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Statistics · Country
Urban population in Sierra Leone
1960 – 2025 · 66 data points
37 of 42 · Countries
Updated 22 Oct 2026
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025
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Latest value · 2025
45.9%
+0.6 pp
since 2024
Countries · 2025
37 of 42
Place 1 is the highest value.
since 2015
+5.2 pp
vs World
−11.9 pp
World: 57.8% · 2025
Urban population, 1960 – 2025 percent · Sierra Leone · World
+5.2 pp since 2015
0%
20%
40%
60%
1960
1980
1990
2000
2010
2025
Sierra Leone
World
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025
Compared with Urban population · percent
Sierra Leone
45.9%
World
57.8%
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators
The series at a glance Sierra Leone · 1960 – 2025
Latest value
45.9% · 2025
First value
17.4% · 1960
Highest
45.9% · 2025
Lowest
17.4% · 1960
Data points
66
By year
All years · 1960 – 2025
| Year | Sierra Leone | Change | World |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45.9% | +0.6 pp | 57.8% |
| 2024 | 45.4% | +0.6 pp | 57.6% |
| 2023 | 44.8% | +0.5 pp | 57.3% |
| 2022 | 44.3% | +0.5 pp | 57.1% |
| 2021 | 43.7% | +0.5 pp | 56.8% |
| 2020 | 43.2% | +0.5 pp | 56.4% |
| 2019 | 42.7% | +0.5 pp | 56.1% |
| 2018 | 42.2% | +0.5 pp | 55.8% |
| 2017 | 41.7% | +0.5 pp | 55.3% |
| 2016 | 41.2% | +0.5 pp | 54.9% |
| 2015 | 40.8% | +0.4 pp | 54.4% |
| 2014 | 40.3% | +0.4 pp | 53.9% |
| 2013 | 39.9% | +0.4 pp | 53.4% |
| 2012 | 39.5% | +0.4 pp | 52.9% |
| 2011 | 39.0% | +0.4 pp | 52.5% |
| 2010 | 38.6% | +0.4 pp | 51.8% |
| 2009 | 38.2% | +0.4 pp | 51.4% |
| 2008 | 37.9% | +0.4 pp | 50.9% |
| 2007 | 37.5% | +0.3 pp | 50.4% |
| 2006 | 37.2% | +0.3 pp | 49.9% |
| 2005 | 36.8% | +0.3 pp | 49.4% |
| 2004 | 36.5% | +0.3 pp | 48.9% |
| 2003 | 36.3% | +0.3 pp | 48.4% |
| 2002 | 36.0% | +0.2 pp | 47.8% |
| 2001 | 35.8% | +0.2 pp | 47.3% |
| 2000 | 35.5% | +0.2 pp | 46.8% |
| 1999 | 35.3% | +0.2 pp | 46.3% |
| 1998 | 35.1% | +0.2 pp | 45.8% |
| 1997 | 34.9% | +0.2 pp | 45.3% |
| 1996 | 34.7% | +0.2 pp | 44.8% |
| 1995 | 34.5% | +0.2 pp | 44.3% |
| 1994 | 34.3% | +0.2 pp | 44.0% |
| 1993 | 34.1% | +0.2 pp | 43.7% |
| 1992 | 33.9% | +0.2 pp | 43.4% |
| 1991 | 33.7% | +0.2 pp | 43.2% |
| 1990 | 33.5% | +0.2 pp | 42.8% |
| 1989 | 33.2% | +0.3 pp | 42.7% |
| 1988 | 33.0% | +0.3 pp | 42.4% |
| 1987 | 32.7% | +0.3 pp | 42.1% |
| 1986 | 32.4% | +0.3 pp | 41.8% |
| 1985 | 32.1% | +0.3 pp | 41.4% |
| 1984 | 31.8% | +0.4 pp | 41.1% |
| 1983 | 31.4% | +0.4 pp | 40.6% |
| 1982 | 31.0% | +0.4 pp | 40.2% |
| 1981 | 30.6% | +0.4 pp | 39.9% |
| 1980 | 30.2% | +0.4 pp | 39.5% |
| 1979 | 29.8% | +0.5 pp | 39.1% |
| 1978 | 29.3% | +0.5 pp | 38.6% |
| 1977 | 28.8% | +0.5 pp | 38.3% |
| 1976 | 28.3% | +0.5 pp | 38.0% |
| 1975 | 27.8% | +0.6 pp | 37.7% |
| 1974 | 27.2% | +0.6 pp | 37.4% |
| 1973 | 26.6% | +0.7 pp | 37.2% |
| 1972 | 25.9% | +0.8 pp | 36.9% |
| 1971 | 25.2% | +0.8 pp | 36.7% |
| 1970 | 24.4% | +0.8 pp | 36.4% |
| 1969 | 23.5% | +0.8 pp | 36.3% |
| 1968 | 22.7% | +0.8 pp | 36.0% |
| 1967 | 21.9% | +0.8 pp | 35.8% |
| 1966 | 21.1% | +0.7 pp | 35.6% |
| 1965 | 20.3% | +0.7 pp | 35.4% |
| 1964 | 19.7% | +0.6 pp | 35.1% |
| 1963 | 19.0% | +0.5 pp | 34.6% |
| 1962 | 18.5% | +0.5 pp | 34.4% |
| 1961 | 18.0% | +0.5 pp | 34.5% |
| 1960 | 17.4% | 34.2% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 1960 – 2025
Ranking · Countries
2017 · Place 1 is the highest value.
| # | Territory | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 25 | Algeria | 71.3% | |
| 2 | Argentina | 91.7% | |
| 42 | Bangladesh | 30.2% | |
| 8 | Brazil | 86.2% | |
| 22 | Bulgaria | 73.4% | |
| 13 | Canada | 81.4% | |
| 7 | Chile | 87.8% | |
| 30 | China | 60.2% | |
| 20 | Colombia | 77.2% | |
| 28 | Congo - Brazzaville | 63.4% | |
| 38 | Congo - Kinshasa | 42.1% | |
| 23 | Czechia | 72.9% | |
| 29 | Ecuador | 63.0% | |
| 37 | Egypt | 42.4% | |
| 24 | Finland | 72.0% | |
| 17 | France | 78.6% | |
| 5 | Gabon | 89.0% | |
| 14 | Germany | 81.0% | |
| 18 | Greece | 77.9% | |
| 32 | Honduras | 55.4% | |
| 1 | Hong Kong SAR China | 100.0% | |
| 41 | India | 33.2% | |
| 33 | Indonesia | 54.5% | |
| 26 | Italy | 69.5% | |
| 4 | Lebanon | 89.1% | |
| 36 | Liberia | 51.8% | |
| 27 | Lithuania | 67.1% | |
| 19 | Mexico | 77.7% | |
| 3 | Netherlands | 91.1% | |
| 11 | Norway | 82.0% | |
| 35 | Philippines | 52.6% | |
| 31 | Poland | 60.1% | |
| 34 | Romania | 53.4% | |
| 21 | Russia | 74.5% | |
| 9 | Saudi Arabia | 83.3% | |
| 39 | Sierra Leone | 41.7% | |
| 12 | South Korea | 81.5% | |
| 16 | Spain | 79.5% | |
| 6 | Türkiye | 88.0% | |
| 10 | United Kingdom | 82.2% | |
| 15 | United States | 80.4% | |
| 40 | Yemen | 33.6% |
Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators, 2017
What it means
The share of people who live in towns and cities rather than the countryside.
How it is calculated
Residents of areas defined as urban by the national statistical office, divided by the total population.
People
Sierra Leone in numbers
Population
8.8M
2025
Population growth
2.04%
2025
Population density
120
2024
Median age
19.3
2023
Children under 15
37.7%
2025
Residents 65 and over
3.3%
2025
Life expectancy
62.0
2024
Births per woman
3.70
2024
Birth rate
30.1
2024
Infant mortality
54.6
2024
Net migration
-0.5
2023
Born abroad
0.6%
2024