Population in largest city in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Population in largest city was 1.39 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Population in largest city in Sierra Leone, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
In 2025, population in largest city in Sierra Leone stood at 1.39 million. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 3.0% on the previous year and up 33.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population in largest city in Sierra Leone peaked at 1.39 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 119,017, in 1960.
Sierra Leone ranks 109th of 153 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 148,543 | 119,017 | 193,069 | 10 |
| 1970s | 275,335 | 206,216 | 346,271 | 10 |
| 1980s | 448,953 | 363,878 | 521,785 | 10 |
| 1990s | 601,840 | 535,242 | 673,106 | 10 |
| 2000s | 779,538 | 690,490 | 879,905 | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.03 million | 905,221 | 1.17 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.29 million | 1.20 million | 1.39 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More urban development data for Sierra Leone
- Population in the largest city 34.3% (2025)
- Population density 117.21 people per sq. km of land area (2023)
- PM2.5 air pollution, mean annual exposure 22.46 micrograms per cubic meter (2023)
- Population in urban agglomerations of more than 1 million 1.39 million (2025)
- PM2.5 air pollution, population exposed to levels exceeding WHO guidel 100.0% (2017)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population in largest city in Sierra Leone?
- Population in largest city in Sierra Leone was 1.39 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest population in largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 1.39 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest population in largest city recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 119,017 in 1960.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for population in largest city?
- Sierra Leone ranks 109th out of 153 countries with data for 2025.
- Is population in largest city rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 33.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects 2018, United Nations (UN), published as part of Population in largest city. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Population in largest city is the urban population living in the country's largest metropolitan area.