Sierra Leone — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Sierra Leone, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Sierra Leone was 2.04% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 5.91% in 2001. The lowest was -1.90% in 1992 (about -1.1× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.41% per year.
Sierra Leone ranks 47 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 22%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 2.30%, so Sierra Leone sits below it. It peaked in 2001 and has fallen 66% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 12%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 34 of 48 economies; South Sudan (2.03%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was up 367% in 2000. That is 10% below this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1961 level: doubled by 1990. Doubling roughly every 170 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 153rd of 216 in 1961 → 127th of 216 in 1970 → 113th of 216 in 1980 → 15th of 216 in 1990 → 49th of 217 in 2000 → 36th of 217 in 2010 → 38th of 217 in 2020 → 47th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2.04% | -0.1 pp |
| 2024 | 2.12% | -0.1 pp |
| 2023 | 2.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2022 | 2.23% | -0.0 pp |
| 2021 | 2.27% | -0.0 pp |
| 2020 | 2.31% | -0.0 pp |
| 2019 | 2.32% | -0.0 pp |
| 2018 | 2.35% | -0.0 pp |
| 2017 | 2.39% | +0.0 pp |
| 2016 | 2.35% | +0.0 pp |
| 2015 | 2.32% | -0.1 pp |
| 2014 | 2.39% | -0.1 pp |
| 2013 | 2.46% | -0.1 pp |
| 2012 | 2.53% | -0.1 pp |
| 2011 | 2.61% | -0.1 pp |
| 2010 | 2.72% | +0.0 pp |
| 2009 | 2.69% | +0.2 pp |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +0.3 pp |
| 2007 | 2.2% | -0.0 pp |
| 2006 | 2.21% | -0.5 pp |
| 2005 | 2.69% | -0.7 pp |
| 2004 | 3.38% | -0.7 pp |
| 2003 | 4.06% | -1.7 pp |
| 2002 | 5.77% | -0.1 pp |
| 2001 | 5.91% | +3.5 pp |
| 2000 | 2.42% | +1.9 pp |
| 1999 | 0.52% | -0.5 pp |
| 1998 | 0.98% | -0.3 pp |
| 1997 | 1.29% | +0.8 pp |
| 1996 | 0.48% | +0.3 pp |
| 1995 | 0.15% | -0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 0.38% | +0.6 pp |
| 1993 | -0.22% | +1.7 pp |
| 1992 | -1.9% | -3.1 pp |
| 1991 | 1.17% | -2.8 pp |
| 1990 | 3.96% | +1.5 pp |
| 1989 | 2.5% | -0.2 pp |
| 1988 | 2.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1987 | 2.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 1986 | 2.44% | +0.2 pp |
| 1985 | 2.21% | +0.0 pp |
| 1984 | 2.19% | +0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 2.13% | +0.1 pp |
| 1982 | 2.05% | +0.0 pp |
| 1981 | 2.02% | +0.0 pp |
| 1980 | 1.99% | +0.0 pp |
| 1979 | 1.95% | +0.0 pp |
| 1978 | 1.93% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 1.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 1976 | 1.8% | -0.0 pp |
| 1975 | 1.84% | -0.0 pp |
| 1974 | 1.85% | -0.0 pp |
| 1973 | 1.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 1972 | 1.83% | -0.0 pp |
| 1971 | 1.86% | -0.0 pp |
| 1970 | 1.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 1969 | 1.89% | -0.0 pp |
| 1968 | 1.9% | +0.0 pp |
| 1967 | 1.88% | +0.0 pp |
| 1966 | 1.85% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 1.81% | +0.1 pp |
| 1964 | 1.75% | +0.1 pp |
| 1963 | 1.69% | +0.1 pp |
| 1962 | 1.64% | +0.1 pp |
| 1961 | 1.57% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sierra Leone’s Population growth in 1962?
1.64% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sierra Leone’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +29.8% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 2.04%; 2024: 2.12%; 2023: 2.2%; 2022: 2.23%; 2021: 2.27%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.