Urban population — all countries

Urban population — Western Africa

Urban population in Western Africa in 2025 — 252,118,607 people. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 2,028.1%.

2025 252M people +3.48% vs 2024
World rank
Period maximum 252M people2025
Period minimum 11.85M people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Urban population — Western Africa, 1960–20250100M200M300M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 11,847,363 people1962: 13,362,697 people1964: 15,073,430 people1966: 16,986,890 people1968: 19,082,407 people1970: 21,390,332 people1972: 23,889,554 people1974: 26,666,376 people1976: 29,807,783 people1978: 33,323,959 people1980: 37,094,998 people1982: 41,206,802 people1984: 45,441,123 people1986: 49,987,089 people1988: 55,004,370 people1990: 60,243,565 people1992: 66,034,208 people1994: 71,920,518 people1996: 78,352,019 people1998: 85,592,494 people2000: 93,385,505 people2002: 102,009,217 people2004: 111,292,218 people2006: 121,350,263 people2008: 132,018,362 people2010: 143,485,443 people2012: 155,809,064 people2014: 168,814,286 people2016: 182,590,872 people2018: 196,927,022 people2020: 211,604,347 people2022: 227,168,537 people2024: 243,633,248 people2025: 252,118,607 people
Change over the period: +240M (+2,028.06%) Average annual rate: 4.82 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Western Africa

Western Africa 252M people
World 4.75B people
Urban population — Western Africa, by year Western Africa All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 252M +8.49M +3.48%
2024 244M +8.28M +3.52%
2023 235M +8.19M +3.6%
2022 227M +7.92M +3.61%
2021 219M +7.65M +3.61%
2020 212M +7.43M +3.64%
2019 204M +7.24M +3.68%
2018 197M +7.19M +3.79%
2017 190M +7.15M +3.92%
2016 183M +6.98M +3.97%
2015 176M +6.8M +4.03%
2014 169M +6.62M +4.08%
2013 162M +6.39M +4.1%
2012 156M +6.25M +4.18%
2011 150M +6.08M +4.23%
2010 143M +5.84M +4.24%
2009 138M +5.63M +4.27%
2008 132M +5.44M +4.3%
2007 127M +5.23M +4.31%
2006 121M +5.11M +4.4%
2005 116M +4.94M +4.44%
2004 111M +4.73M +4.44%
2003 107M +4.56M +4.47%
2002 102M +4.41M +4.51%
2001 97.6M +4.22M +4.52%
2000 93.39M +3.98M +4.45%
1999 89.41M +3.82M +4.46%
1998 85.59M +3.71M +4.54%
1997 81.88M +3.53M +4.5%
1996 78.35M +3.3M +4.4%
1995 75.05M +3.13M +4.35%
1994 71.92M +2.97M +4.31%
1993 68.95M +2.91M +4.41%
1992 66.03M +2.85M +4.51%
1991 63.18M +2.94M +4.88%
1990 60.24M +2.62M +4.56%
1989 57.62M +2.61M +4.75%
1988 55M +2.52M +4.79%
1987 52.49M +2.5M +5%
1986 49.99M +2.27M +4.75%
1985 47.72M +2.28M +5.01%
1984 45.44M +2.14M +4.95%
1983 43.3M +2.09M +5.07%
1982 41.21M +2.09M +5.36%
1981 39.11M +2.02M +5.44%
1980 37.09M +1.93M +5.49%
1979 35.16M +1.84M +5.52%
1978 33.32M +1.79M +5.68%
1977 31.53M +1.72M +5.79%
1976 29.81M +1.62M +5.76%
1975 28.19M +1.52M +5.7%
1974 26.67M +1.43M +5.66%
1973 25.24M +1.35M +5.65%
1972 23.89M +1.28M +5.65%
1971 22.61M +1.22M +5.71%
1970 21.39M +1.18M +5.84%
1969 20.21M +1.13M +5.91%
1968 19.08M +1.07M +5.95%
1967 18.01M +1.02M +6.03%
1966 16.99M +981,064 +6.13%
1965 16.01M +932,396 +6.19%
1964 15.07M +879,208 +6.19%
1963 14.19M +831,525 +6.22%
1962 13.36M +781,916 +6.22%
1961 12.58M +733,418 +6.19%
1960 11.85M

About the indicator

The population living in urban settlements, by national definitions of urban areas. The indicator complements the urban population share: a country with a modest urbanization percentage can hold one of the largest urban populations in the world simply because of its overall size.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.