Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara
Western Sahara: Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 was 86.9% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
86.9%
Change on year
up 0.1%
World rank
52nd
of 238 countries
All-time high
86.9%
in 2025
All-time low
0.0%
in 1000
Years of data
108
1000–2025
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara, 1000–2025
Source: HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Western Sahara recorded 86.9% for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in 2025. That is the highest value across all 108 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 0.1% on the previous year and up 0.4% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara peaked at 86.9% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 0.0%, in 1000.
Western Sahara ranks 52nd of 238 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 | 0.0% | — |
| 1100 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1200 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1300 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1400 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1500 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1600 | 0.0% | +200.0% |
| 1700 | 0.1% | +200.0% |
| 1710 | 0.1% | +46.4% |
| 1720 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1730 | 0.2% | +25.0% |
| 1740 | 0.3% | +25.0% |
| 1750 | 0.4% | +25.0% |
| 1760 | 0.4% | +25.0% |
| 1770 | 0.6% | +25.0% |
| 1780 | 0.7% | +25.0% |
| 1790 | 0.9% | +25.0% |
| 1800 | 1.1% | +25.0% |
| 1810 | 1.4% | +25.0% |
| 1820 | 1.7% | +25.0% |
| 1830 | 2.1% | +25.0% |
| 1840 | 2.7% | +25.0% |
| 1850 | 3.3% | +25.0% |
| 1860 | 4.2% | +25.0% |
| 1870 | 5.2% | +25.0% |
| 1880 | 6.5% | +25.0% |
| 1890 | 8.1% | +25.0% |
| 1900 | 10.2% | +25.0% |
| 1910 | 12.7% | +25.0% |
| 1920 | 15.9% | +25.0% |
| 1930 | 19.8% | +25.0% |
| 1940 | 24.8% | +25.0% |
| 1950 | 31.0% | +25.0% |
| 1951 | 31.0% | +0.0% |
| 1952 | 31.0% | +0.0% |
| 1953 | 31.0% | +0.0% |
| 1954 | 31.0% | +0.0% |
| 1955 | 31.1% | +0.1% |
| 1956 | 31.1% | +0.1% |
| 1957 | 31.1% | +0.1% |
| 1958 | 31.1% | +0.1% |
| 1959 | 31.2% | +0.1% |
| 1960 | 31.2% | +0.1% |
| 1961 | 31.4% | +0.5% |
| 1962 | 31.7% | +1.2% |
| 1963 | 32.3% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 33.0% | +2.3% |
| 1965 | 33.9% | +2.7% |
| 1966 | 34.9% | +3.0% |
| 1967 | 36.0% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 37.3% | +3.4% |
| 1969 | 38.6% | +3.5% |
| 1970 | 39.9% | +3.5% |
| 1971 | 41.5% | +4.0% |
| 1972 | 44.0% | +6.0% |
| 1973 | 47.4% | +7.6% |
| 1974 | 51.4% | +8.5% |
| 1975 | 55.8% | +8.6% |
| 1976 | 60.5% | +8.4% |
| 1977 | 65.1% | +7.7% |
| 1978 | 69.6% | +6.8% |
| 1979 | 73.6% | +5.8% |
| 1980 | 77.0% | +4.6% |
| 1981 | 79.6% | +3.3% |
| 1982 | 81.0% | +1.8% |
| 1983 | 81.7% | +0.8% |
| 1984 | 82.3% | +0.7% |
| 1985 | 82.8% | +0.6% |
| 1986 | 83.3% | +0.6% |
| 1987 | 83.7% | +0.5% |
| 1988 | 84.1% | +0.5% |
| 1989 | 84.4% | +0.4% |
| 1990 | 84.7% | +0.3% |
| 1991 | 85.0% | +0.3% |
| 1992 | 85.2% | +0.2% |
| 1993 | 85.3% | +0.2% |
| 1994 | 85.5% | +0.1% |
| 1995 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 1996 | 85.6% | +0.1% |
| 1997 | 85.7% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 85.8% | +0.1% |
| 1999 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2000 | 85.9% | +0.1% |
| 2001 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 2002 | 86.0% | +0.1% |
| 2003 | 86.1% | +0.1% |
| 2004 | 86.1% | +0.1% |
| 2005 | 86.1% | +0.0% |
| 2006 | 86.2% | +0.0% |
| 2007 | 86.2% | +0.0% |
| 2008 | 86.3% | +0.0% |
| 2009 | 86.3% | +0.0% |
| 2010 | 86.3% | +0.0% |
| 2011 | 86.4% | +0.0% |
| 2012 | 86.4% | +0.0% |
| 2013 | 86.4% | +0.0% |
| 2014 | 86.5% | +0.0% |
| 2015 | 86.5% | +0.0% |
| 2016 | 86.5% | +0.0% |
| 2017 | 86.6% | +0.0% |
| 2018 | 86.6% | +0.0% |
| 2019 | 86.7% | +0.0% |
| 2020 | 86.7% | +0.0% |
| 2021 | 86.7% | +0.0% |
| 2022 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2023 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2024 | 86.8% | +0.0% |
| 2025 | 86.9% | +0.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1100 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1200 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1300 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1400 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1500 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
| 1600 | +200.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1000s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1100s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1200s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1300s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1400s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1500s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1600s | 0.0% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 1 |
| 1700s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1710s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 1 |
| 1720s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1730s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 1 |
| 1740s | 0.3% | 0.3% | 0.3% | 1 |
| 1750s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1760s | 0.4% | 0.4% | 0.4% | 1 |
| 1770s | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 1 |
| 1780s | 0.7% | 0.7% | 0.7% | 1 |
| 1790s | 0.9% | 0.9% | 0.9% | 1 |
| 1800s | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1 |
| 1810s | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1.4% | 1 |
| 1820s | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1.7% | 1 |
| 1830s | 2.1% | 2.1% | 2.1% | 1 |
| 1840s | 2.7% | 2.7% | 2.7% | 1 |
| 1850s | 3.3% | 3.3% | 3.3% | 1 |
| 1860s | 4.2% | 4.2% | 4.2% | 1 |
| 1870s | 5.2% | 5.2% | 5.2% | 1 |
| 1880s | 6.5% | 6.5% | 6.5% | 1 |
| 1890s | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.1% | 1 |
| 1900s | 10.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% | 1 |
| 1910s | 12.7% | 12.7% | 12.7% | 1 |
| 1920s | 15.9% | 15.9% | 15.9% | 1 |
| 1930s | 19.8% | 19.8% | 19.8% | 1 |
| 1940s | 24.8% | 24.8% | 24.8% | 1 |
| 1950s | 31.1% | 31.0% | 31.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 34.0% | 31.2% | 38.6% | 10 |
| 1970s | 54.9% | 39.9% | 73.6% | 10 |
| 1980s | 82.0% | 77.0% | 84.4% | 10 |
| 1990s | 85.4% | 84.7% | 85.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 86.1% | 85.9% | 86.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 86.5% | 86.3% | 86.7% | 10 |
| 2020s | 86.8% | 86.7% | 86.9% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Western Sahara
- 49 Australia 87.7% compare
- 50 Belgium 87.7% compare
- 51 Palestine 87.4% compare
- 53 French Guiana 86.6% compare
- 54 United Arab Emirates 86.0% compare
- 55 Switzerland 85.7% compare
More population data for Western Sahara
- World population growth -0.1% (2100)
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate -0.1005 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.4967 % change on previous year (2050)
- 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)
- Population growth rate, by level of development -0.1% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate -0.351 % change on previous year (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 41,447 people (2100)
- Population density 3.13 people per km² (2100)
- Population aged 25-64 years (thousands), annual growth rate 1.63 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara?
- Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 in Western Sahara was 86.9% in 2025, according to HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Western Sahara?
- The highest recorded value was 86.9% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 recorded in Western Sahara?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.0% in 1000.
- How does Western Sahara rank for share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050?
- Western Sahara ranks 52nd out of 238 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050 rising or falling in Western Sahara?
- Over the last ten years it is up 0.4%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Western Sahara data come from?
- The figures come from HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Share of population living in urban areas projected to 2050. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, combining UN estimates with modeled historical data.