What is population in Somalia?

Population in Somalia was 18.36 million people in 2023, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.

What is the highest population recorded in Somalia?

The highest recorded value was 18.36 million people in 2023.

What is the lowest population recorded in Somalia?

The lowest recorded value was 389,200 people in 1000.

How does Somalia rank for population?

Somalia ranks 69th out of 239 countries with data for 2023.

Is population rising or falling in Somalia?

Over the last ten years it is up 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.

Where does this Somalia data come from?

The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Population in Somalia

Name: Population in Somalia
Creator: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
License: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)

Somalia: Population was 18.36 million people in 2023. ◆ Volatile

Latest (2023)

18.36 million people

Change on year

up 3.1%

World rank

69th

of 239 countries

All-time high

18.36 million people

in 2023

All-time low

389,200 people

in 1000

Years of data

241

1000–2023

Population in Somalia, 1000–2023

Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in people.

Analysis

In 2023, population in Somalia stood at 18.36 million people. That is the highest value across all 241 years on record.

Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.1% on the previous year and up 42.7% over ten years.

Over the whole period, population in Somalia peaked at 18.36 million people in 2023 and was at its lowest, 389,200 people, in 1000.

Somalia ranks 69th of 239 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.

The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.

Population in Somalia, year by year

Annual values for Population in Somalia, 1000 to 2023.
Year	people	Change
1000	389,200 people	—
1100	467,040 people	+20.0%
1200	544,880 people	+16.7%
1300	622,720 people	+14.3%
1400	700,560 people	+12.5%
1500	778,400 people	+11.1%
1600	827,050 people	+6.2%
1700	875,700 people	+5.9%
1710	886,058 people	+1.2%
1720	896,416 people	+1.2%
1730	906,775 people	+1.2%
1740	917,133 people	+1.1%
1750	927,491 people	+1.1%
1760	937,850 people	+1.1%
1770	948,208 people	+1.1%
1780	958,566 people	+1.1%
1790	968,925 people	+1.1%
1800	988,951 people	+2.1%
1801	989,372 people	+0.0%
1802	989,796 people	+0.0%
1803	990,219 people	+0.0%
1804	990,642 people	+0.0%
1805	991,066 people	+0.0%
1806	991,490 people	+0.0%
1807	991,914 people	+0.0%
1808	992,338 people	+0.0%
1809	992,762 people	+0.0%
1810	993,190 people	+0.0%
1811	993,894 people	+0.1%
1812	994,879 people	+0.1%
1813	996,147 people	+0.1%
1814	997,700 people	+0.2%
1815	999,540 people	+0.2%
1816	1.00 million people	+0.2%
1817	1.00 million people	+0.2%
1818	1.01 million people	+0.3%
1819	1.01 million people	+0.3%
1820	1.01 million people	+0.3%
1821	1.02 million people	+0.7%
1822	1.03 million people	+0.7%
1823	1.04 million people	+1.3%
1824	1.05 million people	+1.3%
1825	1.07 million people	+1.3%
1826	1.08 million people	+1.3%
1827	1.10 million people	+1.3%
1828	1.11 million people	+1.3%
1829	1.12 million people	+1.3%
1830	1.14 million people	+1.3%
1831	1.15 million people	+1.3%
1832	1.17 million people	+1.3%
1833	1.18 million people	+1.3%
1834	1.20 million people	+1.3%
1835	1.22 million people	+1.3%
1836	1.23 million people	+1.3%
1837	1.25 million people	+1.3%
1838	1.26 million people	+1.3%
1839	1.28 million people	+1.3%
1840	1.30 million people	+1.3%
1841	1.31 million people	+1.3%
1842	1.33 million people	+1.3%
1843	1.35 million people	+1.3%
1844	1.37 million people	+1.3%
1845	1.38 million people	+1.3%
1846	1.40 million people	+1.3%
1847	1.42 million people	+1.3%
1848	1.44 million people	+1.3%
1849	1.45 million people	+1.0%
1850	1.46 million people	+0.8%
1851	1.47 million people	+0.5%
1852	1.47 million people	+0.2%
1853	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1854	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1855	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1856	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1857	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1858	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1859	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1860	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1861	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1862	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1863	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1864	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1865	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1866	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1867	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1868	1.47 million people	-0.0%
1869	1.46 million people	-0.0%
1870	1.46 million people	+0.0%
1871	1.47 million people	+0.0%
1872	1.47 million people	+0.0%
1873	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1874	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1875	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1876	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1877	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1878	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1879	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1880	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1881	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1882	1.47 million people	+0.1%
1883	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1884	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1885	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1886	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1887	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1888	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1889	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1890	1.48 million people	+0.1%
1891	1.49 million people	+0.2%
1892	1.49 million people	+0.2%
1893	1.49 million people	+0.3%
1894	1.50 million people	+0.3%
1895	1.50 million people	+0.3%
1896	1.50 million people	+0.3%
1897	1.51 million people	+0.3%
1898	1.51 million people	+0.3%
1899	1.52 million people	+0.3%
1900	1.52 million people	+0.3%
1901	1.52 million people	+0.3%
1902	1.53 million people	+0.3%
1903	1.53 million people	+0.3%
1904	1.54 million people	+0.3%
1905	1.54 million people	+0.3%
1906	1.54 million people	+0.3%
1907	1.55 million people	+0.3%
1908	1.55 million people	+0.3%
1909	1.56 million people	+0.2%
1910	1.56 million people	+0.2%
1911	1.56 million people	+0.2%
1912	1.56 million people	+0.2%
1913	1.57 million people	+0.2%
1914	1.57 million people	+0.2%
1915	1.57 million people	+0.2%
1916	1.57 million people	+0.2%
1917	1.58 million people	+0.2%
1918	1.58 million people	+0.2%
1919	1.59 million people	+0.4%
1920	1.59 million people	+0.5%
1921	1.61 million people	+0.7%
1922	1.62 million people	+0.8%
1923	1.64 million people	+1.0%
1924	1.65 million people	+1.0%
1925	1.67 million people	+1.0%
1926	1.68 million people	+1.0%
1927	1.70 million people	+1.0%
1928	1.72 million people	+1.0%
1929	1.73 million people	+1.0%
1930	1.75 million people	+0.9%
1931	1.77 million people	+0.9%
1932	1.78 million people	+0.8%
1933	1.80 million people	+0.8%
1934	1.81 million people	+0.8%
1935	1.82 million people	+0.8%
1936	1.84 million people	+0.8%
1937	1.85 million people	+0.8%
1938	1.87 million people	+0.8%
1939	1.89 million people	+0.9%
1940	1.91 million people	+1.1%
1941	1.93 million people	+1.2%
1942	1.96 million people	+1.4%
1943	1.99 million people	+1.5%
1944	2.02 million people	+1.5%
1945	2.05 million people	+1.5%
1946	2.08 million people	+1.5%
1947	2.11 million people	+1.5%
1948	2.14 million people	+1.5%
1949	2.17 million people	+1.6%
1950	2.21 million people	+1.8%
1951	2.28 million people	+2.9%
1952	2.34 million people	+2.8%
1953	2.40 million people	+2.7%
1954	2.47 million people	+2.7%
1955	2.53 million people	+2.6%
1956	2.60 million people	+2.6%
1957	2.67 million people	+2.6%
1958	2.73 million people	+2.5%
1959	2.80 million people	+2.5%
1960	2.88 million people	+2.6%
1961	2.95 million people	+2.6%
1962	3.03 million people	+2.6%
1963	3.11 million people	+2.6%
1964	3.19 million people	+2.7%
1965	3.28 million people	+2.7%
1966	3.37 million people	+2.7%
1967	3.45 million people	+2.7%
1968	3.55 million people	+2.7%
1969	3.64 million people	+2.7%
1970	3.74 million people	+2.7%
1971	3.84 million people	+2.7%
1972	3.94 million people	+2.7%
1973	4.05 million people	+2.7%
1974	4.15 million people	+2.6%
1975	4.26 million people	+2.5%
1976	4.37 million people	+2.5%
1977	4.48 million people	+2.7%
1978	4.81 million people	+7.4%
1979	5.45 million people	+13.2%
1980	5.94 million people	+8.9%
1981	5.98 million people	+0.8%
1982	6.00 million people	+0.4%
1983	6.20 million people	+3.2%
1984	6.43 million people	+3.7%
1985	6.69 million people	+4.1%
1986	6.97 million people	+4.2%
1987	7.23 million people	+3.6%
1988	7.24 million people	+0.1%
1989	7.11 million people	-1.7%
1990	7.08 million people	-0.4%
1991	6.81 million people	-3.8%
1992	6.50 million people	-4.7%
1993	6.68 million people	+2.9%
1994	7.03 million people	+5.2%
1995	7.29 million people	+3.7%
1996	7.55 million people	+3.7%
1997	7.82 million people	+3.6%
1998	8.16 million people	+4.2%
1999	8.49 million people	+4.1%
2000	8.84 million people	+4.1%
2001	9.20 million people	+4.1%
2002	9.55 million people	+3.8%
2003	9.91 million people	+3.8%
2004	10.28 million people	+3.8%
2005	10.64 million people	+3.5%
2006	10.98 million people	+3.1%
2007	11.32 million people	+3.2%
2008	11.66 million people	+3.0%
2009	11.96 million people	+2.6%
2010	12.26 million people	+2.5%
2011	12.35 million people	+0.7%
2012	12.46 million people	+0.9%
2013	12.87 million people	+3.3%
2014	13.34 million people	+3.7%
2015	13.81 million people	+3.5%
2016	14.35 million people	+3.9%
2017	14.92 million people	+4.0%
2018	15.45 million people	+3.6%
2019	16.03 million people	+3.7%
2020	16.65 million people	+3.9%
2021	17.27 million people	+3.7%
2022	17.80 million people	+3.1%
2023	18.36 million people	+3.1%

Somalia compared with similar countries

Somalia's 18.36 million people is below the median for low income countries, which is 23.03 million people, 80% of the median. (25 countries reporting)
Somalia's 18.36 million people is above the median for Sub-Saharan Africa, which is 14.26 million people, 1.3× the median. (48 countries reporting)

Averages by decade

Decade	Average	Lowest	Highest	Years
1000s	389,200 people	389,200 people	389,200 people	1
1100s	467,040 people	467,040 people	467,040 people	1
1200s	544,880 people	544,880 people	544,880 people	1
1300s	622,720 people	622,720 people	622,720 people	1
1400s	700,560 people	700,560 people	700,560 people	1
1500s	778,400 people	778,400 people	778,400 people	1
1600s	827,050 people	827,050 people	827,050 people	1
1700s	875,700 people	875,700 people	875,700 people	1
1710s	886,058 people	886,058 people	886,058 people	1
1720s	896,416 people	896,416 people	896,416 people	1
1730s	906,775 people	906,775 people	906,775 people	1
1740s	917,133 people	917,133 people	917,133 people	1
1750s	927,491 people	927,491 people	927,491 people	1
1760s	937,850 people	937,850 people	937,850 people	1
1770s	948,208 people	948,208 people	948,208 people	1
1780s	958,566 people	958,566 people	958,566 people	1
1790s	968,925 people	968,925 people	968,925 people	1
1800s	990,855 people	988,951 people	992,762 people	10
1810s	999,772 people	993,190 people	1.01 million people	10
1820s	1.06 million people	1.01 million people	1.12 million people	10
1830s	1.21 million people	1.14 million people	1.28 million people	10
1840s	1.37 million people	1.30 million people	1.45 million people	10
1850s	1.47 million people	1.46 million people	1.47 million people	10
1860s	1.47 million people	1.46 million people	1.47 million people	10
1870s	1.47 million people	1.46 million people	1.47 million people	10
1880s	1.48 million people	1.47 million people	1.48 million people	10
1890s	1.50 million people	1.48 million people	1.52 million people	10
1900s	1.54 million people	1.52 million people	1.56 million people	10
1910s	1.57 million people	1.56 million people	1.59 million people	10
1920s	1.66 million people	1.59 million people	1.73 million people	10
1930s	1.82 million people	1.75 million people	1.89 million people	10
1940s	2.03 million people	1.91 million people	2.17 million people	10
1950s	2.50 million people	2.21 million people	2.80 million people	10
1960s	3.24 million people	2.88 million people	3.64 million people	10
1970s	4.31 million people	3.74 million people	5.45 million people	10
1980s	6.58 million people	5.94 million people	7.24 million people	10
1990s	7.34 million people	6.50 million people	8.49 million people	10
2000s	10.43 million people	8.84 million people	11.96 million people	10
2010s	13.78 million people	12.26 million people	16.03 million people	10
2020s	17.52 million people	16.65 million people	18.36 million people	4

Countries ranked near Somalia

66 Chile 19.66 million people compare
67 Chad 19.32 million people compare
68 Romania 19.12 million people compare
70 Guatemala 18.12 million people compare
71 Netherlands 18.09 million people compare
72 Senegal 18.08 million people compare

See the full ranking of 239 places →

More population data for Somalia

Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 1.96 % change on previous year (2050)
Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.4652 % change on previous year (2100)
Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.4952 % change on previous year (2100)
Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 36,463 Persons (2050)
Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 2.89 Percent per annum (2030)
Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.3207 % change on previous year (2100)
World population growth 0.4% (2100)
Population density 107.38 people per km² (2100)
Number of children under 5, by world region 5.14 million people (2100)

All data for Somalia →

Frequently asked questions

What is population in Somalia?: Population in Somalia was 18.36 million people in 2023, according to HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
What is the highest population recorded in Somalia?: The highest recorded value was 18.36 million people in 2023.
What is the lowest population recorded in Somalia?: The lowest recorded value was 389,200 people in 1000.
How does Somalia rank for population?: Somalia ranks 69th out of 239 countries with data for 2023.
Is population rising or falling in Somalia?: Over the last ten years it is up 42.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
Where does this Somalia data come from?: The figures come from HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

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Population in Somalia. Statizoid, drawing on HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Retrieved 22 September 2026, from https://population.statizoid.com/stat/population/somalia-fed-rep/

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About this data

Indicator: Population
Unit: people
Source: HYDE (2023); Gapminder (2022); UN WPP (2024) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage: 239 places, 51,002 data points, 1000–2023
Last refreshed: 18 September 2026

Population by country, available from 10,000 BCE to 2023, based on data and estimates from different sources.