SafekipediaDemographics of Sierra Leone
Adapted from Wikipedia · Discoverer experience
Sierra Leone is a country in West Africa with a rich mix of cultures and people. It is home to 18 different ethnic groups, with the largest being the Temne in the north and the Mende in the south. There are also about 60,000 Krio people, who are descendants of freed slaves that came back to Sierra Leone from places like Great Britain, North America, and from ships that carried slaves across the seas .
In the past, many Sierra Leoneans were known for their successes in education, trading, starting businesses, and creating beautiful crafts, especially woodcarving. Sierra Leone’s people are also connected to larger groups that stretch across several countries in West Africa. However, in the last 30 years, the country’s education levels and infrastructure have faced big challenges.
Population
According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects, the total population of Sierra Leone was 8,420,641 in 2021, compared to only 1,895,000 in 1950. In 2010, about 43% of the population was under 15 years old, 55.1% was between 15 and 65 years old, and only 1.9% was 65 years or older.
Population Estimates by Sex and Age Group (01.VII.2020) (Estimates or projections based on the 2015 population census.):
| Year | 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: | ||
| 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 |
| 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
Registration of important life events in Sierra Leone is not fully done. The website Our World in Data made guesses using numbers from the Population Department of the United Nations.
millionyear23456789195019601970198019902000201020202030population (million)Sierra Leone Population
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‰years14161820222426194019601980200020202040Natural change (per 1000)Sierra Leone Population Change
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‰years6090120150180210240270195019601970198019902000201020202030Infant Mortality (per 1000 live births)Sierra Leone Infant Mortality
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TFRyears3.544.555.566.57194019601980200020202040Total Fertility RateTotal Fertility Rate
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Demographic and Health Surveys
Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| 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 |
| 2024 | 30.1 | 8.2 | 21.9 | 3.70 | ||||||
| 2025 | 29.5 | 8.1 | 21.4 | 3.61 |
| 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
Further information: Ethnic groups in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone is home to 18 native African tribes. The largest groups are the Temne in the north and the Mende in the south. Other groups include the Fula, Limba, Kono, Mandingo, and Creole. The Creole people are descendants of freed Jamaican slaves who settled in the Freetown area in the late-18th century.
There are also small numbers of refugees from Liberia and a few Lebanese people living in Sierra Leone.
Languages
Further information: Languages of Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone has several languages. English is the official language, but most people only use it for reading and writing. In the south, many people speak Mende, and in the north, Temne is common. Fula is also widely spoken. Krio is a special language based on English. It is used by the descendants of freed slaves from America and West India who settled in Freetown. Krio is understood by almost everyone in Sierra Leone.
Religion
Main article: Religion in Sierra Leone
Most people in Sierra Leone follow a belief called Islam, with about 77 out of every 100 people practicing it. Another 23 out of every 100 people follow a belief called Christianity. These numbers are from an estimate made in 2019.
Related articles
This article is a child-friendly adaptation of the Wikipedia article on Demographics of Sierra Leone, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
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