Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) was 4.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Population growth in Saudi Arabia, 1970–2024
Source: UNESCO Institute for Statistics. Measured in annual %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for population growth in Saudi Arabia is 4.6%, measured in 2024.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 0.2% on the previous year and up 89.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, population growth in Saudi Arabia peaked at 6.1% in 1982 and was at its lowest, -2.6%, in 2018.
Saudi Arabia ranks 3rd of 215 countries on this measure, in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 4.2% | — |
| 1971 | 4.4% | +6.5% |
| 1972 | 4.8% | +7.4% |
| 1973 | 5.0% | +5.2% |
| 1974 | 5.2% | +2.9% |
| 1975 | 5.2% | +1.6% |
| 1976 | 5.4% | +2.6% |
| 1977 | 5.6% | +3.5% |
| 1978 | 5.7% | +2.7% |
| 1979 | 5.8% | +1.6% |
| 1980 | 5.9% | +0.9% |
| 1981 | 6.0% | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 6.1% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 6.1% | -0.2% |
| 1984 | 5.9% | -2.3% |
| 1985 | 5.7% | -3.5% |
| 1986 | 5.7% | -0.9% |
| 1987 | 5.7% | -0.6% |
| 1988 | 5.3% | -5.8% |
| 1989 | 5.1% | -5.0% |
| 1990 | 4.9% | -2.4% |
| 1991 | 4.8% | -3.3% |
| 1992 | 4.6% | -3.5% |
| 1993 | 4.4% | -3.8% |
| 1994 | 4.3% | -3.4% |
| 1995 | 4.1% | -3.2% |
| 1996 | 4.0% | -3.5% |
| 1997 | 3.9% | -3.5% |
| 1998 | 3.7% | -3.1% |
| 1999 | 3.6% | -3.1% |
| 2000 | 4.5% | +23.2% |
| 2001 | 5.2% | +16.6% |
| 2002 | 5.0% | -4.3% |
| 2003 | 4.8% | -4.1% |
| 2004 | 4.6% | -3.8% |
| 2005 | 4.4% | -3.6% |
| 2006 | 4.3% | -3.3% |
| 2007 | 4.1% | -3.1% |
| 2008 | 4.0% | -2.9% |
| 2009 | 3.9% | -2.8% |
| 2010 | -1.0% | -125.4% |
| 2011 | 4.5% | -557.3% |
| 2012 | 4.2% | -7.4% |
| 2013 | 5.4% | +28.8% |
| 2014 | 2.5% | -54.7% |
| 2015 | 5.2% | +111.7% |
| 2016 | 3.7% | -27.8% |
| 2017 | 0.1% | -98.0% |
| 2018 | -2.6% | -3515.0% |
| 2019 | -0.4% | -82.8% |
| 2020 | 4.8% | -1199.2% |
| 2021 | -2.5% | -151.0% |
| 2022 | 4.4% | -279.3% |
| 2023 | 4.6% | +5.0% |
| 2024 | 4.6% | -0.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 4.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.5%, 9.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 4.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 1.7%, 2.7× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Population growth (annual %) (UNESCO Institute) in Saudi Arabia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | -3515.0% | 0.1% | -2.6% |
| 2020 | +1199.2% | -0.4% | 4.8% |
| 2011 | +557.3% | -1.0% | 4.5% |
| 2022 | +279.3% | -2.5% | 4.4% |
| 2021 | -151.0% | 4.8% | -2.5% |
| 2010 | -125.4% | 3.9% | -1.0% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 5.1% | 4.2% | 5.8% | 10 |
| 1980s | 5.7% | 5.1% | 6.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 4.2% | 3.6% | 4.9% | 10 |
| 2000s | 4.5% | 3.9% | 5.2% | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.2% | -2.6% | 5.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.2% | -2.5% | 4.8% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
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)
- Population growth rate 0.629 (2100)
- Population density 33.03 (2100)
- Projected population under age 5 4.10 million (2100)
Frequently asked questions
- What is population growth in Saudi Arabia?
- Population growth in Saudi Arabia was 4.6% in 2024, according to UNESCO Institute for Statistics.
- What is the highest population growth recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 6.1% in 1982.
- What is the lowest population growth recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -2.6% in 2018.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for population growth?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 3rd out of 215 countries with data for 2024.
- Is population growth rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 89.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from UNESCO Institute for Statistics, published as part of Population growth (annual %). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 55 observations, free to reuse under CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO (UNESCO Institute for Statistics).
About this data
February 2026 Data Release