Western Sahara Population (LIVE)

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Western Sahara Population (1950 - 2024)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)
  • The current population of Western Sahara is 595,141 as of Monday, March 18, 2024, based on Worldometer elaboration of the latest United Nations data 1.
  • Western Sahara 2023 population is estimated at 587,259 people at mid year.
  • Western Sahara population is equivalent to 0.01% of the total world population.
  • Western Sahara ranks number 172 in the list of countries (and dependencies) by population.
  • The population density in Western Sahara is 2 per Km2 (6 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 266,000 Km2 (102,703 sq. miles)
  • 94.9 % of the population is urban (557,431 people in 2023)
  • The median age in Western Sahara is 31.6 years.
1. Updated on July 16, 2023 with the latest July 2023-July 2024 estimates from the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Population of Western Sahara (2024 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Sahara
Global Rank
2024 598,385 1.89 % 11,126 5,600 31.9 2.22 2 95.3 % 570,194 0.01 % 8,118,835,999 172
2023 587,259 1.96 % 11,273 5,600 31.6 2.25 2 94.9 % 557,431 0.01 % 8,045,311,447 172
2022 575,986 1.84 % 10,405 5,600 31.3 2.28 2 94.6 % 544,649 0.01 % 7,975,105,156 172
2020 556,048 2.05 % 11,172 3,498 30.5 2.34 2 93.3 % 518,663 0.01 % 7,840,952,880 172
2015 491,824 3.54 % 15,706 7,226 28.7 2.52 2 92.6 % 455,229 0.01 % 7,426,597,537 172
2010 413,296 4.03 % 14,822 9,085 26.7 2.87 2 N.A. N.A. 0.01 % 6,985,603,105 173
2005 339,187 4.64 % 13,762 8,389 24.6 3.13 1 N.A. N.A. 0.01 % 6,558,176,119 177
2000 270,375 5.35 % 12,3998,440 22.4 3.54 1 99.7 % 269,434 0.00 % 6,148,898,975 179
1995 208,381 3.14 % 5,970 6,442 19.6 3.94 1 N.A. N.A. 0.00 % 5,743,219,454 181
1990 178,529 3.52 % 5,668 1,198 19.3 4.72 1 N.A. N.A. 0.00 % 5,316,175,862 182
1985 150,190 5.16 % 6,683 1,198 20.2 5.32 1 99.9 % 150,098 0.00 % 4,861,730,613 185
1980 116,775 11.80 % 9,982 7,340 20.2 5.69 0 97.8 % 114,195 0.00 % 4,444,007,706 187
1975 66,865 -2.62 % -1,901 -18,665 16.8 6.03 0 66.7 % 44,566 0.00 % 4,069,437,231 195
1970 76,371 8.32 % 5,033 3,648 18.9 6.32 0 42.4 % 32,358 0.00 % 3,695,390,336 192
1965 51,206 9.17 % 3,637 3,049 24.1 6.46 0 36.0 % 18,443 0.00 % 3,337,111,983 207
1960 33,023 9.80 % 2,467 2,078 22.9 6.52 0 30.9 % 10,218 0.00 % 3,019,233,434 202
1955 20,690 9.77 % 1,542 1,347 21.5 6.53 0 31.8 % 6,576 0.00 % 2,746,072,141 207
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Western Sahara Population Forecast

5,600
YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationCountry's Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Sahara
Global Rank
2025 609,389 1.85 % 10,668 5,600 32.2 2.20 2 95.7 % 583,007 0.01 % 8,191,988,453 172
2030 662,726 1.69 % 10,667 5,600 33.3 2.11 2 97.6 % 647,036 0.01 % 8,546,141,327 169
2035 713,791 1.50 % 10,213 5,600 34.2 2.03 3 99.5 % 710,055 0.01 % 8,879,397,401 169
2040 762,701 1.33 % 9,782 5,600 35.2 1.96 3 N.A. N.A. 0.01 % 9,188,250,492 168
2045 808,769 1.18 % 9,214 5,600 36.2 1.90 3 N.A. N.A. 0.01 % 9,467,543,575 168
2050 851,067 1.02 % 8,460   37.4 1.87 3 N.A. N.A. 0.01 % 9,709,491,761 168
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).

Western Sahara Demographics

Main Page: Demographics of Western Sahara
Life Expectancy
71.19 years
(life expectancy at birth, both sexes)
View by sex and historical chart
Infant Mortality
22.7
(infant deaths per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart
Deaths under age 5
27.3
(per 1,000 live births)
View historical chart

Main Cities by Population in Western Sahara

(includes boroughs, districts, urban agglomerations, etc.)

# CITY NAME POPULATION
1 Laayoune 196,331
2 Dakhla 75,000

See also

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Notes

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

The Population of Western Sahara (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. 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 country 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 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.


Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). 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 country, 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.

Country's Share of World Pop: Total population in the country 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.

Global Rank: Position held by Western Sahara in the list of all countries worldwide ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.