The population of Sierra Leone is estimated at 7,541,641, constituting 3,716,263 male and 3,825,378 female, according to the provisional data of the 2021 Mid-Term Housing and Population Census conducted by Statistic Sierra Leone.
The provisional figures show that there are 109,121 more women in the country than men with a ratio of 0.97.
The Statistician General, Statistics Sierra Leone, Professor Osman Sankoh has told journalist on Tuesday that, there is a total increase of 449,528 people in Sierra Leone when compared to the 2015 Census figure, indicating a 6 percent increase in population.
Given regional data of the total population, Prof. Sankoh highlighted that the Eastern Region recorded 1,939,122 people, North-East Region 1,316,831, North West Region 1, 186,050, South Region 1, 830,881 and the Western Region with 1, 268, 757 people.
He emphasized that the said figures indicated shows the population of people who slept in Sierra Leone on the Night of December 10 in various localities, chiefdoms, districts and region across the country, adding that more details of the census will be provided at the official launching.
Sankoh also mentioned that with the aid of digital cartographic mapping, the locality list were verified through the latest satellite imagery, adding that they also used a new guided software that assisted cartographers to delineate Enumeration Areas.
The National Census Coordinator, Abdulia Brima said that the mid-term census has been the best census in the country because of its digitalization.
He added that prior to the census day, they were able to engage local and international partners, adding that to guide their work they developed a project document in accordance with international best practice.
He highlighted that one of the difficulties in 2015 census was to disaggregate the data, noting that with the digitalization of the census they were able to code all localities with robust mechanism instituted.
By George M.O. Williams