Latest value (2024)
8.64M people
8.64M people
Year-over-year change
2.15%
2.15%
Historical peak
8.64M people
8.64M people
Historical low
2.27M people
2.27M people
Year-by-Year Detail
| Year | Value | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 8.64M people | +2.1% |
| 2023 | 8.46M people | +2.2% |
| 2022 | 8.28M people | +2.3% |
| 2021 | 8.09M people | +2.3% |
| 2020 | 7.91M people | +2.3% |
| 2019 | 7.73M people | +2.3% |
| 2018 | 7.55M people | +2.4% |
| 2017 | 7.38M people | +2.4% |
| 2016 | 7.21M people | +2.4% |
| 2015 | 7.04M people | +2.3% |
| 2014 | 6.88M people | +2.4% |
| 2013 | 6.71M people | +2.5% |
| 2012 | 6.55M people | +2.6% |
| 2011 | 6.39M people | +2.6% |
| 2010 | 6.22M people | +2.8% |
| 2009 | 6.06M people | +2.7% |
| 2008 | 5.89M people | +2.5% |
| 2007 | 5.75M people | +2.2% |
| 2006 | 5.62M people | +2.2% |
| 2005 | 5.50M people | +2.7% |
| 2004 | 5.36M people | +3.4% |
| 2003 | 5.18M people | +4.1% |
| 2002 | 4.97M people | +5.9% |
| 2001 | 4.69M people | +6.1% |
| 2000 | 4.42M people | +2.4% |
| 1999 | 4.32M people | +0.5% |
| 1998 | 4.30M people | +1.0% |
| 1997 | 4.25M people | +1.3% |
| 1996 | 4.20M people | +0.5% |
| 1995 | 4.18M people | +0.1% |
| 1994 | 4.17M people | +0.4% |
| 1993 | 4.16M people | -0.2% |
| 1992 | 4.17M people | -1.9% |
| 1991 | 4.25M people | +1.2% |
| 1990 | 4.20M people | +4.0% |
| 1989 | 4.03M people | +2.5% |
| 1988 | 3.93M people | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 3.83M people | +2.7% |
| 1986 | 3.73M people | +2.5% |
| 1985 | 3.64M people | +2.2% |
| 1984 | 3.56M people | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 3.48M people | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 3.41M people | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 3.34M people | +2.0% |
| 1980 | 3.27M people | +2.0% |
| 1979 | 3.21M people | +2.0% |
| 1978 | 3.15M people | +1.9% |
| 1977 | 3.09M people | +1.9% |
| 1976 | 3.03M people | +1.8% |
| 1975 | 2.97M people | +1.9% |
| 1974 | 2.92M people | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 2.87M people | +1.9% |
| 1972 | 2.81M people | +1.9% |
| 1971 | 2.76M people | +1.9% |
| 1970 | 2.71M people | +1.9% |
| 1969 | 2.66M people | +1.9% |
| 1968 | 2.61M people | +1.9% |
| 1967 | 2.56M people | +1.9% |
| 1966 | 2.51M people | +1.9% |
| 1965 | 2.47M people | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 2.42M people | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 2.38M people | +1.7% |
| 1962 | 2.34M people | +1.6% |
| 1961 | 2.30M people | +1.6% |
| 1960 | 2.27M people | — |
Time Series (1960–2024)
1960
1992
2024
1992
2024
Notable Inflection Points
- 1991 — local peak at 4.25M people.
- 1993 — local trough at 4.16M people.
Trend Analysis
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound annual growth rate (1960–2024) | +2.11% |
| Coefficient of variation | 40.2% |
| Long-run mean | 4.57M people |
| Long-run median | 4.17M people |
| Observations | 65 |
Decade Averages
| Decade | Mean | Low | High | Obs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.45M people | 2.27M people | 2.66M people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.95M people | 2.71M people | 3.21M people | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.62M people | 3.27M people | 4.03M people | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.22M people | 4.16M people | 4.32M people | 10 |
| 2000s | 5.34M people | 4.42M people | 6.06M people | 10 |
| 2010s | 6.97M people | 6.22M people | 7.73M people | 10 |
| 2020s | 8.28M people | 7.91M people | 8.64M people | 5 |
IMF forward projection (WEO 2026-04)
insights
IMF projection — revised twice yearly
| Year | Projected value | vs 2024 (actual) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025F | 8.82M people | +2.1% |
| 2026F | 9.00M people | +4.2% |
| 2027F | 9.19M people | +6.3% |
| 2028F | 9.38M people | +8.5% |
| 2029F | 9.57M people | +10.7% |
F Forecast from the IMF World Economic Outlook (WEO 2026-04). Actual World Bank reading stops at 2024.
Sierra Leone in 2024: Development Context
Health
| Indicator | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Birth Rate (per 1,000 people) | 30.11 per 1,000 |
| Death Rate (per 1,000 people) | 8.21 per 1,000 |
| Life Expectancy at Birth (years) | 61.96 years |
Environment
| Indicator | 2024 |
|---|---|
| CO2 Emissions (metric tons per capita) | 0.169 metric tons/capita |
| Other Greenhouse Gas Emissions | 7.93 |
Governance
| Indicator | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Control of Corruption (Estimate) | -0.702 |
| Control of Corruption (Std. Error) | 0.154 |
| Government Effectiveness (Estimate) | -0.967 |
| Government Effectiveness (Std. Error) | 0.184 |
| Individuals Using the Internet (% of population) | 25.1% |
| Political Stability (Estimate) | -0.450 |
| Political Stability (Std. Error) | 0.238 |
| Regulatory Quality (Estimate) | -1.06 |
| Regulatory Quality (Std. Error) | 0.155 |
| Rule of Law (Estimate) | -0.839 |
| Rule of Law (Std. Error) | 0.137 |
| Statistical Performance Indicators | 59.94 |
| Voice and Accountability (Estimate) | -0.513 |
| Voice and Accountability (Std. Error) | 0.142 |
Economic
| Indicator | 2024 |
|---|---|
| GDP (current US$) | $6.97B |
| Inflation, Consumer Prices (annual %) | 28.63% |
| Military Expenditure (% of GDP) | 0.463% |
| Real Interest Rate (%) | 9.17 |
| Risk Premium on Lending (%) | 11.82 |
| Trade in Services (% of GDP) | 8.08% |
Demographics
| Indicator | 2024 |
|---|---|
| Rural Population | 4.72M people |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators. Data licensed CC BY 4.0.