Page last updated on February 8,

Nationality:
noun: Sahrawi(s), Sahraoui(s)
adjective: Sahrawi, Sahrawian, Sahraouian

Ethnic groups:
Arab, Berber

Languages:
Hassaniya Arabic, Moroccan Arabic

Religions:
Muslim

Population:
522,928 (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 172
note: estimate is based on projections by age, sex, fertility, mortality, and migration; fertility and mortality are based on data from neighboring countries
[see also: Population country ranks ]

Age structure:
0-14 years: 38.9% (male 99,797/female 97,700)
[see also: Age structure 0-14 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 57.5% (male 143,808/female 147,823)
[see also: Age structure 15-64 years country ranks ]
65 years and over: 3.6% (male 7,918/female 10,114) (2011 est.)
[see also: Age structure 65 years and over country ranks ]

Median age:
total: 20.3 years
[see also: Median age - total country ranks ]
male: 19.8 years
[see also: Median age - male country ranks ]
female: 20.8 years (2011 est.)
[see also: Median age - female country ranks ]

Population growth rate:
3.027% (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 12
[see also: Population growth rate country ranks ]

Birth rate:
31.65 births/1,000 population (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 40
[see also: Birth rate country ranks ]

Death rate:
8.8 deaths/1,000 population (July 2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 75
[see also: Death rate country ranks ]

Urbanization:
urban population: 82% of total population (2010)
[see also: Urbanization - urban population country ranks ]
rate of urbanization: 3.5% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)
[see also: Urbanization - rate of urbanization country ranks ]

Major cities - population:
EL AAIUN (capital) 213,000 (2009)

Sex ratio:
at birth: 1.04 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - at birth country ranks ]
under 15 years: 1.02 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - under 15 years country ranks ]
15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.78 male(s)/female
[see also: Sex ratio - 65 years and over country ranks ]
total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2012 est.)
[see also: Sex ratio - total population country ranks ]

Infant mortality rate:
total: 58.96 deaths/1,000 live births
country comparison to the world: 33
male: 64.02 deaths/1,000 live births
[see also: Infant mortality rate - male country ranks ]
female: 53.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2012 est.)
[see also: Infant mortality rate - female country ranks ]

Life expectancy at birth:
total population: 61.52 years
country comparison to the world: 186
male: 59.3 years
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - male country ranks ]
female: 63.82 years (2012 est.)
[see also: Life expectancy at birth - female country ranks ]

Total fertility rate:
4.22 children born/woman (2012 est.)
country comparison to the world: 33
[see also: Total fertility rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
NA
[see also: HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
NA
[see also: HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS country ranks ]

HIV/AIDS - deaths:
NA
[see also: HIV/AIDS - deaths country ranks ]

Education expenditures:
NA

Literacy:
NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education):
NA