Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) was 54.1% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Latest (2025)
54.1%
Change on year
down 1.0%
World rank
60th
of 218 countries
All-time high
82.6%
in 1960
All-time low
54.1%
in 2025
Years of data
66
1960–2025
Rural population in Sierra Leone, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Measured in % of total population.
Analysis
The most recent figure for rural population in Sierra Leone is 54.1%, measured in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is down 1.0% on the previous year and down 8.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population in Sierra Leone peaked at 82.6% in 1960 and was at its lowest, 54.1%, in 2025.
That places Sierra Leone 60th out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 66 years of available data.
Rural population (% of total population) (Rural World Urbanization) in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % of total population | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 82.6% | — |
| 1961 | 82.0% | -0.6% |
| 1962 | 81.5% | -0.7% |
| 1963 | 81.0% | -0.7% |
| 1964 | 80.3% | -0.7% |
| 1965 | 79.7% | -0.9% |
| 1966 | 78.9% | -0.9% |
| 1967 | 78.1% | -1.0% |
| 1968 | 77.3% | -1.1% |
| 1969 | 76.5% | -1.1% |
| 1970 | 75.6% | -1.1% |
| 1971 | 74.8% | -1.1% |
| 1972 | 74.1% | -1.0% |
| 1973 | 73.4% | -0.9% |
| 1974 | 72.8% | -0.8% |
| 1975 | 72.2% | -0.8% |
| 1976 | 71.7% | -0.7% |
| 1977 | 71.2% | -0.7% |
| 1978 | 70.7% | -0.7% |
| 1979 | 70.2% | -0.7% |
| 1980 | 69.8% | -0.6% |
| 1981 | 69.4% | -0.6% |
| 1982 | 69.0% | -0.6% |
| 1983 | 68.6% | -0.5% |
| 1984 | 68.2% | -0.5% |
| 1985 | 67.9% | -0.5% |
| 1986 | 67.6% | -0.5% |
| 1987 | 67.3% | -0.4% |
| 1988 | 67.0% | -0.4% |
| 1989 | 66.8% | -0.4% |
| 1990 | 66.5% | -0.4% |
| 1991 | 66.3% | -0.3% |
| 1992 | 66.1% | -0.3% |
| 1993 | 65.9% | -0.3% |
| 1994 | 65.7% | -0.3% |
| 1995 | 65.5% | -0.3% |
| 1996 | 65.3% | -0.3% |
| 1997 | 65.1% | -0.3% |
| 1998 | 64.9% | -0.3% |
| 1999 | 64.7% | -0.3% |
| 2000 | 64.5% | -0.3% |
| 2001 | 64.2% | -0.4% |
| 2002 | 64.0% | -0.4% |
| 2003 | 63.7% | -0.4% |
| 2004 | 63.5% | -0.4% |
| 2005 | 63.2% | -0.5% |
| 2006 | 62.8% | -0.5% |
| 2007 | 62.5% | -0.5% |
| 2008 | 62.1% | -0.6% |
| 2009 | 61.8% | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 61.4% | -0.6% |
| 2011 | 61.0% | -0.7% |
| 2012 | 60.5% | -0.7% |
| 2013 | 60.1% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 59.7% | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 59.2% | -0.7% |
| 2016 | 58.8% | -0.8% |
| 2017 | 58.3% | -0.8% |
| 2018 | 57.8% | -0.8% |
| 2019 | 57.3% | -0.9% |
| 2020 | 56.8% | -0.9% |
| 2021 | 56.3% | -0.9% |
| 2022 | 55.7% | -0.9% |
| 2023 | 55.2% | -1.0% |
| 2024 | 54.6% | -1.0% |
| 2025 | 54.1% | -1.0% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 54.1% is below the median for low income countries, which is 65.5%, 83% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 54.1% is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 55.1%, 98% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 79.8% | 76.5% | 82.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 72.7% | 70.2% | 75.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 68.2% | 66.8% | 69.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 65.6% | 64.7% | 66.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 63.2% | 61.8% | 64.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 59.4% | 57.3% | 61.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 55.4% | 54.1% | 56.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 57 Democratic Republic of Congo 54.9% compare
- 58 Seychelles 54.5% compare
- 59 Zambia 54.1% compare
- 61 Guinea-Bissau 53.3% compare
- 62 Turkmenistan 52.9% compare
- 63 Saint Vincent and the Grenadines 52.0% compare
More agriculture & rural data for Sierra Leone
- Cropland extent over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0002 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Cropland extent over the long-term, per capita 0.1983 hectares per person (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per unit of GDP 0.0005 hectares per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agricultural area over the long-term, per capita 0.4477 hectares per person (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), annual 8.47 % change on previous year (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 0.2954 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Agriculture, forestry, and fishing, value added (current US$), per 250 current US$ per person (2025)
- Rural population, annual growth rate 1 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population in Sierra Leone?
- Rural population in Sierra Leone was 54.1% in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest rural population recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 82.6% in 1960.
- What is the lowest rural population recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 54.1% in 2025.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for rural population?
- Sierra Leone ranks 60th out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is rural population rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 8.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Rural population (% of total population). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
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About this data
Rural population refers to people living in rural areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated as the difference between total population and urban population.