Who moves to Sierra Leone
49.2K people have chosen Sierra Leone for relocation — #159 most popular destination worldwide
Considering a move to Sierra Leone? — See where people come from, regional patterns, and how it's changed since 1990.
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 |
| United States | 141 |
| United Kingdom | 131 |
| Cote d'Ivoire | 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
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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