Quick facts
Freetown overview
Freetown (orange) and the other large cities of Sierra Leone
Freetown lies in Western Area in Sierra Leone at 8.49°N, 13.24°W, about 38 m above sea level. The local time zone is Africa/Freetown (UTC+0); GeoNames classifies it as a national capital.
It is the biggest urban centre of Sierra Leone: the next largest cities are Kenema (255,110), Bo (233,684), Koidu (128,030). Together, the three largest cities hold 14.3% of the national population.
The nearest large city is Waterloo, about 24 km away, followed by Port Loko (58 km).
Sierra Leone as a whole has a live population of 9,049,032 (+2% a year) and ranks #102 of 238 countries — see the Sierra Leone population page for the full statistics and the Sierra Leone atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Freetown
| City | Distance | Population |
|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Western Area | 24 km | 55,000 |
| Port Loko North West | 58 km | 44,900 |
| Lunsar Northern Province | 80 km | 22,461 |
| Mile 91 Northern Province | 112 km | 15,491 |
| Njala Southern Province | 137 km | 40,000 |
| Makeni Northern Province | 138 km | 85,116 |
| Bumpe Southern Province | 161 km | 16,123 |
| Bo Southern Province | 175 km | 233,684 |
Largest cities in Sierra Leone
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | FreetownCapital | Western Area | 802,639 |
| 2 | Kenema | Eastern Province | 255,110 |
| 3 | Bo | Southern Province | 233,684 |
| 4 | Koidu | Eastern Province | 128,030 |
| 5 | Makeni | Northern Province | 85,116 |
| 6 | Waterloo | Western Area | 55,000 |
| 7 | Port Loko | North West | 44,900 |
| 8 | Njala | Southern Province | 40,000 |
| 9 | Lunsar | Northern Province | 22,461 |
| 10 | Kabala | Northern Province | 17,948 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Freetown?
Freetown has about 802,639 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Freetown the capital of Sierra Leone?
Yes — Freetown is the national capital of Sierra Leone.
How big is Freetown compared with the rest of Sierra Leone?
Its 802,639 residents are 8.9% of the 9,049,032 people living in Sierra Leone today. It is the largest city in the country.
Where is Freetown?
In Western Area, Sierra Leone, at latitude 8.49 and longitude -13.24, 38 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Waterloo (24 km), Port Loko (58 km), Lunsar (80 km).
Explore more
Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Freetown Population 2026 — Sierra Leone. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/sierra-leone/freetown/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/sierra-leone/freetown/">Freetown Population 2026 — Sierra Leone</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.