Population of Sierra Leone
As of June 2026, the population of Sierra Leone is 9.3 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 188 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 2.05%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 17.9 years in 2016 to 20 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 61.6 years and population density is 130.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.
Population Growth
The population growth rate of Sierra Leone peaked in 2001, reaching around 7.18% annually, but has since declined to approximately 2.01% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 348.57 thousand in 2001 to nearly 188.09 thousand in 2026.
Life Expectancy
In Sierra Leone, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 49.3 years in 2006 to 61.6 years in 2026, representing an increase of more than 12 years over the past 2 decades.
Most populous cities in Sierra Leone
The cities of Sierra Leone are mostly small, but 4 stand out with more than 100 thousand inhabitants. The most populous city is Freetown, Western Area, con una diferencia significativa sobre las demás, alcanzando approximately 802.6 thousand inhabitants. It is followed by Kenema, Eastern Province with 255.1 thousand and Bo, Southern Province with 233.7 thousand.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Sierra Leone:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Freetown, Western Area | 802,639 |
| 2 | Kenema, Eastern Province | 255,110 |
| 3 | Bo, Southern Province | 233,684 |
| 4 | Koidu, Eastern Province | 128,030 |
| 5 | Makeni, Northern Province | 85,116 |
| 6 | Waterloo, Western Area | 55,000 |
| 7 | Port Loko, North West | 44,900 |
| 8 | Njala, Southern Province | 40,000 |
| 9 | Lunsar, Northern Province | 22,461 |
| 10 | Goderich, Western Area | 19,209 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Kabala, Northern Province | 17,948 |
| 12 | Segbwema, Eastern Province | 16,532 |
| 13 | Bumpe, Southern Province | 16,123 |
| 14 | Mile 91, Northern Province | 15,491 |
| 15 | Magburaka, Northern Province | 14,915 |
| 16 | Kailahun, Eastern Province | 14,085 |
| 17 | Binkolo, Northern Province | 13,867 |
| 18 | Yengema, Eastern Province | 13,358 |
| 19 | Rokupr, Northern Province | 12,744 |
| 20 | Gandorhun, Southern Province | 12,288 |