Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre was 13.04 people per square kilometre in 2023. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2023)
13.04 people per square kilometre
Change on year
up 3.6%
World rank
179th
of 215 countries
All-time high
13.04 people per square kilometre
in 2023
All-time low
0.3849 people per square kilometre
in 1961
Years of data
63
1961–2023
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia, 1961–2023
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in people per square kilometre.
Analysis
The most recent figure for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia is 13.04 people per square kilometre, measured in 2023. That is the highest value across all 63 years on record.
That represents a change of up 3.6% on the previous year and up 21.1% over ten years.
Over the whole period, number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia peaked at 13.04 people per square kilometre in 2023 and was at its lowest, 0.3849 people per square kilometre, in 1961.
That places Saudi Arabia 179th out of 215 countries with data for 2023, putting it in the bottom quarter.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | people per square kilometre | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1961 | 0.3849 people per square kilometre | — |
| 1962 | 0.4157 people per square kilometre | +8.0% |
| 1963 | 0.4499 people per square kilometre | +8.2% |
| 1964 | 0.4885 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1965 | 0.5315 people per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1966 | 0.5788 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1967 | 0.6307 people per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1968 | 0.6872 people per square kilometre | +9.0% |
| 1969 | 0.7486 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1970 | 0.8149 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1971 | 0.8872 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1972 | 0.9663 people per square kilometre | +8.9% |
| 1973 | 1.05 people per square kilometre | +8.8% |
| 1974 | 1.14 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1975 | 1.24 people per square kilometre | +8.4% |
| 1976 | 1.34 people per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1977 | 1.46 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1978 | 1.58 people per square kilometre | +8.7% |
| 1979 | 1.72 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1980 | 1.87 people per square kilometre | +8.6% |
| 1981 | 2.03 people per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1982 | 2.2 people per square kilometre | +8.5% |
| 1983 | 2.38 people per square kilometre | +8.3% |
| 1984 | 2.57 people per square kilometre | +7.9% |
| 1985 | 2.77 people per square kilometre | +7.5% |
| 1986 | 2.97 people per square kilometre | +7.2% |
| 1987 | 3.18 people per square kilometre | +7.1% |
| 1988 | 3.39 people per square kilometre | +6.6% |
| 1989 | 3.6 people per square kilometre | +6.2% |
| 1990 | 3.81 people per square kilometre | +6.0% |
| 1991 | 4.03 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 1992 | 4.24 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 1993 | 4.45 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 1994 | 4.66 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 1995 | 4.88 people per square kilometre | +4.6% |
| 1996 | 5.09 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 1997 | 5.31 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 1998 | 5.52 people per square kilometre | +4.1% |
| 1999 | 5.74 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2000 | 6.02 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2001 | 6.35 people per square kilometre | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 6.69 people per square kilometre | +5.3% |
| 2003 | 7.04 people per square kilometre | +5.1% |
| 2004 | 7.39 people per square kilometre | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 7.74 people per square kilometre | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 8.11 people per square kilometre | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 8.47 people per square kilometre | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 8.84 people per square kilometre | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 9.22 people per square kilometre | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 9.61 people per square kilometre | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 9.99 people per square kilometre | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 10.38 people per square kilometre | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 10.77 people per square kilometre | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 11.17 people per square kilometre | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 11.57 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 11.88 people per square kilometre | +2.7% |
| 2017 | 11.93 people per square kilometre | +0.4% |
| 2018 | 11.79 people per square kilometre | -1.2% |
| 2019 | 11.86 people per square kilometre | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 12.08 people per square kilometre | +1.9% |
| 2021 | 12.24 people per square kilometre | +1.3% |
| 2022 | 12.59 people per square kilometre | +2.9% |
| 2023 | 13.04 people per square kilometre | +3.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 13.04 people per square kilometre is below the median for high income countries, which is 78.87 people per square kilometre, 17% of the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 13.04 people per square kilometre is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 72.54 people per square kilometre, 18% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.5462 people per square kilometre | 0.3849 people per square kilometre | 0.7486 people per square kilometre | 9 |
| 1970s | 1.22 people per square kilometre | 0.8149 people per square kilometre | 1.72 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1980s | 2.69 people per square kilometre | 1.87 people per square kilometre | 3.6 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.77 people per square kilometre | 3.81 people per square kilometre | 5.74 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2000s | 7.59 people per square kilometre | 6.02 people per square kilometre | 9.22 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2010s | 11.09 people per square kilometre | 9.61 people per square kilometre | 11.93 people per square kilometre | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.49 people per square kilometre | 12.08 people per square kilometre | 13.04 people per square kilometre | 4 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 176 Algeria 14.49 people per square kilometre compare
- 177 Samoa 13.64 people per square kilometre compare
- 178 Finland 13.64 people per square kilometre compare
- 180 Oman 12.98 people per square kilometre compare
- 181 Laos 12.89 people per square kilometre compare
- 182 Kyrgyzstan 12.8 people per square kilometre compare
More population data for Saudi Arabia
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 05 - Demographic estimates 48,374 Persons (2050)
- Un population 2024 vs 2022, annual growth rate -0.1019 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population long run 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 regions with projections, annual growth rate 0.6339 % change on previous year (2100)
- Population growth rate, by level of development 0.6% (2100)
- Number of children under 5, by world region 4.10 million people (2100)
- Population density 33.03 people per km² (2100)
- World population growth 0.6% (2100)
- Projected population under age 5, annual growth rate 0.5868 % change on previous year (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia?
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre in Saudi Arabia was 13.04 people per square kilometre in 2023, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 13.04 people per square kilometre in 2023.
- What is the lowest number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.3849 people per square kilometre in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 179th out of 215 countries with data for 2023.
- Is number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 21.1%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Number of people living in urban and rural areas, per square kilometre. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 63 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.
Number of people living in urban and rural areas ÷ Land area (sq. km)
Computed from
- Number of people living in urban and rural areas United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
- Land area FAOSTAT, Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
Number of people living in urban and rural areas divided by Land area (sq. km), matched on country and year. Neither publisher issues this ratio as a series; it is computed here from both.