Saudi Arabia has a population density of 42.5 people per square mile compared to the World's average of 141.6 people. Saudi Arabia has 686,079 sq ft of land per person. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Saudi Arabia ranked 179th out of 197.
Saudi Arabia has 0.43% of the world's population and 1.44% of all countries' land area.
Population density in Saudi Arabia compared to the World's average
Saudi Arabia
|
World
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 42.5 ppl/mi² | 141.6 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 179/197 | N/A |
| Population |
36428123
|
8266870341
|
| Land area | 830,000 sq mi | 57,506,055 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 655,493 sq ft | 196,901 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.8% | 42.3% |
| Urban population | 85.2% | 57.7% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 44% | 28.6% |
Saudi Arabia population density by year chart
The chart below plots how population density in Saudi Arabia has been changing over time. From 2004 to 2024, population density increased by 79.5%. The population density rank was 175th 21 years ago and is 179th today.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | Density rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 42.5 | 179 |
| 2023 | 40.6 | 179 |
| 2022 | 38.8 | 181 |
| 2021 | 37.1 | 181 |
| 2020 | 38 | 180 |
| 2019 | 36.2 | 181 |
| 2018 | 36.4 | 181 |
| 2017 | 37.3 | 180 |
| 2016 | 37.3 | 178 |
| 2015 | 35.9 | 179 |
| 2014 | 34.1 | 179 |
| 2013 | 33.3 | 179 |
| 2012 | 31.5 | 180 |
| 2011 | 30.2 | 178 |
| 2010 | 28.9 | 177 |
| 2009 | 29.2 | 177 |
| 2008 | 28.1 | 177 |
| 2007 | 26.9 | 177 |
| 2006 | 25.9 | 177 |
| 2005 | 24.8 | 175 |
| 2004 | 23.7 | 175 |
| 2003 | 22.6 | 176 |
| 2002 | 21.6 | 176 |
| 2001 | 20.5 | 177 |
| 2000 | 19.5 | 177 |
| 1999 | 18.6 | 175 |
| 1998 | 18 | 175 |
| 1997 | 17.3 | 175 |
| 1996 | 16.7 | 175 |
| 1995 | 16 | 176 |
| 1994 | 15.4 | 176 |
| 1993 | 14.7 | 176 |
| 1992 | 14.1 | 172 |
| 1991 | 13.4 | 153 |
| 1990 | 12.8 | 151 |
| 1989 | 12.2 | 150 |
| 1988 | 11.6 | 150 |
| 1987 | 11 | 152 |
| 1986 | 10.4 | 152 |
| 1985 | 9.82 | 153 |
| 1984 | 9.27 | 153 |
| 1983 | 8.74 | 153 |
| 1982 | 8.22 | 153 |
| 1981 | 7.74 | 153 |
| 1980 | 7.29 | 154 |
| 1979 | 6.87 | 155 |
| 1978 | 6.48 | 155 |
| 1977 | 6.12 | 156 |
| 1976 | 5.79 | 156 |
| 1975 | 5.49 | 157 |
| 1974 | 5.21 | 157 |
| 1973 | 4.95 | 157 |
| 1972 | 4.71 | 157 |
| 1971 | 4.49 | 157 |
| 1970 | 4.29 | 157 |
| 1969 | 4.12 | 158 |
| 1968 | 3.96 | 158 |
| 1967 | 3.8 | 158 |
| 1966 | 3.66 | 158 |
| 1965 | 3.53 | 158 |
| 1964 | 3.4 | 158 |
| 1963 | 3.28 | 158 |
| 1962 | 3.16 | 158 |
| 1961 | 3.04 | 158 |
Share of urban population by year chart
The following chart shows the share of the urban population in Saudi Arabia from 1960 to 2024: 31.2% of population lived in urban areas in 1960, 79.8% in 2000, and in 2024 the share of the urban population was 85.2%.
| Year | Urban population | Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 85.2% | 33 |
| 2023 | 85% | 33 |
| 2022 | 84.7% | 33 |
| 2021 | 84.5% | 33 |
| 2020 | 84.3% | 33 |
| 2019 | 84.1% | 33 |
| 2018 | 83.8% | 33 |
| 2017 | 83.6% | 32 |
| 2016 | 83.4% | 32 |
| 2015 | 83.2% | 32 |
| 2014 | 83% | 32 |
| 2013 | 82.7% | 32 |
| 2012 | 82.5% | 33 |
| 2011 | 82.3% | 33 |
| 2010 | 82.1% | 33 |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 33 |
| 2008 | 81.6% | 34 |
| 2007 | 81.4% | 34 |
| 2006 | 81.2% | 33 |
| 2005 | 81% | 33 |
| 2004 | 80.8% | 33 |
| 2003 | 80.5% | 32 |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 31 |
| 2001 | 80.1% | 29 |
| 2000 | 79.8% | 29 |
| 1999 | 79.6% | 29 |
| 1998 | 79.4% | 28 |
| 1997 | 79.1% | 27 |
| 1996 | 78.9% | 27 |
| 1995 | 78.7% | 27 |
| 1994 | 78.4% | 28 |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 29 |
| 1992 | 77.9% | 29 |
| 1991 | 77.2% | 30 |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 30 |
| 1989 | 75.9% | 31 |
| 1988 | 75.3% | 34 |
| 1987 | 74.6% | 36 |
| 1986 | 73.9% | 37 |
| 1985 | 72.6% | 39 |
| 1984 | 71.4% | 40 |
| 1983 | 70% | 43 |
| 1982 | 68.7% | 44 |
| 1981 | 67.3% | 45 |
| 1980 | 65.9% | 48 |
| 1979 | 64.4% | 53 |
| 1978 | 62.9% | 55 |
| 1977 | 61.4% | 57 |
| 1976 | 59.9% | 58 |
| 1975 | 58.3% | 59 |
| 1974 | 56.7% | 60 |
| 1973 | 54.7% | 62 |
| 1972 | 52.7% | 63 |
| 1971 | 50.7% | 67 |
| 1970 | 48.7% | 68 |
| 1969 | 46.7% | 71 |
| 1968 | 44.7% | 73 |
| 1967 | 42.7% | 75 |
| 1966 | 40.7% | 75 |
| 1965 | 38.8% | 79 |
| 1964 | 36.9% | 88 |
| 1963 | 35% | 95 |
| 1962 | 33.5% | 98 |
| 1961 | 32.4% | 98 |
| 1960 | 31.2% | 100 |
Densely populated cities
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
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Population density comparisons
