Western Sahara people groups, languages and religions

People Groups Unreached

10 (100.0%)

People Groups Unreached Frontier

9 (90.0%)

Population
Total

578,000

Population in Unreached

578,000 (100.0%)

Population in Unreached Frontier

570,000 (98.6%)

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
People Group	Population this Ctry	Population Global	Count Ctrys	Indigenous	Primary Language	Primary Religion	Progress Scale	% Evangelical Range	% Christian Adh Range	Workers Needed *
Arab, Moroccan	8,600	31,514,000	25		Arabic, Moroccan	Islam	1	0-0.1% ●	0.1-2% ●	1
Bedouin, Arosien	7,700	7,700	1	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Berber, Izarguien	36,000	55,000	2	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Berber, Tekna	119,000	139,000	2		Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	2
Deaf	3,000	27,508,000	164	●	Language unknown	Unknown	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Imragen	24,000	24,000	1	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Moor, general	53,000	296,000	10	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Regeibat	77,000	117,000	2	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	2
Sahrawi	245,000	533,000	4	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	5
Tajakant	5,900	59,000	2	●	Hassaniyya	Islam	0	0-0.1% ●	0-0.1% ●	1
Totals: 10	578,000						10 ◼︎ (9 ✸︎)	0.00 %	0.03 %	16
Unclassified / Other Individuals	23,000
UN Country Population (2025)	601,000

Very small groups reported, but outside the Joshua Project Small Group Policy. Some may not be viable and/or have incorrect Progress Scale values, population, language and religion information. The groups listed below are not included in overall Joshua Project people group counts. If you have information about these groups, please contact us.

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
People Group ▲	Progress Scale	Population	Primary Language	Primary Religion
French	2	-1 Unknown	French	Christianity
Spaniard	2	500	Spanish	Christianity
Totals: 2

For more information see the Joshua Project Small Group Policy

* An estimate of the number of pioneer workers needed for initial church planting among unreached people groups by country. Estimates are calculated only for unreached people groups and are based on ratio of 1 worker-unit (single person or married couple) per 50,000 living in an unreached people group by country, or for example one team of four worker-units per 200,000 people. Some workers may already be onsite. Many more workers are needed beyond this initial estimate.

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Prayer Cards

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Province ▲	Estimated Population
Boujdour	52,000
Es Semara	64,000
Laayoune	245,000
Oued el Dahab	161,000
Provinces: 4	522,000
UN Country Population	601,000

Click column headings for sorting ▲▼
Language ▲	Code	# Peoples w/ this Primary Language	# Unreached w/ this Primary Language	Scripture Status	YouVersion Bible Resources	Faith Comes By Hearing Bible Resources	Jesus Film Online	Global Recordings Resources	God's Story Resources	Gospel Tract Online
Arabic, Moroccan	ary	1	1	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	1	-1
Hassaniyya	mey	8	8	4 New Testament	1	1	1	1	-1	-1
Language Unknown	xxx	1	1	Unspecified	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1	-1
Totals:	3	10	10		2	2	2	2	1	0

Networking Possibilities

MissionNext - connect with mission agencies or schools worldwide
The Mission App - connecting you to mission agencies that match your calling
Linking Global Voices - networks and global collaboration for followers of Christ
visionSynergy - developing high impact missional networks
GetInvolved - frontier people group (FPGs) prayer communities

Search the Web
There are many agencies and churches looking for additional staff to help them in their mission and calling in Western Sahara. Internet searches may be a possible way to find these organizations. The following are some example search topics you might try:

Church planting agencies in Western Sahara
Christian ministry in Western Sahara
Business as mission
Christian literature distribution
Evangelism agencies
Christian discipleship
Short term Christian missions

Long term Christian missions
Urban ministries
Christian media opportunities
Bible translation opportunities
Relief and development agencies
Clean water projects
Christian medical outreaches

Western Sahara Statistics
People Groups	10
Unreached People Groups	10 (100.0%)
Population	578,000
Population Annual Growth Rate	2.1%
Population in Unreached	578,000 (100.0%)
Primary Religion	Islam
Percent Christian Adherent	0.0%
Percent Evangelical	0.0%
Pioneer Workers Needed *	16
Country Progress Level
Continent	Africa
Region	Africa, North and Middle East
10/40 Window	Yes
Country Code	WI
Official Language(s)	Arabic, Moroccan \| Hassaniyya
Bible Restrictions Rank	Not ranked
Bible Shortage Rank	Not ranked
Literacy Rate	%
Estimated Illiterate Population	578,000
Persecution Ranking	Not ranked

Western Sahara Maps
Political Map (UN)
Language Map (Ethnologue)
Perry-Castaneda Map Collection

Western Sahara Prayer Cards
All Unreached

Western Sahara Prayer Guide
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Western Sahara Links
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Stratus Earth Index
DataReportal Digital Analysis
Prosperity Index
Social Progress Index
UN Human Development Report
Ethnologue Language Listing

Western Sahara Videos
More great prayer resources at Prayercast

Level	Description	Criteria
1a	Unreached (Frontier) - Less than 1 in 1,000 (0.1%) identify as Christians in any way. ✸︎	Evangelicals <=0.1% Professing Christians <=0.1%
1b	Unreached (non-Frontier) - Few evangelicals and little, if any, history of Christianity. ◼︎	Evangelicals >0.1% and <=2% Professing Christians >0.1% and <=5%
1	Unreached (All) - Few evangelicals and few who identify as Christians. Little, if any, history of Christianity. ✸︎+◼︎	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians <= 5%
2	Minimally reached - Few evangelicals, but significant number who identify as Christians.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 5% and <= 50%
3	Superficially reached - Few evangelicals, but many who identify as Christians. In great need of spiritual renewal and commitment to biblical faith.	Evangelicals <= 2% Professing Christians > 50%
4	Partially reached - Evangelicals have a modest to moderate presence.	Evangelicals > 2% and <= 10%
5	Significantly reached - Evangelicals have a significant presence.	Evangelicals > 10%

Country:

People Groups
Total

People Groups Unreached

People Groups Unreached Frontier

Population
Total

Population in Unreached

Population in Unreached Frontier

% Christian Adherent

% Evangelical

Progress Scale

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