Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate was 1.24 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
1.24 % change on previous year
Change on year
up 0.7%
World rank
29th
of 234 countries
All-time high
3.76 % change on previous year
in 1967
All-time low
0.573 % change on previous year
in 1996
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone is 1.24 % change on previous year, measured in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.7% on the previous year and up 14.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone peaked at 3.76 % change on previous year in 1967 and was at its lowest, 0.573 % change on previous year, in 1996.
That places Sierra Leone 29th out of 234 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 3.73 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 3.67 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
| 1953 | 3.61 % change on previous year | -1.7% |
| 1954 | 3.54 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1955 | 3.48 % change on previous year | -1.8% |
| 1956 | 3.41 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1957 | 3.34 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1958 | 3.27 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1959 | 3.2 % change on previous year | -2.1% |
| 1960 | 3.13 % change on previous year | -2.2% |
| 1961 | 3.06 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 1962 | 2.99 % change on previous year | -2.3% |
| 1963 | 2.96 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 1964 | 3.18 % change on previous year | +7.5% |
| 1965 | 3.5 % change on previous year | +10.1% |
| 1966 | 3.68 % change on previous year | +5.2% |
| 1967 | 3.76 % change on previous year | +2.2% |
| 1968 | 3.75 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 3.66 % change on previous year | -2.4% |
| 1970 | 3.5 % change on previous year | -4.3% |
| 1971 | 3.29 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 1972 | 3.02 % change on previous year | -8.1% |
| 1973 | 2.71 % change on previous year | -10.3% |
| 1974 | 2.33 % change on previous year | -13.9% |
| 1975 | 2.04 % change on previous year | -12.7% |
| 1976 | 1.88 % change on previous year | -7.7% |
| 1977 | 1.78 % change on previous year | -5.5% |
| 1978 | 1.68 % change on previous year | -5.6% |
| 1979 | 1.58 % change on previous year | -5.7% |
| 1980 | 1.49 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 1981 | 1.4 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 1982 | 1.31 % change on previous year | -6.4% |
| 1983 | 1.22 % change on previous year | -6.7% |
| 1984 | 1.13 % change on previous year | -7.0% |
| 1985 | 1.05 % change on previous year | -7.7% |
| 1986 | 0.9688 % change on previous year | -7.4% |
| 1987 | 0.8892 % change on previous year | -8.2% |
| 1988 | 0.8214 % change on previous year | -7.6% |
| 1989 | 0.7625 % change on previous year | -7.2% |
| 1990 | 0.7122 % change on previous year | -6.6% |
| 1991 | 0.6701 % change on previous year | -5.9% |
| 1992 | 0.6357 % change on previous year | -5.1% |
| 1993 | 0.6092 % change on previous year | -4.2% |
| 1994 | 0.59 % change on previous year | -3.2% |
| 1995 | 0.5781 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1996 | 0.573 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 1997 | 0.5755 % change on previous year | +0.4% |
| 1998 | 0.584 % change on previous year | +1.5% |
| 1999 | 0.5997 % change on previous year | +2.7% |
| 2000 | 0.6216 % change on previous year | +3.7% |
| 2001 | 0.6498 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 2002 | 0.6839 % change on previous year | +5.2% |
| 2003 | 0.7243 % change on previous year | +5.9% |
| 2004 | 0.772 % change on previous year | +6.6% |
| 2005 | 0.8194 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 2006 | 0.8733 % change on previous year | +6.6% |
| 2007 | 0.9198 % change on previous year | +5.3% |
| 2008 | 0.9605 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 0.9954 % change on previous year | +3.6% |
| 2010 | 1.03 % change on previous year | +3.0% |
| 2011 | 1.05 % change on previous year | +2.4% |
| 2012 | 1.07 % change on previous year | +1.8% |
| 2013 | 1.08 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 2014 | 1.09 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2015 | 1.09 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 2016 | 1.13 % change on previous year | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 1.17 % change on previous year | +2.9% |
| 2018 | 1.18 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2019 | 1.19 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2020 | 1.2 % change on previous year | +0.9% |
| 2021 | 1.21 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2022 | 1.22 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2023 | 1.23 % change on previous year | +0.8% |
| 2024 | 1.24 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2025 | 1.24 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
Sierra Leone compared with similar countries
- Sierra Leone's 1.24 % change on previous year is above the median for low income countries, which is 1.24 % change on previous year, 1.0× the median. (25 countries reporting)
- Sierra Leone's 1.24 % change on previous year is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 1.15 % change on previous year, 1.1× the median. (48 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.47 % change on previous year | 3.2 % change on previous year | 3.73 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 3.37 % change on previous year | 2.96 % change on previous year | 3.76 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.38 % change on previous year | 1.58 % change on previous year | 3.5 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.1 % change on previous year | 0.7625 % change on previous year | 1.49 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.6127 % change on previous year | 0.573 % change on previous year | 0.7122 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.802 % change on previous year | 0.6216 % change on previous year | 0.9954 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 1.11 % change on previous year | 1.03 % change on previous year | 1.19 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 1.22 % change on previous year | 1.2 % change on previous year | 1.24 % change on previous year | 6 |
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 urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone?
- Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Sierra Leone was 1.24 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 3.76 % change on previous year in 1967.
- What is the lowest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.573 % change on previous year in 1996.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate?
- Sierra Leone ranks 29th out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is up 14.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.