Republic of Sierra Leone
Capital: Freetown
Population:Â 8,460,512
Currency: Sierra Leonean leone (SLE)
Sierra Leone is a West African country bordered by Guinea to the north and east, Liberia to the southeast, and the Atlantic Ocean to the southwest. It is known for its tropical climate, beaches, rainforests, and diamond-rich regions, as well as its complex history tied to the transatlantic slave trade and a devastating civil war (1991–2002). The capital and largest city is Freetown, which serves as the political, economic, and cultural center. Sierra Leone’s economy is based on agriculture, mining (especially diamonds, gold, and rutile), and fisheries, with efforts underway to improve infrastructure and healthcare. It is a unitary presidential republic, and despite past challenges, the country has made progress in democratic governance and post-conflict recovery. Sierra Leone is a member of the United Nations (UN), African Union (AU), Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), and the Commonwealth of Nations.
Growth Rate
2.184
%
Fertility Rate
3.791
children born/woman
Crude Death Rate
8.287
per 1,000 people
Life Expectancy
61.8
years
Total Population in Sierra Leone
This graph illustrates the total population of a country over time, while also depicting the sex ratio, which indicates the number of males per 100 females in the population.
Population Density
Population Growth Rate (%)
The population growth rate shows how fast a population is increasing or decreasing annually, influenced by birth rates, death rates, and migration in Sierra Leone.
Life Expectancy (Years)
Life expectancy indicates the average number of years a person is expected to live.
Median Age (Years)
Median age represents the midpoint of a population’s age distribution, helping to assess whether a population is young, aging, or balanced.
Infant Mortality
Infant mortality rate measures the number of infant deaths per 1,000 live births.
Net migration in 2023 (per 1000 people)
-0.473
(+0.01)
Net migration represents the difference between the number of people moving into a country and those leaving.
Fertility Rate
Fertility rate represents the average number of children a woman is expected to have in her lifetime
Births vs Deaths
This graph compares the number of births and deaths each year.
Crude Death Rate
Crude death rate measures the number of deaths per 1,000 people in a population per year.
Source
Data is sourced from The World Bank, the United Nations Population Division (World Population Prospects: 2024 Revision), and other collated datasets, including national statistical offices, Eurostat (Demographic Statistics), and the United Nations Statistics Division (Population and Vital Statistics Report, various years).
Note: The information in the KPI is from 2023; any data beyond this year is an estimate from the United Nations.