Annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Annual growth rate of urban population share was 0.2% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.2%
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
138th
of 236 countries
All-time high
4.8%
in 1966
All-time low
0.2%
in 2025
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia, 1950–2025
Source: United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 0.2% for annual growth rate of urban population share in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of down 1.6% on the previous year and down 12.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia peaked at 4.8% in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0.2%, in 2025.
Saudi Arabia ranks 138th of 236 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3.5% | — |
| 1951 | 3.3% | -4.4% |
| 1952 | 3.6% | +8.5% |
| 1953 | 3.8% | +5.1% |
| 1954 | 3.9% | +3.7% |
| 1955 | 4.0% | +2.6% |
| 1956 | 4.1% | +1.7% |
| 1957 | 4.1% | +0.9% |
| 1958 | 4.2% | +0.2% |
| 1959 | 4.1% | -0.3% |
| 1960 | 4.1% | -0.8% |
| 1961 | 4.0% | -1.6% |
| 1962 | 4.1% | +1.3% |
| 1963 | 4.4% | +6.7% |
| 1964 | 4.6% | +6.3% |
| 1965 | 4.8% | +2.9% |
| 1966 | 4.8% | +0.6% |
| 1967 | 4.8% | -1.2% |
| 1968 | 4.6% | -2.7% |
| 1969 | 4.4% | -4.0% |
| 1970 | 4.2% | -5.3% |
| 1971 | 3.9% | -6.6% |
| 1972 | 3.6% | -7.8% |
| 1973 | 3.3% | -9.9% |
| 1974 | 3.0% | -9.5% |
| 1975 | 2.8% | -5.5% |
| 1976 | 2.7% | -2.1% |
| 1977 | 2.6% | -3.2% |
| 1978 | 2.5% | -4.0% |
| 1979 | 2.4% | -4.8% |
| 1980 | 2.3% | -5.6% |
| 1981 | 2.1% | -6.6% |
| 1982 | 2.0% | -7.6% |
| 1983 | 1.8% | -8.8% |
| 1984 | 1.6% | -10.3% |
| 1985 | 1.4% | -12.6% |
| 1986 | 1.2% | -12.3% |
| 1987 | 1.1% | -8.3% |
| 1988 | 1.0% | -7.6% |
| 1989 | 0.9% | -10.8% |
| 1990 | 0.8% | -14.4% |
| 1991 | 0.6% | -20.2% |
| 1992 | 0.5% | -23.0% |
| 1993 | 0.4% | -16.4% |
| 1994 | 0.4% | -10.7% |
| 1995 | 0.3% | -10.8% |
| 1996 | 0.3% | -10.0% |
| 1997 | 0.3% | -8.8% |
| 1998 | 0.2% | -7.1% |
| 1999 | 0.2% | -4.9% |
| 2000 | 0.2% | -2.4% |
| 2001 | 0.2% | +0.4% |
| 2002 | 0.2% | +3.1% |
| 2003 | 0.3% | +6.3% |
| 2004 | 0.3% | +6.3% |
| 2005 | 0.3% | +2.5% |
| 2006 | 0.3% | -1.1% |
| 2007 | 0.3% | -0.8% |
| 2008 | 0.3% | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.3% | +0.6% |
| 2010 | 0.2% | -14.8% |
| 2011 | 0.2% | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 0.2% | +0.1% |
| 2013 | 0.2% | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.2% | -0.8% |
| 2015 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2016 | 0.2% | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2% | -1.0% |
| 2018 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2% | -1.1% |
| 2020 | 0.2% | -1.2% |
| 2021 | 0.2% | -1.3% |
| 2022 | 0.2% | -1.4% |
| 2023 | 0.2% | -1.5% |
| 2024 | 0.2% | -1.6% |
| 2025 | 0.2% | -1.6% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.9% | 3.3% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 4.5% | 4.0% | 4.8% | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.1% | 2.4% | 4.2% | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.6% | 0.9% | 2.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4% | 0.2% | 0.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3% | 0.2% | 0.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 135 Vanuatu 0.2% compare
- 136 Russian Federation 0.2% compare
- 137 Sudan 0.2% compare
- 139 Dominican Republic 0.2% compare
- 140 Armenia 0.2% compare
- 141 Brunei Darussalam 0.2% compare
More population data for Saudi Arabia
- Population regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Urban and rural population 2050, annual growth rate 0.5774 % change on previous year (2050)
- Population long run with projections, annual growth rate 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1019 % change on previous year (2100)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 48,374 Persons (2050)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.2 Percent per annum (2030)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.5868 % change on previous year (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Population density 33.03 people per km² (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.10 million people (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia?
- Annual growth rate of urban population share in Saudi Arabia was 0.2% in 2025, according to United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.8% in 1966.
- What is the lowest annual growth rate of urban population share recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.2% in 2025.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for annual growth rate of urban population share?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 138th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is annual growth rate of urban population share rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 12.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Annual growth rate of urban population share. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Average annual rate of change of the share of the population living in urban areas.