Ethiopia vs Western Sahara: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Ethiopia
164,215
in 2025
Western Sahara
174,607
in 2025
Ethiopia rank
20th
Western Sahara rank
19th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Ethiopia
- Western Sahara
How they compare
Western Sahara currently reports 174,607 against 164,215 in Ethiopia, a difference of 10,392.
That makes Western Sahara's figure about 1.1 times Ethiopia's.
The two have swapped places 3 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1975 it was Ethiopia ahead.
Ethiopia ranks 20th and Western Sahara ranks 19th of 205 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Ethiopia averaged higher in 4 and Western Sahara in 2.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Ethiopia | Western Sahara | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 672,800 | 41,000 | 631,800 | Ethiopia |
| 1980s | 1.59 million | 153,719 | 1.44 million | Ethiopia |
| 1990s | 281,190 | 165,576 | 115,614 | Ethiopia |
| 2000s | 63,848 | 135,991 | 72,143 | Western Sahara |
| 2010s | 82,131 | 116,590 | 34,459 | Western Sahara |
| 2020s | 156,190 | 127,525 | 28,665 | Ethiopia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Ethiopia or Western Sahara?
- Western Sahara, at 174,607 against 164,215 in Ethiopia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Ethiopia and Western Sahara?
- 10,392, with Western Sahara ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Ethiopia and Western Sahara?
- 51 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2025.
- How do Ethiopia and Western Sahara rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Ethiopia ranks 20th and Western Sahara ranks 19th of 205 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- Our World in Data, published as Refugee population by country or territory of origin. Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.