Western Sahara population pyramid 2026
610,813 people in 2026 (projected). Western Sahara has about 122 males per 100 females, with a large surplus of men aged 35–64 built up by decades of net immigration.
- 2026 population
- 610.8Krank 172 of 237
- Median age
- 32.8 yearsoldest rank 125
- Fertility rate
- 2.13births per woman · close to replacement
- Structure
- Transitional7.0% age 65+
Western Sahara population pyramid
2026 · Share of total by five-year age group and sex
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The UN series provides historical estimates through 2023. Figures from 2024 onward—including 2026—are medium-scenario projections, not counts or predictions guaranteed to occur.
Western Sahara age distribution in 2026
Children under 15 account for 22.7% of the population, while 7.0% are aged 65 or older. The remaining 70.3% are in the conventional working-age range of 15–64. On these shares, the site classifies Western Sahara’s age structure as transitional; the guide to population pyramid types explains what that shape implies.
The total age dependency ratio is 42.3: about 42 people under 15 or 65+ for every 100 people aged 15–64 (32.3 children and 9.9 older people). This is an age-balance indicator, not a literal count of economic dependants per worker.
What shapes Western Sahara’s population pyramid
Growth driven by arrivals
Western Sahara is a disputed territory, most of it administered by Morocco since Spain withdrew in 1975–76, while many Sahrawis have lived for decades in refugee camps in neighbouring Algeria. Population figures for the territory are estimates and should be read with that uncertainty in mind. The UN puts the population at about 13,000 in 1950 and 611,000 in 2026, and attributes much of the growth to net immigration: about 133,000 between 1950 and 1999 and 184,000 between 2000 and 2023, most of it widely understood to have come from Morocco.
A pyramid weighted towards men
The arrivals have shaped the chart. Under age 20 boys and girls are roughly balanced, as births alone would predict. From the twenties the male side widens much faster than the female side: there are 118 men per 100 women at 25–29, 139 at 40–44 and 157 at 50–54, and the widest band, 40–44, is about 12% larger than its neighbours. Overall there are about 122 males per 100 females, one of the higher values in the sex ratio by country ranking. The chart cannot show who the migrants are, but a surplus of working-age men is the usual signature of employment-related migration, as the guide to sex ratios by age explains.
Fertility has fallen from over six children per woman in the 1960s and 1970s to about 2.1, close to replacement and similar to Morocco. In 2026 births are about twice the number of deaths, and net migration adds roughly as many people again. Under the UN medium scenario the population reaches about 777,000 in 2050 and peaks near 837,000 in 2089, while the male bulge ages into the 55–79 bands.
What to notice across the years
Distinctive cohorts and turning points
Comparing each five-year band with its neighbours picks out the cohorts that break a smooth slope. These irregularities usually record past surges or deficits in births, or migration concentrated at particular ages; the pattern alone does not identify which. The guide to baby booms and echo cohorts explains how to date and interpret them.
| Age band in 2026 | Born about | Feature | Versus neighbouring bands |
|---|---|---|---|
| 40–44 | 1982–1986 | Bulge (larger cohort) | +12% |
Births outnumber deaths in 2026; the medium scenario projects deaths to exceed births from 2064. People aged 65 and older are projected to outnumber children under 15 by 2060.
Births, deaths, and migration
A pyramid changes in only three ways: births add to the base, deaths remove people at every age, and migration adds or removes people mainly in young adulthood. In 2026, Western Sahara is projected to record 9,008 births (about 25 births a day) and 4,030 deaths, a natural increase of 4,978. Net migration adds +4,689 people, ranking #14 in the net migration rate ranking.
Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates 202,438 births, 66,375 deaths, and cumulative net migration of +183,789. Over that period migration moved the total more than the balance of births and deaths did. See how migration shapes a pyramid and birth rate versus fertility rate. The medium scenario assumes net migration of +82,724 between 2026 and 2050.
Annual values 1950–2100; dashed lines after 2023 are the UN medium projection. The trend table below lists the values by decade.
Life expectancy and mortality
- Life expectancy, women
- 74.2 years36.5 in 1950
- Life expectancy, men
- 70.2 years33.4 in 1950
- Further years at 65
- 14.5 yearsboth sexes
- Infant mortality
- 21.2per 1,000 births · 222 in 1950
- Under-five mortality
- 25.2per 1,000 births
- Mother’s mean age at birth
- 30.0 yearssex ratio at birth 105.1
Women in Western Sahara are projected to live 4.0 years longer than men, which is why the female side of the pyramid widens relative to the other at older ages (see the life expectancy gap ranking). Infant mortality has fallen from 222 to 21.2 deaths per 1,000 live births since 1950, ranking #59 of 237 in the infant mortality ranking (highest first). A mean age at childbearing of 30.0 years sets the spacing between generations, and so how far apart echo cohorts sit in the pyramid.
Median age, fertility rate, and global ranks for Western Sahara
The median age of 32.8 years splits the population into two equal halves. A total fertility rate of 2.13 births per woman is close to the replacement level of roughly 2.1, and life expectancy at birth is 72.0 years.
These ranks compare all 237 countries and areas in this dataset using the same 2026 UN medium projection. Ranks use the stored source precision, so displayed rounding can make adjacent values look identical; small differences should not be overinterpreted.
| Indicator | 2026 value | Global rank | Ranking direction |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 610,813 | #172 | Largest first |
| Median age | 32.8 years | #125 | Oldest first |
| Fertility rate | 2.13 | #100 | Highest first |
| Annual growth | +1.6% | #67 | Fastest first |
| Life expectancy | 72.0 years | #161 | Highest first |
| Population aged 65+ | 7.0% | #145 | Highest share first |
Largest age groups in Western Sahara
The five largest cohorts identify where the 2026 population is concentrated. They can reflect past birth patterns, survival, and migration; the chart alone does not establish which cause dominates.
| Rank | Age group | Population | Share of total | Male / female |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 40–44 | 58,008 | 9.5% | 33.7K / 24.3K |
| 2 | 35–39 | 54,342 | 8.9% | 31.2K / 23.2K |
| 3 | 45–49 | 49,365 | 8.1% | 29.5K / 19.9K |
| 4 | 30–34 | 47,480 | 7.8% | 26.7K / 20.8K |
| 5 | 5–9 | 46,984 | 7.7% | 24K / 23K |
Sex ratio and the balance by age
In the 2026 projection, Western Sahara has 335,690 males and 275,122 females. That is 122.0 males per 100 females, ranking #8 when the dataset is ordered from the highest male-to-female ratio to the lowest.
Males account for 55.0% of the population and females for 45.0%. There are 60,568 more males than females overall. Among people aged 65 and older, the ratio is 100.7 males per 100 females.
The overall balance can conceal large differences by age; how sex ratios change with age explains the usual pattern. The ratio reflects the male/female categories in the UN source and is not a measure of gender identity. Compare all profiles in the sex-ratio ranking.
At birth, 105.1 boys are projected to be born for every 100 girls in 2026, close to the biological norm of about 105 (compare the sex ratio at birth ranking). The ratio at birth sets the balance at the base of the pyramid; how it changes with age then depends on survival and migration.
How Western Sahara has changed since 1950
The population has increased from 12,960 in 1950 to 610,813 in 2026, a change of 4613%. Over the same span, median age moved from 18.3 to 32.8 years.
The under-15 share changed from 41.6% to 22.7%, while the share aged 65 and older changed from 2.8% to 7.0%. These shifts show why total population growth and age-structure change need to be read separately.
How the population could change by 2050
Under the UN medium scenario, Western Sahara’s population is projected to grow by about 27%, reaching 777,316 in 2050. The median age changes from 32.8 to 36.6 years.
The 65+ share is projected to rise by 8.5 percentage points to 15.5%. At the same time, the under-15 share is projected at 18.8%. How UN projections work explains the assumptions behind these figures.
The annual UN series reaches its highest projected population of 836,624 in 2089. That turning point depends on the medium scenario and may move in later revisions. Compare timing across countries in the population peak ranking.
Population trend: 1950–2100
Mid-year population for every year. Estimates through 2023; dashed line shows the UN medium projection.
| Year | Population | Median age | Fertility | Life exp. | Births | Deaths | Net migration | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 12,960 | 18.3 | 6.01 | 34.9 | 564 | 355 | +962 | +9.1% |
| 1960 | 30,328 | 22.6 | 6.41 | 38.7 | 1,712 | 798 | +1,417 | +7.7% |
| 1970 | 71,728 | 20.3 | 6.37 | 42.7 | 3,460 | 1,473 | +12,426 | +20.2% |
| 1980 | 117,374 | 21.2 | 5.86 | 39.4 | 6,065 | 2,863 | +7,343 | +9.0% |
| 1990 | 179,544 | 18.9 | 4.69 | 57.7 | 6,415 | 1,783 | +1,191 | +3.3% |
| 2000 | 271,943 | 21.8 | 3.49 | 62.7 | 6,799 | 2,017 | +8,439 | +4.9% |
| 2010 | 409,716 | 26.9 | 2.64 | 67.5 | 8,595 | 2,596 | +9,086 | +3.7% |
| 2020 | 549,365 | 30.9 | 2.25 | 70.6 | 9,276 | 3,427 | +3,496 | +1.7% |
| 2023 | 579,729 | 32.0 | 2.16 | 71.4 | 8,987 | 3,678 | +5,606 | +1.9% |
| 2024* | 590,506 | 32.3 | 2.18 | 71.6 | 9,090 | 3,804 | +5,358 | +1.8% |
| 2026* | 610,813 | 32.8 | 2.13 | 72.0 | 9,008 | 4,030 | +4,689 | +1.6% |
| 2030* | 647,480 | 33.7 | 2.06 | 72.7 | 8,954 | 4,545 | +4,533 | +1.4% |
| 2040* | 722,864 | 35.0 | 1.92 | 74.3 | 9,469 | 5,986 | +3,056 | +0.9% |
| 2050* | 777,316 | 36.6 | 1.85 | 75.9 | 9,629 | 7,432 | +2,213 | +0.6% |
| 2060* | 809,954 | 38.2 | 1.80 | 77.4 | 9,269 | 8,850 | +1,617 | +0.3% |
| 2070* | 824,293 | 39.2 | 1.77 | 78.9 | 9,152 | 9,585 | +1,395 | +0.1% |
| 2080* | 832,608 | 40.1 | 1.74 | 80.4 | 8,982 | 9,300 | +1,064 | +0.1% |
| 2090* | 836,544 | 41.5 | 1.73 | 81.7 | 8,578 | 9,220 | +554 | -0.0% |
| 2100* | 831,294 | 42.9 | 1.72 | 83.0 | 8,224 | 9,632 | +497 | -0.1% |
* 2024 onward is the UN medium projection. Fertility is births per woman; life expectancy is years at birth; births, deaths, and net migration are counts for that calendar year.
Download every year, 1950–2100 (CSV)
2026 population by age and sex
The table provides the counts behind the chart. Age groups are five-year bands, with everyone aged 100 or older combined.
| Age group | Male | Female | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0–4 | 23,300 | 22,198 | 45,498 | 7.4% |
| 5–9 | 24,019 | 22,965 | 46,984 | 7.7% |
| 10–14 | 23,654 | 22,722 | 46,376 | 7.6% |
| 15–19 | 22,226 | 21,222 | 43,448 | 7.1% |
| 20–24 | 22,447 | 20,507 | 42,954 | 7.0% |
| 25–29 | 23,925 | 20,306 | 44,231 | 7.2% |
| 30–34 | 26,674 | 20,806 | 47,480 | 7.8% |
| 35–39 | 31,175 | 23,167 | 54,342 | 8.9% |
| 40–44 | 33,700 | 24,308 | 58,008 | 9.5% |
| 45–49 | 29,495 | 19,870 | 49,365 | 8.1% |
| 50–54 | 22,884 | 14,541 | 37,425 | 6.1% |
| 55–59 | 17,845 | 11,675 | 29,520 | 4.8% |
| 60–64 | 12,970 | 9,597 | 22,567 | 3.7% |
| 65–69 | 9,521 | 8,543 | 18,064 | 3.0% |
| 70–74 | 6,386 | 6,620 | 13,006 | 2.1% |
| 75–79 | 3,441 | 3,779 | 7,220 | 1.2% |
| 80–84 | 1,452 | 1,630 | 3,082 | 0.5% |
| 85–89 | 456 | 529 | 985 | 0.2% |
| 90–94 | 101 | 117 | 218 | 0.0% |
| 95–99 | 17 | 18 | 35 | 0.0% |
| 100+ | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.0% |
Countries with the most similar age structure
These profiles have the 2026 age distributions closest to Western Sahara’s, measured by the total difference in the share of the population in each five-year band. Similar shapes can arise from very different histories, so the match is a starting point for comparison, not an explanation.
- Iran96% overlap · median age 34.5
- Brunei95% overlap · median age 33.2
- Myanmar95% overlap · median age 30.4
- Indonesia94% overlap · median age 30.7
- Seychelles94% overlap · median age 34.6
- Vietnam94% overlap · median age 33.9
To calculate school-age, working-age, or older groups with other boundaries, use the age-group calculator for Western Sahara.
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World Population Pyramid. (2026, October 19). Western Sahara Population Pyramid 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/western-sahara/
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“Western Sahara Population Pyramid 2026.” World Population Pyramid, 19 Oct. 2026, worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/western-sahara/.
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World Population Pyramid. “Western Sahara Population Pyramid 2026.” Last modified October 19, 2026. https://worldpopulationpyramid.com/countries/western-sahara/.
Underlying data: United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2024). World Population Prospects 2024.
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Western Sahara in 2026?
Under the UN World Population Prospects 2024 medium scenario, Western Sahara's population in 2026 is projected at 610,813.
What is the median age in Western Sahara?
The projected median age in Western Sahara in 2026 is 32.8 years: half the population is younger and half is older.
What is the fertility rate in Western Sahara?
The projected total fertility rate in 2026 is 2.13 births per woman, close to the replacement level of about 2.1 in low-mortality populations.
Is Western Sahara's population projected to grow?
Between 2026 and 2050, the UN medium scenario indicates the population will grow by about 27%, from 610.8K to 777.3K.
What share of Western Sahara is aged 65 or older?
In 2026, 7.0% of the projected population is aged 65 or older. By 2050, the medium scenario places the share at 15.5%.
How many babies are born in Western Sahara each year?
The UN medium scenario projects 9,008 births and 4,030 deaths in 2026, about 25 births a day. Births exceed deaths by 4,978.
What is life expectancy in Western Sahara for men and women?
Life expectancy at birth in 2026 is projected at 74.2 years for women and 70.2 years for men, a gap of 4.0 years in favour of women.
Does Western Sahara have more immigrants or emigrants?
Western Sahara is projected to gain about 4,689 more people through migration than it loses in 2026. Between 2000 and 2023 the UN estimates cumulative net migration of +183,789.
What is the sex ratio in Western Sahara?
The projected 2026 population sex ratio is 122.0 males per 100 females. This all-age ratio is different from the sex ratio at birth and can vary substantially by age.
Sources and notes
- United Nations, DESA, Population Division: World Population Prospects 2024, medium scenario.
- Population values are mid-year figures. Source values published in thousands are converted to people; displayed figures may imply more precision than is appropriate for planning.
- Historical values through 2023 are estimates. Values from 2024 onward are projections.
- Calculations follow the site methodology.