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 addition, about 5,000 Lebanese, 1,000 Indians, and 5,000 Europeans reside in the country.

Demographics of Sierra Leone
Population7,650,150
Density80.06 inhabitants per sq km.
Growth rate15.40% (2004–2014 est.)
Birth rate37.40 births/1,000 inhabitants
Death rate11.03 deaths/1,000 inhabitants
Life expectancy57.39 years
  male54.85 years
  female60.00 years
Fertility rate4.83 children born/women
Infant mortality rate73.29 deaths/1,000 births
Age structure
0–14 years41.9%
15–64 years54.4%
65 and over3.7%
Sex ratio
Total0.94 male(s)/female
At birth1.03 male(s)/female
Under 150.99 male(s)/female
15–64 years0.94 male(s)/female
65 and over0.78 male(s)/female
Nationality
NationalitySierra Leonean(s)
Major ethnicTemne 35%, Mende 31%
Minor ethnicLimba 8%, Kono 5%, Krio 2%, Mandingo 2%, Loko 2%, other 15%
Language
OfficialEnglish
SpokenKrio, Mende, Temne,

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.[1]

Population

Historical populations of Sierra Leone
YearPop.±% p.a.
1963 2,180,355    
1974 2,735,159+2.08%
1985 3,515,812+2.31%
2004 4,976,871+1.85%
2014 5,743,725+1.44%
Source: [2]
Sierra Leone's total population, from 1961 to 2003.

According to the 2019 revision of the World Population Prospects[3][4] the total population was 7,650,150 in 2018, 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 .[5]

Total population Population aged 0–14 (%) Population aged 15–64 (%) Population aged 65+ (%)
1950 1 895 00039.457.63.0
1955 2 029 00039.657.52.9
1960 2 187 00039.657.52.9
1965 2 373 00039.857.32.9
1970 2 593 00040.556.92.9
1975 2 845 00040.556.63.0
1980 3 162 00041.156.02.9
1985 3 541 00042.055.32.7
1990 3 982 00042.455.12.6
1995 3 898 00042.355.32.4
2000 4 143 00042.455.52.1
2005 5 153 00042.955.21.9
2010 5 868 00043.055.11.9

Vital statistics

Registration of vital events is in Sierra Leone not complete. The Population Departement of the United Nations prepared the following estimates. [5]

Period Live births per year Deaths per year Natural change per year CBR* CDR* NC* TFR* IMR*
1950-195596 00069 00027 00048.835.113.66.03242
1955-1960102 00071 00032 00048.633.615.06.03235
1960-1965110 00073 00037 00048.532.116.36.03227
1965-1970119 00075 00044 00047.830.117.75.98214
1970-1975124 00073 00050 00045.526.918.65.75195
1975-1980133 00069 00063 00044.123.121.15.63164
1980-1985143 00068 00076 00042.820.222.65.52135
1985-1990162 00086 00076 00043.022.820.15.59154
1990-1995175 000101 00073 00044.325.718.65.81166
1995-2000179 000100 00079 00044.624.919.65.84157
2000-2005199 00097 000102 00042.720.822.05.56133
2005-2010224 00093 000131 00040.616.923.75.22114
* CBR = crude birth rate (per 1000); CDR = crude death rate (per 1000); NC = natural change (per 1000); IMR = infant mortality rate per 1000 births; TFR = total fertility rate (number of children per woman)

Fertility and Births

Total Fertility Rate (TFR) (Wanted Fertility Rate) and Crude Birth Rate (CBR):[6]

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 26 3.1 33 5.1

Life expectancy

Period Life expectancy in
Years[7]
1950–1955 28.82
1955–1960 29.487
1960–1965 30.99
1965–1970 32.63
1970–1975 36.78
1975–1980 39.70
1980–1985 40.85
1985–1990 39.13
1990–1995 35.96
1995–2000 36.69
2000–2005 41.32
2005–2010 45.88
2010–2015 50.19


Other demographic statistics

Demographic statistics according to the World Population Review in 2019.[8]

  • One birth every 2 minutes
  • One death every 6 minutes
  • One net migrant every 120 minutes
  • Net gain of one person every 3 minutes

The following demographic are from the CIA World Factbook[9] unless otherwise indicated.

Population

6,312,212 (July 2018 est.)

Age structure

Population pyramid of Sierra Leone in 2017
0-14 years: 41.71% (male 1,314,905 /female 1,317,921)
15-24 years: 18.6% (male 572,274 /female 602,105)
25-54 years: 32.23% (male 973,698 /female 1,060,688)
55-64 years: 3.7% (male 110,176 /female 123,268)
65 years and over: 3.76% (male 97,922 /female 139,255) (2018 est.)

Median age

total: 19.1 years. Country comparison to the world: 201st
male: 18.4 years
female: 19.7 years (2018 est.)

Birth rate

36 births/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 18th
38.12 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Death rate

10.2 deaths/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 33rd
11.41 deaths/1,000 population (2017 est.)

Total fertility rate

4.69 children born/woman (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 21st
4.9 children born/woman (2012 est.)

Population growth rate

2.4% (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 27th
2.33% growth rate (2014 est.)

Mother's mean age at first birth

19.2 years (2013 est.)
note: median age at first birth among women 25-29

Contraceptive prevalence rate

16.6% (2013)

Net migration rate

-1.8 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2018 est.) Country comparison to the world: 160th
-3.86 migrants/1,000 population (2012 est.)

Dependency ratios

total dependency ratio: 82.6 (2015 est.)
youth dependency ratio: 78 (2015 est.)
elderly dependency ratio: 4.6 (2015 est.)
potential support ratio: 21.9 (2015 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 0.99 male(s)/female
15–64 years: 0.92 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
total population: 0.94 male(s)/female (2011 est.)

Maternal Mortality Ratio

890 deaths/100 000 births (2010)

Sierra Leone's MMR is the worst of any country in the world, according to the 2000 WHO, UNICEF and UNFPA report.

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 59 years
male: 56.4 years
female: 61.7 years (2018 est.)
total population: 56.55 years
male: 54.08 years
female: 59.11 years (2012 est.)
total population: 42.84 years
male: 40.33 years
female: 45.42 years (2003 est.)
total population: 45.25 years
male: 42.37 years
female: 48.21 years (2000 est.)

Urbanization

urban population: 42.1% of total population (2018)
rate of urbanization: 3.12% annual rate of change (2015-20 est.)

Education expenditures

4.6% of GDP (2017)

Health expenditures

11.1% of GDP (2014)

Physicians density

0.02 physicians/1,000 population (2010)

Hospital bed density

0.4 beds/1,000 population (2008)

HIV/AIDS

adult prevalence rate: 1.4% (2017 est.)
people living with HIV/AIDS: 61,000 (2017 est.)
deaths: 2,600 (2017 est.)

Major infectious diseases

degree of risk: very high
food or waterborne diseases: bacterial and protozoal diarrhea, hepatitis A and typhoid fever
vectorborne diseases: malaria and yellow fever
water contact disease: schistosomiasis
aerosolized dist or soil contact disease: Lassa fever (2009)

Nationality

noun: Sierra Leonean(s)
adjective: Sierra Leonean

Ethnic groups

18 native African tribes 90% (Temne 36%, Mende 33%, Limba 6.4%, Kono 4.4% other 20%)
Creole 1.2% (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 Europeans, Lebanese, Pakistanis, and Indians

Religions[10]

Muslim 78.6%, Christian 20.8%, other 0.3%, unspecified 0.2% (2013 est.)

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%)

Education expenditure

4.3% of GDP (2009)

Literacy

Definition: Age 15 and over can read and write English, Mende, Temne, or Arabic

total population: 48.1%
male: 58.7%
female: 37.7% (2015 est.)
Total population: 35.1%
Male: 46.9%
Female: 24.4% (2004 est.)
Total population: 31.4%
Male: 45.4%
Female: 18.2% (1995 est.)

Unemployment, youth ages 15-24

total: 9.4%
male: 14.8%
female: 6.1% (2014 est.)

References

  1. "Sierra Leone (02/08)". U.S. Department of State. Retrieved 2008-02-17.
  2. "FINAL RESULTS 2004 POPULATION AND HOUSING CENSUS" (PDF). Sierra-leone.org. Retrieved 7 November 2017.
  3. ""World Population prospects – Population division"". population.un.org. United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  4. ""Overall total population" – World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision" (xslx). population.un.org (custom data acquired via website). United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Retrieved November 9, 2019.
  5. Population Division of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision Archived May 6, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
  6. "Sierra Leone - Demographic and Health Survey 2008". microdata.worldbank.org.
  7. "World Population Prospects - Population Division - United Nations". esa.un.org. Retrieved 2018-08-26.
  8. [worldpopulationreview.com/countries/sierra-leone-population/ "Sierra Leone Population 2019"] Check |url= value (help), World Population Review
  9. "The World FactBook - Sierra Leone", The World Factbook, July 12, 2018 This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  10. "Africa :: SIERRA LEONE". CIA The World Factbook.
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