | 4.8% | 1 |
| 1860s | 5.3% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 1 |
| 1870s | 5.8% | 5.8% | 5.8% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.4% | 6.4% | 6.4% | 1 |
| 1890s | 7.0% | 7.0% | 7.0% | 1 |
| 1900s | 7.6% | 7.6% | 7.6% | 1 |
| 1910s | 8.4% | 8.4% | 8.4% | 1 |
| 1920s | 9.2% | 9.2% | 9.2% | 1 |
| 1930s | 10.0% | 10.0% | 10.0% | 1 |
| 1940s | 11.0% | 11.0% | 11.0% | 1 |
| 1950s | 14.6% | 12.4% | 16.9% | 10 |
| 1960s | 20.2% | 17.4% | 23.5% | 10 |
| 1970s | 27.3% | 24.4% | 29.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 31.8% | 30.2% | 33.2% | 10 |
| 1990s | 34.4% | 33.5% | 35.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 36.8% | 35.5% | 38.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 40.6% | 38.6% | 42.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 44.6% | 43.2% | 45.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 170 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 48.0% compare
- 171 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 172 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 174 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 175 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 176 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
More population data for Sierra Leone
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Total fertility rate vs. contraceptive prevalence 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. unmet need for contraception 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Refugees by country of asylum 0 people (2024)
- Total fertility rate vs. wanted fertility rate 3.7 births per woman (2024)
- Fertility rate vs. Share of people who are religious 3.79 live births per woman (2023)
- Fertility rate accounting for survival until childbearing age 3.31 children per women (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Sierra Leone was 45.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Sierra Leone ranks 173rd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 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 volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modelled historical data.