# Demographics of Sierra Leone

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.

## Population

According to the 2022 revision of the World Population Prospects 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 .
| | 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.):
| 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 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.
| | 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 |

### Demographic and Health Surveys

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):
| 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

    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

## Languages

    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

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