Rural population density in Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone: Rural population density was 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011. ▼ Falling
Latest (2011)
331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land
Change on year
up 1.6%
World rank
24th
of 53 countries
All-time high
548.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 1990
All-time low
223.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land
in 2006
Years of data
51
1961–2011
Rural population density in Sierra Leone, 1961–2011
Source: Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates. Measured in rural population per sq. km of arable land.
Analysis
Sierra Leone recorded 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land for rural population density in 2011.
The figure is up 1.6% on the previous year and down 19.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, rural population density in Sierra Leone peaked at 548.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1990 and was at its lowest, 223.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land, in 2006.
Sierra Leone ranks 24th of 53 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 51 years of available data.
Rural population density in Sierra Leone, year by year
| Year | rural population per sq. km of arable land | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 513.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | — |
| 1962 | 511.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.5% |
| 1963 | 508.79 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1964 | 506.73 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1965 | 504.91 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1966 | 502.9 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1967 | 501.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1968 | 499.5 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1969 | 498 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1970 | 496.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1971 | 494.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1972 | 493.49 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1973 | 492.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.3% |
| 1974 | 491.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.2% |
| 1975 | 490.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.1% |
| 1976 | 491.34 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1977 | 492.65 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1978 | 494.24 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1979 | 496.08 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1980 | 498.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1981 | 499.93 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1982 | 501.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 503.63 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.4% |
| 1984 | 506.39 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.5% |
| 1985 | 510.1 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.7% |
| 1986 | 516.68 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 524.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.4% |
| 1988 | 535.13 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +2.1% |
| 1989 | 544.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.7% |
| 1990 | 548.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.8% |
| 1991 | 548.25 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.1% |
| 1992 | 543.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.8% |
| 1993 | 537.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.2% |
| 1994 | 531.65 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.0% |
| 1995 | 527.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.8% |
| 1996 | 524.86 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -0.4% |
| 1997 | 525.76 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.2% |
| 1998 | 528.83 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 536.45 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.4% |
| 2000 | 542.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.1% |
| 2001 | 409.16 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -24.6% |
| 2002 | 323.41 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -21.0% |
| 2003 | 318.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -1.5% |
| 2004 | 276.69 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -13.1% |
| 2005 | 249.66 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -9.8% |
| 2006 | 223.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -10.4% |
| 2007 | 336.46 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +50.5% |
| 2008 | 319.79 rural population per sq. km of arable land | -5.0% |
| 2009 | 323.54 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.2% |
| 2010 | 326.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +0.8% |
| 2011 | 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land | +1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 505.18 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 498 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 513.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 9 |
| 1970s | 493.3 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 490.37 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 496.58 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1980s | 513.99 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 498.12 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 544.15 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 1990s | 535.25 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 524.86 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 548.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2000s | 332.35 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 223.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 542.6 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 10 |
| 2010s | 328.62 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 326.04 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land | 2 |
Countries ranked near Sierra Leone
- 21 Malawi 360.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 22 Côte d'Ivoire 338.57 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 23 Equatorial Guinea 335.11 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 25 Mozambique 316.54 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 26 Botswana 300.97 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
- 27 Congo 300.96 rural population per sq. km of arable land compare
More environment data for Sierra Leone
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -5.4 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -5.39 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.232 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.28 °C (2025)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, annual growth rate -31.66 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per unit of GDP 0 t per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import quantity, per capita 0.0003 t per person (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, annual growth rate -31.69 % change on previous year (2024)
- Paper and paperboard — Import value, per unit of GDP 0 1000 USD per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is rural population density in Sierra Leone?
- Rural population density in Sierra Leone was 331.19 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2011, according to Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates.
- What is the highest rural population density recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The highest recorded value was 548.64 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 1990.
- What is the lowest rural population density recorded in Sierra Leone?
- The lowest recorded value was 223.61 rural population per sq. km of arable land in 2006.
- How does Sierra Leone rank for rural population density?
- Sierra Leone ranks 24th out of 53 countries with data for 2011.
- Is rural population density rising or falling in Sierra Leone?
- Over the last ten years it is down 19.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Sierra Leone data come from?
- The figures come from Food and Agriculture Organization and World Bank population estimates, published as part of Rural population density (rural population per sq. km of arable land). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Rural population density is the rural population divided by the arable land area. Rural population is calculated as the difference between the total population and the urban population. Arable land includes land defined by the FAO as land under temporary crops (double-cropped areas are counted once), temporary meadows for mowing or for pasture, land under market or kitchen gardens, and land temporarily fallow. Land abandoned as a result of shifting cultivation is excluded.