Western Sahara

Population in Western Sahara

Population in Western Sahara: 12,960 people in 1950 and 579,700 people in 2023, by UN estimates.

Latest, 2023
579,700 people
Since 1950
+566,740 people
Rank, 2023
171 of 229
counting from the highest
World, 2023
8.09 billion people
Projected, 2100
831,300 people
UN projection (medium variant)
Watch it change on the map

people · UN

Population in Western SaharaPopulation in Western Sahara: 12,960 people in 1950 and 579,700 people in 2023, by UN estimates. The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 831,300 people in 2100, between 69,790 people and 15.1 million people (95% prediction interval).
Estimates, UNEstimates, HYDE and GapminderUN projection (medium variant)95% prediction intervalWorld

What the numbers say

  • The UN projection (medium variant) puts it at 831,300 people in 2100, between 69,790 people and 15.1 million people (95% prediction interval).
  • Older estimates from HYDE and Gapminder reach back to 1800: 743 people.

Every year

people · UN

YearWestern SaharaWorld
2023579,7008.09 billion
2022568,7008.02 billion
2021558,6007.95 billion
2020549,4007.89 billion
2019538,4007.81 billion
2018525,8007.73 billion
2017512,8007.65 billion
2016499,7007.56 billion
2015486,2007.47 billion
2014472,6007.38 billion
2013457,4007.29 billion
2012441,0007.2 billion
2011425,1007.11 billion
2010409,7007.02 billion
2009395,0006.93 billion
2008380,8006.84 billion
2007366,9006.76 billion
2006352,6006.67 billion
2005338,7006.59 billion
2004325,2006.5 billion
2003311,8006.42 billion
2002298,5006.34 billion
2001285,2006.26 billion
2000271,9006.17 billion
1999259,0006.09 billion
1998246,3006.01 billion
1997233,8005.93 billion
1996221,4005.84 billion
1995209,9005.76 billion
1994201,9005.68 billion
1993196,5005.59 billion
1992190,9005.51 billion
1991185,3005.42 billion
1990179,5005.33 billion
1989173,9005.23 billion
1988168,4005.14 billion
1987162,9005.05 billion
1986157,4004.96 billion
1985151,8004.87 billion
1984146,2004.78 billion
1983140,6004.7 billion
1982134,5004.61 billion
1981126,9004.53 billion
1980117,4004.45 billion
1979105,0004.37 billion
197890,8904.29 billion
197777,3904.22 billion
197664,4904.14 billion
197566,8904.07 billion
197476,4804 billion
197377,6503.92 billion
197278,2503.85 billion
197178,7203.77 billion
197071,7303.7 billion
196961,6403.62 billion
196855,9803.55 billion
196750,6203.47 billion
196646,5203.4 billion
196543,5303.34 billion
196440,6603.26 billion
196337,9003.19 billion
196235,2503.12 billion
196132,7303.07 billion
196030,3303.02 billion
195928,0602.97 billion
195825,9202.91 billion
195723,9002.85 billion
195622,0002.8 billion
195520,2102.74 billion
195418,5302.69 billion
195316,9702.63 billion
195215,5302.58 billion
195114,2002.54 billion
195012,9602.49 billion
19406,883–
19303,441–
19201,720–
1910860–
1900843–
1890826–
1880809–
1870793–
1860777–
1850771–
1840764–
1830758–
1820752–
1810745–
1800743–
  • 12.3Estimates, HYDE and Gapminder
UN projection (medium variant) · 2024–2100
YearWestern SaharaWorld
2024590,500587,600–593,6008.16 billion
2025600,900591,300–610,5008.23 billion
2026610,800592,800–628,2008.3 billion
2027620,300593,200–647,2008.37 billion
2028629,600592,700–668,4008.44 billion
2029638,600591,200–690,5008.5 billion
2030647,500588,800–713,5008.57 billion
2031656,200585,000–737,5008.63 billion
2032664,600579,900–762,5008.7 billion
2033672,800575,000–789,4008.76 billion
2034680,600569,000–817,5008.82 billion
2035688,200562,000–846,9008.89 billion
2036695,600554,700–875,4008.95 billion
2037702,700545,300–906,1009.01 billion
2038709,500535,600–940,7009.06 billion
2039716,300526,200–976,5009.12 billion
2040722,900515,300–1.01 million9.18 billion
2041729,400500,900–1.05 million9.23 billion
2042735,800489,000–1.09 million9.29 billion
2043742,000482,300–1.13 million9.34 billion
2044747,800474,300–1.18 million9.39 billion
2045753,400464,500–1.24 million9.44 billion
2046758,700452,600–1.3 million9.49 billion
2047763,700440,700–1.36 million9.54 billion
2048768,300429,900–1.42 million9.58 billion
2049772,800419,000–1.49 million9.62 billion
2050777,300407,400–1.57 million9.66 billion
2051781,600395,000–1.65 million9.7 billion
2052785,700385,700–1.75 million9.74 billion
2053789,800378,200–1.86 million9.78 billion
2054793,600368,100–1.97 million9.81 billion
2055797,100359,500–2.09 million9.85 billion
2056800,200351,300–2.21 million9.88 billion
2057803,100338,700–2.33 million9.91 billion
2058805,700325,900–2.44 million9.94 billion
2059807,900316,800–2.56 million9.96 billion
2060810,000308,800–2.69 million9.99 billion
2061812,000299,700–2.83 million10 billion
2062814,100290,800–2.97 million10 billion
2063815,800283,500–3.13 million10.1 billion
2064817,500273,800–3.31 million10.1 billion
2065819,000261,600–3.49 million10.1 billion
2066820,400254,000–3.65 million10.1 billion
2067821,600247,700–3.79 million10.1 billion
2068822,700239,400–3.96 million10.2 billion
2069823,500231,200–4.12 million10.2 billion
2070824,300221,900–4.24 million10.2 billion
2071825,000212,900–4.39 million10.2 billion
2072825,600207,600–4.52 million10.2 billion
2073826,500202,700–4.69 million10.2 billion
2074827,400195,200–4.97 million10.2 billion
2075828,200187,200–5.23 million10.3 billion
2076829,100182,000–5.43 million10.3 billion
2077829,900177,500–5.65 million10.3 billion
2078830,800172,500–5.92 million10.3 billion
2079831,800171,800–6.28 million10.3 billion
2080832,600172,800–6.54 million10.3 billion
2081833,300168,300–6.76 million10.3 billion
2082834,000158,800–7.02 million10.3 billion
2083834,600151,400–7.32 million10.3 billion
2084835,100147,300–7.68 million10.3 billion
2085835,400141,100–7.96 million10.3 billion
2086835,900133,100–8.23 million10.3 billion
2087836,200128,400–8.59 million10.3 billion
2088836,500126,400–8.96 million10.3 billion
2089836,600121,300–9.29 million10.3 billion
2090836,500116,900–9.69 million10.3 billion
2091836,400116,800–10.2 million10.3 billion
2092836,200112,000–10.6 million10.3 billion
2093835,800104,700–11.2 million10.3 billion
2094835,300100,200–12.1 million10.2 billion
2095834,70093,030–13 million10.2 billion
2096834,20085,700–13.5 million10.2 billion
2097833,70081,900–13.9 million10.2 billion
2098832,90076,400–14.4 million10.2 billion
2099832,10070,570–14.8 million10.2 billion
2100831,30069,790–15.1 million10.2 billion

Good to know

  • Everyone living in the country on 1 July of each year.
  • Source: UN DESA, World Population Prospects 2024.
  • Before 1950: HYDE (2023), Gapminder (2022) and UN WPP (2024), via Our World in Data.
  • The dashed line is the UN projection (medium variant), a scenario rather than a forecast; the band is its 95% prediction interval.
  • Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2023, highest first.
  • The faint line is the world as a whole, as the same source counts it.

How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time

Western Sahara in numbers

Every measure for Western Sahara on one page

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