Western Sahara
×
General Information
Region
Northern Africa
Population (000, 2021)
612
a
Pop. density (per km2, 2021)
2.3
a
Capital city
El Aaiún
Capital city pop. (000, 2021)
232.4
d
Surface area (km2)
266 000
b,c
Sex ratio (m per 100 f)
109.4
a
National currency
Moroccan Dirham (MAD)
Exchange rate (per US$)
8.9
e
Economic indicators
2010
2015
2021
Employment in agriculture
f
(% of employed)
24.4
21.9
19.8
e
Employment in industry
f
(% of employed)
24
25.1
25.7
e
Employment in services
f
(% employed)
51.5
53
54.5
e
Unemployment
f
(% of labour force)
9.7
9.6
9.4
e
Labour force participation rate
f
(female/male pop. %)
24.3 / 79.3
25.2 / 79.6
26.0 / 79.3
e
Social indicators
2010
2015
2021
Population growth rate
g
(average annual %)
1.9
1.8
2.5
e
Urban population
(% of total population)
86.3
86.5
86.8
c
Urban population growth rate
g
(average annual %)
1.9
1.9
...
Fertility rate, total
g
(live births per woman)
2.6
2.6
2.4
e
Life expectancy at birth
g
(females/males, years)
68.1 / 64.7
70.3 / 66.9
71.9 / 68.2
e
Population age distribution
(0-14/60+ years old, %)
29.4 / 3.8
28.5 / 4.8
26.9 / 6.6
a
International migrant stock
f
(000/% of total pop.)
4.5 / 0.9
5.2 / 1.0
5.4 / 0.9
e
Infant mortality rate
g
(per 1 000 live births)
43
34.1
28.8
e
Environment and infrastructure indicators
2010
2015
2021
Threatened species
(number)
39
39
70
Forested area
f
(% of land area)
2.5
2.5
2.5
d
Footnotes
a
Projected estimate (medium fertility variant).
b
Comprising the Northern Region (former Saguia el Hamra) and Southern Region (former Rio de Oro).
c
2019
d
2018
e
2020
f
Estimate.
g
Data refers to a 5-year period preceding the reference year.