geography
Freetown, Sierra Leone's capital, was founded in 1792 as a settlement for freed slaves, and its natural harbor is one of the largest in the world.
Sierra Leone
Republic of Sierra Leone
Population, GDP, and key facts about Sierra Leone — updated for 2026.
Capital · FREETOWNContinent · AFRICAISO · SLE
Sierra Leone quick facts
- Population
- 8,642,022
- Area
- 72,300 km²
- Population density
- 117 people/km²
- GDP
- US$ 7 Billion
- GDP per capita
- US$ 806.7
- Capital
- Freetown
- Currency
- Sierra Leonean leone (Le, SLL)
- Minimum wage
- US$ 37.6/month · Le 800/month (2024)
- Language
- English
Sierra Leone at human scale
Where does Sierra Leone rank in the world?
Compare Sierra Leone with other countries
🇸🇱 vs 🇹🇬Compare Sierra Leone vs Togo🇸🇱 vs 🇸🇿Compare Sierra Leone vs Eswatini7.0× difference in population
Compare Sierra Leone with any country →Sierra Leone's war history
- Government of Sierra LeonevsAFRC, RUF
Internationalized intrastate
Wars that reached at least 1,000 battle-related deaths in a year, since 1946 — not a full record of every armed conflict Sierra Leone has had. Source: UCDP/PRIO Armed Conflict Dataset.
See every war since 1946 on the War Timeline →Sierra Leone's energy mix
Fossil fuels · 5%Renewables · 95%
- Hydropower86%
- Solar10%
- Oil5%
Share of Sierra Leone's own electricity generation by source, 2024. Source: Our World in Data (Ember Yearly Electricity Data and the Energy Institute Statistical Review of World Energy).
Everything we know about Sierra Leone
Countries near Sierra Leone
How many countries do you think Sierra Leone could fit?
Pour other countries into Sierra Leone's own outline, by real area, and see how many it takes to fill it up.
Fill the Country →Frequently asked questions about Sierra Leone
What is the capital of Sierra Leone?
The capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown.
What is Sierra Leone's population?
Sierra Leone has a population of 8,642,022.
What is Sierra Leone's GDP per capita?
Sierra Leone's GDP per capita is US$ 806.7.
What is the currency of Sierra Leone?
The currency of Sierra Leone is the Sierra Leonean leone (SLL).
What is the minimum wage in Sierra Leone?
Sierra Leone's statutory minimum wage is about US$ 37.6 per month (as of 2024) — Le 800 per month in local currency.
Is Sierra Leone bigger than Togo?
Sierra Leone is about 1.3× the size of Togo by land area.
Data from the World Bank, updated November 2026.