Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Arab World
Arab World: Population growth (annual %) (World Population) was 2.2% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Arab World, 1961–2025
Source: World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
Arab World recorded 2.2% for population growth in 2025.
That represents a change of up 0.1% on the previous year and down 12.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Arab World peaked at 3.5% in 1979 and was at its lowest, 1.5%, in 2021.
That places Arab World 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 65 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Arab World, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 2.6% | — |
| 1962 | 2.6% | +1.8% |
| 1963 | 2.7% | +1.8% |
| 1964 | 2.7% | +0.4% |
| 1965 | 2.7% | -0.0% |
| 1966 | 2.7% | +2.4% |
| 1967 | 2.8% | +3.3% |
| 1968 | 2.9% | +1.3% |
| 1969 | 2.9% | +0.8% |
| 1970 | 2.9% | -0.7% |
| 1971 | 2.8% | -1.0% |
| 1972 | 2.9% | +0.1% |
| 1973 | 2.9% | +3.0% |
| 1974 | 3.0% | +0.9% |
| 1975 | 3.1% | +3.6% |
| 1976 | 3.2% | +3.9% |
| 1977 | 3.1% | -1.7% |
| 1978 | 3.3% | +5.0% |
| 1979 | 3.5% | +6.7% |
| 1980 | 3.5% | -1.4% |
| 1981 | 3.2% | -7.5% |
| 1982 | 3.1% | -3.2% |
| 1983 | 3.1% | +1.4% |
| 1984 | 3.1% | -0.4% |
| 1985 | 3.1% | -1.9% |
| 1986 | 3.0% | -1.1% |
| 1987 | 3.0% | -1.9% |
| 1988 | 2.8% | -7.2% |
| 1989 | 2.7% | -3.5% |
| 1990 | 3.3% | +22.9% |
| 1991 | 2.3% | -29.7% |
| 1992 | 2.6% | +10.7% |
| 1993 | 2.8% | +8.6% |
| 1994 | 2.7% | -1.3% |
| 1995 | 2.5% | -8.0% |
| 1996 | 2.4% | -3.2% |
| 1997 | 2.4% | -1.5% |
| 1998 | 2.4% | +0.6% |
| 1999 | 2.4% | -1.1% |
| 2000 | 2.4% | +0.9% |
| 2001 | 2.4% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 2.4% | -1.3% |
| 2003 | 2.3% | -2.2% |
| 2004 | 2.3% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 2.4% | +2.0% |
| 2006 | 2.4% | +1.9% |
| 2007 | 2.5% | +4.0% |
| 2008 | 2.5% | +1.1% |
| 2009 | 2.5% | -2.9% |
| 2010 | 2.0% | -19.3% |
| 2011 | 2.3% | +15.6% |
| 2012 | 2.4% | +3.3% |
| 2013 | 2.6% | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 2.3% | -8.8% |
| 2015 | 2.5% | +4.8% |
| 2016 | 2.3% | -5.7% |
| 2017 | 2.0% | -13.4% |
| 2018 | 1.8% | -11.4% |
| 2019 | 1.9% | +5.9% |
| 2020 | 2.1% | +11.7% |
| 2021 | 1.5% | -28.0% |
| 2022 | 2.3% | +51.7% |
| 2023 | 2.3% | -1.8% |
| 2024 | 2.2% | -4.4% |
| 2025 | 2.2% | +0.1% |
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (World Population) in Arab World changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | +51.7% | 1.5% | 2.3% |
| 1991 | -29.7% | 3.3% | 2.3% |
| 2021 | -28.0% | 2.1% | 1.5% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.7% | 2.6% | 2.9% | 9 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 2.8% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1980s | 3.1% | 2.7% | 3.5% | 10 |
| 1990s | 2.6% | 2.3% | 3.3% | 10 |
| 2000s | 2.4% | 2.3% | 2.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | 1.8% | 2.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 2.1% | 1.5% | 2.3% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Arab World
More climate change data for Arab World
- Urban population, annual growth rate 2.55 % change on previous year (2025)
- Urban population, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Urban population, per capita 0.6004 units per person (2025)
- Urban population 302.20 million (2025)
- Urban population growth 2.5% (2025)
- Population, total 503.36 million (2025)
- Population, total, per unit of GDP 0.0001 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Population, total, annual growth rate 2.18 % change on previous year (2025)
- Population, total, per square kilometre 36.8 units per square kilometre (2023)
- Urban population, per square kilometre 21.92 units per square kilometre (2023)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Arab World?
- Population growth in Arab World was 2.2% in 2025, according to World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Arab World?
- The highest recorded value was 3.5% in 1979.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Arab World?
- The lowest recorded value was 1.5% in 2021.
- How does Arab World rank for population growth?
- Arab World ranks 11th out of 47 groups with data for 2025.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Arab World?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Arab World data come from?
- The figures come from World Population Prospects, United Nations (UN), note: Derived from total population, publisher: UN Population Division, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Annual population growth rate for year t is the exponential rate of growth of midyear population from year t-1 to t, expressed as a percentage. Population is based on the de facto definition of population, which counts all residents regardless of legal status or citizenship.