Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara
Western Sahara: Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled was 174,578 in 2024. ▲ Rising
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara, 1975–2024
Source: Statizoid (derived).
Analysis
The most recent figure for refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara is 174,578, measured in 2024. That is the highest value across all 50 years on record.
That represents a change of up 91.9% on the previous year and up 49.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara peaked at 174,578 in 2024 and was at its lowest, 20,000, in 1975.
That places Western Sahara 17th out of 204 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 50 years of available data.
Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1975 | 20,000 | — |
| 1976 | 35,000 | +75.0% |
| 1977 | 50,000 | +42.9% |
| 1978 | 50,000 | +0.0% |
| 1979 | 50,000 | +0.0% |
| 1980 | 50,000 | +0.0% |
| 1981 | 165,000 | +230.0% |
| 1982 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1983 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1984 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1985 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1986 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1987 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1988 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1989 | 167,190 | +1.3% |
| 1990 | 165,000 | -1.3% |
| 1991 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1992 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1993 | 165,000 | +0.0% |
| 1994 | 166,493 | +0.9% |
| 1995 | 165,000 | -0.9% |
| 1996 | 166,328 | +0.8% |
| 1997 | 166,099 | -0.1% |
| 1998 | 165,968 | -0.1% |
| 1999 | 165,868 | -0.1% |
| 2000 | 165,808 | -0.0% |
| 2001 | 165,908 | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 165,884 | -0.0% |
| 2003 | 165,729 | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 165,728 | -0.0% |
| 2005 | 90,650 | -45.3% |
| 2006 | 90,611 | -0.0% |
| 2007 | 116,594 | +28.7% |
| 2008 | 116,528 | -0.1% |
| 2009 | 116,469 | -0.1% |
| 2010 | 116,411 | -0.0% |
| 2011 | 116,414 | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 116,451 | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 116,500 | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 116,478 | -0.0% |
| 2015 | 116,542 | +0.1% |
| 2016 | 116,648 | +0.1% |
| 2017 | 116,762 | +0.1% |
| 2018 | 116,790 | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 116,908 | +0.1% |
| 2020 | 116,925 | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 117,041 | +0.1% |
| 2022 | 91,026 | -22.2% |
| 2023 | 90,974 | -0.1% |
| 2024 | 174,578 | +91.9% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | +230.0% | 50,000 | 165,000 |
| 2024 | +91.9% | 90,974 | 174,578 |
| 1976 | +75.0% | 20,000 | 35,000 |
| 2005 | -45.3% | 165,728 | 90,650 |
| 1977 | +42.9% | 35,000 | 50,000 |
| 2007 | +28.7% | 90,611 | 116,594 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 41,000 | 20,000 | 50,000 | 5 |
| 1980s | 153,719 | 50,000 | 167,190 | 10 |
| 1990s | 165,576 | 165,000 | 166,493 | 10 |
| 2000s | 135,991 | 90,611 | 165,908 | 10 |
| 2010s | 116,590 | 116,411 | 116,908 | 10 |
| 2020s | 118,109 | 90,974 | 174,578 | 5 |
Countries ranked near Western Sahara
More population data for Western Sahara
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.351 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.4967 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate -0.1005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate 0.3345 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 41,447 people (2100)
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population density 3.13 people per km² (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Population aged 25-64 years (thousands), annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara?
- Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled in Western Sahara was 174,578 in 2024, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Western Sahara?
- The highest recorded value was 174,578 in 2024.
- What is the lowest refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled recorded in Western Sahara?
- The lowest recorded value was 20,000 in 1975.
- How does Western Sahara rank for refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled?
- Western Sahara ranks 17th out of 204 countries with data for 2024.
- Is refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled rising or falling in Western Sahara?
- Over the last ten years it is up 49.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Western Sahara data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Refugee population by country or territory of origin, gaps filled. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 50 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Refugee population by country or territory of origin with 133 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.
Computed from
- Refugees by country of origin UNHCR (2025) – with major processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Refugee population by country or territory of origin with 133 missing years estimated by linear interpolation between the nearest real observations. Only gaps of 4 years or fewer are filled, and never beyond the first or last actual measurement — these are filled holes, not forecasts.