Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Urban population growth (annual %)
Urban population growth (annual %) over time
- Saudi Arabia
- United Arab Emirates
How they compare
United Arab Emirates currently reports 4.9% against 4.8% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 0.1%.
The two have swapped places 9 times across 65 shared years of data; in 1961 it was Saudi Arabia ahead.
Saudi Arabia ranks 7th and United Arab Emirates ranks 6th of 218 countries.
Across the 7 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 3 and United Arab Emirates in 4.
Head to head by decade
| Decade | Saudi Arabia | United Arab Emirates | Difference | Ahead |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 8.3% | 7.7% | 0.6% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1970s | 8.3% | 13.5% | 5.2% | United Arab Emirates |
| 1980s | 7.4% | 6.4% | 1.0% | Saudi Arabia |
| 1990s | 4.7% | 6.0% | 1.3% | United Arab Emirates |
| 2000s | 4.7% | 7.7% | 3.0% | United Arab Emirates |
| 2010s | 2.4% | 3.6% | 1.3% | United Arab Emirates |
| 2020s | 3.6% | 3.5% | 0.2% | Saudi Arabia |
Averages of every year both report within each decade.
Frequently asked questions
- Which has higher urban population growth, Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates?
- United Arab Emirates, at 4.9% against 4.8% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
- What is the difference in urban population growth between Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?
- 0.1%, with United Arab Emirates ahead.
- How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?
- 65 years are reported by both, from 1961 to 2025.
- How do Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates rank globally for urban population growth?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 7th and United Arab Emirates ranks 6th of 218 countries.
- Where does this data come from?
- World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Urban population growth (annual %). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.
Individual pages
About this data
Annual urban population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear urban population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank total population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects.