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Sub-region of Africa · Country Index 2026

Western Africa

How are the countries of Western Africa doing?

Half of Western Africa’s 16 placed countries sit at or above 148th of 183 in the Country Index 2026, which places the region 20th of 22 sub-regions. Cabo Verde is placed highest, 94th; Guinea-Bissau lowest, 171st. None reaches the world’s top fifth.

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Western AfricaUN M49 011

Western Africa, shown in red on a map of the world

148th

median position of 183 · 20th of 22 sub-regions

Africa →median 148th

01Who is in it

The countries of Western Africa

Alphabetical, with each country’s own banner photograph. The position is its place in the whole world ranking, never within the region.

02The region

About Western Africa

The Atlantic west, from Senegal and the Sahel to Nigeria and the Gulf of Guinea.

Western Africa reaches from the Atlantic coast of Senegal and Mauritania east to Niger and Nigeria, and south to the Gulf of Guinea, with the Cabo Verde islands offshore. Its north lies in the Sahara and the dry Sahel, its south in savannah and tropical forest, and the Niger River curves through much of it before reaching the sea in a great delta.

The region was the seat of the Ghana, Mali and Songhai empires, whose cities such as Timbuktu were centres of trade and learning across the Sahara. The Atlantic slave trade took millions of people from its coasts. Most of its states became independent from France, Britain and Portugal between the late 1950s and the 1970s, and French, English, Portuguese and hundreds of African languages are spoken across it.

03Where

Western Africa on the map

Each member shaded by its position in the Country Index 2026, darkest for the best placed; the countries across its land borders in grey. Hover a country for its position, or select it to open its profile.

Country Index position: 1st183rdMember, not placedAcross the border, another regionNot a country this site tracks

04Country Index 2026

Where Western Africa’s countries place

Best placed first. Every position is a place in the whole world ranking of 183, never a second list within the region; “=” marks a position shared with another country. Hover the ⓘ for where a country would sit if any one key statistic were dropped.

The full Country Index 2026
Western Africa’s 16 placed countries by their Country Index 2026 position, best placed first.
In regionCountryIn the world1st183rd
1Cabo Verde94 / 183between 81st and 96th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
2Ghana107 / 183between 96th and 112th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
3Senegal125 / 183between 121st and 128th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
4Benin126 / 183between 121st and 129th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
5Côte d’Ivoire128 / 183between 123rd and 131st if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
6Togo129 / 183between 126th and 133rd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
7Sierra Leone145 / 183between 140th and 153rd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
8Liberia148 / 183between 145th and 151st if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
9Burkina Faso149 / 183between 147th and 152nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
10Nigeria151 / 183between 148th and 153rd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
11Guinea152 / 183between 148th and 160th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
12Gambia156 / 183between 147th and 166th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
13Mauritania162 / 183between 160th and 168th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
14Mali166 / 183between 161st and 168th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
15Niger170 / 183between 167th and 172nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
16Guinea-Bissau171 / 183between 167th and 172nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics

Western Africa among the 22 sub-regions with a median

20th of 22. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

  1. Western Europe8thPlaced countries run from Switzerland 1st to France 19th.
  2. Northern Europe11thPlaced countries run from Denmark 2nd to Latvia 26th.
  3. Australia and New Zealand17thPlaced countries run from Australia 17th to New Zealand 19th.
  4. Northern America24thPlaced countries run from Canada 24th to United States 37th.
  5. Southern Europe31stPlaced countries run from Slovenia 14th to Bosnia and Herzegovina 62nd.
  6. Eastern Asia42ndPlaced countries run from South Korea 13th to Mongolia 75th.
  7. Eastern Europe43rdPlaced countries run from Czechia 10th to Russia 73rd.
  8. Central America80thPlaced countries run from Costa Rica 40th to Nicaragua 134th.
  9. Caribbean81stPlaced countries run from Barbados 67th to Haiti 173rd.
  10. South America83rdPlaced countries run from Uruguay 35th to Venezuela 133rd.
  11. South-eastern Asia86thPlaced countries run from Singapore 25th to Myanmar 159th.
  12. Polynesia89thPlaced countries run from Samoa 89th to Tonga 97th.
  13. Western Asia95thPlaced countries run from Cyprus 33rd to Yemen 181st.
  14. Central Asia102ndPlaced countries run from Kazakhstan 61st to Turkmenistan 158th.
  15. Southern Asia106thPlaced countries run from Bhutan 52nd to Afghanistan 175th.
  16. Melanesia107thPlaced countries run from Fiji 64th to Papua New Guinea 144th.
  17. Micronesia109thPlaced countries run from Kiribati 109th to Kiribati 109th.
  18. Northern Africa116thPlaced countries run from Tunisia 104th to Sudan 179th.
  19. Southern Africa121stPlaced countries run from South Africa 93rd to Eswatini 147th.
  20. Western Africa148thPlaced countries run from Cabo Verde 94th to Guinea-Bissau 171st.
  21. Eastern Africa153rdPlaced countries run from Mauritius 45th to South Sudan 183rd.
  22. Middle Africa166thPlaced countries run from São Tomé and Príncipe 115th to Chad 180th.
  23. Africa, the whole continent148th
  24. The world’s midpoint91st
1st183rdmedian

The square is each region’s median position; the grey bar runs from its best-placed to its lowest-placed country. Hover a row for their names.

05By subject

Topic by topic

Every country’s position on each topic, its shade darker the higher it sits in that topic’s field; select a cell for the country’s page on the topic. Strongest for Western Africa: Environment & Sustainability, 4th of 21 sub-regions. Weakest: Development & Human Capital, 22nd of 22.

All topics
Western Africa: each country’s position on each topic, with the region’s median and its place among sub-regions.
Environment & SustainabilityDigital & TechnologyWork & LabourPeace & SecurityGender & EqualityDemocracy & Civil LibertiesEnergyGovernance & InstitutionsPoverty & InequalityHealth & WellbeingRisk & ResilienceEconomy & InnovationFood & AgricultureMobility & TradeEducation & KnowledgeDevelopment & Human CapitalMoney & Public FinancePeople & Population
Cabo Verde125 of 186123 of 198161 of 1826 of 17734 of 18337 of 19880 of 16548 of 194128 of 15980 of 20054 of 193129 of 176165 of 184163 of 177142 of 198109 of 196No standingNo standing
Ghana34 of 18666 of 198112 of 18244 of 177114 of 18357 of 19895 of 16572 of 194149 of 159147 of 200102 of 193120 of 176124 of 184119 of 177123 of 198150 of 196No standingNo standing
Senegal104 of 18689 of 198129 of 18289 of 177125 of 18399 of 198126 of 16562 of 194108 of 159131 of 200150 of 193120 of 17698 of 184132 of 177159 of 198160 of 196No standingNo standing
Benin20 of 18696 of 19870 of 18269 of 17770 of 183111 of 198147 of 16589 of 194112 of 159183 of 200126 of 193124 of 176129 of 184123 of 177162 of 198186 of 196No standingNo standing
Côte d’Ivoire46 of 18684 of 198106 of 182112 of 17783 of 183121 of 198102 of 165108 of 194106 of 159165 of 200115 of 193127 of 176136 of 18498 of 177173 of 198171 of 196No standingNo standing
Togo10 of 186101 of 198112 of 182154 of 177109 of 183139 of 19879 of 165150 of 194127 of 159167 of 200100 of 193114 of 176151 of 184135 of 17794 of 198152 of 196No standingNo standing
Sierra Leone3 of 186169 of 198156 of 18291 of 177112 of 183132 of 1984 of 165146 of 194124 of 159191 of 200176 of 193163 of 176154 of 184117 of 177155 of 198188 of 196No standingNo standing
Liberia39 of 186189 of 198101 of 18277 of 17797 of 183104 of 19855 of 165155 of 194119 of 159192 of 200153 of 193144 of 176160 of 184131 of 177188 of 198190 of 196No standingNo standing
Burkina Faso17 of 18697 of 19895 of 182158 of 177120 of 183157 of 198114 of 165118 of 194134 of 159163 of 200121 of 193150 of 176131 of 184176 of 177166 of 198180 of 196No standingNo standing
Nigeria73 of 18682 of 19816 of 182120 of 177138 of 183128 of 198117 of 165149 of 194128 of 159196 of 200181 of 193136 of 176143 of 184144 of 177174 of 198179 of 196No standingNo standing
Guinea11 of 18690 of 198169 of 182151 of 177151 of 183165 of 19828 of 165171 of 19481 of 159188 of 200158 of 193170 of 176103 of 184146 of 177183 of 198191 of 196No standingNo standing
Gambia4 of 186183 of 198167 of 18227 of 177141 of 18384 of 198161 of 16586 of 194117 of 159159 of 200149 of 193168 of 176180 of 184157 of 177168 of 198184 of 196No standingNo standing
Mauritania66 of 186117 of 198178 of 182116 of 177164 of 183142 of 198118 of 165165 of 19495 of 159154 of 200170 of 193160 of 176141 of 184162 of 177143 of 198158 of 196No standingNo standing
Mali94 of 186143 of 198105 of 182160 of 177153 of 183168 of 198103 of 165133 of 194122 of 159151 of 200148 of 193158 of 176161 of 184No standing174 of 198185 of 196No standingNo standing
Niger83 of 186132 of 19895 of 182153 of 177155 of 183140 of 198159 of 165131 of 194125 of 159184 of 200155 of 193166 of 176173 of 184No standing182 of 198175 of 196No standingNo standing
Guinea-Bissau12 of 186193 of 198107 of 182104 of 177170 of 183133 of 198162 of 165177 of 194116 of 159179 of 200136 of 193168 of 176163 of 184155 of 177No standing191 of 196No standingNo standing
Region median34th of 186101st of 198107th of 182104th of 177120th of 183128th of 198103rd of 165131st of 194119th of 159165th of 200148th of 193144th of 176143rd of 184135th of 177166th of 198179th of 196——
Among sub-regions4th of 2112th of 2213th of 2115th of 2016th of 2117th of 2218th of 2118th of 2218th of 2119th of 2219th of 2220th of 2120th of 2220th of 2221st of 2222nd of 22——

Columns run from the topic where Western Africa places best among sub-regions to the one where it places lowest. A region’s median on a topic needs at least two members with a standing; a hatched cell has no standing.

06In numbers

Western Africa in 6 numbers

Each line is every country in the world at its published value; Western Africa’s countries are the red ticks, and the dashed line is the world median. There is no regional average: a region has countries, not a life expectancy of its own.

All statistics

  • Population

    people · log scale

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · no better end

    Cabo VerdeNigeria496world median 6,541,4131,438,069,596

  • Land area

    km²

    FAO · 2024 · 221 countries · no better end

    Cabo VerdeNiger0.4world median 87,58916,376,870

  • GDP per person

    international $, PPP · log scale

    World Bank Group · 2025 · 185 countries · higher is better

    LiberiaCabo Verde1,067world median 17,265139,593

  • Life expectancy

    years at birth

    UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · 222 countries · higher is better

    NigeriaCabo Verde54.46world median 74.6386.37

  • Human development

    HDI, 0–1

    UNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · 193 countries · higher is better

    MaliCabo Verde0.388world median 0.7620.972

  • Unemployment

    % of the labour force

    ILO · 2025 · 182 countries · lower is better

    NigerCabo Verde0.13world median 5.08434.2
Every value for Western Africa’s countries
CountryPopulation 2023Land area 2024GDP per person 2025Life expectancy 2023Human development 2023Unemployment 2025
Benin14,111,034rank 76112,760rank 994,116rank 15560.77rank 2140.515rank 1731.589rank 170
Burkina Faso23,025,776rank 60273,600rank 742,625rank 17361.09rank 2130.459rank 1863.477rank 127
Cabo Verde522,331rank 1734,030rank 16910,396rank 12276.06rank 970.668rank 13511.94rank 25
Côte d’Ivoire31,165,654rank 50318,000rank 677,015rank 13861.94rank 2090.582rank 1572.323rank 161
Gambia2,697,845rank 14410,120rank 1623,167rank 16665.86rank 1910.524rank 1706.521rank 65
Ghana33,787,914rank 46227,533rank 827,358rank 13565.5rank 1930.628rank 1432.979rank 143
Guinea14,405,468rank 75245,720rank 784,217rank 15460.74rank 2150.5rank 1795.163rank 89
Guinea-Bissau2,153,339rank 14828,120rank 1392,814rank 17064.08rank 1980.514rank 1742.673rank 155
Liberia5,493,031rank 12096,320rank 1061,693rank 17862.16rank 2070.51rank 1772.884rank 147
Mali23,769,127rank 571,220,190rank 232,993rank 16860.44rank 2160.419rank 1882.831rank 148
Mauritania5,022,441rank 1271,030,700rank 286,559rank 14068.48rank 1680.563rank 16310.32rank 35
Niger26,159,867rank 561,266,700rank 201,861rank 17761.18rank 2120.419rank 1880.394rank 180
Nigeria227,882,945rank 6910,770rank 308,145rank 12954.46rank 2220.56rank 1643.064rank 139
Senegal18,077,573rank 71192,530rank 864,669rank 15168.68rank 1650.53rank 1692.735rank 153
Sierra Leone8,460,512rank 10172,180rank 1163,176rank 16561.79rank 2110.467rank 1853.15rank 138
Togo8,223,850rank 10254,390rank 1243,486rank 16362.74rank 2060.571rank 1611.995rank 167

07In records

Western Africa in records

The member at the extreme of each statistic, read from its newest edition. Where two members share the top, no record is named.

08Latest editions

Who rose and fell in the published ranks

The moves of Western Africa’s countries between each report’s two newest editions, in the publisher’s own ranks. A report whose field changed by more than 5% is left out.

Ranks as published by UNDP Human Development Report Office in the Human Development Index: reference years 2022 (192 countries ranked) → 2023 (193 ranked), both from its 2025 report.

Improved most

rank before → after
  1. Côte d’Ivoire162 → 157+5
  2. Ghana144 → 143+1
  3. Benin174 → 173+1

Declined most

rank before → after

No country moved this way.

Every country in the Human Development Index

09In context

Across the border

The countries outside Western Africa that share a land border with one of its members, with their world positions, and the sub-regions they belong to. Land borders only, as drawn on the map.

Middle Africa

Northern Africa

The neighbouring sub-regions

10Keep reading

Explore further

All regions

The rest of Africa

11Method

Questions, method and sources

Which countries are in Western Africa?

16 countries and territories: Benin, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Côte d’Ivoire, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Liberia, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sierra Leone and Togo. Membership follows the United Nations’ M49 classification.

Which country in Western Africa is placed highest?

Cabo Verde, placed 94th of 183 in the Country Index 2026. Guinea-Bissau is placed lowest, 171st. 16 of the region’s 16 countries and territories are placed; the rest hold standings on too few topics.

How does Western Africa compare with other regions?

Half of its 16 placed countries sit at or above 148th of 183, which places it 20th of 22 sub-regions. The median across Africa is 148th. The middle of the whole field is 91st. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

How many people live in Western Africa?

444,958,707 in 2023, the sum of the UN DESA Population Division’s figures for its 16 countries and territories.

What is the largest country in Western Africa?

By land area, Niger: 1,266,700 square kilometres (2024). By population, Nigeria: 227,882,945 people (2023).

How a region’s figure is made
  1. Membership. Countries belong to regions by the United Nations’ M49 classification; each country declares its sub-region, and a continent is the sum of its sub-regions.
  2. Positions. Each country’s position is its Country Index 2026 result, unchanged. This page slices the world ranking by place; it does not re-rank anyone.
  3. The median. A region’s figure is the median of its placed countries’ positions: half sit at or above it, half below. With an even number of placed countries it takes the better of the two middle positions, since there is no country at a half place. Countries the index does not place are named, never counted in.
  4. A place among peers. Continents are compared with continents and sub-regions with sub-regions, never a part with the whole that contains it; regions sharing a median share a place. Nothing is weighted by population or size, and population and land area are the only figures ever added up.

Where the regions come from

United Nations Statistics Division, Standard country or area codes for statistical use (M49). M49’s middle level (Sub-Saharan Africa; Latin America and the Caribbean) is left out, so every sub-region sits directly under its continent. Kosovo, Northern Cyprus and Somaliland are not in M49 and are placed by geography.

Where the positions come from

Every position is a country’s result in the Country Index 2026 or one of its topics, unchanged. The population and land-area figures are the UN DESA Population Division’s and the FAO’s, added up and shown with their year; every other statistic names its publisher beside its numbers.

Photographs

Each country’s own banner from its profile: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.

Cite this page

Nations Inquiry (2026). Western Africa: countries, population and rankings, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/regions/western-africa

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