Demographics of Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone population pyramid in 2020

Population| 8,420,641
Density| 80.06 inhabitants per sq km.
Growth rate| 15.40% (2004–2014 est.)
Birth rate| 37.40 births/1,000 inhabitants
Death rate| 11.03 deaths/1,000 inhabitants
Life expectancy| 57.39 years
• male| 54.85 years
• female| 60.00 years
Fertility rate| 4.2 children born/women
Infant mortality rate| 73.29 deaths/1,000 births
Age structure
0–14 years| 41.9%
15–64 years| 54.4%
65 and over| 3.7%
Sex ratio
Total| 0.94 male(s)/female
At birth| 1.03 male(s)/female
Under 15| 0.99 male(s)/female
15–64 years| 0.94 male(s)/female
65 and over| 0.78 male(s)/female
Nationality
Nationality| Sierra Leonean(s)
Major ethnic| Temne 25.2%, Mende 30.5%
Minor ethnic| Fula 5.4%, Limba 6.4%, Kono 10.4%, Loko 2.9%, Koranko 2.8%, Sherbro 2.6%, Mandingo 2.4%, Creole 5.2%, Other 5.2%
Language
Official| English
Spoken| Krio, Temne, Mende

The demographics of Sierra Leone are made up of an indigenous population from 18 ethnic groups. The Temne in the north and the Mende in the south are the largest. About 60,000 are Krio, the descendants of freed slaves who returned to Sierra Leone from Great Britain, North America and slave ships captured on the high seas.

In the past, some Sierra Leoneans were noted for their educational achievements, trading activity, entrepreneurial skills, and arts and crafts work, particularly woodcarving. Many are part of larger ethnic networks extending into several countries, which link West African states in the area. Their level of education and infrastructure have declined sharply over the last 30 years.[1]

## Population

[edit]

Historical populations of Sierra LeoneYear| Pop.| ±% p.a.

|
|

1963 | 2,180,355| —
1974 | 2,735,159| +2.08%
1985 | 3,515,812| +2.31%
2004 | 4,976,871| +1.85%
2014 | 5,743,725| +1.44%
Source: [2]
Sierra Leone's total population, from 1961 to 2013.

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4] the total population was 8,420,641 in 2021, compared to only 1 895 000 in 1950. The proportion of children below the age of 15 in 2010 was 43%, 55.1% was between 15 and 65 years of age, while 1.9% was 65 years or older .[5]

| Total population  | Population aged 0–14 (%)  | Population aged 15–64 (%)  | Population aged 65+ (%)

|
|
|
|

1950  | 1 895 000 | 39.4 | 57.6 | 3.0
1955  | 2 029 000 | 39.6 | 57.5 | 2.9
1960  | 2 187 000 | 39.6 | 57.5 | 2.9
1965  | 2 373 000 | 39.8 | 57.3 | 2.9
1970  | 2 593 000 | 40.5 | 56.9 | 2.9
1975  | 2 845 000 | 40.5 | 56.6 | 3.0
1980  | 3 162 000 | 41.1 | 56.0 | 2.9
1985  | 3 541 000 | 42.0 | 55.3 | 2.7
1990  | 3 982 000 | 42.4 | 55.1 | 2.6
1995  | 3 898 000 | 42.3 | 55.3 | 2.4
2000  | 4 143 000 | 42.4 | 55.5 | 2.1
2005  | 5 153 000 | 42.9 | 55.2 | 1.9
2010  | 5 868 000 | 43.0 | 55.1 | 1.9

Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Estimates or projections based on the 2015 population census.): [6]

Age Group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | %

|
|
|
|

Total  | 3 987 250  | 4 113 068  | 8 100 318  | 100
0–4  | 620 177  | 639 745  | 1 259 922  | 15.55
5–9  | 546 368  | 563 608  | 1 109 976  | 13.70
10–14  | 492 216  | 507 749  | 999 965  | 12.34
15–19  | 415 263  | 428 368  | 843 631  | 10.30
20–24  | 373 462  | 385 247  | 758 709  | 9.37
25–29  | 324 639  | 334 883  | 659 522  | 8.14
30–34  | 272 318  | 280 911  | 553 229  | 6.83
35–39  | 226 560  | 233 708  | 460 268  | 5.68
40–44  | 181 985  | 187 730  | 369 715  | 4.56
45–49  | 144 473  | 149 031  | 293 504  | 3.62
50–54  | 110 450  | 113 934  | 224 384  | 2.77
55–59  | 84 146  | 86 801  | 170 947  | 2.11
60–64  | 64 608  | 66 647  | 131 255  | 1.62
65-69  | 47 370  | 48 865  | 96 235  | 1.19
70-74  | 33 569  | 34 630  | 68 199  | 0.84
75-79  | 22 307  | 23 010  | 45 317  | 0.56
80+  | 27 339  | 28 201  | 55 540  | 0.69
Age group  | Male  | Female  | Total  | Percent
0–14  | 1 658 761  | 1 711 102  | 3 369 863  | 41.60
15–64  | 2 197 904  | 2 267 260  | 4 465 164  | 55.12
65+  | 130 585  | 134 706  | 265 291  | 3.28

## Vital statistics

[edit]

Registration of vital events is in Sierra Leone not complete. The website Our World in Data prepared the following estimates based on statistics from the Population Department of the United Nations.[7]

| Mid-year population (thousands)  | Live births (thousands)  | Deaths (thousands)  | Natural change (thousands)  | Crude birth rate (per 1000)  | Crude death rate (per 1000)  | Natural change (per 1000)  | Total fertility rate (TFR)  | Infant mortality (per 1000 live births)  | Life expectancy (in years)

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

1950  | 2 001  |  97  |  68  |  29  | 48.6  | 34.1  | 14.5  | 6.09  | 251.2  | 29.6
1951  |  2 027  |  98  |  69  |  30  | 48.5  | 33.8  | 14.7  | 6.07  | 249.5  | 29.8
1952  |  2 053  |  99  |  68  |  31  | 48.2  | 33.3  | 15.0  | 6.03  | 246.1  | 30.3
1953  |  2 079  |  100  |  68  |  32  | 48.0  | 32.7  | 15.2  | 6.00  | 242.9  | 30.9
1954  |  2 107  |  102  |  68  |  33  | 48.3  | 32.4  | 15.9  | 6.05  | 239.9  | 31.3
1955  |  2 136  |  104  |  69  |  35  | 48.4  | 32.1  | 16.4  | 6.07  | 237.0  | 31.8
1956  |  2 166  |  105  |  69  |  36  | 48.6  | 31.8  | 16.8  | 6.10  | 234.3  | 32.2
1957  |  2 198  |  107  |  69  |  38  | 48.6  | 31.6  | 17.1  | 6.12  | 231.4  | 32.6
1958  |  2 230  |  109  |  70  |  39  | 48.7  | 31.3  | 17.4  | 6.13  | 228.5  | 33.0
1959  |  2 264  |  110  |  70  |  40  | 48.7  | 30.9  | 17.8  | 6.15  | 225.6  | 33.5
1960  |  2 301  |  113  |  71  |  42  | 48.9  | 30.6  | 18.3  | 6.18  | 222.7  | 34.0
1961  |  2 341  |  115  |  71  |  44  | 49.0  | 30.3  | 18.7  | 6.21  | 219.8  | 34.4
1962  |  2 383  |  117  |  71  |  45  | 49.0  | 30.0  | 19.1  | 6.22  | 217.0  | 34.9
1963  |  2 427  |  119  |  72  |  47  | 49.1  | 29.6  | 19.5  | 6.26  | 214.1  | 35.3
1964  |  2 473  |  121  |  72  |  49  | 49.1  | 29.2  | 19.9  | 6.29  | 211.1  | 35.9
1965  |  2 521  |  123  |  72  |  51  | 48.8  | 28.7  | 20.1  | 6.31  | 208.2  | 36.4
1966  |  2 570  |  125  |  73  |  52  | 48.7  | 28.3  | 20.4  | 6.35  | 205.2  | 36.9
1967  |  2 620  |  127  |  73  |  55  | 48.6  | 27.8  | 20.8  | 6.38  | 202.3  | 37.4
1968  |  2 672  |  129  |  73  |  56  | 48.3  | 27.4  | 20.9  | 6.39  | 199.5  | 37.8
1969  |  2 725  |  131  |  74  |  57  | 48.0  | 27.0  | 21.0  | 6.39  | 196.7  | 38.2
1970  |  2 779  |  133  |  74  |  59  | 47.8  | 26.5  | 21.3  | 6.41  | 194.0  | 38.8
1971  |  2 832  |  135  |  74  |  61  | 47.7  | 26.0  | 21.7  | 6.43  | 191.4  | 39.3
1972  |  2 887  |  137  |  74  |  63  | 47.5  | 25.6  | 22.0  | 6.45  | 188.8  | 39.8
1973  |  2 942  |  140  |  74  |  65  | 47.4  | 25.2  | 22.2  | 6.47  | 186.4  | 40.2
1974  |  2 999  |  143  |  74  |  68  | 47.5  | 24.8  | 22.7  | 6.53  | 184.0  | 40.7
1975  |  3 056  |  145  |  75  |  70  | 47.3  | 24.4  | 23.0  | 6.55  | 181.5  | 41.2
1976  |  3 113  |  147  |  75  |  72  | 47.1  | 24.0  | 23.2  | 6.55  | 179.2  | 41.6
1977  |  3 172  |  149  |  75  |  74  | 47.0  | 23.6  | 23.4  | 6.57  | 177.0  | 42.1
1978  |  3 235  |  152  |  75  |  77  | 47.0  | 23.2  | 23.7  | 6.59  | 174.9  | 42.5
1979  |  3 300  |  155  |  76  |  79  | 46.7  | 22.9  | 23.9  | 6.58  | 172.9  | 42.9
1980  |  3 367  |  157  |  76  |  81  | 46.5  | 22.6  | 23.9  | 6.56  | 171.1  | 43.1
1981  |  3 437  |  160  |  77  |  83  | 46.4  | 22.4  | 24.1  | 6.55  | 169.3  | 43.4
1982  |  3 509  |  163  |  78  |  85  | 46.5  | 22.2  | 24.3  | 6.56  | 167.5  | 43.6
1983  |  3 586  |  167  |  79  |  88  | 46.5  | 22.0  | 24.5  | 6.57  | 165.9  | 43.8
1984  |  3 666  |  171  |  80  |  91  | 46.5  | 21.9  | 24.7  | 6.59  | 164.4  | 43.9
1985  |  3 749  |  174  |  82  |  92  | 46.4  | 21.8  | 24.6  | 6.59  | 163.1  | 43.9
1986  |  3 843  |  178  |  84  |  94  | 46.4  | 21.8  | 24.6  | 6.60  | 161.9  | 43.8
1987  |  3 948  |  183  |  85  |  98  | 46.4  | 21.6  | 24.8  | 6.61  | 160.3  | 44.0
1988  |  4 056  |  187  |  87  |  100  | 46.2  | 21.5  | 24.6  | 6.59  | 159.0  | 44.0
1989  |  4 159  |  191  |  89  |  102  | 45.9  | 21.4  | 24.4  | 6.57  | 157.9  | 44.0
1990  |  4 325  |  195  |  91  |  104  | 45.8  | 21.3  | 24.5  | 6.57  | 156.9  | 44.1
1991  |  4 378  |  206  |  97  |  109  | 45.8  | 21.7  | 24.2  | 6.55  | 156.4  | 43.5
1992  |  4 302  |  201  |  94  |  107  | 45.9  | 21.5  | 24.4  | 6.56  | 154.8  | 43.6
1993  |  4 296  |  200  |  93  |  107  | 46.0  | 21.5  | 24.5  | 6.57  | 153.6  | 43.6
1994  |  4 315  |  200  |  95  |  105  | 46.0  | 21.9  | 24.1  | 6.56  | 153.4  | 42.9
1995  |  4 324  |  200  |  96  |  104  | 45.7  | 22.0  | 23.7  | 6.56  | 152.0  | 42.7
1996  |  4 347  |  200  |  93  |  108  | 45.8  | 21.2  | 24.6  | 6.55  | 149.2  | 43.7
1997  |  4 405  |  202  |  93  |  108  | 45.5  | 21.1  | 24.5  | 6.53  | 147.1  | 43.7
1998  |  4 450  |  204  |  97  |  107  | 45.4  | 21.6  | 23.8  | 6.50  | 145.8  | 42.8
1999  |  4 475  |  204  |  99  |  105  | 45.2  | 21.9  | 23.3  | 6.42  | 141.6  | 42.1
2000  |  4 584  |  204  |  90  |  114  | 45.0  | 19.8  | 25.2  | 6.36  | 139.2  | 45.1
2001  |  4 857  |  212  |  91  |  121  | 44.7  | 19.2  | 25.5  | 6.31  | 136.0  | 45.7
2002  |  5 140  |  226  |  95  |  131  | 44.3  | 18.7  | 25.7  | 6.23  | 133.1  | 46.4
2003  |  5 351  |  231  |  96  |  135  | 43.5  | 18.1  | 25.4  | 6.09  | 130.0  | 47.0
2004  |  5 533  |  233  |  97  |  137  | 42.3  | 17.5  | 24.8  | 5.92  | 126.8  | 47.6
2005  |  5 683  |  237  |  96  |  141  | 41.7  | 16.9  | 24.8  | 5.81  | 123.4  | 48.2
2006  |  5 810  |  241  |  94  |  148  | 41.4  | 16.1  | 25.3  | 5.74  | 119.9  | 49.3
2007  |  5 939  |  242  |  91  |  151  | 40.8  | 15.3  | 25.5  | 5.64  | 116.1  | 50.4
2008  |  6 091  |  246  |  89  |  157  | 40.3  | 14.5  | 25.8  | 5.56  | 112.2  | 51.5
2009  |  6 260  |  248  |  86  |  162  | 39.7  | 13.8  | 25.9  | 5.45  | 108.5  | 52.6
2010  |  6 437  |  250  |  84  |  166  | 38.9  | 13.1  | 25.8  | 5.33  | 104.4  | 53.7
2011  |  6 612  |  253  |  82  |  171  | 38.3  | 12.5  | 25.8  | 5.21  | 100.6  | 54.6
2012  |  6 789  |  255  |  81  |  174  | 37.6  | 11.9  | 25.6  | 5.06  | 97.1  | 55.5
2013  |  6 965  |  254  |  79  |  175  | 36.5  | 11.4  | 25.1  | 4.87  | 93.6  | 56.3
2014  |  7 141  |  254  |  80  |  174  | 35.5  | 11.2  | 24.3  | 4.70  | 91.2  | 56.4
2015  |  7 315  |  253  |  78  |  174  | 34.6  | 10.7  | 23.8  | 4.55  | 88.1  | 57.2
2016  |  7 494  |  255  |  75  |  180  | 34.0  | 10.0  | 24.0  | 4.47  | 84.6  | 58.4
2017  |  7 678  |  258  |  76  |  182  | 33.6  | 9.9  | 23.7  | 4.39  | 82.1  | 58.7
2018  |  7 861  |  260  |  73  |  187  | 33.1  | 9.3  | 23.8  | 4.29  | 79.2  | 59.8
2019  |  8 047  |  262  |  73  |  189  | 32.5  | 9.1  | 23.5  | 4.19  | 76.7  | 60.3
2020  |  7 913  |  255  |  74  |  181  | 32.2  | 9.3  | 22.9  | 4.08  | 78.8  | 59.7
2021  |  8 095  |  256  |  73  |  183  | 31.6  | 9.0  | 22.6  | 3.98  | 76.3  | 60.3
2022  |  8 277  |  257  |  71  |  187  | 31.1  | 8.5  | 22.5  | 3.88  | 73.9  | 61.3
2023  |  8 461  |  259  |  70  |  189  | 30.6  | 8.3  | 22.3  | 3.79  | 71.6  | 61.8

millionyear23456789195019601970198019902000201020202030population (million)Sierra Leone Population

See or edit source data.

‰years14161820222426195019601970198019902000201020202030Natural change (per 1000)Sierra Leone Population Change

See or edit source data.

‰years6090120150180210240270195019601970198019902000201020202030Infant Mortality (per 1000 live births)Sierra Leone Infant Mortality

See or edit source data.

TFRyears3.544.555.566.57195019601970198019902000201020202030Total Fertility RateTotal Fertility Rate

See or edit source data.

### Demographic and Health Surveys

[edit]

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[8]

Year  | CBR (Total)  | TFR (Total)  | CBR (Urban)  | TFR (Urban)  | CBR (Rural)  | TFR (Rural)

|
|
|
|
|
|

2008  | 31.5  | 5.1 (4.5)  | 27.3  | 3.8 (3.4)  | 33.4  | 5.8 (5.2)
2013  | 35.7  | 4.9 (4.2)  | 29.5  | 3.5 (3.0)  | 38.2  | 5.7 (4.9)
2019  | 30.0  | 4.2 (3.8)  | 26  | 3.1 (2.9)  | 33  | 5.1 (4.7)

## Ethnic groups

[edit]

Further information: Ethnic groups in Sierra Leone

18 native African tribes 90% (Temne 30.5%, Mende 29.2%, Fula 12.4% Limba 6.4%, Kono 4.4%, Mandingo 2.4, Creole 1.2%, other 13.5%)
Creole (descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who were settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century)
Refugees from Liberia's recent civil war
Small numbers of Lebanese[9]

## Languages

[edit]

Further information: Languages of Sierra Leone

English (official, regular use limited to literate minority)
Mende (principal vernacular in the south)
Temne (principal vernacular in the north)
Fula (principal language in Sierra Leone, it is also strongly and widely spoken across West Africa and beyond...)
Krio (English-based Creole, spoken by the descendants of freed American and West Indian slaves and Liberated Africans who were settled in the Freetown area, a lingua franca and a first language for 10% of the population but understood by 95%)

## Religion

[edit]

Main article: Religion in Sierra Leone

Muslim 77.1%, Christian 22.9% (2019 est.)

## References

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Demographics of Sierra Leone.

1. ^ "Sierra Leone (02/08)". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
2. ^ "FINAL RESULTS 2004 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS" (PDF). Sierra-leone.org. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
3. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022". United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
4. ^ "World Population Prospects 2022: Demographic indicators by region, subregion and country, annually for 1950–2100" (XSLX) ("Total Population, as of 1 July (thousands)"). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
5. ^ Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Archived May 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
6. ^ "UNSD — Demographic and Social Statistics".
7. ^ "Population & Demography Data Explorer". Our World in Data. Retrieved 2022-07-22.
8. ^ "Sierra Leone - Demographic and Health Survey 2008". microdata.worldbank.org.
9. ^ "Sierra Leone (04/06) - State.gov".

* v
* t
* e

Ethnic groups in Sierra Leone

* Fula
* Kissi
* Kono
* Krio
* Kru
* Kuranko
* Limba
* Loko
* Mandingo
* Mende
* Oku
* Sherbro
* Susu
* Temne
* Vai
* Yalunka

* v
* t
* e

Sierra Leone articles

History|

* Atlantic slave trade
* (1600–1787)
* British colony (1787–1961)
* Sierra Leone in World War II (1939–1945)
* Early independence (1961–1978)
* 1961–71
* Civil War (1991–2002)
* 2002 to present
* 2014 Ebola virus epidemic
* COVID-19 pandemic

Geography|

* Borders
* Cities and towns
* Climate
* Protected areas
* Upper Guinean forests
* Water supply
* Wildlife

Politics|

* Administrative divisions
* Cabinet
* Chief Minister
* Elections
* Foreign relations
* Government
* Human rights
* Judiciary
* Supreme Court
* Law enforcement
* Military
* Chief of the Defence Staff
* Parliament
* Political parties
* President
* Vice President
* Special Court (defunct)

Economy|

* Agriculture
* Banking
* Central bank
* Leone (currency)
* Mining
* Telecommunications
* Tourism
* Trade unions
* Transport

Society|

* Abortion
* Child marriage
* Demographics
* Disability
* Education
* Ethnic groups
* Female genital mutilation
* Health
* Human trafficking
* Languages
* LGBTQ rights
* Polygamy
* Prostitution
* Religion
* Women

Culture|

* Anthem
* Art
* Coat of arms
* Cuisine
* Flag
* Media
* Music
* Sports

* Outline

* Category
* Portal

* v
* t
* e

Demographics of Africa

Sovereign states|

* Algeria
* Angola
* Benin
* Botswana
* Burkina Faso
* Burundi
* Cameroon
* Cape Verde
* Central African Republic
* Chad
* Comoros
* Democratic Republic of the Congo
* Republic of the Congo
* Djibouti
* Egypt
* Equatorial Guinea
* Eritrea
* Eswatini
* Ethiopia
* Gabon
* The Gambia
* Ghana
* Guinea
* Guinea-Bissau
* Ivory Coast
* Kenya
* Lesotho
* Liberia
* Libya
* Madagascar
* Malawi
* Mali
* Mauritania
* Mauritius
* Morocco
* Mozambique
* Namibia
* Niger
* Nigeria
* Rwanda
* São Tomé and Príncipe
* Senegal
* Seychelles
* Sierra Leone
* Somalia
* South Africa
* South Sudan
* Sudan
* Tanzania
* Togo
* Tunisia
* Uganda
* Zambia
* Zimbabwe

States with limited
recognition

* Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic
* Somaliland

Dependencies and
other territories

* Canary Islands / Ceuta / Melilla (Spain)
* Madeira (Portugal)
* Mayotte / Réunion (France)
* Saint Helena / Ascension Island / Tristan da Cunha (United Kingdom)
* Western Sahara

*[Pop.]: Population
*[±% p.a.]: Per annum growth rate
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template