Population of Saudi Arabia
As of August 2026, the population of Saudi Arabia is 35.2 million. The number of inhabitants has increased by 595 thousand in the last year, representing a growth of 1.73%. The median age of the population has increased in recent years, rising from 27.6 years in 2016 to 29.7 years in 2026. Currently, life expectancy at birth is 79.4 years and population density is 16.4 inhabitants per square kilometer.
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Population Growth
The population growth rate of Saudi Arabia peaked in 1982, reaching around 6.13% annually, but has since declined to approximately 1.69% in 2026. The annual increase in the number of people has also decreased from a peak of around 1.38 million in 2022 to nearly 594.81 thousand in 2026.
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Life Expectancy
In Saudi Arabia, life expectancy at birth has been increasing, with the indicator rising from 74.8 years in 2006 to 79.4 years in 2026, representing an increase of almost 5 years over the past 2 decades.
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Most populous cities in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia has multiple large cities with a significant number of inhabitants. The most populous city is Jeddah, Mecca Region, with approximately 4.7 million inhabitants. It is followed by Riyadh, Riyadh Region with 4.2 million and Makkah, Mecca Region with 1.6 million.
These are the 20 most populous cities in Saudi Arabia:
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeddah, Mecca Region | 4,697,000 |
| 2 | Riyadh, Riyadh Region | 4,205,961 |
| 3 | Makkah, Mecca Region | 1,578,722 |
| 4 | Madinah, Medina Region | 1,300,000 |
| 5 | Dammam, Eastern Province | 1,252,523 |
| 6 | Sulţānah, Medina Region | 946,697 |
| 7 | Buraydah, Al-Qassim Region | 745,353 |
| 8 | Ta’if, Mecca Region | 688,693 |
| 9 | Tabuk, Tabuk Region | 667,000 |
| 10 | Ha'il, Ha'il Region | 605,930 |
| # | City | Population |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Najrān, Najran Region | 505,652 |
| 12 | Al Kharj, Riyadh Region | 425,300 |
| 13 | Khamis Mushait, 'Asir Region | 387,553 |
| 14 | Al Hufūf, Eastern Province | 293,179 |
| 15 | Al Mubarraz, Eastern Province | 290,802 |
| 16 | Hafar Al-Batin, Eastern Province | 271,642 |
| 17 | Thuqbah, Eastern Province | 248,888 |
| 18 | Al Jubayl, Eastern Province | 237,274 |
| 19 | Şabyā, Jazan Region | 228,375 |
| 20 | Abha, 'Asir Region | 210,886 |