Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita was 84.6% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Latest (2025)
84.6%
Change on year
up 0.2%
World rank
57th
of 236 countries
All-time high
84.6%
in 2025
All-time low
21.3%
in 1950
Years of data
76
1950–2025
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita 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 84.6% for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in 2025. That is the highest value across all 76 years on record.
That represents a change of up 0.2% on the previous year and up 2.0% over ten years.
Over the whole period, share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Saudi Arabia peaked at 84.6% in 2025 and was at its lowest, 21.3%, in 1950.
Saudi Arabia ranks 57th of 236 countries on this measure, in the top quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 76 years of available data.
Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 21.3% | — |
| 1951 | 22.0% | +3.3% |
| 1952 | 22.8% | +3.6% |
| 1953 | 23.6% | +3.8% |
| 1954 | 24.6% | +3.9% |
| 1955 | 25.6% | +4.1% |
| 1956 | 26.6% | +4.2% |
| 1957 | 27.8% | +4.2% |
| 1958 | 28.9% | +4.2% |
| 1959 | 30.2% | +4.2% |
| 1960 | 31.4% | +4.2% |
| 1961 | 32.8% | +4.2% |
| 1962 | 34.1% | +4.1% |
| 1963 | 35.6% | +4.3% |
| 1964 | 37.2% | +4.6% |
| 1965 | 39.0% | +4.8% |
| 1966 | 40.9% | +4.9% |
| 1967 | 42.9% | +4.9% |
| 1968 | 45.0% | +4.8% |
| 1969 | 47.1% | +4.6% |
| 1970 | 49.2% | +4.4% |
| 1971 | 51.2% | +4.2% |
| 1972 | 53.2% | +3.8% |
| 1973 | 55.1% | +3.5% |
| 1974 | 56.8% | +3.1% |
| 1975 | 58.4% | +2.9% |
| 1976 | 60.1% | +2.8% |
| 1977 | 61.7% | +2.7% |
| 1978 | 63.3% | +2.6% |
| 1979 | 64.9% | +2.5% |
| 1980 | 66.4% | +2.4% |
| 1981 | 67.9% | +2.2% |
| 1982 | 69.3% | +2.1% |
| 1983 | 70.6% | +1.9% |
| 1984 | 71.8% | +1.7% |
| 1985 | 72.9% | +1.5% |
| 1986 | 73.9% | +1.3% |
| 1987 | 74.8% | +1.2% |
| 1988 | 75.6% | +1.1% |
| 1989 | 76.3% | +1.0% |
| 1990 | 77.0% | +0.9% |
| 1991 | 77.6% | +0.7% |
| 1992 | 78.0% | +0.6% |
| 1993 | 78.3% | +0.4% |
| 1994 | 78.6% | +0.4% |
| 1995 | 78.9% | +0.3% |
| 1996 | 79.2% | +0.3% |
| 1997 | 79.4% | +0.3% |
| 1998 | 79.6% | +0.3% |
| 1999 | 79.8% | +0.2% |
| 2000 | 80.0% | +0.2% |
| 2001 | 80.2% | +0.2% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | +0.2% |
| 2003 | 80.5% | +0.2% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | +0.3% |
| 2005 | 81.0% | +0.3% |
| 2006 | 81.2% | +0.3% |
| 2007 | 81.4% | +0.3% |
| 2008 | 81.6% | +0.3% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | +0.3% |
| 2010 | 82.1% | +0.3% |
| 2011 | 82.3% | +0.2% |
| 2012 | 82.4% | +0.2% |
| 2013 | 82.6% | +0.2% |
| 2014 | 82.8% | +0.2% |
| 2015 | 83.0% | +0.2% |
| 2016 | 83.1% | +0.2% |
| 2017 | 83.3% | +0.2% |
| 2018 | 83.5% | +0.2% |
| 2019 | 83.6% | +0.2% |
| 2020 | 83.8% | +0.2% |
| 2021 | 84.0% | +0.2% |
| 2022 | 84.1% | +0.2% |
| 2023 | 84.3% | +0.2% |
| 2024 | 84.5% | +0.2% |
| 2025 | 84.6% | +0.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 84.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 81.3%, 1.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 84.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 79.5%, 1.1× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 25.3% | 21.3% | 30.2% | 10 |
| 1960s | 38.6% | 31.4% | 47.1% | 10 |
| 1970s | 57.4% | 49.2% | 64.9% | 10 |
| 1980s | 72.0% | 66.4% | 76.3% | 10 |
| 1990s | 78.6% | 77.0% | 79.8% | 10 |
| 2000s | 80.9% | 80.0% | 81.9% | 10 |
| 2010s | 82.9% | 82.1% | 83.6% | 10 |
| 2020s | 84.2% | 83.8% | 84.6% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 54 United Arab Emirates 86.0% compare
- 55 Switzerland 85.7% compare
- 56 Peru 85.6% compare
- 58 New Zealand 84.0% compare
- 59 Norway 83.6% compare
- 60 United Kingdom 83.3% compare
More population data for Saudi Arabia
- 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)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 03 - Annual population 1.2 Percent per annum (2030)
Frequently asked questions
- What is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Saudi Arabia?
- Share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita in Saudi Arabia was 84.6% 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 share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 84.6% in 2025.
- What is the lowest share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 21.3% in 1950.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 57th out of 236 countries with data for 2025.
- Is share of population living in urban areas vs. gdp per capita rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 2.0%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- 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 Share of population living in urban areas vs. GDP per capita. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Share of the population living in urban areas, based on each country's national definition.