Data / Population / Western Sahara

Population in Western Sahara

Population in Western Sahara was 579,729 in 2023, according to the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. That is up 1.9% from 2022.

2023, persons579,729 Estimated
Change on 2022+1.9%
Series high579,7292023
Series low12,9601950
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Population in Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023

0200K400K600K19501961197219831994200520231950: 12,960 persons1951: 14,204 persons1952: 15,534 persons1953: 16,968 persons1954: 18,534 persons1955: 20,208 persons1956: 22,003 persons1957: 23,901 persons1958: 25,916 persons1959: 28,062 persons1960: 30,328 persons1961: 32,725 persons1962: 35,253 persons1963: 37,896 persons1964: 40,658 persons1965: 43,532 persons1966: 46,521 persons1967: 50,624 persons1968: 55,984 persons1969: 61,644 persons1970: 71,728 persons1971: 78,720 persons1972: 78,250 persons1973: 77,646 persons1974: 76,478 persons1975: 66,890 persons1976: 64,489 persons1977: 77,388 persons1978: 90,890 persons1979: 104,982 persons1980: 117,374 persons1981: 126,896 persons1982: 134,481 persons1983: 140,584 persons1984: 146,150 persons1985: 151,760 persons1986: 157,364 persons1987: 162,878 persons1988: 168,408 persons1989: 173,923 persons1990: 179,544 persons1991: 185,300 persons1992: 190,938 persons1993: 196,474 persons1994: 201,918 persons1995: 209,924 persons1996: 221,387 persons1997: 233,773 persons1998: 246,304 persons1999: 258,969 persons2000: 271,943 persons2001: 285,188 persons2002: 298,464 persons2003: 311,784 persons2004: 325,190 persons2005: 338,699 persons2006: 352,647 persons2007: 366,861 persons2008: 380,822 persons2009: 394,957 persons2010: 409,716 persons2011: 425,087 persons2012: 441,031 persons2013: 457,424 persons2014: 472,579 persons2015: 486,222 persons2016: 499,651 persons2017: 512,843 persons2018: 525,782 persons2019: 538,440 persons2020: 549,365 persons2021: 558,619 persons2022: 568,738 persons2023: 579,729 persons0200K400K600K19501975200020231950: 12,960 persons1951: 14,204 persons1952: 15,534 persons1953: 16,968 persons1954: 18,534 persons1955: 20,208 persons1956: 22,003 persons1957: 23,901 persons1958: 25,916 persons1959: 28,062 persons1960: 30,328 persons1961: 32,725 persons1962: 35,253 persons1963: 37,896 persons1964: 40,658 persons1965: 43,532 persons1966: 46,521 persons1967: 50,624 persons1968: 55,984 persons1969: 61,644 persons1970: 71,728 persons1971: 78,720 persons1972: 78,250 persons1973: 77,646 persons1974: 76,478 persons1975: 66,890 persons1976: 64,489 persons1977: 77,388 persons1978: 90,890 persons1979: 104,982 persons1980: 117,374 persons1981: 126,896 persons1982: 134,481 persons1983: 140,584 persons1984: 146,150 persons1985: 151,760 persons1986: 157,364 persons1987: 162,878 persons1988: 168,408 persons1989: 173,923 persons1990: 179,544 persons1991: 185,300 persons1992: 190,938 persons1993: 196,474 persons1994: 201,918 persons1995: 209,924 persons1996: 221,387 persons1997: 233,773 persons1998: 246,304 persons1999: 258,969 persons2000: 271,943 persons2001: 285,188 persons2002: 298,464 persons2003: 311,784 persons2004: 325,190 persons2005: 338,699 persons2006: 352,647 persons2007: 366,861 persons2008: 380,822 persons2009: 394,957 persons2010: 409,716 persons2011: 425,087 persons2012: 441,031 persons2013: 457,424 persons2014: 472,579 persons2015: 486,222 persons2016: 499,651 persons2017: 512,843 persons2018: 525,782 persons2019: 538,440 persons2020: 549,365 persons2021: 558,619 persons2022: 568,738 persons2023: 579,729 persons
persons. Source: UN WPP, World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Retrieved 2026-10-12, published 2024-12-13.
All 74 values
Periodpersons
2023579,729 Estimated
2022568,738 Estimated
2021558,619 Estimated
2020549,365 Estimated
2019538,440 Estimated
2018525,782 Estimated
2017512,843 Estimated
2016499,651 Estimated
2015486,222 Estimated
2014472,579 Estimated
2013457,424 Estimated
2012441,031 Estimated
2011425,087 Estimated
2010409,716 Estimated
2009394,957 Estimated
2008380,822 Estimated
2007366,861 Estimated
2006352,647 Estimated
2005338,699 Estimated
2004325,190 Estimated
2003311,784 Estimated
2002298,464 Estimated
2001285,188 Estimated
2000271,943 Estimated
1999258,969 Estimated
1998246,304 Estimated
1997233,773 Estimated
1996221,387 Estimated
1995209,924 Estimated
1994201,918 Estimated
1993196,474 Estimated
1992190,938 Estimated
1991185,300 Estimated
1990179,544 Estimated
1989173,923 Estimated
1988168,408 Estimated
1987162,878 Estimated
1986157,364 Estimated
1985151,760 Estimated
1984146,150 Estimated
1983140,584 Estimated
1982134,481 Estimated
1981126,896 Estimated
1980117,374 Estimated
1979104,982 Estimated
197890,890 Estimated
197777,388 Estimated
197664,489 Estimated
197566,890 Estimated
197476,478 Estimated
197377,646 Estimated
197278,250 Estimated
197178,720 Estimated
197071,728 Estimated
196961,644 Estimated
196855,984 Estimated
196750,624 Estimated
196646,521 Estimated
196543,532 Estimated
196440,658 Estimated
196337,896 Estimated
196235,253 Estimated
196132,725 Estimated
196030,328 Estimated
195928,062 Estimated
195825,916 Estimated
195723,901 Estimated
195622,003 Estimated
195520,208 Estimated
195418,534 Estimated
195316,968 Estimated
195215,534 Estimated
195114,204 Estimated
195012,960 Estimated

Western Sahara compared with nearby places

United Arab Emirates: 10,642,081 personsAfghanistan: 41,454,761 personsAntigua and Barbuda: 93,316 personsAlbania: 2,811,655 personsArmenia: 2,943,393 personsAngola: 36,749,906 personsArgentina: 45,538,401 personsAustria: 9,130,429 personsAustralia: 26,451,124 personsAzerbaijan: 10,318,207 personsBosnia and Herzegovina: 3,185,073 personsBangladesh: 171,466,990 personsBelgium: 11,712,893 personsBurkina Faso: 23,025,776 personsBulgaria: 6,795,803 personsBurundi: 13,689,450 personsBenin: 14,111,034 personsBrunei: 458,949 personsBolivia: 12,244,160 personsBrazil: 211,140,729 personsBahamas: 399,440 personsBhutan: 786,385 personsBotswana: 2,480,244 personsBelarus: 9,115,680 personsBelize: 411,106 personsCanada: 39,299,104 personsDemocratic Republic of the Congo: 105,789,731 personsCentral African Republic: 5,152,420 personsRepublic of the Congo: 6,182,885 personsSwitzerland: 8,870,561 personsCôte d’Ivoire: 31,165,654 personsChile: 19,658,835 personsCameroon: 28,372,687 personsChina: 1,422,584,933 personsColombia: 52,321,152 personsCosta Rica: 5,105,526 personsCuba: 11,019,930 personsCape Verde: 522,330 personsCyprus: 1,344,976 personsCzechia: 10,809,716 personsGermany: 84,548,231 personsDjibouti: 1,152,944 personsDenmark: 5,948,136 personsDominican Republic: 11,331,266 personsAlgeria: 46,164,219 personsEcuador: 17,980,083 personsEstonia: 1,367,196 personsEgypt: 114,535,772 personsWestern Sahara: 579,729 personsEritrea: 3,470,390 personsSpain: 47,911,580 personsEthiopia: 128,691,692 personsFinland: 5,601,185 personsFiji: 924,146 personsFalkland Islands: 3,477 personsFaroe Islands: 54,714 personsFrance: 66,438,822 personsGabon: 2,484,788 personsUnited Kingdom: 68,682,962 personsGeorgia: 3,807,492 personsGhana: 33,787,914 personsGreenland: 55,922 personsGambia: 2,697,846 personsGuinea: 14,405,468 personsEquatorial Guinea: 1,847,549 personsGreece: 10,242,908 personsGuatemala: 18,124,838 personsGuinea-Bissau: 2,153,339 personsGuyana: 826,353 personsHong Kong: 7,442,734 personsHonduras: 10,644,851 personsCroatia: 3,896,023 personsHaiti: 11,637,398 personsHungary: 9,686,464 personsIndonesia: 281,190,067 personsIreland: 5,196,630 personsIsrael: 9,256,314 personsIsle of Man: 84,165 personsIndia: 1,438,069,596 personsIraq: 45,074,049 personsIran: 90,608,707 personsIceland: 387,558 personsItaly: 59,499,453 personsJamaica: 2,839,786 personsJordan: 11,439,214 personsJapan: 124,370,947 personsKenya: 55,339,003 personsKyrgyzstan: 7,073,516 personsCambodia: 17,423,880 personsKiribati: 132,530 personsNorth Korea: 26,418,204 personsSouth Korea: 51,748,739 personsKuwait: 4,838,782 personsCayman Islands: 73,038 personsKazakhstan: 20,330,104 personsLaos: 7,664,992 personsLebanon: 5,773,492 personsSri Lanka: 22,971,617 personsLiberia: 5,493,031 personsLesotho: 2,311,472 personsLithuania: 2,854,099 personsLuxembourg: 665,098 personsLatvia: 1,882,396 personsLibya: 7,305,659 personsMorocco: 37,712,505 personsMoldova: 3,067,070 personsMontenegro: 633,552 personsMadagascar: 31,195,932 personsNorth Macedonia: 1,831,802 personsMali: 23,769,127 personsMyanmar: 54,133,798 personsMongolia: 3,431,932 personsMauritania: 5,022,442 personsMauritius: 1,273,588 personsMalawi: 21,104,482 personsMexico: 129,739,759 personsMalaysia: 35,126,298 personsMozambique: 33,635,160 personsNamibia: 2,963,095 personsNew Caledonia: 289,870 personsNiger: 26,159,867 personsNigeria: 227,882,945 personsNicaragua: 6,823,613 personsNetherlands: 18,092,524 personsNorway: 5,519,167 personsNepal: 29,694,614 personsNew Zealand: 5,172,836 personsOman: 5,049,269 personsPanama: 4,458,759 personsPeru: 33,845,617 personsFrench Polynesia: 281,118 personsPapua New Guinea: 10,389,635 personsPhilippines: 114,891,199 personsPakistan: 247,504,495 personsPoland: 38,762,844 personsPuerto Rico: 3,242,022 personsPalestine: 5,409,202 personsPortugal: 10,430,738 personsPalau: 17,727 personsParaguay: 6,844,146 personsQatar: 2,979,082 personsRomania: 19,118,479 personsSerbia: 6,773,201 personsRussia: 145,440,500 personsRwanda: 13,954,472 personsSaudi Arabia: 33,264,292 personsSolomon Islands: 800,006 personsSudan: 50,042,791 personsSweden: 10,551,494 personsSingapore: 5,789,090 personsSlovenia: 2,118,396 personsSlovakia: 5,518,054 personsSierra Leone: 8,460,512 personsSenegal: 18,077,573 personsSomalia: 18,358,615 personsSuriname: 628,886 personsSouth Sudan: 11,483,374 personsEl Salvador: 6,309,624 personsSyria: 23,594,623 personsEswatini: 1,230,506 personsChad: 19,319,064 personsTogo: 9,304,338 personsThailand: 71,702,435 personsTajikistan: 10,389,798 personsTimor-Leste: 1,384,286 personsTurkmenistan: 7,364,438 personsTunisia: 12,200,431 personsTürkiye: 87,270,502 personsTrinidad and Tobago: 1,502,932 personsTaiwan: 23,317,145 personsTanzania: 66,617,606 personsUkraine: 37,732,836 personsUganda: 48,656,601 personsUnited States: 343,477,335 personsUruguay: 3,388,080 personsUzbekistan: 35,652,307 personsVenezuela: 28,300,854 personsVietnam: 100,352,192 personsVanuatu: 320,408 personsSamoa: 216,663 personsYemen: 39,390,799 personsSouth Africa: 63,212,384 personsZambia: 20,723,965 personsZimbabwe: 16,340,822 persons
  • Under 10M
  • 10M to 20M
  • 20M to 50M
  • 50M and over
  • No data
Population, 2023, persons. Western Sahara is outlined. Same source and period for every area shown. Source: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. Boundaries: Natural Earth (public domain).

Rankings

Definition

Resident population.

More on how it is measured
  • Spain and the EU: 1 January, with Spanish figures from the official municipal register (Padrón).
  • Norway: Statistics Norway, 1 January.
  • Iceland and its municipalities: Statistics Iceland, 1 January.
  • United States: Census Bureau population estimates for 1 July.
  • United Kingdom regions and local authorities: Office for National Statistics estimates for 30 June.
  • Other countries and the World: World Bank mid-year estimates, which count all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.
  • UN World Population Prospects estimates for 1 July cover the years before 1960 and the areas the World Bank does not publish, such as Taiwan.

The World Bank series exists for every country, so use it (through compare) to rank countries on one basis.

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How to cite

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-12. CC BY 3.0 IGO.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July) (Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz

MLA 9

World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July), Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023. United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division, 13 Dec. 2024, https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. 2024. World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara.

Harvard

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024) World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July), Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023 [Dataset]. Available at: https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{united_population_western_sahara_2023,
  author = {{United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division}},
  title = {{World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July): Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023}},
  year = {2024},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara. Publisher attribution: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel\%20Files/1\_Indicator\%20(Standard)/CSV\_FILES/WPP2024\_Demographic\_Indicators\_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-12. CC BY 3.0 IGO.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division
TI  - World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July): Population, Western Sahara, 1950 to 2023
PY  - 2024
DA  - 2024/12/13
PB  - United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz
L2  - https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/en/population/western-sahara.
N1  - Publisher attribution: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Modelled estimate. https://population.un.org/wpp/assets/Excel%20Files/1_Indicator%20(Standard)/CSV_FILES/WPP2024_Demographic_Indicators_Medium.csv.gz. Retrieved 2026-10-12. CC BY 3.0 IGO.
ER  -
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Questions

What is the population in Western Sahara?

Population in Western Sahara was 579,729 in 2023, according to the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. That is up 1.9% from 2022.

Where does this figure come from?

United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects 2024, Online Edition. Total population on 1 July, estimates 1950 to 2023 (TPopulation1July). Retrieved by Invokely on 2026-10-12.

What was the highest population in Western Sahara?

579,729 in 2023, the highest value since 1950 in this series.

Population in other countries

Related statistics for Western Sahara

All statistics for Western Sahara