Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate was 0.1858 % change on previous year in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Latest (2025)
0.1858 % change on previous year
Change on year
down 1.6%
World rank
136th
of 234 countries
All-time high
4.92 % change on previous year
in 1966
All-time low
0.1858 % change on previous year
in 2025
Years of data
75
1951–2025
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia, 1951–2025
Source: Statizoid (derived). Measured in % change on previous year.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 0.1858 % change on previous year for urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in 2025. That is the lowest value across all 75 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.6% on the previous year and down 11.6% over ten years.
Over the whole period, urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia peaked at 4.92 % change on previous year in 1966 and was at its lowest, 0.1858 % change on previous year, in 2025.
Saudi Arabia ranks 136th of 234 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % change on previous year | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1951 | 3.3 % change on previous year | — |
| 1952 | 3.56 % change on previous year | +8.1% |
| 1953 | 3.78 % change on previous year | +6.1% |
| 1954 | 3.95 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 1955 | 4.07 % change on previous year | +3.2% |
| 1956 | 4.16 % change on previous year | +2.1% |
| 1957 | 4.21 % change on previous year | +1.3% |
| 1958 | 4.24 % change on previous year | +0.6% |
| 1959 | 4.24 % change on previous year | -0.1% |
| 1960 | 4.21 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 1961 | 4.17 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 1962 | 4.11 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 1963 | 4.29 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 1964 | 4.63 % change on previous year | +7.9% |
| 1965 | 4.84 % change on previous year | +4.4% |
| 1966 | 4.92 % change on previous year | +1.7% |
| 1967 | 4.91 % change on previous year | -0.3% |
| 1968 | 4.81 % change on previous year | -2.0% |
| 1969 | 4.64 % change on previous year | -3.5% |
| 1970 | 4.42 % change on previous year | -4.8% |
| 1971 | 4.15 % change on previous year | -6.0% |
| 1972 | 3.85 % change on previous year | -7.3% |
| 1973 | 3.51 % change on previous year | -8.7% |
| 1974 | 3.13 % change on previous year | -10.7% |
| 1975 | 2.88 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
| 1976 | 2.8 % change on previous year | -2.7% |
| 1977 | 2.72 % change on previous year | -2.9% |
| 1978 | 2.62 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 1979 | 2.51 % change on previous year | -4.5% |
| 1980 | 2.37 % change on previous year | -5.3% |
| 1981 | 2.23 % change on previous year | -6.2% |
| 1982 | 2.07 % change on previous year | -7.1% |
| 1983 | 1.9 % change on previous year | -8.3% |
| 1984 | 1.72 % change on previous year | -9.6% |
| 1985 | 1.52 % change on previous year | -11.3% |
| 1986 | 1.32 % change on previous year | -13.5% |
| 1987 | 1.18 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 1988 | 1.1 % change on previous year | -6.8% |
| 1989 | 0.9952 % change on previous year | -9.4% |
| 1990 | 0.8707 % change on previous year | -12.5% |
| 1991 | 0.725 % change on previous year | -16.7% |
| 1992 | 0.5582 % change on previous year | -23.0% |
| 1993 | 0.44 % change on previous year | -21.2% |
| 1994 | 0.3893 % change on previous year | -11.5% |
| 1995 | 0.3458 % change on previous year | -11.2% |
| 1996 | 0.3097 % change on previous year | -10.5% |
| 1997 | 0.2804 % change on previous year | -9.4% |
| 1998 | 0.258 % change on previous year | -8.0% |
| 1999 | 0.2424 % change on previous year | -6.1% |
| 2000 | 0.2334 % change on previous year | -3.7% |
| 2001 | 0.231 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2002 | 0.2353 % change on previous year | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 0.2459 % change on previous year | +4.5% |
| 2004 | 0.2642 % change on previous year | +7.4% |
| 2005 | 0.2765 % change on previous year | +4.7% |
| 2006 | 0.2759 % change on previous year | -0.2% |
| 2007 | 0.2735 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2008 | 0.2715 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2009 | 0.2698 % change on previous year | -0.6% |
| 2010 | 0.2624 % change on previous year | -2.8% |
| 2011 | 0.2135 % change on previous year | -18.6% |
| 2012 | 0.2149 % change on previous year | +0.7% |
| 2013 | 0.2135 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2014 | 0.212 % change on previous year | -0.7% |
| 2015 | 0.2102 % change on previous year | -0.8% |
| 2016 | 0.2083 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2017 | 0.2064 % change on previous year | -0.9% |
| 2018 | 0.2042 % change on previous year | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 0.2021 % change on previous year | -1.0% |
| 2020 | 0.1995 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2021 | 0.1971 % change on previous year | -1.2% |
| 2022 | 0.1945 % change on previous year | -1.3% |
| 2023 | 0.1917 % change on previous year | -1.4% |
| 2024 | 0.1889 % change on previous year | -1.5% |
| 2025 | 0.1858 % change on previous year | -1.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.1858 % change on previous year is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.0918 % change on previous year, 2.0× the median. (85 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.1858 % change on previous year is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.1858 % change on previous year, 1.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 3.95 % change on previous year | 3.3 % change on previous year | 4.24 % change on previous year | 9 |
| 1960s | 4.55 % change on previous year | 4.11 % change on previous year | 4.92 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1970s | 3.26 % change on previous year | 2.51 % change on previous year | 4.42 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1980s | 1.64 % change on previous year | 0.9952 % change on previous year | 2.37 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.4419 % change on previous year | 0.2424 % change on previous year | 0.8707 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.2577 % change on previous year | 0.231 % change on previous year | 0.2765 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.2147 % change on previous year | 0.2021 % change on previous year | 0.2624 % change on previous year | 10 |
| 2020s | 0.1929 % change on previous year | 0.1858 % change on previous year | 0.1995 % change on previous year | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 133 South Africa 0.1941 % change on previous year compare
- 134 Sudan 0.1939 % change on previous year compare
- 135 Poland 0.1914 % change on previous year compare
- 137 Russia 0.1848 % change on previous year compare
- 138 Armenia 0.1782 % change on previous year compare
- 139 Denmark 0.1688 % change on previous year compare
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia?
- Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate in Saudi Arabia was 0.1858 % change on previous year in 2025, according to Statizoid (derived).
- What is the highest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 4.92 % change on previous year in 1966.
- What is the lowest urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1858 % change on previous year in 2025.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 136th out of 234 countries with data for 2025.
- Is urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 11.6%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Statizoid (derived), published as part of Urban vs rural majority, annual growth rate. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 75 observations, free to reuse under Derived by Statizoid from the sources named on the page.
How this figure is calculated
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.
Computed from
- Do more people live in urban or rural areas? HYDE (2023); United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs, Population Division (2025) – with minor processing by Our World in Data
Statizoid computes this series; the underlying measurements belong to the publishers named above. The arithmetic is applied to every country and year where both inputs report, and nothing is estimated unless the page says so.
About this data
The year-on-year percentage change in Urban vs rural majority. Computed from consecutive annual observations; years either side of a gap are skipped rather than bridged.