DEMOGRAPHICS
General Information
Population – 39,3 mil. people (according to 2024 census data). The country ranks 40th in the world by population and is one of the fastest-growing states on the Arabian Peninsula.
The average annual population growth rate is about 7,44% (according to 2025 data).
The age structure of the population is characterized by a high proportion of youth, which is typical for developing countries. The population under 15 years old is 29,4%, the population aged 15-64 – 67,6%, the population over 65 years old – 3%. The median age of a Saudi Arabian resident is 29,8 years.
The sex ratio indicator – 1,23 men per one woman.
Population density – 18,3 people per sq. km (with a total country area of 2,149,690 sq. km).
The population is distributed unevenly, concentrated mainly in large cities and oases. The share of the urban population is 85% (according to 2023 data). About 80% of Saudis live in the ten largest urban centers.
Ethnic and Confessional Composition
Ethnic Composition
The ethnic composition of Saudi Arabia is relatively homogeneous. Arab Saudis constitute about 70% of the population. Immigrants constitute a significant share – 41,6% of the country's total population. Among immigrants, people from South Asian countries (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh), Arab countries, the Philippines, Indonesia, and Syria predominate. There are also small communities from South Korea and Western countries.
Confessional Composition
The dominant religion – Islam – 93%. Mainly Sunni, which is the state religion. Saudi Arabia is known as the "Land of the Two Holy Mosques", referring to Mecca and Medina – the two main holy cities of Islam. Precise data on the religious composition is limited, but according to available information, Sunni Muslims constitute the absolute majority, and Shia Muslims are a minority, residing predominantly in the eastern regions of the country. Other religions are represented exclusively among foreign communities, and their open practice is restricted.
State Language
The official language of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Modern Standard Arabic is used in official documents, education, and record-keeping.
The spoken language of the indigenous population is the Arabian dialect of Arabic, which has its own regional features. The English language is widely used as a language of international communication in business and tourism. Among other languages, the following are common: Urdu (among the Pakistani community), Hindi (among the Indian community), Tagalog (among the Filipino community), Bengali (among the Bangladeshi community).
Until the 1960s, the country's population was characterized by a nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyle; thanks to rapid economic and urban growth, more than 95% of the population now leads a sedentary lifestyle.