Labor force — all countries

Labor force — Saudi Arabia

Labor force in Saudi Arabia in 2025 — 18,383,677 people. Ranked 36 in the world out of 182. Since 1990, the indicator has risen by 490.1%.

2025 18.38M people +4.85% vs 2024
World rank 36of 182
Period maximum 18.38M people2025
Period minimum 3.12M people1990

Trend over time

1990–2025 · people

Labor force — Saudi Arabia, 1990–202505M10M15M20M19901994199820022006201020142018202220251990: 3,115,203 people1991: 3,275,665 people1992: 3,453,509 people1993: 3,605,221 people1994: 3,758,723 people1995: 3,915,197 people1996: 4,072,470 people1997: 4,232,237 people1998: 4,394,485 people1999: 4,561,974 people2000: 4,891,476 people2001: 5,136,870 people2002: 5,431,092 people2003: 5,785,353 people2004: 6,176,510 people2005: 6,604,532 people2006: 7,069,191 people2007: 7,548,942 people2008: 8,067,087 people2009: 8,586,196 people2010: 8,924,741 people2011: 9,790,087 people2012: 10,684,948 people2013: 11,714,121 people2014: 12,334,605 people2015: 13,349,016 people2016: 14,104,287 people2017: 13,674,850 people2018: 13,337,661 people2019: 13,661,774 people2020: 14,673,206 people2021: 14,623,231 people2022: 15,469,059 people2023: 16,713,756 people2024: 17,534,019 people2025: 18,383,677 people
Change over the period: +15.27M (+490.13%) Average annual rate: 5.2 %

Comparison, 2025

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

Saudi Arabia 18.38M people
World 3.74B people
Western Asia computed 117M people
High-income countries computed 716M people
Labor force — Saudi Arabia, by year Saudi Arabia All countries CSV XLSX
Year people Change Change, %
2025 18.38M +849,658 +4.85%
2024 17.53M +820,263 +4.91%
2023 16.71M +1.24M +8.05%
2022 15.47M +845,828 +5.78%
2021 14.62M −49,975 −0.34%
2020 14.67M +1.01M +7.4%
2019 13.66M +324,113 +2.43%
2018 13.34M −337,189 −2.47%
2017 13.67M −429,437 −3.04%
2016 14.1M +755,271 +5.66%
2015 13.35M +1.01M +8.22%
2014 12.33M +620,484 +5.3%
2013 11.71M +1.03M +9.63%
2012 10.68M +894,861 +9.14%
2011 9.79M +865,346 +9.7%
2010 8.92M +338,545 +3.94%
2009 8.59M +519,109 +6.43%
2008 8.07M +518,145 +6.86%
2007 7.55M +479,751 +6.79%
2006 7.07M +464,659 +7.04%
2005 6.6M +428,022 +6.93%
2004 6.18M +391,157 +6.76%
2003 5.79M +354,261 +6.52%
2002 5.43M +294,222 +5.73%
2001 5.14M +245,394 +5.02%
2000 4.89M +329,502 +7.22%
1999 4.56M +167,489 +3.81%
1998 4.39M +162,248 +3.83%
1997 4.23M +159,767 +3.92%
1996 4.07M +157,273 +4.02%
1995 3.92M +156,474 +4.16%
1994 3.76M +153,502 +4.26%
1993 3.61M +151,712 +4.39%
1992 3.45M +177,844 +5.43%
1991 3.28M +160,462 +5.15%
1990 3.12M

About the indicator

The economically active population — everyone aged 15 and over who either works or actively looks for work. It covers the employed, the unemployed and first-time job seekers; it leaves out students, homemakers and other people who do not offer their labor on the market. The size of the labor force is the basic constraint on the growth potential of an economy.

Source: ILOSTAT (ILO), license CC BY 4.0.