Updated
Overview
Guinea has about 70% more people than Sierra Leone: 15.10 million against 8.82 million (2025).
Guinea's economy is 3.8 times the size of Sierra Leone's, at $28.35B versus $7.46B.
Per person, Guinea is the wealthier of the two: $1,877 against $846 in GDP per capita.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Guinea | Sierra Leone | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $28.35B | $7.46B | 2025 | $25.33B / $7.55B |
| GDP per capita | Higher: $1,877 | $846 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | Higher: 7.4% | 4.6% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 3.5% | 7.5% | 2025 | 8.1% / 28.6% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | Lower: 3.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | — | 24 | — / 2023 | — / — |
| Avg monthly earnings | $192 | — | 2019 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | Higher: $46 | $38 | 2020 / 2023 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 15.10 million | 8.82 million | 2025 | 14.37 million / 9.33 million |
| Population growth | 2.3% | 2.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 18.3 yrs | 19.7 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 4.04 | 3.61 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 60.9 yrs | Higher: 62.0 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 39% | 46% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | Higher: 33% | 25% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 245,857 km² | 71,740 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 61.4/km² | 122.9/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 4.03 Mt | Lower: 1.43 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.3 t | Lower: 0.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $562.46M | $36.45M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 2.1% | 0.5% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 13,000 | 9,000 | 2020 | — / — |
Sources by row: World Bank WDI, IMF WEO, UN WPP 2024, ILOSTAT, The Economist. Emphasis marks the stronger figure where one direction is meaningfully better.
Reading the numbers
Economy
Guinea is growing faster: 7.4% annual GDP growth versus 4.6%.
Sierra Leone runs the hotter price environment: 7.5% inflation versus 3.5%.
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 18.3 (Guinea) and 19.7 (Sierra Leone).
Life expectancy is 1.1 years longer in Sierra Leone (62.0 vs 60.9).
Geography
By land area, Guinea is 3.4 times the size of Sierra Leone: 245,857 km² versus 71,740 km².
The two share a land border, which shapes their trade, migration, and security relationship.
Sierra Leone is far more densely settled: 123 people per km² against 61.
Military
Guinea spends 15 times as much on defence as Sierra Leone: $562.46M versus $36.45M (World Bank/SIPRI data).
Relative to its economy, Guinea carries the heavier military burden: 2.1% of GDP versus 0.5%.
Guinea fields the larger armed forces: 13,000 personnel against 9,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Guinea bigger than Sierra Leone?
- Guinea is larger by land area. Guinea covers 245,857 km² while Sierra Leone covers 71,740 km², so Guinea is 3.4 times the size of the other.
- Which has more people, Guinea or Sierra Leone?
- Guinea has the larger population: 15.10 million versus 8.82 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Guinea richer than Sierra Leone?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Guinea is richer: $1,877 against $846. Total GDP tells the same story: $28.35B for Guinea versus $7.46B for Sierra Leone.
- Who spends more on their military, Guinea or Sierra Leone?
- Guinea spends more: $562.46M versus $36.45M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).