Saudi Arabia has experienced significant population growth over the past several decades. In the 1970s, the country’s population was under 7 million, but by 2023 it had surpassed 36 million, according to official estimates. This rapid increase has been driven by high birth rates, improvements in healthcare, and substantial immigration, particularly of foreign workers attracted by the country’s economic development and large-scale infrastructure projects. The government has implemented policies to diversify the economy and invest in education and health, further supporting population growth. However, the growth rate has begun to slow in recent years as birth rates decline and the government introduces measures to manage the size of the expatriate workforce.
| Year | Population | Population Density Per Square KM |
|---|---|---|
| 1950 | 3,859,801 | 1.8 |
| 1955 | 4,243,218 | 2 |
| 1960 | 4,718,301 | 2.2 |
| 1965 | 5,327,432 | 2.5 |
| 1970 | 6,109,051 | 2.8 |
| 1975 | 7,207,702 | 3.4 |
| 1980 | 10,021,519 | 4.7 |
| 1985 | 13,330,067 | 6.2 |
| 1990 | 16,060,761 | 7.5 |
| 1995 | 18,733,152 | 8.7 |
| 2000 | 21,361,821 | 9.9 |
| 2005 | 23,640,681 | 11 |
| 2010 | 27,962,740 | 13 |
| 2015 | 31,415,279 | 14.6 |
| 2020 | 34,223,743 | 15.9 |
| 2022 | 35,354,380 | 16.4 |
| 2023 | 35,939,806 | 16.7 |
| 2024 | 36,544,431 | 17 |
| 2025 | 37,172,774 | 17.3 |
| 2030 | 40,069,904 | 18.6 |
| 2035 | 42,536,636 | 19.8 |
| 2040 | 44,689,927 | 20.8 |
| 2045 | 46,514,510 | 21.6 |
| 2050 | 47,966,097 | 22.3 |
| 2055 | 49,063,317 | 22.8 |
| 2060 | 49,870,218 | 23.2 |
| 2065 | 50,433,898 | 23.5 |
| 2070 | 50,775,400 | 23.6 |
| 2075 | 50,902,649 | 23.7 |
| 2080 | 50,827,986 | 23.6 |
| 2085 | 50,575,178 | 23.5 |
| 2090 | 50,173,911 | 23.3 |
| 2095 | 49,647,257 | 23.1 |
| 2100 | 49,014,712 | 22.8 |
Data from US Census International Database