Western Africa Population (LIVE)

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Western Africa Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Western Africa

CountryPopulation (2024)
Nigeria232,679,478
Ghana34,427,414
Côte d'Ivoire31,934,230
Niger27,032,412
Mali24,478,595
Burkina Faso23,548,781
Senegal18,501,984
Guinea14,754,785
Benin14,462,724
Togo9,515,236
Sierra Leone8,642,022
Liberia5,612,817
Mauritania5,169,395
Gambia2,759,988
Guinea-Bissau2,201,352
Cabo Verde524,877
Saint Helena5,237
  • The current population of Western Africa is 460,764,088 as of Tuesday, December 10, 2024, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Western Africa population is equivalent to 5.59% of the total world population.
  • Western Africa ranks number 2 in Africa among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Western Africa is 75 per Km2 (195 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 6,064,060 Km2 (2,341,346 sq. miles)
  • 49 % of the population is urban (223,666,266 people in 2024).
  • The median age in Western Africa is 18.0years.

Population of Western Africa (2024 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
2024 456,251,329 2.29 % 10,206,844 -188,147.0 18.0 4.4 75 49 % 223,666,266 5.6 % 8,161,972,572 2
2020 416,321,121 2.37 % 9,640,799 -38,969 16.9 5.19 69 46.1 % 191,841,724 5.3 % 7,887,001,292 2
2015 367,500,501 2.77 % 9,396,359 -189,200 16.8 5.34 61 42.7 % 156,740,414 5.2 % 7,470,491,872 2
2010 320,518,705 2.83 % 8,344,687 -320,000 16.7 5.73 53 39.5 % 126,623,066 4.9 % 7,021,732,148 2
2005 278,795,269 2.82 % 7,241,828 -167,500 16.6 5.88 46 36.4 % 101,494,729 4.5 % 6,586,970,132 2
2000 242,586,127 2.74 % 6,143,495 -63,400 16.5 6.04 40 33.5 % 81,350,496 4.2 % 6,171,702,993 2
1995 211,868,653 2.69 % 5,264,227 -40,600 16.2 6.24 35 31.4 % 66,615,855 4.0 % 5,758,878,982 2
1990 185,547,518 2.74 % 4,698,068 -421,400 16.0 6.53 31 29.4 % 54,499,006 3.8 % 5,327,803,110 2
1985 162,057,176 2.85 % 4,245,699 -117,000 16.1 6.74 27 26.2 % 42,387,936 3.6 % 4,868,943,465 2
1980 140,828,682 2.89 % 3,741,607 95,800 16.4 6.93 23 23.1 % 32,501,281 3.5 % 4,447,606,236 2
1975 122,120,645 2.58 % 2,923,549 52,400 16.9 6.89 20 20.8 % 25,347,359 3.3 % 4,070,735,277 2
1970 107,502,898 2.34 % 2,346,795 23,800 17.4 6.71 18 18.4 % 19,799,585 3.2 % 3,694,683,794 2
1965 95,768,922 2.2 % 1,976,547 -8,000 17.9 6.61 16 9.4 % 9,005,486 3.2 % 3,334,533,703 1
1960 85,886,189 2.06 % 1,662,198 -900 18.1 6.55 14 14.5 % 12,465,730 3.1 % 3,015,470,894 1
1955 77,575,201 1.95 % 1,426,610 -41,900 18.2 6.51 13 11.6 % 9,005,486 3.1 % 2,740,213,792 1

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 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
2025 466,532,788 2.3 % 10,042,333 -187,500 18.2 4.27 77 49.8 % 232,161,972 5.9 % 8,231,613,070 2
2030 519,221,777 2.16 % 10,537,798 -212,300 19.2 3.86 86 53.5 % 277,949,044 6.3 % 8,569,124,911 2
2035 573,606,493 2.01 % 10,876,943 -204,700 20.4 3.50 95 57.4 % 329,186,835 6.5 % 8,885,210,181 2
2040 628,498,372 1.84 % 10,978,376 -227,000 21.5 3.21 104 61.4 % 385,988,017 7.1 % 9,177,190,203 2
2045 682,547,937 1.66 % 10,809,913 -255,600 22.6 2.98 113 65.7 % 448,652,380 7.4 % 9,439,639,668 2
2050 734,831,108 1.49 % 10,456,634 -256,900 23.7 2.79 121 70.3 % 516,634,513 7.8 % 9,664,378,587 2
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2024 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 - 2024) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2024.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2024. 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 2024 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2024: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). 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 2024: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2023 to June 30 2024). 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. 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