Saudi Arabia’s population hits 35.3M in 2024, expats make up 44.4 pc

Riyadh: The total population of Saudi Arabia rose to 35.3 million people by the end of 2024, with citizens accounting for 55.6 percent of the total.

The population increased by an estimated 1.6 million compared to 2023, when it stood at approximately 33.7 million.

According to recent data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), the number of Saudi citizens reached 19.62 million, while the number of expats stood at 15.67 million—representing 44.4 percent of the population.

The Kingdom recorded a 4.7 percent population increase by the end of the first half of last year, driven by a rise of 1.2 million in the number of expats. This growth is attributed to the influx of expat workers supporting the country’s mega projects, which require a substantial labour force, as well as the relocation of global company headquarters to Riyadh, according to the Financial Analysis Unit at Al-Eqtisadiah.

Males comprised 62.1 percent of the total population, or 21.92 million people, while females accounted for 37.9 percent, or 13.37 million people.

By age group, individuals aged 15 to 64 made up the largest segment of the population at 74.7 percent, or 26.37 million people—reflecting the nation’s demographic vitality and its capacity for productivity and employment.

Meanwhile, those aged 0 to 14 years represented 22.5 percent of the population, totalling 7.94 million people. The elderly population, aged 65 and above, accounted for just 2.8 percent, or 988,000 people.

 The following table shows the population development since 2010: