Saudi Arabia has a population density of 42.5 people per square mile compared to 136.7 people in South Africa. Saudi Arabia has 686,079 sq ft of land per person vs 205,338 sq ft in South Africa. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Saudi Arabia and South Africa are ranked 179th and 136th, respectively.
Population density is calculated as the ratio of population to land area. Saudi Arabia has 0.43% of the world's population and 1.44% of the land area of all countries, compared to 0.79% of the population and 0.81% of the land area for South Africa, hence the population density in Saudi Arabia is 68.9% lower than in South Africa.
Population density comparison
Saudi Arabia
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 42.5 ppl/mi² | 136.7 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 179/197 | 136/197 |
| Population |
36428123
|
65314246
|
| Land area | 830,000 sq mi | 468,377 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 655,493 sq ft | 204,002 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.8% | 30.7% |
| Urban population | 85.2% | 69.3% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 44% | 14.8% |
Saudi Arabia vs South Africa:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Saudi Arabia increased by 79.5%, compared to a 30.6% growth in South Africa.
In 2004, Saudi Arabia ranked 175th for population density and is in 179th place now. South Africa was 132nd in 2004 and ranks 136th out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 42.5 | 136.7 |
| 2023 | 40.6 | 135 |
| 2022 | 38.8 | 133.2 |
| 2021 | 37.1 | 131.3 |
| 2020 | 38 | 129.3 |
| 2019 | 36.2 | 127.2 |
| 2018 | 36.4 | 125.1 |
| 2017 | 37.3 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | 37.3 | 122.3 |
| 2015 | 35.9 | 121.1 |
| 2014 | 34.1 | 118.7 |
| 2013 | 33.3 | 116.7 |
| 2012 | 31.5 | 114.8 |
| 2011 | 30.2 | 113.1 |
| 2010 | 28.9 | 111.8 |
| 2009 | 29.2 | 110.4 |
| 2008 | 28.1 | 109.1 |
| 2007 | 26.9 | 107.9 |
| 2006 | 25.9 | 106.7 |
| 2005 | 24.8 | 105.7 |
| 2004 | 23.7 | 104.6 |
| 2003 | 22.6 | 103.5 |
| 2002 | 21.6 | 102.5 |
| 2001 | 20.5 | 101.6 |
| 2000 | 19.5 | 100.7 |
| 1999 | 18.6 | 99.8 |
| 1998 | 18 | 98.7 |
| 1997 | 17.3 | 97.5 |
| 1996 | 16.7 | 96.3 |
| 1995 | 16 | 95.1 |
| 1994 | 15.4 | 94 |
| 1993 | 14.7 | 92.4 |
| 1992 | 14.1 | 90.6 |
| 1991 | 13.4 | 89 |
| 1990 | 12.8 | 87 |
| 1989 | 12.2 | 84.6 |
| 1988 | 11.6 | 82.2 |
| 1987 | 11 | 79.7 |
| 1986 | 10.4 | 77.2 |
| 1985 | 9.82 | 74.8 |
| 1984 | 9.27 | 72.4 |
| 1983 | 8.74 | 69.9 |
| 1982 | 8.22 | 67.5 |
| 1981 | 7.74 | 65.2 |
| 1980 | 7.29 | 63 |
| 1979 | 6.87 | 61.1 |
| 1978 | 6.48 | 59.5 |
| 1977 | 6.12 | 57.9 |
| 1976 | 5.79 | 56.4 |
| 1975 | 5.49 | 54.9 |
| 1974 | 5.21 | 53.4 |
| 1973 | 4.95 | 51.9 |
| 1972 | 4.71 | 50.4 |
| 1971 | 4.49 | 49 |
| 1970 | 4.29 | 47.6 |
| 1969 | 4.12 | 46.1 |
| 1968 | 3.96 | 44.7 |
| 1967 | 3.8 | 43.4 |
| 1966 | 3.66 | 42 |
| 1965 | 3.53 | 40.8 |
| 1964 | 3.4 | 39.5 |
| 1963 | 3.28 | 38.3 |
| 1962 | 3.16 | 37.2 |
| 1961 | 3.04 | 36.1 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
South Africa
|
|
| 2024 | 85.2% | 69.3% |
| 2023 | 85% | 68.8% |
| 2022 | 84.7% | 68.3% |
| 2021 | 84.5% | 67.8% |
| 2020 | 84.3% | 67.4% |
| 2019 | 84.1% | 66.9% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | 66.4% |
| 2017 | 83.6% | 65.8% |
| 2016 | 83.4% | 65.3% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | 64.8% |
| 2014 | 83% | 64.3% |
| 2013 | 82.7% | 63.8% |
| 2012 | 82.5% | 63.3% |
| 2011 | 82.3% | 62.7% |
| 2010 | 82.1% | 62.2% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 61.7% |
| 2008 | 81.6% | 61.2% |
| 2007 | 81.4% | 60.6% |
| 2006 | 81.2% | 60.1% |
| 2005 | 81% | 59.5% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | 59% |
| 2003 | 80.5% | 58.4% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 57.9% |
| 2001 | 80.1% | 57.4% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | 56.9% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | 56.4% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | 55.9% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | 55.4% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | 55% |
| 1995 | 78.7% | 54.5% |
| 1994 | 78.4% | 54% |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 53.5% |
| 1992 | 77.9% | 53% |
| 1991 | 77.2% | 52.6% |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 52% |
| 1989 | 75.9% | 51.5% |
| 1988 | 75.3% | 51% |
| 1987 | 74.6% | 50.4% |
| 1986 | 73.9% | 49.9% |
| 1985 | 72.6% | 49.4% |
| 1984 | 71.4% | 49.1% |
| 1983 | 70% | 48.9% |
| 1982 | 68.7% | 48.8% |
| 1981 | 67.3% | 48.6% |
| 1980 | 65.9% | 48.4% |
| 1979 | 64.4% | 48.3% |
| 1978 | 62.9% | 48.3% |
| 1977 | 61.4% | 48.2% |
| 1976 | 59.9% | 48.2% |
| 1975 | 58.3% | 48.1% |
| 1974 | 56.7% | 48% |
| 1973 | 54.7% | 48% |
| 1972 | 52.7% | 47.9% |
| 1971 | 50.7% | 47.9% |
| 1970 | 48.7% | 47.8% |
| 1969 | 46.7% | 47.7% |
| 1968 | 44.7% | 47.6% |
| 1967 | 42.7% | 47.5% |
| 1966 | 40.7% | 47.4% |
| 1965 | 38.8% | 47.2% |
| 1964 | 36.9% | 47.1% |
| 1963 | 35% | 47% |
| 1962 | 33.5% | 46.9% |
| 1961 | 32.4% | 46.8% |
| 1960 | 31.2% | 46.6% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia and from 59% to 69.3% in South Africa.
Densely populated cities
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Riyadh | 7.01M |
| Jeddah | 4.7M |
| Mecca | 2.43M |
| Medina | 1.41M |
| Dammam | 903K |
| Tabuk | 886K |
| Qatif | 625K |
| Jubail | 379K |
| Ha'il | 311K |
| Yanbu | 299K |
|
South Africa
|
|
|---|---|
| City | Population |
| Johannesburg | 4.43M |
| Cape Town | 3.78M |
| Soweto | 1.27M |
| Pietermaritzburg | 839K |
| Pretoria | 742K |
| Durban | 595K |
| Rustenburg | 550K |
| Randburg | 337K |
| Port Elizabeth | 312K |
| East London | 267K |
Compare countries by 7 more topics
Population density in other countries
people per square mile
Population density
Relevant pages:
By topic
vs
comparisons:
Population density comparisons
