Iraq vs Western Sahara: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Iraq
270,671
in 2025
Western Sahara
174,607
in 2025
Iraq rank
16th
Western Sahara rank
19th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Iraq
- Western Sahara
How they compare
Iraq currently reports 270,671 against 174,607 in Western Sahara, a difference of 96,064.
That makes Iraq's figure about 1.6 times Western Sahara's.
The two have swapped places 1 time across 48 shared years of data; in 1978 it was Western Sahara ahead.
Iraq ranks 16th and Western Sahara ranks 19th of 205 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Iraq averaged higher in 5 and Western Sahara in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Iraq | Western Sahara | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 15,780 | 50,000 | 34,220 | Western Sahara |
| 1980s | 263,642 | 153,719 | 109,923 | Iraq |
| 1990s | 877,907 | 165,576 | 712,331 | Iraq |
| 2000s | 987,084 | 135,991 | 851,094 | Iraq |
| 2010s | 628,080 | 116,590 | 511,490 | Iraq |
| 2020s | 311,625 | 127,525 | 184,100 | Iraq |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Iraq or Western Sahara?
- Iraq, at 270,671 against 174,607 in Western Sahara as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Iraq and Western Sahara?
- 96,064, with Iraq ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Iraq and Western Sahara?
- 48 years are reported by both, from 1978 to 2025.
- How do Iraq and Western Sahara rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Iraq ranks 16th 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.