Updated
Overview
Sierra Leone has about 55% more people than Liberia: 8.82 million against 5.73 million (2025).
Sierra Leone's economy is about 40% larger than Liberia's, at $7.46B versus $5.25B.
Population
GDP (nominal)
GDP per capita
The full table
| Indicator | Sierra Leone | Liberia | Years | Factbook, Jan 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ||||
| GDP (nominal) | Higher: $7.46B | $5.25B | 2025 | $7.55B / $4.75B |
| GDP per capita | $846 | Higher: $915 | 2025 | — / — |
| GDP growth | 4.6% | Higher: 5.0% | 2025 | — / — |
| Inflation | Lower: 7.5% | 8.3% | 2025 | 28.6% / 10.1% |
| Unemployment | 3.1% | Lower: 2.9% | 2025 | — / — |
| Price level (US=100) | 24 | — | 2023 | — / — |
| Minimum wage | $38 | Higher: $91 | 2023 / 2024 | — / — |
| People | ||||
| Population | 8.82 million | 5.73 million | 2025 | 9.33 million / 5.56 million |
| Population growth | 2.0% | 2.1% | 2025 | — / — |
| Median age | 19.7 yrs | 18.8 yrs | 2025 | — / — |
| Fertility rate | 3.61 | 3.79 | 2025 | — / — |
| Life expectancy | 62.0 yrs | Higher: 62.3 yrs | 2024 | — / — |
| Urban population | 46% | 56% | 2025 | — / — |
| Internet users | 25% | Higher: 32% | 2024 | — / — |
| Geography | ||||
| Area | 71,740 km² | 111,369 km² | — | — / — |
| Population density | 122.9/km² | 51.5/km² | 2025 | — / — |
| Environment | ||||
| CO2 emissions | 1.43 Mt | Lower: 0.86 Mt | 2024 | — / — |
| CO2 per capita | 0.2 t | Lower: 0.2 t | 2024 | — / — |
| Military | ||||
| Military spending | $36.45M | $33.83M | 2024 | — / — |
| Military spending (% GDP) | 0.5% | 0.7% | 2024 | — / — |
| Armed forces personnel | 9,000 | 2,000 | 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
Both economies are growing at a similar pace (4.6% for Sierra Leone, 5.0% for Liberia).
Inflation is comparable in both: 7.5% in Sierra Leone and 8.3% in Liberia.
People and society
Demographically the two are similar, with median ages of 19.7 (Sierra Leone) and 18.8 (Liberia).
Liberia is considerably more urbanized: 56% of people live in cities, against 46%.
Geography
By land area, Sierra Leone is 36% smaller than Liberia: 71,740 km² versus 111,369 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 51.
Military
Defence budgets are of similar magnitude: $36.45M (Sierra Leone) and $33.83M (Liberia).
Sierra Leone fields the larger armed forces: 9,000 personnel against 2,000 (note: personnel data lags; observation years shown in the table).
Frequently asked
- Is Sierra Leone bigger than Liberia?
- Liberia is larger by land area. Sierra Leone covers 71,740 km² while Liberia covers 111,369 km², so Liberia is 55% larger than the other.
- Which has more people, Sierra Leone or Liberia?
- Sierra Leone has the larger population: 8.82 million versus 5.73 million (World Bank, 2025).
- Is Sierra Leone richer than Liberia?
- Measured by GDP per capita, Liberia is richer: $915 against $846. Total GDP tells a different story: $7.46B for Sierra Leone versus $5.25B for Liberia.
- Who spends more on their military, Sierra Leone or Liberia?
- Sierra Leone spends more: $36.45M versus $33.83M per year (World Bank, SIPRI-derived data; observation years vary).