Population growth in Somalia
From 1960 to 2021 the population of Somalia increased from 2.76 million to 17.07 million people. This is a growth of 519.2 percent in 61 years. The highest increase in Somalia was recorded in 1977 with 12.23 percent. The biggest decrease in 1984 with -0.06 percent.In the same period, the total population of all countries worldwide increased by 160.2 percent.
The average age in Somalia rose by 2.25 years from 2012 to 2021 from 16.25 to 18.50 years (median value).
Around 47 percent of the inhabitants live in the country's larger cities. This growing trend of urbanization is increasing by 4.4 percent annually.
› Population growth in worldwide comparison
Back to overview: Somalia
Population development in Somalia since 1960
(Data in millions of inhabitants)| Year | Population Somalia | Change Somalia | Birth rate | Death rate | Population World | Change World | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.81 M | 2.11 % | 47.5 ‰ | 26.4 ‰ | 3,072 M | 1.30 % | |
| 1962 | 2.87 M | 2.14 % | 47.4 ‰ | 26.0 ‰ | 3,125 M | 1.72 % | |
| 1963 | 2.94 M | 2.17 % | 47.3 ‰ | 25.6 ‰ | 3,190 M | 2.08 % | |
| 1964 | 3.00 M | 2.20 % | 47.3 ‰ | 25.2 ‰ | 3,255 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1965 | 3.07 M | 2.24 % | 47.2 ‰ | 24.9 ‰ | 3,322 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1966 | 3.14 M | 2.45 % | 47.1 ‰ | 24.5 ‰ | 3,392 M | 2.11 % | |
| 1967 | 3.23 M | 2.68 % | 47.0 ‰ | 24.2 ‰ | 3,462 M | 2.05 % | |
| 1968 | 3.31 M | 2.63 % | 46.9 ‰ | 23.8 ‰ | 3,533 M | 2.06 % | |
| 1969 | 3.39 M | 2.23 % | 46.8 ‰ | 23.5 ‰ | 3,607 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1970 | 3.44 M | 1.71 % | 46.6 ‰ | 23.1 ‰ | 3,682 M | 2.09 % | |
| 1971 | 3.47 M | 0.81 % | 46.4 ‰ | 22.8 ‰ | 3,761 M | 2.13 % | |
| 1972 | 3.48 M | 0.21 % | 46.1 ‰ | 22.4 ‰ | 3,837 M | 2.03 % | |
| 1973 | 3.51 M | 0.94 % | 45.8 ‰ | 22.0 ‰ | 3,913 M | 1.98 % | |
| 1974 | 3.63 M | 3.43 % | 45.4 ‰ | 21.7 ‰ | 3,988 M | 1.93 % | |
| 1975 | 3.88 M | 6.81 % | 45.0 ‰ | 21.3 ‰ | 4,063 M | 1.86 % | |
| 1976 | 4.28 M | 10.27 % | 44.7 ‰ | 20.9 ‰ | 4,135 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1977 | 4.80 M | 12.23 % | 44.4 ‰ | 20.6 ‰ | 4,208 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1978 | 5.38 M | 11.93 % | 44.1 ‰ | 20.2 ‰ | 4,281 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1979 | 5.89 M | 9.63 % | 44.0 ‰ | 19.9 ‰ | 4,357 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1980 | 6.28 M | 6.59 % | 44.0 ‰ | 19.6 ‰ | 4,433 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1981 | 6.51 M | 3.66 % | 44.1 ‰ | 19.3 ‰ | 4,511 M | 1.76 % | |
| 1982 | 6.61 M | 1.49 % | 44.3 ‰ | 19.1 ‰ | 4,592 M | 1.80 % | |
| 1983 | 6.62 M | 0.16 % | 44.7 ‰ | 18.9 ‰ | 4,674 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1984 | 6.61 M | -0.06 % | 45.1 ‰ | 18.7 ‰ | 4,756 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1985 | 6.65 M | 0.51 % | 45.6 ‰ | 18.6 ‰ | 4,839 M | 1.75 % | |
| 1986 | 6.74 M | 1.33 % | 46.1 ‰ | 18.6 ‰ | 4,925 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1987 | 6.86 M | 1.86 % | 46.8 ‰ | 18.8 ‰ | 5,013 M | 1.78 % | |
| 1988 | 7.01 M | 2.08 % | 47.4 ‰ | 19.0 ‰ | 5,101 M | 1.77 % | |
| 1989 | 7.13 M | 1.83 % | 48.0 ‰ | 19.3 ‰ | 5,190 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1990 | 7.23 M | 1.29 % | 48.5 ‰ | 19.6 ‰ | 5,280 M | 1.74 % | |
| 1991 | 7.27 M | 0.68 % | 49.0 ‰ | 19.7 ‰ | 5,368 M | 1.67 % | |
| 1992 | 7.30 M | 0.29 % | 49.4 ‰ | 19.7 ‰ | 5,453 M | 1.57 % | |
| 1993 | 7.32 M | 0.28 % | 49.8 ‰ | 19.5 ‰ | 5,538 M | 1.56 % | |
| 1994 | 7.37 M | 0.78 % | 50.1 ‰ | 19.0 ‰ | 5,622 M | 1.52 % | |
| 1995 | 7.49 M | 1.61 % | 50.3 ‰ | 18.4 ‰ | 5,707 M | 1.51 % | |
| 1996 | 7.68 M | 2.55 % | 50.3 ‰ | 17.7 ‰ | 5,790 M | 1.45 % | |
| 1997 | 7.94 M | 3.30 % | 50.2 ‰ | 17.0 ‰ | 5,872 M | 1.43 % | |
| 1998 | 8.24 M | 3.77 % | 49.9 ‰ | 16.4 ‰ | 5,954 M | 1.39 % | |
| 1999 | 8.55 M | 3.87 % | 49.5 ‰ | 15.9 ‰ | 6,034 M | 1.35 % | |
| 2000 | 8.87 M | 3.73 % | 49.0 ‰ | 15.5 ‰ | 6,114 M | 1.32 % | |
| 2001 | 9.19 M | 3.54 % | 48.5 ‰ | 15.2 ‰ | 6,194 M | 1.30 % | |
| 2002 | 9.50 M | 3.42 % | 48.0 ‰ | 14.9 ‰ | 6,273 M | 1.28 % | |
| 2003 | 9.82 M | 3.31 % | 47.4 ‰ | 14.7 ‰ | 6,352 M | 1.26 % | |
| 2004 | 10.13 M | 3.21 % | 46.9 ‰ | 14.5 ‰ | 6,432 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2005 | 10.45 M | 3.13 % | 46.5 ‰ | 14.2 ‰ | 6,512 M | 1.25 % | |
| 2006 | 10.76 M | 3.03 % | 46.1 ‰ | 13.9 ‰ | 6,593 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2007 | 11.08 M | 2.94 % | 45.6 ‰ | 13.7 ‰ | 6,674 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2008 | 11.40 M | 2.86 % | 45.1 ‰ | 13.4 ‰ | 6,757 M | 1.24 % | |
| 2009 | 11.72 M | 2.81 % | 44.7 ‰ | 13.1 ‰ | 6,840 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2010 | 12.04 M | 2.78 % | 44.2 ‰ | 12.9 ‰ | 6,922 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2011 | 12.38 M | 2.76 % | 43.7 ‰ | 12.6 ‰ | 7,004 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2012 | 12.72 M | 2.74 % | 43.3 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 7,089 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2013 | 13.06 M | 2.74 % | 42.9 ‰ | 12.1 ‰ | 7,176 M | 1.22 % | |
| 2014 | 13.42 M | 2.75 % | 46.7 ‰ | 12.8 ‰ | 7,262 M | 1.20 % | |
| 2015 | 13.76 M | 2.54 % | 46.5 ‰ | 12.4 ‰ | 7,405 M | 1.97 % | |
| 2016 | 14.29 M | 3.84 % | 46.2 ‰ | 12.3 ‰ | 7,492 M | 1.18 % | |
| 2017 | 14.86 M | 4.00 % | 45.5 ‰ | 11.9 ‰ | 7,578 M | 1.15 % | |
| 2018 | 15.41 M | 3.68 % | 45.0 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 7,662 M | 1.10 % | |
| 2019 | 15.98 M | 3.70 % | 44.6 ‰ | 11.0 ‰ | 7,743 M | 1.06 % | |
| 2020 | 16.54 M | 3.48 % | 44.0 ‰ | 11.4 ‰ | 7,821 M | 1.01 % | |
| 2021 | 17.07 M | 3.20 % | 43.6 ‰ | 11.6 ‰ | 7,888 M | 0.86 % |
Birth and death rate in Somalia
Population growth is the result of the birth rate, the mortality rate and the migration rate. For example, the year 2021 in the graph: The population in Somalia increased by about 529,000 inhabitants. In the same year, the death rate was 11.6 per 1,000 people (~ 192,000 deaths) and the birth rate was 43.6 per 1,000 people (~ 720,000 births). As a result, around 1,000 inhabitants have to be added by migration from other countries.Over the past 10 years, the number of average deaths per year was 174,888 in Somalia. The number of births was 658,939 annually.
The changes in births and deaths is displayed in the following graph. All data refer to births or deaths per 1,000 inhabitants.
Birth rate Death rate
Comparison of the global population density
Quality of life 2023 in country comparison
Active volcanoes and eruptions in the United States