Kenema Population 2026

Kenema has a population of 255,110, making it the #2 biggest city in 🇸🇱 Sierra Leone, located in Eastern Province. Roughly 2.8% of Sierra Leone's population lives here. It is about 3.1× smaller than Freetown, the country's biggest city.

Location of Kenema (capital Freetown shown for reference). Boundaries: Natural Earth.

Population (city proper)

255,110

Rank in Sierra Leone

Coordinates

7.88°N, 11.19°W

~182 m elevation · Africa/Freetown

Distance to capital (Freetown)

235 km

146 miles, straight line

Other big cities in Eastern Province

City	Population	Rank in Sierra Leone
Koidu	128,030	#4
Segbwema	16,532	#11

Cities near Kenema

Segbwema16,532 people · ~30 km away
Bo233,684 people · ~61 km away
Bumpe16,123 people · ~79 km away
Koidu128,030 people · ~89 km away
Njala40,000 people · ~99 km away
Mile 9115,491 people · ~130 km away

FAQ

What is the population of Kenema?

Kenema has a population of 255,110 (city proper, latest official figure via GeoNames), making it the #2 biggest city in Sierra Leone.

What region is Kenema in?

Kenema is located in Eastern Province, Sierra Leone.

Is Kenema the capital of Sierra Leone?

No, the capital of Sierra Leone is Freetown, about 235 km away.

Sources & notes

Population refers to the city proper (municipal boundaries), not the metropolitan area. Source: GeoNames (CC BY 4.0), retrieved 2026-07-07. Country data: UN World Population Prospects 2024.

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