Sierra Leone — Urban population
Urban Population (% of Total) for Sierra Leone, 1960–2025.
Urban population for Sierra Leone was 45.93% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 66 years, from 1960 to 2025. The latest year is also the highest value on record for this series. The lowest was 17.43% in 1960 (about 2.6× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 1.50% per year.
Sierra Leone ranks 158 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 73%. The median for Sub-Saharan Africa is 45.11%, so Sierra Leone sits above it. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved up 13%. Within Sub-Saharan Africa it ranks 21 of 48 economies; Zambia (45.92%) is just below it. That is 6% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
From its 1960 level: doubled by 1997. Doubling roughly every 47 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 163rd of 217 in 1960 → 158th of 217 in 1970 → 154th of 217 in 1980 → 161st of 217 in 1990 → 163rd of 217 in 2000 → 163rd of 217 in 2010 → 161st of 217 in 2020 → 158th of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1960 to 2025
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 45.93% | +0.6 pp |
| 2024 | 45.36% | +0.6 pp |
| 2023 | 44.81% | +0.5 pp |
| 2022 | 44.27% | +0.5 pp |
| 2021 | 43.73% | +0.5 pp |
| 2020 | 43.21% | +0.5 pp |
| 2019 | 42.7% | +0.5 pp |
| 2018 | 42.2% | +0.5 pp |
| 2017 | 41.71% | +0.5 pp |
| 2016 | 41.23% | +0.5 pp |
| 2015 | 40.77% | +0.4 pp |
| 2014 | 40.33% | +0.4 pp |
| 2013 | 39.89% | +0.4 pp |
| 2012 | 39.46% | +0.4 pp |
| 2011 | 39.05% | +0.4 pp |
| 2010 | 38.64% | +0.4 pp |
| 2009 | 38.25% | +0.4 pp |
| 2008 | 37.87% | +0.4 pp |
| 2007 | 37.51% | +0.3 pp |
| 2006 | 37.17% | +0.3 pp |
| 2005 | 36.85% | +0.3 pp |
| 2004 | 36.55% | +0.3 pp |
| 2003 | 36.27% | +0.3 pp |
| 2002 | 36.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 35.76% | +0.2 pp |
| 2000 | 35.53% | +0.2 pp |
| 1999 | 35.31% | +0.2 pp |
| 1998 | 35.1% | +0.2 pp |
| 1997 | 34.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 1996 | 34.7% | +0.2 pp |
| 1995 | 34.5% | +0.2 pp |
| 1994 | 34.3% | +0.2 pp |
| 1993 | 34.1% | +0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 33.9% | +0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 33.68% | +0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 33.46% | +0.2 pp |
| 1989 | 33.22% | +0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 32.97% | +0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 32.7% | +0.3 pp |
| 1986 | 32.41% | +0.3 pp |
| 1985 | 32.1% | +0.3 pp |
| 1984 | 31.77% | +0.4 pp |
| 1983 | 31.41% | +0.4 pp |
| 1982 | 31.03% | +0.4 pp |
| 1981 | 30.63% | +0.4 pp |
| 1980 | 30.21% | +0.4 pp |
| 1979 | 29.77% | +0.5 pp |
| 1978 | 29.31% | +0.5 pp |
| 1977 | 28.82% | +0.5 pp |
| 1976 | 28.32% | +0.5 pp |
| 1975 | 27.8% | +0.6 pp |
| 1974 | 27.24% | +0.6 pp |
| 1973 | 26.62% | +0.7 pp |
| 1972 | 25.92% | +0.8 pp |
| 1971 | 25.16% | +0.8 pp |
| 1970 | 24.36% | +0.8 pp |
| 1969 | 23.54% | +0.8 pp |
| 1968 | 22.7% | +0.8 pp |
| 1967 | 21.88% | +0.8 pp |
| 1966 | 21.09% | +0.7 pp |
| 1965 | 20.34% | +0.7 pp |
| 1964 | 19.65% | +0.6 pp |
| 1963 | 19.05% | +0.5 pp |
| 1962 | 18.5% | +0.5 pp |
| 1961 | 17.96% | +0.5 pp |
| 1960 | 17.43% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Sierra Leone’s Urban population in 1961?
17.96% (1961). 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 % of total population, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Sierra Leone’s Urban population growing or shrinking?
Between 1960 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +163.5% in total — about 1.5% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS. 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: 45.93%; 2024: 45.36%; 2023: 44.81%; 2022: 44.27%; 2021: 43.73%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.URB.TOTL.IN.ZS — Urban Population (% of Total). 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.