MigrantoImmigrants in Sierra Leone
49.2K foreigners live in Sierra Leone — 1% of the country's population
Immigrants in Sierra Leone by country
The 3 largest groups make up 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
96% of immigrants come from Africa
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Key facts
Immigrants in Sierra Leone in numbers
Guineans are the largest group by a wide margin
68% of all immigrants were born in Guinea, while the next group accounts for just 17%.
The map of origins has changed since 1990
3 countries have entered the top 20 origins since 1990: Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Pakistan. Guinea-Bissau climbed from outside the top 20 to #6.
More immigrants come from a single country than in 1990
The largest group's share rose from 59% to 68%, and today that group is people born in Guinea.
Immigrant population in Sierra Leone over time
Foreigners living in Sierra Leone, by year
| Year | Immigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 221098 |
| 1995 | 97491 |
| 2000 | 96977 |
| 2005 | 145394 |
| 2010 | 78288 |
| 2015 | 57900 |
| 2020 | 52842 |
| 2024 | 49156 |
Largest groups over time
The 5 largest groups in Sierra Leone, by year
| Year | Guineans | Liberians | Nigerians | Indians | Ghanaians |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 groups
How each group's numbers have changed since the selected year
Share of each diaspora living in Sierra Leone
Of each group's emigrants worldwide, the share who live in Sierra Leone
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many foreigners live in Sierra Leone?
Around 49.2K immigrants live in Sierra Leone — the world's #159 largest immigrant population.
What percentage 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.
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 immigrants.
How many Guineans live in Sierra Leone?
Around 33.5K Guineans live in Sierra Leone — about 68% of all immigrants, the largest group.
Is the immigrant population in Sierra Leone growing?
No — over the past decade, the number of immigrants in Sierra Leone has fallen from 57.9K to 49.2K, about 15%.
Where does the data on immigrants in Sierra Leone come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born abroad who now live in Sierra Leone. Their children born in Sierra Leone are not included.
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Living in Sierra Leone
See the full country overview