Rwanda vs Western Sahara: Refugee population by country or territory of origin
Rwanda
244,415
in 2025
Western Sahara
174,607
in 2025
Rwanda rank
17th
Western Sahara rank
19th
Refugee population by country or territory of origin over time
- Rwanda
- Western Sahara
How they compare
Rwanda currently reports 244,415 against 174,607 in Western Sahara, a difference of 69,808.
That makes Rwanda's figure about 1.4 times Western Sahara's.
The two have swapped places 6 times across 51 shared years of data; in 1975 it was Rwanda ahead.
Rwanda ranks 17th and Western Sahara ranks 19th of 205 countries.
Across the 6 decades both report, Rwanda averaged higher in 5 and Western Sahara in 1.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Rwanda | Western Sahara | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 174,712 | 41,000 | 133,712 | Rwanda |
| 1980s | 331,939 | 153,719 | 178,220 | Rwanda |
| 1990s | 645,849 | 165,576 | 480,273 | Rwanda |
| 2000s | 89,366 | 135,991 | 46,625 | Western Sahara |
| 2010s | 180,833 | 116,590 | 64,242 | Rwanda |
| 2020s | 247,870 | 127,525 | 120,345 | Rwanda |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher refugee population by country or territory of origin, Rwanda or Western Sahara?
- Rwanda, at 244,415 against 174,607 in Western Sahara as of 2025.
- What is the difference in refugee population by country or territory of origin between Rwanda and Western Sahara?
- 69,808, with Rwanda ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Rwanda and Western Sahara?
- 51 years are reported by both, from 1975 to 2025.
- How do Rwanda and Western Sahara rank globally for refugee population by country or territory of origin?
- Rwanda ranks 17th 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.