Saudi Arabia — Population growth
Population Growth (Annual %) for Saudi Arabia, 1961–2025.
Population growth for Saudi Arabia was 4.63% in 2025, according to the latest World Bank data. The series covers 65 years, from 1961 to 2025. The highest recorded value was 6.10% in 1982. The lowest was -2.55% in 2018 (about -1.8× the low point). Across that span the compound annual growth rate works out to 0.37% per year.
Saudi Arabia ranks 2 of 217 economies on this measure (1 = highest), putting it in the top 1%. The median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan is 1.56%, so Saudi Arabia sits above it. It peaked in 1982 and has fallen 24% since. Over the last decade (2015–2025) the figure moved down 11%. Within Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan it ranks 2 of 23 economies; Oman (3.96%) is just below it. Its sharpest one-year move was down 3515% in 2018. That is 91% above this series' own ten-year average.
Data highlights
Doubling roughly every 190 years at that pace.
World ranking. Climbed: 18th of 216 in 1961 → 12th of 216 in 1970 → 6th of 216 in 1980 → 8th of 216 in 1990 → 4th of 217 in 2000 → 211th of 217 in 2010 → 2nd of 217 in 2020 → 2nd of 217 in 2025.
Key figures
Full history — 1961 to 2025
| Year | annual % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4.63% | +0.0 pp |
| 2024 | 4.63% | -0.0 pp |
| 2023 | 4.64% | +0.2 pp |
| 2022 | 4.42% | +6.9 pp |
| 2021 | -2.46% | -7.3 pp |
| 2020 | 4.83% | +5.3 pp |
| 2019 | -0.44% | +2.1 pp |
| 2018 | -2.55% | -2.6 pp |
| 2017 | 0.07% | -3.7 pp |
| 2016 | 3.75% | -1.4 pp |
| 2015 | 5.19% | +2.7 pp |
| 2014 | 2.45% | -3.0 pp |
| 2013 | 5.41% | +1.2 pp |
| 2012 | 4.2% | -0.3 pp |
| 2011 | 4.54% | +5.5 pp |
| 2010 | -0.99% | -4.9 pp |
| 2009 | 3.91% | -0.1 pp |
| 2008 | 4.03% | -0.1 pp |
| 2007 | 4.15% | -0.1 pp |
| 2006 | 4.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 2005 | 4.43% | -0.2 pp |
| 2004 | 4.59% | -0.2 pp |
| 2003 | 4.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 2002 | 4.98% | -0.2 pp |
| 2001 | 5.2% | +0.7 pp |
| 2000 | 4.46% | +0.8 pp |
| 1999 | 3.62% | -0.1 pp |
| 1998 | 3.74% | -0.1 pp |
| 1997 | 3.86% | -0.1 pp |
| 1996 | 4% | -0.1 pp |
| 1995 | 4.14% | -0.1 pp |
| 1994 | 4.28% | -0.1 pp |
| 1993 | 4.43% | -0.2 pp |
| 1992 | 4.6% | -0.2 pp |
| 1991 | 4.77% | -0.2 pp |
| 1990 | 4.93% | -0.1 pp |
| 1989 | 5.05% | -0.3 pp |
| 1988 | 5.32% | -0.3 pp |
| 1987 | 5.65% | -0.0 pp |
| 1986 | 5.69% | -0.1 pp |
| 1985 | 5.74% | -0.2 pp |
| 1984 | 5.95% | -0.1 pp |
| 1983 | 6.09% | -0.0 pp |
| 1982 | 6.1% | +0.1 pp |
| 1981 | 5.98% | +0.1 pp |
| 1980 | 5.86% | +0.1 pp |
| 1979 | 5.81% | +0.1 pp |
| 1978 | 5.71% | +0.1 pp |
| 1977 | 5.56% | +0.2 pp |
| 1976 | 5.38% | +0.1 pp |
| 1975 | 5.24% | +0.1 pp |
| 1974 | 5.16% | +0.1 pp |
| 1973 | 5.01% | +0.2 pp |
| 1972 | 4.76% | +0.3 pp |
| 1971 | 4.44% | +0.3 pp |
| 1970 | 4.17% | +0.2 pp |
| 1969 | 4.01% | +0.1 pp |
| 1968 | 3.9% | +0.1 pp |
| 1967 | 3.79% | +0.1 pp |
| 1966 | 3.72% | +0.0 pp |
| 1965 | 3.71% | +0.0 pp |
| 1964 | 3.7% | +0.0 pp |
| 1963 | 3.69% | +0.0 pp |
| 1962 | 3.67% | +0.0 pp |
| 1961 | 3.67% | — |
Frequently asked questions
What was Saudi Arabia’s Population growth in 1962?
3.67% (1962). The full year-by-year table above lists every published year, most recent first.
Are changes in this series measured in percentage points?
Yes. The series is a share expressed in annual %, so year-over-year movements in the Change column are percentage points (pp), not percent.
Is Saudi Arabia’s Population growth growing or shrinking?
Between 1961 and 2025 the series was growing overall: +26.3% in total — about 0.4% a year compounded.
Where does this data come from?
World Bank Open Data (CC BY-4.0), indicator SP.POP.GROW. Values are reproduced as published; this page only computes summary statistics such as change, CAGR and extremes.
What are the most recent published figures?
The last five published years: 2025: 4.63%; 2024: 4.63%; 2023: 4.64%; 2022: 4.42%; 2021: -2.46%. Earlier years are in the full-history table below.
Related data
SP.POP.GROW — Population Growth (Annual %). Data licensed under CC BY 4.0. Values are reproduced as published; this page computes the summary statistics (change, CAGR, extremes) from the underlying annual series. View the original dataset on data.worldbank.org.