Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 45.9% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
45.9%
Change on year
up 1.2%
World rank
171st
of 236 countries
All-time high
45.9%
in 2025
All-time low
12.4%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone, 1950–2025
Source: 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 vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of 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 vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone peaked at 45.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 12.4%, 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 living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12.4% | — |
| 1951 | 12.9% | +3.7% |
| 1952 | 13.4% | +3.7% |
| 1953 | 13.9% | +3.6% |
| 1954 | 14.3% | +3.5% |
| 1955 | 14.8% | +3.5% |
| 1956 | 15.3% | +3.4% |
| 1957 | 15.9% | +3.3% |
| 1958 | 16.4% | +3.3% |
| 1959 | 16.9% | +3.2% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | +3.1% |
| 1961 | 18.0% | +3.1% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | +3.0% |
| 1963 | 19.0% | +3.0% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | +3.2% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | +3.5% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | +3.7% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | +3.8% |
| 1968 | 22.7% | +3.8% |
| 1969 | 23.5% | +3.7% |
| 1970 | 24.4% | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 25.2% | +3.3% |
| 1972 | 25.9% | +3.0% |
| 1973 | 26.6% | +2.7% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | +2.3% |
| 1975 | 27.8% | +2.0% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 28.8% | +1.8% |
| 1978 | 29.3% | +1.7% |
| 1979 | 29.8% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 30.2% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 30.6% | +1.4% |
| 1982 | 31.0% | +1.3% |
| 1983 | 31.4% | +1.2% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | +1.1% |
| 1985 | 32.1% | +1.0% |
| 1986 | 32.4% | +1.0% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | +0.9% |
| 1988 | 33.0% | +0.8% |
| 1989 | 33.2% | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 33.5% | +0.7% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | +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 | 35.3% | +0.6% |
| 2000 | 35.5% | +0.6% |
| 2001 | 35.8% | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 36.0% | +0.7% |
| 2003 | 36.3% | +0.7% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | +0.8% |
| 2005 | 36.8% | +0.8% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | +0.9% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | +0.9% |
| 2008 | 37.9% | +1.0% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | +1.0% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | +1.0% |
| 2011 | 39.0% | +1.0% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | +1.1% |
| 2013 | 39.9% | +1.1% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | +1.1% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | +1.1% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | +1.1% |
| 2017 | 41.7% | +1.2% |
| 2018 | 42.2% | +1.2% |
| 2019 | 42.7% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 43.7% | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 44.3% | +1.2% |
| 2023 | 44.8% | +1.2% |
| 2024 | 45.4% | +1.2% |
| 2025 | 45.9% | +1.2% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 45.9% is above the median for low income countries, which is 34.5%, 1.3× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 45.9% is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 44.9%, 1.0× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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
- 168 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 48.0% compare
- 169 Turkmenistan 47.1% compare
- 170 Guinea-Bissau 46.7% compare
- 172 Zambia 45.9% compare
- 173 Seychelles 45.5% compare
- 174 Democratic Republic of Congo 45.1% compare
More population data for Sierra Leone
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.076 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1141 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 983,692 people (2100)
- Population density 220.76 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.6516 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.9 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Sierra Leone was 45.9% in 2025, according to 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 vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 45.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 12.4% in 1950.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Sierra Leone ranks 171st out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita 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 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 vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.