Urban population in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Urban population was 31.28 million in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Urban population in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2025
Source: World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
Analysis
The most recent figure for urban population in Saudi Arabia is 31.28 million, measured in 2025. That is the highest value across all 66 years on record.
The figure is up 4.9% on the previous year and up 26.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban population in Saudi Arabia peaked at 31.28 million in 2025 and was at its lowest, 765,785, in 1960.
That places Saudi Arabia 32nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the top quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban population in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 765,785 | — |
| 1961 | 827,488 | +8.1% |
| 1962 | 893,730 | +8.0% |
| 1963 | 967,114 | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 1.05 million | +8.6% |
| 1965 | 1.14 million | +8.8% |
| 1966 | 1.24 million | +8.9% |
| 1967 | 1.36 million | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 1.48 million | +9.0% |
| 1969 | 1.61 million | +8.9% |
| 1970 | 1.75 million | +8.9% |
| 1971 | 1.91 million | +8.9% |
| 1972 | 2.08 million | +8.9% |
| 1973 | 2.26 million | +8.8% |
| 1974 | 2.45 million | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 2.66 million | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 2.89 million | +8.5% |
| 1977 | 3.14 million | +8.6% |
| 1978 | 3.41 million | +8.7% |
| 1979 | 3.70 million | +8.6% |
| 1980 | 4.02 million | +8.6% |
| 1981 | 4.36 million | +8.5% |
| 1982 | 4.73 million | +8.5% |
| 1983 | 5.12 million | +8.3% |
| 1984 | 5.53 million | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 5.95 million | +7.5% |
| 1986 | 6.38 million | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 6.83 million | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 7.28 million | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 7.73 million | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 8.19 million | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 8.66 million | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 9.12 million | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 9.57 million | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 10.03 million | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 10.49 million | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 10.95 million | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 11.41 million | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 11.88 million | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 12.34 million | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 12.94 million | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 13.66 million | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 14.39 million | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 15.13 million | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 15.88 million | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 16.65 million | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 17.43 million | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 18.21 million | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 19.01 million | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 19.83 million | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 19.68 million | -0.7% |
| 2011 | 20.64 million | +4.9% |
| 2012 | 21.57 million | +4.5% |
| 2013 | 22.82 million | +5.8% |
| 2014 | 23.44 million | +2.7% |
| 2015 | 24.73 million | +5.5% |
| 2016 | 25.73 million | +4.0% |
| 2017 | 25.80 million | +0.3% |
| 2018 | 25.21 million | -2.3% |
| 2019 | 25.15 million | -0.2% |
| 2020 | 26.44 million | +5.2% |
| 2021 | 25.85 million | -2.2% |
| 2022 | 27.07 million | +4.7% |
| 2023 | 28.41 million | +4.9% |
| 2024 | 29.81 million | +4.9% |
| 2025 | 31.28 million | +4.9% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 31.28 million is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.24 million, 14.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 31.28 million is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 9.90 million, 3.2× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 1.13 million | 765,785 | 1.61 million | 10 |
| 1970s | 2.62 million | 1.75 million | 3.70 million | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.79 million | 4.02 million | 7.73 million | 10 |
| 1990s | 10.26 million | 8.19 million | 12.34 million | 10 |
| 2000s | 16.31 million | 12.94 million | 19.83 million | 10 |
| 2010s | 23.48 million | 19.68 million | 25.80 million | 10 |
| 2020s | 28.15 million | 25.85 million | 31.28 million | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More climate change data for Saudi Arabia
- Nutrient nitrogen N (total) — Synthetic fertilizers (Agricultural) 134.54 million kg (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) 4,043 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,830 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 2,213 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 6.91 kt (2050)
- Emissions from livestock — Emissions 79.03 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) 1,017 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from N2O 1,002 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions (CO2eq) from CH4 15.05 kt (2050)
- Emissions from crops — Emissions 3.78 kt (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban population in Saudi Arabia?
- Urban population in Saudi Arabia was 31.28 million in 2025, according to World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN).
- What is the highest urban population recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 31.28 million in 2025.
- What is the lowest urban population recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 765,785 in 1960.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for urban population?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 32nd out of 218 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban population rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 26.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from World Urbanization Prospects, United Nations (UN), published as part of Urban population. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 66 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Urban population refers to people living in urban areas as defined by national statistical offices. It is calculated using World Bank population estimates and urban ratios from the United Nations World Urbanization Prospects. Aggregation of urban and rural population may not add up to total population because of different country coverages.