Population in the largest city in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population in the largest city was 34.3% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Population in the largest city in Sierra Leone, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of urban population.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 34.3% for population in the largest city in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.4% on the previous year and down 5.8% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in the largest city in Sierra Leone peaked at 44.1% in 1999 and was at its lowest, 28.7%, in 1963.
That places Sierra Leone 62nd out of 153 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 66 years of available data.
Population in the largest city in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of urban population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 30.1% | — |
| 1961 | 29.5% | -1.9% |
| 1962 | 28.9% | -1.9% |
| 1963 | 28.7% | -1.0% |
| 1964 | 29.2% | +1.7% |
| 1965 | 29.5% | +1.3% |
| 1966 | 29.9% | +1.1% |
| 1967 | 30.2% | +1.0% |
| 1968 | 30.5% | +1.0% |
| 1969 | 30.8% | +1.1% |
| 1970 | 31.2% | +1.3% |
| 1971 | 31.7% | +1.5% |
| 1972 | 32.3% | +1.8% |
| 1973 | 32.9% | +2.1% |
| 1974 | 33.7% | +2.5% |
| 1975 | 34.3% | +1.8% |
| 1976 | 34.8% | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 35.3% | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 35.7% | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 36.3% | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 36.8% | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 37.4% | +1.5% |
| 1982 | 38.0% | +1.6% |
| 1983 | 38.6% | +1.6% |
| 1984 | 39.2% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 39.9% | +1.7% |
| 1986 | 40.0% | +0.2% |
| 1987 | 39.6% | -1.0% |
| 1988 | 39.2% | -1.0% |
| 1989 | 38.9% | -0.7% |
| 1990 | 38.1% | -2.1% |
| 1991 | 38.4% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 39.9% | +3.9% |
| 1993 | 40.8% | +2.2% |
| 1994 | 41.4% | +1.6% |
| 1995 | 42.2% | +1.8% |
| 1996 | 42.8% | +1.5% |
| 1997 | 43.1% | +0.7% |
| 1998 | 43.5% | +1.0% |
| 1999 | 44.1% | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 43.9% | -0.5% |
| 2001 | 42.2% | -3.9% |
| 2002 | 40.6% | -3.8% |
| 2003 | 39.7% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 39.1% | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 38.7% | -0.8% |
| 2006 | 38.7% | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 38.5% | -0.3% |
| 2008 | 38.3% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 38.0% | -0.8% |
| 2010 | 37.6% | -0.9% |
| 2011 | 37.3% | -0.8% |
| 2012 | 37.1% | -0.8% |
| 2013 | 36.8% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 36.6% | -0.6% |
| 2015 | 36.4% | -0.6% |
| 2016 | 36.1% | -0.6% |
| 2017 | 35.9% | -0.7% |
| 2018 | 35.6% | -0.7% |
| 2019 | 35.4% | -0.7% |
| 2020 | 35.2% | -0.7% |
| 2021 | 34.9% | -0.6% |
| 2022 | 34.7% | -0.6% |
| 2023 | 34.5% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 34.4% | -0.5% |
| 2025 | 34.3% | -0.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 29.7% | 28.7% | 30.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 33.8% | 31.2% | 36.3% | 10 |
| 1980s | 38.8% | 36.8% | 40.0% | 10 |
| 1990s | 41.4% | 38.1% | 44.1% | 10 |
| 2000s | 39.8% | 38.0% | 43.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 36.5% | 35.4% | 37.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 34.7% | 34.3% | 35.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More urban development data for Sierra Leone
- Population density 117.21 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 22.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per capita 0.1573 units per person (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.39 million (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, annual 2.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per unit 0.0002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million, per square 18.14 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Population in largest city 1.39 million (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 23 - Ecological 25.86 Hectares (2020)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in the largest city in Sierra Leone?
- Population in the largest city in Sierra Leone was 34.3% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in the largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 44.1% in 1999.
- What is the lowest population in the largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 28.7% in 1963.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population in the largest city?
- Sierra Leone ranks 62nd out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in the largest city rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 5.8%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in the largest city (% of urban population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Population in largest city is the percentage of a country's urban population living in that country's largest metropolitan area.