Western Africa Population (LIVE)

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Western Africa Population (1950 - 2019)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Western Africa

CountryPopulation (2020)
Nigeria206,139,589
Ghana31,072,940
Côte d'Ivoire26,378,274
Niger24,206,644
Burkina Faso20,903,273
Mali20,250,833
Senegal16,743,927
Guinea13,132,795
Benin12,123,200
Togo8,278,724
Sierra Leone7,976,983
Liberia5,057,681
Mauritania4,649,658
Gambia2,416,668
Guinea-Bissau1,968,001
Cabo Verde555,987
Saint Helena6,077
  • The current population of Western Africa is 429,932,029 as of Tuesday, March 28, 2023, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Western Africa population is equivalent to 5.16% of the total world population.
  • Western Africa ranks number 2 in Africa among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Western Africa is 66 per Km2 (172 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 6,064,060 Km2 (2,341,346 sq. miles)
  • 47.7 % of the population is urban (191,841,724 people in 2019).
  • The median age in Western Africa is 18.2years.

Population of Western Africa (2019 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationWestern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2020 401,861,254 2.7 % 10,028,724 -177,000 18.2 5.18 66 47.7 % 191,841,724 5.4 % 7,794,798,739 2
2020 401,861,254 2.66 % 10,421,097 -177,002 17.9 5.45 66 47.7 % 191,841,724 5.2 % 7,794,798,739 2
2019 391,440,157 2.69 % 10,237,717 -177,002 17.9 5.45 65 47.1 % 184,411,463 5.1 % 7,713,468,100
2018 381,202,440 2.71 % 10,042,910 -177,002 17.9 5.45 63 46.5 % 177,188,860 5.0 % 7,631,091,040 2
2017 371,159,530 2.72 % 9,832,240 -177,002 17.9 5.45 61 45.8 % 170,171,309 4.9 % 7,547,858,925 2
2016 361,327,290 2.73 % 9,609,657 -177,002 17.9 5.45 60 45.2 % 163,355,934 4.8 % 7,464,022,049 2
2015 351,717,633 2.75 % 8,935,439 -279,900 17.9 5.52 58 44.6 % 156,740,414 5.1 % 7,379,797,139 2
2010 307,040,440 2.77 % 7,829,158 -196,700 17.8 5.74 51 41.2 % 126,623,066 4.7 % 6,956,823,603 2
2005 267,894,648 2.68 % 6,629,205 -160,900 17.7 5.95 44 37.9 % 101,494,729 4.4 % 6,541,907,027 2
2000 234,748,622 2.68 % 5,811,361 -89,100 17.7 6.15 39 34.7 % 81,350,496 4.1 % 6,143,493,823 2
1995 205,691,819 2.64 % 5,031,362 -228,500 17.4 6.40 34 32.4 % 66,615,855 3.9 % 5,744,212,979 2
1990 180,535,011 2.72 % 4,528,712 -197,900 17.2 6.66 30 30.2 % 54,499,006 3.7 % 5,327,231,061 2
1985 157,891,451 2.76 % 4,018,397 -194,300 17.3 6.86 26 26.8 % 42,387,936 3.5 % 4,870,921,740 2
1980 137,799,464 2.76 % 3,511,539 -29,600 17.6 6.90 23 23.6 % 32,501,281 3.4 % 4,458,003,514 2
1975 120,241,770 2.54 % 2,832,347 -39,100 18.0 6.80 20 21.1 % 25,347,359 3.2 % 4,079,480,606 2
1970 106,080,033 2.32 % 2,294,546 -28,100 18.4 6.63 17 18.7 % 19,799,585 3.2 % 3,700,437,046 2
1965 94,607,302 2.18 % 1,932,048 -11,500 18.7 6.56 16 9.5 % 9,005,486 3.1 % 3,339,583,597 2
1960 84,947,061 1.96 % 1,567,748 -14,300 18.9 6.49 14 14.7 % 12,465,730 3.1 % 3,034,949,748 1
1955 77,108,323 1.7 % 1,246,627 -10,800 19.1 6.43 13 11.7 % 9,005,486 3.0 % 2,773,019,936 1
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Western Africa Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationWestern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2020 401,861,254 2.7 % 10,028,724 -177,000 18.2 5.18 66 47.7 % 191,841,724 5.4 % 7,794,798,739 2
2025 456,742,208 2.59 % 10,976,191 -172,700 18.7 5.19 75 50.8 % 232,161,972 5.9 % 8,184,437,460 2
2030 516,632,942 2.49 % 11,978,147 -167,400 19.4 5.20 85 53.8 % 277,949,044 6.3 % 8,548,487,400 2
2035 581,280,434 2.39 % 12,929,498 -169,500 20.1 5.22 96 56.6 % 329,186,835 6.5 % 8,887,524,213 2
2040 650,103,365 2.26 % 13,764,586 -169,400 21.0 5.23 107 59.4 % 385,988,017 7.3 % 9,198,847,240 2
2045 722,177,162 2.13 % 14,414,759 -169,100 21.8 5.25 119 62.1 % 448,652,380 7.9 % 9,481,803,274 2
2050 796,494,190 1.98 % 14,863,406 -168,800 22.7 5.27 131 64.9 % 516,634,513 8.4 % 9,735,033,990 2
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

The Western Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Western Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Western Africa (1950 - 2019) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2019.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2019. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the sub-region as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2019 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2019: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2019: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2018 to June 30 2019). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period (for 2016 data). A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the countries within Western Africa, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Western Africa's Share of World Pop: Total population as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Rank within Africa: Position held by Western Africa in the list of all regions within Africa ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also