Western Africa Population (LIVE)

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Western Africa Population (1950 - 2023)
Yearly Population Growth Rate (%)

Countries in Western Africa

CountryPopulation (2023)
Nigeria223,804,632
Ghana34,121,985
Côte d'Ivoire28,873,034
Niger27,202,843
Mali23,293,698
Burkina Faso23,251,485
Senegal17,763,163
Guinea14,190,612
Benin13,712,828
Togo9,053,799
Sierra Leone8,791,092
Liberia5,418,377
Mauritania4,862,989
Gambia2,773,168
Guinea-Bissau2,150,842
Cabo Verde598,682
Saint Helena5,314
  • The current population of Western Africa is 444,068,860 as of Sunday, November 19, 2023, based on the latest United Nations estimates.
  • Western Africa population is equivalent to 5.47% of the total world population.
  • Western Africa ranks number 2 in Africa among subregions ranked by Population.
  • The population density in Western Africa is 73 per Km2 (188 people per mi2).
  • The total land area is 6,064,060 Km2 (2,341,346 sq. miles)
  • 0 % of the population is urban (0 people in 2023).
  • The median age in Western Africa is 0.0years.

Population of Western Africa (2023 and historical)

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationWestern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2023 439,868,541 nan % 0 0.0 0.0 0.0 67 0 % 0 5.5 % 7,840,952,880 2
2020 408,124,919 2.59 % 10,298,489 -71,122 16.8 5.32 67 47.0 % 191,841,724 5.2 % 7,840,952,880 2
2015 358,283,742 2.76 % 9,123,400 -301,700 16.8 5.39 59 43.7 % 156,740,414 5.1 % 7,426,597,537 2
2010 312,666,741 2.8 % 8,064,263 -273,700 16.7 5.71 52 40.5 % 126,623,066 4.8 % 6,985,603,105 2
2005 272,345,428 2.78 % 6,985,870 -178,400 16.8 5.88 45 37.3 % 101,494,729 4.4 % 6,558,176,119 2
2000 237,416,079 2.67 % 5,870,095 -104,000 16.6 6.04 39 34.3 % 81,350,496 4.1 % 6,148,898,975 2
1995 208,065,603 2.62 % 5,044,159 -126,700 16.3 6.25 34 32 % 66,615,855 3.9 % 5,743,219,454 2
1990 182,844,809 2.68 % 4,528,636 -468,500 16.1 6.53 30 29.8 % 54,499,006 3.8 % 5,316,175,862 2
1985 160,201,628 2.79 % 4,114,773 -213,900 16.2 6.75 26 26.5 % 42,387,936 3.6 % 4,861,730,613 2
1980 139,627,764 2.87 % 3,682,004 36,000 16.7 6.94 23 23.3 % 32,501,281 3.4 % 4,444,007,706 2
1975 121,217,746 2.54 % 2,857,173 48,900 17.1 6.89 20 20.9 % 25,347,359 3.3 % 4,069,437,231 2
1970 106,931,883 2.31 % 2,303,152 23,700 17.5 6.71 18 18.5 % 19,799,585 3.2 % 3,695,390,336 2
1965 95,416,121 2.2 % 1,963,374 -13,000 18.0 6.61 16 9.4 % 9,005,486 3.2 % 3,337,111,983 2
1960 85,599,249 2.05 % 1,650,100 -1,000 18.1 6.55 14 14.6 % 12,465,730 3.1 % 3,019,233,434 1
1955 77,348,749 1.95 % 1,421,751 -42,200 18.3 6.50 13 11.6 % 9,005,486 3.1 % 2,746,072,141 1

Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)

Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Western Africa Population Forecast

YearPopulationYearly %
Change
Yearly
Change
Migrants (net)Median AgeFertility RateDensity (P/Km²)Urban
Pop %
Urban PopulationWestern Africa's
Share of
World Pop
World PopulationWestern Africa
Rank within
Africa
2025 462,076,057 2.51 % 10,790,228 -165,700 17.7 4.67 76 50.2 % 232,161,972 5.9 % 8,191,988,453 2
2030 520,331,684 2.4 % 11,651,125 -165,400 18.5 4.29 86 53.4 % 277,949,044 6.4 % 8,546,141,327 2
2035 581,754,615 2.26 % 12,284,586 -165,200 19.3 3.92 96 56.6 % 329,186,835 6.6 % 8,879,397,401 2
2040 645,119,042 2.09 % 12,672,885 -165,000 20.3 3.60 106 59.8 % 385,988,017 7.3 % 9,188,250,492 2
2045 709,358,782 1.92 % 12,847,948 -164,900 21.3 3.31 117 63.2 % 448,652,380 7.7 % 9,467,543,575 2
2050 773,342,802 1.74 % 12,796,804 -164,900 22.3 3.08 128 66.8 % 516,634,513 8.2 % 9,709,491,761 2
Source: Worldometer (www.Worldometers.info)
Elaboration of data by United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division. World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. (Medium-fertility variant).
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Notes

The Western Africa Population (Live) counter shows a continuously updated estimate of the current population of Western Africa delivered by Worldometer's RTS algorithm, which processes data collected from the United Nations Population Division.

The Population of Western Africa (1950 - 2023) chart plots the total population count as of July 1 of each year, from 1950 to 2023.

The Yearly Population Growth Rate chart plots the annual percentage changes in population registered on July 1 of each year, from 1951 to 2023. This value can differ from the Yearly % Change shown in the historical table, which shows the last year equivalent percentage change assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period.

Definitions

Year: as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Population: Overall total population (both sexes and all ages) in the sub-region as of July 1 of the year indicated, as estimated by the United Nations, Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division.World Population Prospects: The 2022 Revision. For forecasted years, the U.N. medium-fertility variant is used.

Yearly % Change: For 2023: percentage change in total population over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: latest year annual percentage change equivalent assuming homogeneous change in the preceding five year period, calculated through reverse compounding.

Yearly Change: For 2023: absolute change in total population (increase or decrease in number of people) over the last year (from July 1, 2022 to June 30 2023). For all other years: average annual numerical change over the preceding five year period.

Migrants (net): The average annual number of immigrants minus the number of emigrants over the preceding five year period (running from July 1 to June 30 of the initial and final years), or subsequent five year period. A negative number means that there are more emigrants than immigrants.

Median Age: age that divides the population into two numerically equal groups: half of the people are older than the median age indicated and half are younger. This parameter provides an indication of age distribution.

Fertility Rate: (Total Fertility Rate, or TFR), it is expressed as children per woman. It is calculated as the average number of children an average woman will have during her reproductive period (15 to 49 years old) based on the current fertility rates of every age group in the countries within Western Africa, and assuming she is not subject to mortality.

Density (P/Km²): (Population Density) Population per square Kilometer (Km²).

Urban Pop % : Urban population as a percentage of total population.

Urban Population: Population living in areas classified as urban according to the criteria used by each country.

Western Africa's Share of World Pop: Total population as a percentage of total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

World Population: Total World Population as of July 1 of the year indicated.

Rank within Africa: Position held by Western Africa in the list of all regions within Africa ranked by population (from the highest population to the lowest population) as of July 1 of the year indicated.

See also