Migration trends in Western Sahara

Africa

Western Sahara loses more people than it takes in: 202.1K emigrants against 5.4K immigrants. Net balance −196.7K — 0% of the country's population

Population

5.4K

Immigrants

202.1K

Emigrants

−196.7K

Outflow

Top corridors

The largest migration flows in Western Sahara

Where people move to

1Algeria

168.9K83.6%

2Mauritania

32.9K16.3%

3South Africa

2580.1%

Western Sahara Diaspora

Where people come from

1Senegal

1.9K35.2%

2Guinea-Bissau

1.1K20.2%

3Guinea

1K19.2%

Immigrants in Western Sahara

Key moments

How migration has changed since 1990

1990

2.6K immigrants · 168.1K emigrants

2005

The exodus eased — the diaspora shrank by 21%

Today

Since 1990: roughly the same number of foreign-born residents and roughly the same number of emigrants

Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)

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Western Sahara Diaspora

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Where the diaspora lives, how many people have left and how that has changed

Immigrants in Western Sahara

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Living in Western Sahara

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Diaspora Immigrants