Number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Number of children under 5 was 1.16 million people in 2023. ▲ Rising
Latest (2023)
1.16 million people
Change on year
up 0.9%
World rank
80th
of 236 countries
All-time high
1.16 million people
in 2023
All-time low
318,190 people
in 1952
Years of data
74
1950–2023
Number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone, 1950–2023
Source: UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone is 1.16 million people, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 74 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.9% on the previous year and up 8.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone peaked at 1.16 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 318,190 people, in 1952.
Sierra Leone ranks 80th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 74 years of available data.
Number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 320,685 people | — |
| 1951 | 319,074 people | -0.5% |
| 1952 | 318,190 people | -0.3% |
| 1953 | 319,770 people | +0.5% |
| 1954 | 325,591 people | +1.8% |
| 1955 | 332,121 people | +2.0% |
| 1956 | 337,874 people | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 344,242 people | +1.9% |
| 1958 | 351,053 people | +2.0% |
| 1959 | 358,176 people | +2.0% |
| 1960 | 365,723 people | +2.1% |
| 1961 | 373,765 people | +2.2% |
| 1962 | 382,145 people | +2.2% |
| 1963 | 390,909 people | +2.3% |
| 1964 | 400,080 people | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 409,346 people | +2.3% |
| 1966 | 418,510 people | +2.2% |
| 1967 | 427,833 people | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 437,067 people | +2.2% |
| 1969 | 445,946 people | +2.0% |
| 1970 | 454,926 people | +2.0% |
| 1971 | 463,951 people | +2.0% |
| 1972 | 472,912 people | +1.9% |
| 1973 | 482,242 people | +2.0% |
| 1974 | 492,374 people | +2.1% |
| 1975 | 502,964 people | +2.2% |
| 1976 | 513,412 people | +2.1% |
| 1977 | 524,281 people | +2.1% |
| 1978 | 535,925 people | +2.2% |
| 1979 | 547,536 people | +2.2% |
| 1980 | 559,116 people | +2.1% |
| 1981 | 571,129 people | +2.1% |
| 1982 | 583,697 people | +2.2% |
| 1983 | 596,963 people | +2.3% |
| 1984 | 611,017 people | +2.4% |
| 1985 | 625,811 people | +2.4% |
| 1986 | 642,481 people | +2.7% |
| 1987 | 661,225 people | +2.9% |
| 1988 | 680,371 people | +2.9% |
| 1989 | 697,959 people | +2.6% |
| 1990 | 726,189 people | +4.0% |
| 1991 | 734,909 people | +1.2% |
| 1992 | 721,373 people | -1.8% |
| 1993 | 720,694 people | -0.1% |
| 1994 | 725,033 people | +0.6% |
| 1995 | 727,518 people | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 732,369 people | +0.7% |
| 1997 | 743,162 people | +1.5% |
| 1998 | 751,379 people | +1.1% |
| 1999 | 756,679 people | +0.7% |
| 2000 | 776,794 people | +2.7% |
| 2001 | 824,345 people | +6.1% |
| 2002 | 872,104 people | +5.8% |
| 2003 | 904,935 people | +3.8% |
| 2004 | 929,340 people | +2.7% |
| 2005 | 945,499 people | +1.7% |
| 2006 | 957,074 people | +1.2% |
| 2007 | 968,324 people | +1.2% |
| 2008 | 982,855 people | +1.5% |
| 2009 | 1.00 million people | +1.9% |
| 2010 | 1.02 million people | +2.0% |
| 2011 | 1.04 million people | +1.8% |
| 2012 | 1.06 million people | +1.6% |
| 2013 | 1.07 million people | +1.2% |
| 2014 | 1.08 million people | +0.8% |
| 2015 | 1.08 million people | +0.5% |
| 2016 | 1.09 million people | +0.5% |
| 2017 | 1.10 million people | +0.6% |
| 2018 | 1.10 million people | +0.8% |
| 2019 | 1.12 million people | +1.0% |
| 2020 | 1.13 million people | +1.2% |
| 2021 | 1.14 million people | +1.2% |
| 2022 | 1.15 million people | +1.0% |
| 2023 | 1.16 million people | +0.9% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 1.16 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 3.35 million people, 35% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 1.16 million people is below the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 2.19 million people, 53% of the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 332,678 people | 318,190 people | 358,176 people | 10 |
| 1960s | 405,132 people | 365,723 people | 445,946 people | 10 |
| 1970s | 499,052 people | 454,926 people | 547,536 people | 10 |
| 1980s | 622,977 people | 559,116 people | 697,959 people | 10 |
| 1990s | 733,930 people | 720,694 people | 756,679 people | 10 |
| 2000s | 916,274 people | 776,794 people | 1.00 million people | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.07 million people | 1.02 million people | 1.12 million people | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.15 million people | 1.13 million people | 1.16 million people | 4 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
More reference data data for Sierra Leone
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0238 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 0.4498 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.12 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 0.5935 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.0797 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.044 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.91 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.72 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.6534 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone?
- Number of children under 5 in Sierra Leone was 1.16 million people in 2023, according to UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest number of children under 5 recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 1.16 million people in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of children under 5 recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 318,190 people in 1952.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for number of children under 5?
- Sierra Leone ranks 80th out of 236 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of children under 5 rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 8.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from UN, World Population Prospects (2024) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Number of children under 5. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 74 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Total population, measured on 1 July of the year shown. This only includes people aged 0-4.