Latest value (2024)
4.72M people
4.72M people
Year-over-year change
1.12%
1.12%
Historical peak
4.72M people
4.72M people
Historical low
1.87M people
1.87M people
Year-by-Year Detail
| Year | Value | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 4.72M people | +1.1% |
| 2023 | 4.67M people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 4.61M people | +1.3% |
| 2021 | 4.55M people | +1.4% |
| 2020 | 4.49M people | +1.4% |
| 2019 | 4.43M people | +1.5% |
| 2018 | 4.37M people | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 4.30M people | +1.6% |
| 2016 | 4.23M people | +1.6% |
| 2015 | 4.17M people | +1.6% |
| 2014 | 4.10M people | +1.7% |
| 2013 | 4.04M people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 3.97M people | +1.9% |
| 2011 | 3.89M people | +2.0% |
| 2010 | 3.82M people | +2.1% |
| 2009 | 3.74M people | +2.1% |
| 2008 | 3.66M people | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 3.59M people | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 3.53M people | +1.7% |
| 2005 | 3.47M people | +2.2% |
| 2004 | 3.40M people | +3.0% |
| 2003 | 3.30M people | +3.7% |
| 2002 | 3.18M people | +5.5% |
| 2001 | 3.01M people | +5.7% |
| 2000 | 2.85M people | +2.1% |
| 1999 | 2.79M people | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 2.79M people | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 2.77M people | +1.0% |
| 1996 | 2.74M people | +0.2% |
| 1995 | 2.74M people | -0.2% |
| 1994 | 2.74M people | +0.1% |
| 1993 | 2.74M people | -0.5% |
| 1992 | 2.75M people | -2.2% |
| 1991 | 2.82M people | +0.8% |
| 1990 | 2.79M people | +3.7% |
| 1989 | 2.69M people | +2.1% |
| 1988 | 2.64M people | +2.3% |
| 1987 | 2.58M people | +2.3% |
| 1986 | 2.52M people | +2.0% |
| 1985 | 2.47M people | +1.7% |
| 1984 | 2.43M people | +1.7% |
| 1983 | 2.39M people | +1.6% |
| 1982 | 2.35M people | +1.5% |
| 1981 | 2.32M people | +1.4% |
| 1980 | 2.28M people | +1.4% |
| 1979 | 2.25M people | +1.3% |
| 1978 | 2.22M people | +1.3% |
| 1977 | 2.20M people | +1.2% |
| 1976 | 2.17M people | +1.1% |
| 1975 | 2.15M people | +1.1% |
| 1974 | 2.12M people | +1.0% |
| 1973 | 2.10M people | +0.9% |
| 1972 | 2.08M people | +0.8% |
| 1971 | 2.07M people | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 2.05M people | +0.8% |
| 1969 | 2.03M people | +0.8% |
| 1968 | 2.02M people | +0.8% |
| 1967 | 2.00M people | +0.9% |
| 1966 | 1.98M people | +0.9% |
| 1965 | 1.97M people | +1.0% |
| 1964 | 1.95M people | +1.0% |
| 1963 | 1.93M people | +1.0% |
| 1962 | 1.91M people | +1.0% |
| 1961 | 1.89M people | +0.9% |
| 1960 | 1.87M people | — |
Time Series (1960–2024)
1960
1992
2024
1992
2024
Notable Inflection Points
- 1991 — local peak at 2.82M people.
- 1995 — local trough at 2.74M people.
Trend Analysis
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Compound annual growth rate (1960–2024) | +1.46% |
| Coefficient of variation | 29.8% |
| Long-run mean | 2.95M people |
| Long-run median | 2.74M people |
| Observations | 65 |
Decade Averages
| Decade | Mean | Low | High | Obs. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.96M people | 1.87M people | 2.03M people | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.14M people | 2.05M people | 2.25M people | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.47M people | 2.28M people | 2.69M people | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.77M people | 2.74M people | 2.82M people | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.37M people | 2.85M people | 3.74M people | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.13M people | 3.82M people | 4.43M people | 10 |
| 2020s | 4.61M people | 4.49M people | 4.72M people | 5 |
UN WPP forward projection (via World Bank)
insights
UN World Population Prospects — projection
| Year | Projected value | vs 2024 (actual) |
|---|---|---|
| 2025P | 4.77M people | +1.0% |
| 2026P | 4.81M people | +1.9% |
| 2027P | 4.85M people | +2.8% |
| 2028P | 4.89M people | +3.6% |
| 2029P | 4.92M people | +4.3% |
| 2030P | 4.95M people | +4.9% |
P Projection from the UN World Population Prospects (served via the World Bank HNP API, medium-fertility variant). Actual WDI record 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 |
|---|---|
| Population, Total | 8.64M people |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators. Data licensed CC BY 4.0.