Sierra Leone vs Zambia: Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access
Sierra Leone
24.9%
in 2024
Zambia
31.3%
in 2024
Sierra Leone rank
193rd
Zambia rank
190th
Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access over time
- Sierra Leone
- Zambia
How they compare
Zambia currently reports 31.3% against 24.9% in Sierra Leone, a difference of 6.4%.
That makes Zambia's figure about 1.3 times Sierra Leone's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 15 shared years of data; in 2004 it was Sierra Leone ahead.
Sierra Leone ranks 193rd and Zambia ranks 190th of 212 countries.
Zambia has averaged higher in every one of the 3 decades both report.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Sierra Leone | Zambia | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 3.8% | 4.3% | 0.5% | Zambia |
| 2010s | 2.9% | 9.7% | 6.8% | Zambia |
| 2020s | 11.7% | 18.5% | 6.8% | Zambia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access, Sierra Leone or Zambia?
- Zambia, at 31.3% against 24.9% in Sierra Leone as of 2024.
- What is the difference in share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access between Sierra Leone and Zambia?
- 6.4%, with Zambia ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Sierra Leone and Zambia?
- 15 years are reported by both, from 2004 to 2024.
- How do Sierra Leone and Zambia rank globally for share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access?
- Sierra Leone ranks 193rd and Zambia ranks 190th of 212 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- SDG 7.1.1 Electrification Dataset, World Bank, via World Bank (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as Share of rural vs. urban population with electricity access. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Having access to electricity is defined in international statistics as having an electricity source that can provide very basic lighting, and charge a phone or power a radio for 4 hours per day.