Saudi Arabia has a population density of 42.5 people per square mile compared to 397 people in the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia has 686,079 sq ft of land per person vs 82,731 sq ft in the United Arab Emirates. In the list of countries ranked from the most to the least densely populated, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are ranked 179th and 62nd, 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 0.13% of the population and 0.05% of the land area for the United Arab Emirates, hence the population density in Saudi Arabia is 89.3% lower than in the United Arab Emirates.
Population density comparison
Saudi Arabia
|
UAE
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Population density | 42.5 ppl/mi² | 397 ppl/mi² |
| Population density rank | 179/197 | 62/197 |
| Population |
36428123
|
11372700
|
| Land area | 830,000 sq mi | 27,421 sq mi |
| Land area per capita | 655,493 sq ft | 70,282 sq ft |
| Rural population | 14.8% | 12% |
| Urban population | 85.2% | 88% |
| Living in agglomerations of 1M+ people | 44% | 62.2% |
Saudi Arabia vs the United Arab Emirates:
Population density chart by year
From 2004 to 2024, population density in Saudi Arabia increased by 79.5%, compared to a 145.6% growth in the United Arab Emirates.
In 2004, Saudi Arabia ranked 175th for population density and is in 179th place now. The United Arab Emirates was 111th in 2004 and ranks 62nd out of 197 currently.
people per square mile
| Year | Population density | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
UAE
|
|
| 2024 | 42.5 | 397 |
| 2023 | 40.6 | 382 |
| 2022 | 38.8 | 367 |
| 2021 | 37.1 | 349 |
| 2020 | 38 | 343 |
| 2019 | 36.2 | 344 |
| 2018 | 36.4 | 341 |
| 2017 | 37.3 | 336 |
| 2016 | 37.3 | 326 |
| 2015 | 35.9 | 310 |
| 2014 | 34.1 | 293.9 |
| 2013 | 33.3 | 280.6 |
| 2012 | 31.5 | 269.6 |
| 2011 | 30.2 | 259.1 |
| 2010 | 28.9 | 250.5 |
| 2009 | 29.2 | 244.6 |
| 2008 | 28.1 | 229.8 |
| 2007 | 26.9 | 205.1 |
| 2006 | 25.9 | 182.7 |
| 2005 | 24.8 | 170.1 |
| 2004 | 23.7 | 161.5 |
| 2003 | 22.6 | 152.9 |
| 2002 | 21.6 | 144.3 |
| 2001 | 20.5 | 135.8 |
| 2000 | 19.5 | 127.4 |
| 1999 | 18.6 | 119.1 |
| 1998 | 18 | 110.9 |
| 1997 | 17.3 | 102.7 |
| 1996 | 16.7 | 94.7 |
| 1995 | 16 | 88.8 |
| 1994 | 15.4 | 84.9 |
| 1993 | 14.7 | 81 |
| 1992 | 14.1 | 77.1 |
| 1991 | 13.4 | 73.2 |
| 1990 | 12.8 | 69.2 |
| 1989 | 12.2 | 65.3 |
| 1988 | 11.6 | 61.3 |
| 1987 | 11 | 57.4 |
| 1986 | 10.4 | 53.5 |
| 1985 | 9.82 | 50.3 |
| 1984 | 9.27 | 47.6 |
| 1983 | 8.74 | 45 |
| 1982 | 8.22 | 42.5 |
| 1981 | 7.74 | 40.1 |
| 1980 | 7.29 | 37 |
| 1979 | 6.87 | 33.3 |
| 1978 | 6.48 | 29.5 |
| 1977 | 6.12 | 25.9 |
| 1976 | 5.79 | 22.5 |
| 1975 | 5.49 | 19.8 |
| 1974 | 5.21 | 17.8 |
| 1973 | 4.95 | 15.9 |
| 1972 | 4.71 | 14 |
| 1971 | 4.49 | 12.2 |
| 1970 | 4.29 | 10.4 |
| 1969 | 4.12 | 8.74 |
| 1968 | 3.96 | 7.27 |
| 1967 | 3.8 | 6.55 |
| 1966 | 3.66 | 6.34 |
| 1965 | 3.53 | 6.09 |
| 1964 | 3.4 | 5.82 |
| 1963 | 3.28 | 5.55 |
| 1962 | 3.16 | 5.29 |
| 1961 | 3.04 | 5.03 |
Share of urban population by year
| Year | Urban population | |
|---|---|---|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
UAE
|
|
| 2024 | 85.2% | 88% |
| 2023 | 85% | 87.8% |
| 2022 | 84.7% | 87.5% |
| 2021 | 84.5% | 87.3% |
| 2020 | 84.3% | 87% |
| 2019 | 84.1% | 86.8% |
| 2018 | 83.8% | 86.5% |
| 2017 | 83.6% | 86.2% |
| 2016 | 83.4% | 86% |
| 2015 | 83.2% | 85.7% |
| 2014 | 83% | 85.4% |
| 2013 | 82.7% | 85.1% |
| 2012 | 82.5% | 84.7% |
| 2011 | 82.3% | 84.4% |
| 2010 | 82.1% | 84.1% |
| 2009 | 81.9% | 83.7% |
| 2008 | 81.6% | 83.4% |
| 2007 | 81.4% | 83% |
| 2006 | 81.2% | 82.6% |
| 2005 | 81% | 82.3% |
| 2004 | 80.8% | 81.9% |
| 2003 | 80.5% | 81.5% |
| 2002 | 80.3% | 81.1% |
| 2001 | 80.1% | 80.7% |
| 2000 | 79.8% | 80.2% |
| 1999 | 79.6% | 79.8% |
| 1998 | 79.4% | 79.4% |
| 1997 | 79.1% | 78.9% |
| 1996 | 78.9% | 78.5% |
| 1995 | 78.7% | 78.3% |
| 1994 | 78.4% | 78.5% |
| 1993 | 78.2% | 78.6% |
| 1992 | 77.9% | 78.8% |
| 1991 | 77.2% | 78.9% |
| 1990 | 76.6% | 79.1% |
| 1989 | 75.9% | 79.2% |
| 1988 | 75.3% | 79.3% |
| 1987 | 74.6% | 79.5% |
| 1986 | 73.9% | 79.6% |
| 1985 | 72.6% | 79.8% |
| 1984 | 71.4% | 80% |
| 1983 | 70% | 80.2% |
| 1982 | 68.7% | 80.5% |
| 1981 | 67.3% | 80.7% |
| 1980 | 65.9% | 80.7% |
| 1979 | 64.4% | 80.5% |
| 1978 | 62.9% | 80.3% |
| 1977 | 61.4% | 80.1% |
| 1976 | 59.9% | 79.9% |
| 1975 | 58.3% | 79.8% |
| 1974 | 56.7% | 79.8% |
| 1973 | 54.7% | 79.8% |
| 1972 | 52.7% | 79.8% |
| 1971 | 50.7% | 79.8% |
| 1970 | 48.7% | 79.8% |
| 1969 | 46.7% | 79.8% |
| 1968 | 44.7% | 79.8% |
| 1967 | 42.7% | 79.3% |
| 1966 | 40.7% | 78.5% |
| 1965 | 38.8% | 77.7% |
| 1964 | 36.9% | 76.9% |
| 1963 | 35% | 76.1% |
| 1962 | 33.5% | 75.2% |
| 1961 | 32.4% | 74.4% |
| 1960 | 31.2% | 73.5% |
From 2004 to 2024 share of the urban population changed from 80.8% to 85.2% in Saudi Arabia and from 81.9% to 88% in the United Arab Emirates.
Densely populated cities
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