Which has higher urban population, Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates?

United Arab Emirates, at 86.0% against 84.6% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.

What is the difference in urban population between Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?

1.4%, with United Arab Emirates ahead.

How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?

66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.

Where does this data come from?

World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Urban population (% of total population)

Saudi Arabia

84.6%

in 2025

United Arab Emirates

86.0%

in 2025

Saudi Arabia rank

47th

United Arab Emirates rank

44th

Urban population (% of total population) over time

Saudi Arabia
United Arab Emirates

How they compare

United Arab Emirates currently reports 86.0% against 84.6% in Saudi Arabia, a difference of 1.4%.

The two have swapped places 2 times across 66 shared years of data; in 1960 it was United Arab Emirates ahead.

Saudi Arabia ranks 47th and United Arab Emirates ranks 44th of 218 countries.

Across the 7 decades both report, Saudi Arabia averaged higher in 1 and United Arab Emirates in 6.

Head to head by decade

Decade	Saudi Arabia	United Arab Emirates	Difference	Ahead
1960s	38.6%	77.3%	38.7%	United Arab Emirates
1970s	57.4%	82.8%	25.5%	United Arab Emirates
1980s	72.0%	79.8%	7.8%	United Arab Emirates
1990s	78.6%	78.5%	0.2%	Saudi Arabia
2000s	80.9%	81.5%	0.6%	United Arab Emirates
2010s	82.9%	84.2%	1.4%	United Arab Emirates
2020s	84.2%	85.6%	1.4%	United Arab Emirates

Averages of every year both report within each decade.

Frequently asked questions

Which has higher urban population, Saudi Arabia or United Arab Emirates?: United Arab Emirates, at 86.0% against 84.6% in Saudi Arabia as of 2025.
What is the difference in urban population between Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?: 1.4%, with United Arab Emirates ahead.
How many years of comparable data are there for Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates?: 66 years are reported by both, from 1960 to 2025.
How do Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates rank globally for urban population?: Saudi Arabia ranks 47th and United Arab Emirates ranks 44th of 218 countries.
Where does this data come from?: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as Urban population (% of total population). Statizoid refreshes it automatically from the source and publishes the full history for both places.

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Saudi Arabia vs United Arab Emirates: Urban population. Statizoid, drawing on World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN). Retrieved 13 November 2026, from https://climate.statizoid.com/compare/urban-population-percent-of-total-population/saudi-arabia/united-arab-emirates/

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About this data

Indicator: Urban population (% of total population)
Unit: % of total population
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN)
Licence: CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data)
Coverage: 266 places, 17,556 data points, 1960–2025
Last refreshed: 12 November 2026

Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. The data are collected and smoothed by United Nations Population Division.