Population in cities over 1 million — all countries

Population in cities over 1 million — Saudi Arabia

Population in cities over 1 million in Saudi Arabia in 2025 — 18,193,304 people. Ranked 23 in the world out of 121. Since 1960, the indicator has risen by 3,228.4%.

2025 18.19M people +1.64% vs 2024
World rank 23of 121
Period maximum 18.19M people2025
Period minimum 546,611 people1960

Trend over time

1960–2025 · people

Population in cities over 1 million — Saudi Arabia, 1960–202505M10M15M20M19601967197419811988199520022009201620231960: 546,611 people1962: 569,886 people1964: 670,408 people1966: 821,769 people1968: 1,008,969 people1970: 1,240,098 people1972: 1,526,553 people1974: 1,880,944 people1976: 2,179,032 people1978: 2,507,220 people1980: 2,886,378 people1982: 3,323,345 people1984: 3,828,473 people1986: 4,410,951 people1988: 5,084,671 people1990: 5,861,986 people1992: 6,761,550 people1994: 7,249,834 people1996: 7,697,225 people1998: 8,172,046 people2000: 8,677,397 people2002: 9,213,793 people2004: 9,784,748 people2006: 10,616,148 people2008: 11,445,749 people2010: 12,227,827 people2012: 13,064,127 people2014: 13,957,824 people2016: 14,912,871 people2018: 15,933,494 people2020: 16,625,034 people2022: 17,283,723 people2024: 17,900,209 people2025: 18,193,304 people
Change over the period: +17.65M (+3,228.38%) Average annual rate: 5.54 %

Comparison, 2025

How the value compares with the world and the groups this territory belongs to: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia 18.19M people
World computed 2.01B people
Middle East & North Africa computed 130M people
Western Asia computed 101M people
High-income countries computed 499M people
Population in cities over 1 million — Saudi Arabia, by year Saudi Arabia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 18.19M +293,095 +1.64%
2024 17.9M +303,048 +1.72%
2023 17.6M +313,438 +1.81%
2022 17.28M +324,012 +1.91%
2021 16.96M +334,677 +2.01%
2020 16.63M +342,562 +2.1%
2019 16.28M +348,978 +2.19%
2018 15.93M +518,783 +3.37%
2017 15.41M +501,840 +3.37%
2016 14.91M +485,450 +3.36%
2015 14.43M +469,597 +3.36%
2014 13.96M +454,265 +3.36%
2013 13.5M +439,432 +3.36%
2012 13.06M +425,087 +3.36%
2011 12.64M +411,213 +3.36%
2010 12.23M +397,791 +3.36%
2009 11.83M +384,287 +3.36%
2008 11.45M +372,773 +3.37%
2007 11.07M +456,828 +4.3%
2006 10.62M +437,384 +4.3%
2005 10.18M +394,016 +4.03%
2004 9.78M +290,035 +3.05%
2003 9.49M +280,920 +3.05%
2002 9.21M +272,472 +3.05%
2001 8.94M +263,924 +3.04%
2000 8.68M +256,703 +3.05%
1999 8.42M +248,648 +3.04%
1998 8.17M +241,188 +3.04%
1997 7.93M +233,633 +3.04%
1996 7.7M +227,255 +3.04%
1995 7.47M +220,136 +3.04%
1994 7.25M +213,541 +3.03%
1993 7.04M +274,743 +4.06%
1992 6.76M +466,379 +7.41%
1991 6.3M +433,185 +7.39%
1990 5.86M +402,954 +7.38%
1989 5.46M +374,361 +7.36%
1988 5.08M +349,246 +7.38%
1987 4.74M +324,474 +7.36%
1986 4.41M +301,912 +7.35%
1985 4.11M +280,566 +7.33%
1984 3.83M +261,814 +7.34%
1983 3.57M +243,314 +7.32%
1982 3.32M +226,460 +7.31%
1981 3.1M +210,507 +7.29%
1980 2.89M +196,494 +7.3%
1979 2.69M +182,664 +7.29%
1978 2.51M +170,059 +7.28%
1977 2.34M +158,129 +7.26%
1976 2.18M +147,646 +7.27%
1975 2.03M +150,442 +8%
1974 1.88M +186,811 +11.03%
1973 1.69M +167,580 +10.98%
1972 1.53M +150,976 +10.98%
1971 1.38M +135,479 +10.92%
1970 1.24M +121,779 +10.89%
1969 1.12M +109,350 +10.84%
1968 1.01M +98,615 +10.83%
1967 910,354 +88,585 +10.78%
1966 821,769 +79,709 +10.74%
1965 742,060 +71,652 +10.69%
1964 670,408 +64,689 +10.68%
1963 605,719 +35,833 +6.29%
1962 569,886 +11,822 +2.12%
1961 558,064 +11,453 +2.1%
1960 546,611

About the indicator

The population of urban agglomerations with more than one million residents. The unit of count is the agglomeration, not the city within its administrative boundaries, and that is essential: along administrative lines many of the largest concentrations of people break up into dozens of municipalities. The indicator measures not urbanization as such but its concentration in large centers — a country can be highly urbanized without a single million-plus city.

Important: The table covers about 120 territories — the rest have no agglomerations of this size, and that is a zero, not a gap. Aggregates for groups of countries are therefore calculated at a lowered coverage threshold.

Source: World Population Prospects (UN), license CC BY 3.0 IGO.