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Share of population under 15 — all countries

Share of population under 15 — Sierra Leone

Share of population under 15 in Sierra Leone in 2025 — 37.7%. Ranked 36 in the world out of 217. Since 1960, the indicator has fallen by 0.6 pp.

2025 37.7% −0.4 pp vs 2024
World rank 36of 217
Period maximum 43.9%2003
Period minimum 37.7%2025

Trend over time

1960–2025 · % of population

Share of population under 15 — Sierra Leone, 1960–2025363840424419601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 38.2%1962: 38.3%1964: 38.8%1966: 39.4%1968: 39.9%1970: 40.3%1972: 40.7%1974: 41.1%1976: 41.4%1978: 41.7%1980: 41.9%1982: 42.1%1984: 42.3%1986: 42.6%1988: 42.8%1990: 42.9%1992: 43.1%1994: 43.3%1996: 43.5%1998: 43.6%2000: 43.8%2002: 43.9%2004: 43.9%2006: 43.7%2008: 43.5%2010: 43.2%2012: 42.8%2014: 42.2%2016: 41.4%2018: 40.6%2020: 39.8%2022: 39%2024: 38.1%2025: 37.7%
Change over the period: −0.6 pp Annual average: -0.01 pp

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone 37.7%
World 24.4%
Sub-Saharan Africa 40.4%
Western Africa computed 40.6%
Low-income countries computed 40.7%
Share of population under 15 — Sierra Leone, by year Sierra Leone All countries CSV XLSX
Year % Change, pp
2025 37.7 −0.4 pp
2024 38.1 −0.4 pp
2023 38.5 −0.4 pp
2022 39 −0.4 pp
2021 39.4 −0.4 pp
2020 39.8 −0.4 pp
2019 40.2 −0.4 pp
2018 40.6 −0.4 pp
2017 41 −0.4 pp
2016 41.4 −0.4 pp
2015 41.8 −0.4 pp
2014 42.2 −0.3 pp
2013 42.5 −0.3 pp
2012 42.8 −0.2 pp
2011 43 −0.2 pp
2010 43.2 −0.2 pp
2009 43.4 −0.1 pp
2008 43.5 −0.1 pp
2007 43.6 −0.1 pp
2006 43.7 −0.1 pp
2005 43.8 −0.1 pp
2004 43.9 −0 pp
2003 43.9 +0 pp
2002 43.9 +0 pp
2001 43.9 +0 pp
2000 43.8 +0.1 pp
1999 43.7 +0.1 pp
1998 43.6 +0.1 pp
1997 43.5 +0.1 pp
1996 43.5 +0.1 pp
1995 43.4 +0.1 pp
1994 43.3 +0.1 pp
1993 43.2 +0.1 pp
1992 43.1 +0.1 pp
1991 43 +0.1 pp
1990 42.9 +0.1 pp
1989 42.9 +0.1 pp
1988 42.8 +0.1 pp
1987 42.7 +0.1 pp
1986 42.6 +0.1 pp
1985 42.5 +0.1 pp
1984 42.3 +0.1 pp
1983 42.2 +0.1 pp
1982 42.1 +0.1 pp
1981 42 +0.1 pp
1980 41.9 +0.1 pp
1979 41.8 +0.1 pp
1978 41.7 +0.1 pp
1977 41.6 +0.1 pp
1976 41.4 +0.2 pp
1975 41.3 +0.2 pp
1974 41.1 +0.2 pp
1973 40.9 +0.2 pp
1972 40.7 +0.2 pp
1971 40.6 +0.2 pp
1970 40.3 +0.2 pp
1969 40.1 +0.2 pp
1968 39.9 +0.3 pp
1967 39.6 +0.3 pp
1966 39.4 +0.3 pp
1965 39.1 +0.3 pp
1964 38.8 +0.3 pp
1963 38.5 +0.2 pp
1962 38.3 +0.1 pp
1961 38.3 +0 pp
1960 38.2 —

Western Africa, 2025

The same indicator for neighboring countries — with links to their pages

NE Niger 46.2 ML Mali 45.8 MR Mauritania 42.4 BJ Benin 41.3 BF Burkina Faso 41.2 GN Guinea 40.5 NG Nigeria 40.5 CI Côte d'Ivoire 40.5 TG Togo 40.4 GM Gambia 39.7 LR Liberia 39.1 GW Guinea-Bissau 38.3 SN Senegal 37.7 SL Sierra Leone 37.7 GH Ghana 35.4 CV Cabo Verde 24.7
Full table for all countries

About the indicator

The share of population aged 0 to 14. In sub-Saharan Africa this share exceeds 40%, while in East Asia and Europe it drops below 15%. A high share of children means fast growth of the labor force in the future, but also a heavy current load on the education system.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Other indicators for Sierra Leone

Demography Children under 15

How many children and adolescents younger than 15 there are in a country.

Sierra Leone by year Demography Share of population aged 65 and over

The share of older people in the population — the main measure of a country's aging.

Sierra Leone by year Demography Age dependency ratio

How many dependents — children and older people — there are per 100 people of working age.

Sierra Leone by year Demography Total fertility rate

How many children one woman would bear on average if current age-specific fertility held.

Sierra Leone by year
All indicators for Sierra Leone