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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 144th of 178 in the Country Index 2026, which places the region 20th of 21 sub-regions. Cabo Verde is placed highest, joint 74th; Guinea-Bissau lowest, 168th. None reaches the world’s top fifth.

Western AfricaUN M49 011

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

144th

median position of 178 · 20th of 21 sub-regions

Africa →median 143rd

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: 1st178thMember, 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 178, 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 world1st178th
1Cabo Verde74 / 178between 66th and 82nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
2Ghana105 / 178between 98th and 111th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
3Senegal119 / 178between 115th and 123rd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
4Côte d’Ivoire121 / 178between 114th and 125th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
5Benin123 / 178between 117th and 130th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
6Togo125 / 178between 120th and 131st if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
7Sierra Leone140 / 178between 136th and 150th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
8Nigeria144 / 178between 141st and 149th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
9Liberia147 / 178between 141st and 152nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
10Burkina Faso150 / 178between 147th and 154th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
11Guinea152 / 178between 147th and 158th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
12Mali158 / 178between 155th and 162nd if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
13Gambia159 / 178between 153rd and 165th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
14Mauritania162 / 178between 159th and 166th if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics
15Niger166 / 178between 162nd and 169th if any one key were dropped · standings on 15 of 16 topics
16Guinea-Bissau168 / 178between 164th and 171st if any one key were dropped · standings on 16 of 16 topics

Western Africa among the 21 sub-regions with a median

20th of 21. Nothing is weighted by population or size.

  1. Northern Europe6thPlaced countries run from Denmark 2nd to Latvia 25th.
  2. Western Europe10thPlaced countries run from Switzerland 1st to France 19th.
  3. Australia and New Zealand17thPlaced countries run from New Zealand 17th to Australia 24th.
  4. Northern America17thPlaced countries run from Canada 17th to United States 37th.
  5. Eastern Asia23rdPlaced countries run from South Korea 14th to Mongolia 73rd.
  6. Southern Europe32ndPlaced countries run from Slovenia 12th to Bosnia and Herzegovina 63rd.
  7. Eastern Europe39thPlaced countries run from Czechia 11th to Russia 68th.
  8. Polynesia70thPlaced countries run from Samoa 70th to Tonga 85th.
  9. South America74thPlaced countries run from Uruguay 34th to Venezuela 137th.
  10. Caribbean78thPlaced countries run from Barbados 63rd to Haiti 169th.
  11. Central America81stPlaced countries run from Costa Rica 40th to Nicaragua 134th.
  12. Western Asia93rdPlaced countries run from Cyprus 35th to Yemen 176th.
  13. South-eastern Asia95thPlaced countries run from Singapore 26th to Myanmar 153rd.
  14. Central Asia100thPlaced countries run from Kazakhstan 60th to Turkmenistan 148th.
  15. Southern Asia100thPlaced countries run from Bhutan 44th to Afghanistan 172nd.
  16. Melanesia106thPlaced countries run from Fiji 62nd to Papua New Guinea 138th.
  17. Southern Africa116thPlaced countries run from South Africa 102nd to Eswatini 140th.
  18. Northern Africa127thPlaced countries run from Tunisia 107th to Libya 174th.
  19. Eastern Africa143rdPlaced countries run from Mauritius 46th to Somalia 177th.
  20. Western Africa144thPlaced countries run from Cabo Verde 74th to Guinea-Bissau 168th.
  21. Middle Africa161stPlaced countries run from São Tomé and Príncipe 104th to Chad 175th.
  22. Micronesia—
  23. Africa, the whole continent143rd
  24. The world’s midpoint88th
1st178thmedian

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, 3rd 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 & SustainabilityWork & LabourDigital & TechnologyPeace & SecurityDemocracy & Civil LibertiesGender & EqualityPoverty & InequalityRisk & ResilienceGovernance & InstitutionsEnergyFood & AgricultureHealth & WellbeingMobility & TradeEconomy & InnovationEducation & KnowledgeDevelopment & Human CapitalMoney & Public FinancePeople & Population
Cabo Verde106 of 181161 of 182118 of 1986 of 17744 of 19835 of 183131 of 15951 of 19248 of 19490 of 193160 of 17578 of 200No standing129 of 17665 of 171109 of 196No standingNo standing
Ghana28 of 181112 of 18259 of 19844 of 17773 of 198119 of 183148 of 159105 of 19272 of 194113 of 193115 of 175147 of 20073 of 147120 of 176122 of 171150 of 196No standingNo standing
Senegal67 of 181129 of 18297 of 19889 of 17797 of 198120 of 183108 of 159139 of 19262 of 194146 of 193110 of 175134 of 20088 of 147120 of 176134 of 171160 of 196No standingNo standing
Côte d’Ivoire35 of 181106 of 182100 of 198112 of 177112 of 19884 of 183102 of 159107 of 192108 of 194119 of 193131 of 175164 of 20065 of 147127 of 176146 of 171171 of 196No standingNo standing
Benin10 of 18170 of 18294 of 19869 of 177108 of 19868 of 183104 of 159126 of 19289 of 194174 of 193129 of 175182 of 20087 of 147124 of 176146 of 171186 of 196No standingNo standing
Togo20 of 181112 of 182114 of 198154 of 177136 of 198109 of 183125 of 159110 of 192150 of 19488 of 193125 of 175165 of 20099 of 147114 of 176102 of 171152 of 196No standingNo standing
Sierra Leone4 of 181156 of 182161 of 19891 of 177121 of 198111 of 183119 of 159159 of 192146 of 1944 of 193135 of 175191 of 200No standing163 of 176163 of 171188 of 196No standingNo standing
Nigeria51 of 18116 of 18284 of 198120 of 177127 of 198140 of 183109 of 159168 of 192149 of 194137 of 193157 of 175196 of 200107 of 147136 of 176143 of 171179 of 196No standingNo standing
Liberia8 of 181101 of 182178 of 19877 of 177105 of 19896 of 183110 of 159152 of 192155 of 19458 of 193166 of 175192 of 200142 of 147144 of 176164 of 171190 of 196No standingNo standing
Burkina Faso16 of 18195 of 182108 of 198158 of 177173 of 198130 of 183126 of 159131 of 192118 of 194133 of 193116 of 175163 of 200147 of 147150 of 176138 of 171180 of 196No standingNo standing
Guinea23 of 181169 of 18297 of 198151 of 177169 of 198155 of 18362 of 159138 of 192171 of 19429 of 193117 of 175188 of 200118 of 147170 of 176167 of 171191 of 196No standingNo standing
Mali61 of 181105 of 182120 of 198160 of 177174 of 198158 of 183114 of 159149 of 192133 of 194121 of 193150 of 175152 of 200No standing158 of 176139 of 171185 of 196No standingNo standing
Gambia12 of 181167 of 182183 of 19827 of 177100 of 198142 of 183124 of 159143 of 19286 of 194189 of 193168 of 175158 of 200146 of 147168 of 176151 of 171184 of 196No standingNo standing
Mauritania70 of 181178 of 182147 of 198116 of 177131 of 198164 of 18376 of 159180 of 192165 of 194138 of 193125 of 175154 of 200139 of 147160 of 176133 of 171158 of 196No standingNo standing
Niger43 of 18195 of 182140 of 198153 of 177154 of 198153 of 183107 of 159150 of 192131 of 194187 of 193167 of 175185 of 200No standing166 of 176158 of 171175 of 196No standingNo standing
Guinea-Bissau3 of 181107 of 182194 of 198104 of 177147 of 198168 of 183101 of 159134 of 192177 of 194190 of 193142 of 175178 of 200125 of 147168 of 176164 of 171191 of 196No standingNo standing
Region median23rd of 181107th of 182114th of 198104th of 177121st of 198120th of 183109th of 159138th of 192131st of 194121st of 193131st of 175164th of 200107th of 147144th of 176143rd of 171179th of 196——
Among sub-regions3rd of 2113th of 2115th of 2215th of 2016th of 2216th of 2116th of 2117th of 2218th of 2219th of 2219th of 2119th of 2219th of 2120th of 2120th of 2122nd 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 joint 74th of 178 in the Country Index 2026. Guinea-Bissau is placed lowest, 168th. 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 144th of 178, which places it 20th of 21 sub-regions. The median across Africa is 143rd. The middle of the whole field is 88th. 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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