Sierra Leone population pyramid 2026
8,996,744 people in 2026 (projected). Sierra Leone’s pyramid is flattening at the base: fertility fell from 6.4 children per woman in 2000 to 3.8 in 2023, after decades of very high mortality and war.
- 2026 population
- 9Mrank 101 of 237
- Median age
- 19.9 yearsoldest rank 200
- Fertility rate
- 3.53births per woman · above replacement
- Structure
- Youthful3.3% age 65+
Sierra Leone population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Sierra Leone age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 37.2% of the population, while 3.3% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 59.5% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Sierra Leone’s age structure as youthful; the guide to expansive population pyramids explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 68.2: about 68 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (62.6 children and 5.6 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Sierra Leone’s population pyramid
Survival as the main story
For most of the period covered by the chart, Sierra Leone had some of the highest mortality in the world. Life expectancy was about 29 years in 1950 and still under 44 in 1990, and infant mortality was 222 per 1,000 live births in 1950 and 142 as late as 2000. The pyramid of those decades is steep-sided, with each band markedly smaller than the one below it, a shape that reflects deaths in childhood as well as high fertility. Since 2000 survival has improved quickly: life expectancy reached about 62 in 2023, and infant mortality roughly halved to 72. Even so, about 93 children in every 1,000 still die before age five, and the guide to median age and life expectancy explains why such a young population can coexist with rising longevity.
War, displacement and return
The civil war of 1991–2002 drove large numbers of people into neighbouring Guinea and Liberia. The UN migration series reflects this: it records net emigration of about 1 million between 1950 and 1999, then a net inflow of about 480,000 between 2000 and 2023, a reversal largely associated with the return of refugees after the war. The cohorts born during the conflict, now aged roughly 24–35, show no clear notch in the 2026 chart, and the pyramid alone cannot show whether this reflects returns, a muted effect on births or the limits of the underlying data. The Ebola epidemic of 2014–16 likewise leaves no visible trace at this scale.
A transition under way
Fertility stayed above six children per woman until 2000, then fell steeply to 3.8 by 2023. The pyramid is beginning to show it. In 2000 the 0–4 band was about 24% larger than the 5–9 band; in 2026 the steps between bands below age 15 are only 6–7%, and the median age has risen from about 17 to 20. The 2026 structure is closest to those of Senegal and Guinea-Bissau, and also resembles that of neighbouring Liberia.
Under the UN medium scenario the population grows from about 9 million in 2026 to 12.9 million in 2050 and peaks near 16 million in 2092. By 2050 the base is almost straight-sided, with the bands from 0–4 to 15–19 nearly equal in size.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
No five-year band under age 80 is more than 10% larger or smaller than both of its neighbours, so Sierra Leone’s 2026 pyramid has a comparatively smooth profile without sharp bulges or notches.
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2099. Children under 15 outnumber people aged 65 and older in every pyramid year through 2100.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Sierra Leone is projected to record 261,328 births (about 715 births a day) and 72,457 deaths, a natural increase of 188,871. Net migration adds −12,277 people, ranking #166 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 5,761,012 births, 2,014,161 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +479,320. Over that period the balance of births and deaths moved the total more than migration did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of −333,383 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 64.1 years30.4 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 60.6 years27.5 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 12.7 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 68.1per 1,000 births · 222 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 92.6per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 28.4 yearssex ratio at birth 103.4
Women in Sierra Leone are projected to live 3.5 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 222 to 68.1 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #1 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 28.4 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Sierra Leone
The median age of 19.9 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 3.53 births per woman is above the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 62.3 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 8,996,744 | #101 | Largest first |
| Median age | 19.9 years | #200 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 3.53 | #39 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +2.0% | #45 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 62.3 years | #226 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 3.3% | #203 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Sierra Leone
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0–4 | 1,187,243 | 13.2% | 599.3K / 587.9K |
| 2 | 5–9 | 1,112,521 | 12.4% | 560.5K / 552K |
| 3 | 10–14 | 1,047,640 | 11.6% | 526.7K / 521K |
| 4 | 15–19 | 979,736 | 10.9% | 492.6K / 487.2K |
| 5 | 20–24 | 871,472 | 9.7% | 438.1K / 433.4K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Sierra Leone has 4,487,631 males and 4,509,114 females. That is 99.5 males per 100 females, ranking #83 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 49.9% of the population and females for 50.1%. There are 21,483 more females than males overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 79.6 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 103.4 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, slightly below the typical value of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Sierra Leone has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 1,999,623 in 1950 to 8,996,744 in 2026, a change of 350%. Over the same span, median age moved from 19.4 to 19.9 years.
The under-15 share changed from 39.4% to 37.2%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 3.0% to 3.3%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Sierra Leone’s population is projected to grow by about 44%, reaching 12,948,325 in 2050. The median age changes from 19.9 to 26.3 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 2.2 percentage points to 5.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 28.2%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 16,009,636 in 2092. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 1,999,623 | 19.4 | 6.09 | 28.9 | 95,629 | 68,972 | −3,290 | +1.2% |
| 1960 | 2,268,356 | 20.1 | 6.17 | 33.1 | 108,883 | 70,692 | −3,528 | +1.5% |
| 1970 | 2,712,286 | 19.4 | 6.41 | 38.6 | 128,475 | 71,963 | −4,957 | +1.9% |
| 1980 | 3,272,089 | 18.1 | 6.56 | 42.8 | 153,258 | 75,327 | −11,641 | +2.0% |
| 1990 | 4,196,828 | 17.4 | 6.57 | 43.7 | 190,874 | 90,098 | +131,587 | +5.5% |
| 2000 | 4,423,612 | 16.9 | 6.35 | 44.8 | 199,261 | 88,507 | +83,013 | +4.4% |
| 2010 | 6,222,714 | 17.1 | 5.33 | 51.9 | 243,404 | 88,061 | +7,983 | +2.6% |
| 2020 | 7,912,558 | 18.6 | 4.08 | 59.7 | 254,755 | 73,738 | +1,292 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | 8,460,512 | 19.3 | 3.79 | 61.8 | 258,903 | 70,116 | −4,000 | +2.2% |
| 2024* | 8,642,022 | 19.5 | 3.70 | 62.0 | 260,194 | 70,955 | −11,000 | +2.1% |
| 2026* | 8,996,744 | 19.9 | 3.53 | 62.3 | 261,328 | 72,457 | −12,277 | +2.0% |
| 2030* | 9,694,858 | 20.9 | 3.23 | 63.0 | 262,783 | 75,892 | −13,030 | +1.8% |
| 2040* | 11,398,400 | 23.6 | 2.76 | 64.6 | 265,159 | 87,547 | −7,726 | +1.5% |
| 2050* | 12,948,325 | 26.3 | 2.45 | 66.0 | 260,819 | 103,727 | −12,333 | +1.1% |
| 2060* | 14,219,379 | 29.1 | 2.25 | 67.3 | 251,389 | 124,318 | −15,579 | +0.8% |
| 2070* | 15,177,973 | 31.6 | 2.10 | 68.5 | 239,853 | 148,313 | −14,988 | +0.5% |
| 2080* | 15,751,832 | 33.9 | 2.00 | 69.7 | 226,340 | 172,478 | −16,026 | +0.2% |
| 2090* | 15,996,608 | 35.8 | 1.93 | 70.9 | 212,969 | 191,871 | −11,451 | +0.1% |
| 2100* | 15,934,256 | 37.4 | 1.87 | 72.0 | 199,024 | 203,889 | −16,996 | -0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 599,347 | 587,896 | 1,187,243 | 13.2% |
| 5–9 | 560,501 | 552,020 | 1,112,521 | 12.4% |
| 10–14 | 526,652 | 520,988 | 1,047,640 | 11.6% |
| 15–19 | 492,565 | 487,171 | 979,736 | 10.9% |
| 20–24 | 438,105 | 433,367 | 871,472 | 9.7% |
| 25–29 | 383,495 | 381,257 | 764,752 | 8.5% |
| 30–34 | 322,016 | 322,202 | 644,218 | 7.2% |
| 35–39 | 271,658 | 270,360 | 542,018 | 6.0% |
| 40–44 | 226,724 | 226,233 | 452,957 | 5.0% |
| 45–49 | 184,429 | 187,146 | 371,575 | 4.1% |
| 50–54 | 147,196 | 153,070 | 300,266 | 3.3% |
| 55–59 | 115,237 | 123,495 | 238,732 | 2.7% |
| 60–64 | 86,974 | 97,068 | 184,042 | 2.0% |
| 65–69 | 60,397 | 71,231 | 131,628 | 1.5% |
| 70–74 | 37,703 | 47,437 | 85,140 | 0.9% |
| 75–79 | 20,762 | 27,811 | 48,573 | 0.5% |
| 80–84 | 10,110 | 14,302 | 24,412 | 0.3% |
| 85–89 | 3,105 | 4,846 | 7,951 | 0.1% |
| 90–94 | 590 | 1,067 | 1,657 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 63 | 138 | 201 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 4 | 10 | 14 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Sierra Leone’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Senegal99% overlap · median age 19.8
- Guinea-Bissau99% overlap · median age 19.6
- Madagascar98% overlap · median age 19.4
- Kenya98% overlap · median age 20.3
- Liberia98% overlap · median age 19.0
- Togo98% overlap · median age 19.2
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Sierra Leone.
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APA
World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Sierra Leone Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sierra-leone/
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“Sierra Leone Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sierra-leone/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Sierra Leone Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/sierra-leone/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Sierra Leone in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Sierra Leone's population in 2026 is projected at 8,996,744.
What is the median age in Sierra Leone?
The projected median age in Sierra Leone in 2026 is 19.9 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Sierra Leone?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 3.53 births per woman, above the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Sierra Leone's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 44%, from 9M to 12.9M.
What share of Sierra Leone is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 3.3% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 5.5%.
How many babies are born in Sierra Leone each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 261,328 births and 72,457 deaths in 2026, about 715 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 188,871.
What is life expectancy in Sierra Leone for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 64.1 years for women and 60.6 years for men, a gap of 3.5 years in favour of women.
Does Sierra Leone have more immigrants or emigrants?
Sierra Leone is projected to lose about 12,277 more people through emigration than it gains in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +479,320.
What is the sex ratio in Sierra Leone?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 99.5 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.