MigrantoImmigrants in Sierra Leone
49.2K foreign-born residents — the #159 largest immigrant population in the world
Where immigrants come from
The top 3 countries account for 90% of all immigrants
| Country | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| Guinea | 33542 |
| Liberia | 8462 |
| Nigeria | 2024 |
| India | 892 |
| Ghana | 874 |
| Guinea-Bissau | 605 |
| Lebanon | 545 |
| Gambia | 487 |
| Senegal | 285 |
| Mali | 244 |
| China | 174 |
| USA | 141 |
| United Kingdom | 131 |
| Ivory Coast | 110 |
| Benin | 94 |
| Mauritania | 83 |
| Cape Verde | 82 |
| Pakistan | 80 |
| South Africa | 72 |
| Russia | 63 |
| Niger | 44 |
| Germany | 30 |
| Kenya | 24 |
| Togo | 20 |
| Zambia | 16 |
| Canada | 15 |
| Sudan | 7 |
| Burkina Faso | 7 |
| North Korea | 2 |
| South Korea | 1 |
| Eritrea | 0 |
| Rwanda | 0 |
| Chad | 0 |
| DR Congo | 0 |
| Equatorial Guinea | 0 |
| Japan | 0 |
| Vietnam | 0 |
| Iraq | 0 |
By region of origin
Africa is the leading region of origin at 96%
47.1K
1.1K
545
224
156
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Interesting facts
Notable statistics about immigration in Sierra Leone.
Guinea is the leading source of immigration by a wide margin
Guinea accounts for 68% of all immigrants, far ahead of the second-largest source at just 17%.
Top source countries have shifted significantly since 1990
3 new countries have entered the top 20: Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Pakistan — Guinea-Bissau rose from outside the top 20 to rank #6.
Immigration has become more concentrated over time
The top source's share rose from 59% to 68%, with Guinea increasingly the primary origin.
How immigration changed over time
Total immigrant population by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 221098 |
| 1995 | 97491 |
| 2000 | 96977 |
| 2005 | 145394 |
| 2010 | 78288 |
| 2015 | 57900 |
| 2020 | 52842 |
| 2024 | 49156 |
Top sources over time
Immigration from the 5 largest source countries
| Year | Guinea | Liberia | Nigeria | India | Ghana |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 74272 | 130316 | 2116 | 405 | 1310 |
| 1995 | 72442 | 8925 | 2063 | 395 | 1274 |
| 2000 | 70385 | 10813 | 2012 | 385 | 1242 |
| 2005 | 56539 | 79156 | 1922 | 341 | 1232 |
| 2010 | 47462 | 22552 | 2112 | 539 | 1107 |
| 2015 | 39375 | 10917 | 2022 | 855 | 995 |
| 2020 | 36058 | 9097 | 2176 | 959 | 939 |
| 2024 | 33542 | 8462 | 2024 | 892 | 874 |
Fastest-changing origins
How immigration from each country has changed since the selected year
Sierra Leone as a destination, by diaspora
Share of each country's emigrants who settled in Sierra Leone
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many immigrants live in Sierra Leone?
Around 49.2K foreign-born residents live in Sierra Leone, making it the #159-largest immigrant population in the world.
Where do most immigrants in Sierra Leone come from?
Most immigrants in Sierra Leone come from Guinea, Liberia and Nigeria — these three countries account for about 90% of all foreign-born residents.
What share of the population of Sierra Leone are immigrants?
Immigrants make up around 1% of the population of Sierra Leone — that's 49.2K out of a total population of 8.6M.
How has immigration to Sierra Leone changed over the past decade?
Over the past decade, the immigrant population in Sierra Leone has fallen from 57.9K to 49.2K people, a decline of about 15%.
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