| Source | UN (World Population Prospects 2024) |
| Date | 19 Feb 2025 |
As of 2025, the population of Western Sahara is projected at 601k, compared to 591k in 2024. It ranks 172nd in the world by population and 53rd in Africa. The population growth rate in 2025 is projected at 1.69 percent, the 64th highest among 237 countries and dependent territories.
There are 331k males and 270k females in Western Sahara. The percentage of the male population is 55.03%, compared to 44.97% of the female population. Western Sahara has 60k more males than females. The sex ratio in Western Sahara in 2025 will be 122.378 males per 100 females. Western Sahara is in the 229th position in terms of the female-to-male ratio.
| Year | Population | Growth (%) | M per 100 F | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Male | Female | Total | |||
| 1950 | 6,308 | 6,652 | 12,960 | 9.10 | 94.829 |
| 1955 | 9,932 | 10,275 | 20,207 | 8.59 | 96.662 |
| 1960 | 14,977 | 15,351 | 30,328 | 7.67 | 97.564 |
| 1965 | 21,556 | 21,976 | 43,532 | 6.72 | 98.089 |
| 1970 | 39,316 | 32,411 | 71,728 | 20.16 | 121.304 |
| 1975 | 36,344 | 30,545 | 66,889 | -26.36 | 118.985 |
| 1980 | 60,028 | 57,347 | 117,374 | 8.99 | 104.675 |
| 1985 | 75,743 | 76,016 | 151,760 | 3.71 | 99.641 |
| 1990 | 88,611 | 90,933 | 179,544 | 3.25 | 97.446 |
| 1995 | 104,540 | 105,385 | 209,924 | 5.05 | 99.198 |
| 2000 | 141,629 | 130,315 | 271,943 | 4.86 | 108.682 |
| 2005 | 181,206 | 157,493 | 338,699 | 4.00 | 115.057 |
| 2010 | 222,882 | 186,833 | 409,716 | 3.68 | 119.295 |
| 2015 | 267,484 | 218,738 | 486,222 | 2.79 | 122.285 |
| 2020 | 303,121 | 246,244 | 549,365 | 1.70 | 123.098 |
| 2021 | 308,065 | 250,554 | 558,619 | 1.64 | 122.954 |
| 2022 | 313,587 | 255,151 | 568,739 | 1.95 | 122.903 |
| 2023 | 319,693 | 260,036 | 579,729 | 1.88 | 122.942 |
| 2024 | 325,421 | 265,085 | 590,506 | 1.80 | 122.761 |
| 2025 | 330,686 | 270,217 | 600,904 | 1.69 | 122.378 |
| Year | Life expectancy | Median age | Fertility rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 34.927 | 18.279 | 6.012 |
| 1955 | 36.780 | 21.583 | 6.193 |
| 1960 | 38.698 | 22.584 | 6.407 |
| 1965 | 40.583 | 22.410 | 6.515 |
| 1970 | 42.662 | 20.262 | 6.371 |
| 1975 | 35.957 | 16.655 | 6.202 |
| 1980 | 39.399 | 21.155 | 5.855 |
| 1985 | 47.758 | 20.560 | 5.363 |
| 1990 | 57.661 | 18.893 | 4.691 |
| 1995 | 60.244 | 18.745 | 4.046 |
| 2000 | 62.734 | 21.766 | 3.487 |
| 2005 | 65.222 | 24.445 | 2.892 |
| 2010 | 67.492 | 26.909 | 2.635 |
| 2015 | 69.275 | 29.021 | 2.417 |
| 2020 | 70.613 | 30.941 | 2.250 |
| 2021 | 70.887 | 31.332 | 2.219 |
| 2022 | 71.143 | 31.698 | 2.189 |
| 2023 | 71.385 | 32.037 | 2.164 |
| 2024 | 71.580 | 32.336 | 2.177 |
| 2025 | 71.780 | 32.597 | 2.150 |
| Year | Total | Crude(per 1000) | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Death | Birth | Crude death | Crude birth | |
| 1950 | 355 | 564 | 27.421 | 43.519 |
| 1955 | 550 | 1,093 | 27.211 | 54.099 |
| 1960 | 798 | 1,712 | 26.316 | 56.437 |
| 1965 | 1,053 | 2,335 | 24.199 | 53.647 |
| 1970 | 1,473 | 3,460 | 20.537 | 48.241 |
| 1975 | 1,970 | 3,108 | 29.446 | 46.465 |
| 1980 | 2,863 | 6,065 | 24.396 | 51.669 |
| 1985 | 2,579 | 7,017 | 16.992 | 46.237 |
| 1990 | 1,783 | 6,415 | 9.930 | 35.727 |
| 1995 | 1,706 | 5,865 | 8.127 | 27.940 |
| 2000 | 2,017 | 6,799 | 7.416 | 25.003 |
| 2005 | 2,291 | 7,469 | 6.764 | 22.051 |
| 2010 | 2,596 | 8,595 | 6.335 | 20.979 |
| 2015 | 2,985 | 9,287 | 6.138 | 19.099 |
| 2020 | 3,427 | 9,276 | 6.238 | 16.885 |
| 2021 | 3,497 | 9,161 | 6.260 | 16.399 |
| 2022 | 3,577 | 9,043 | 6.290 | 15.899 |
| 2023 | 3,678 | 8,987 | 6.344 | 15.503 |
| 2024 | 3,804 | 9,090 | 6.442 | 15.394 |
| 2025 | 3,914 | 9,032 | 6.514 | 15.031 |
| Year | Population | Urban (%) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban | Rural | ||
| 1950 | 4,267 | 9,499 | 31.000 |
| 1955 | 6,576 | 14,571 | 31.095 |
| 1960 | 10,218 | 22,543 | 31.190 |
| 1965 | 18,443 | 32,527 | 36.185 |
| 1970 | 32,358 | 44,516 | 42.092 |
| 1975 | 44,566 | 30,388 | 59.458 |
| 1980 | 114,195 | 36,682 | 75.688 |
| 1985 | 150,098 | 32,323 | 82.281 |
| 1990 | 182,689 | 34,569 | 84.089 |
| 1995 | 218,624 | 37,010 | 85.522 |
| 2000 | 269,434 | 44,684 | 85.775 |
| 2005 | 376,365 | 61,150 | 86.023 |
| 2010 | 414,325 | 65,949 | 86.268 |
| 2015 | 455,229 | 70,987 | 86.510 |
| 2020 | 518,663 | 78,676 | 86.829 |
| 2021 | 531,743 | 80,102 | 86.908 |
| 2022 | 544,649 | 81,440 | 86.992 |
| 2023 | 557,431 | 82,697 | 87.081 |
| 2024 | 570,194 | 83,887 | 87.175 |
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | M per 100 F | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Persons | Share (%) | ||||
| 00-04 | 23,241 | 22,188 | 45,429 | 7.56 | 104.746 |
| 05-09 | 23,910 | 22,920 | 46,830 | 7.79 | 104.319 |
| 10-14 | 23,273 | 22,388 | 45,661 | 7.60 | 103.953 |
| 15-19 | 21,715 | 20,676 | 42,392 | 7.05 | 105.025 |
| 20-24 | 22,075 | 19,987 | 42,062 | 7.00 | 110.447 |
| 25-29 | 23,939 | 19,991 | 43,931 | 7.31 | 119.749 |
| 30-34 | 27,400 | 21,113 | 48,513 | 8.07 | 129.778 |
| 35-39 | 31,864 | 23,530 | 55,395 | 9.22 | 135.419 |
| 40-44 | 33,623 | 24,050 | 57,673 | 9.60 | 139.805 |
| 45-49 | 27,963 | 18,440 | 46,404 | 7.72 | 151.643 |
| 50-54 | 21,997 | 13,941 | 35,938 | 5.98 | 157.786 |
| 55-59 | 16,960 | 11,222 | 28,181 | 4.69 | 151.132 |
| 60-64 | 12,398 | 9,443 | 21,841 | 3.63 | 131.293 |
| 65-69 | 9,159 | 8,437 | 17,596 | 2.93 | 108.558 |
| 70-74 | 6,033 | 6,285 | 12,319 | 2.05 | 95.990 |
| 75-79 | 3,213 | 3,483 | 6,696 | 1.11 | 92.248 |
| 80-84 | 1,367 | 1,504 | 2,870 | 0.48 | 90.891 |
| 85-89 | 433 | 489 | 922 | 0.15 | 88.548 |
| 90-94 | 101 | 112 | 212 | 0.04 | 90.179 |
| 95-99 | 18 | 18 | 36 | 0.01 | 100.000 |
| 100+ | 4 | 1 | 5 | 0.00 | 400.000 |
| Total | 330,686 | 270,218 | 600,906 | 122.377 | |