Saudi-Arabia: Population estimates by nationality (Saudi / non-Saudi) and sex (mid-year estimates, 1974-2015)

    Saudis     Non-Saudis     Total  
year  males females total males females total males females total
1974 3,166,013 2,997,792 6,163,805 517,178 257,219 774,397 3,683,191 3,255,011 6,938,202
1975 3,299,247 3,129,932 6,429,179 574,639 283,192 857,831 3,873,886 3,413,124 7,287,010
1976 3,436,784 3,266,657 6,703,441 638,241 311,670 949,911 4,075,025 3,578,327 7,653,352
1977 3,578,634 3,408,002 6,986,636 708,602 342,876 1,051,478 4,287,236 3,750,878 8,038,114
1978 3,724,791 3,553,986 7,278,777 786,393 377,049 1,163,442 4,511,184 3,931,035 8,442,219
1979 3,875,233 3,704,613 7,579,846 872,345 414,448 1,286,793 4,747,578 4,119,061 8,866,639
1980 4,029,922 3,859,872 7,889,794 967,252 455,350 1,422,602 4,997,174 4,315,222 9,312,396
1981 4,188,801 4,019,733 8,208,534 1,071,977 500,051 1,572,028 5,260,778 4,519,784 9,780,562
1982 4,351,793 4,184,148 8,535,941 1,187,454 548,870 1,736,324 5,539,247 4,733,018 10,272,265
1983 4,518,803 4,353,048 8,871,851 1,314,694 602,145 1,916,839 5,833,497 4,955,193 10,788,690
1984 4,689,709 4,526,340 9,216,049 1,454,788 660,237 2,115,025 6,144,497 5,186,577 11,331,074
1985 4,864,370 4,703,911 9,568,281 1,608,915 723,531 2,332,446 6,473,285 5,427,442 11,900,727
1986 5,042,619 4,885,623 9,928,242 1,778,342 792,434 2,570,776 6,820,961 5,678,057 12,499,018
1987 5,224,266 5,071,312 10,295,578 1,964,432 867,378 2,831,810 7,188,698 5,938,690 13,127,388
1988 5,409,093 5,260,787 10,669,880 2,168,647 948,820 3,117,467 7,577,740 6,209,607 13,787,347
1989 5,596,859 5,453,833 11,050,692 2,392,552 1,037,242 3,429,794 7,989,411 6,491,075 14,480,486
1990 5,787,294 5,650,206 11,437,500 2,637,820 1,133,151 3,770,971 8,425,114 6,783,357 15,208,471
1991 5,980,104 5,849,635 11,829,739 2,906,237 1,237,079 4,143,316 8,886,341 7,086,714 15,973,055
1992 6,170,757 6,047,443 12,218,200 3,193,111 1,347,068 4,540,179 9,363,868 7,394,511 16,758,379
1993 6,334,907 6,216,789 12,551,696 3,322,551 1,402,925 4,725,476 9,657,458 7,619,714 17,277,172
1994 6,488,628 6,375,082 12,863,710 3,397,772 1,440,127 4,837,899 9,886,400 7,815,209 17,701,609
1995 6,646,071 6,537,398 13,183,469 3,474,692 1,478,314 4,953,006 10,120,763 8,015,712 18,136,475
1996 6,807,325 6,703,837 13,511,162 3,553,349 1,517,511 5,070,860 10,360,674 8,221,348 18,582,022
1997 6,972,483 6,874,505 13,846,988 3,633,782 1,557,746 5,191,528 10,606,265 8,432,251 19,038,516
1998 7,141,639 7,049,510 14,191,149 3,716,031 1,599,045 5,315,076 10,857,670 8,648,555 19,506,225
1999 7,314,889 7,228,960 14,543,849 3,800,137 1,641,438 5,441,575 11,115,026 8,870,398 19,985,424
2000 7,492,332 7,412,968 14,905,300 3,886,141 1,684,952 5,571,093 11,378,473 9,097,920 20,476,393
2001 7,674,070 7,601,651 15,275,721 3,974,087 1,729,617 5,703,704 11,648,157 9,331,268 20,979,425
2002 7,860,206 7,795,126 15,655,332 4,064,017 1,775,464 5,839,481 11,924,223 9,570,590 21,494,813
2003 8,050,847 7,993,515 16,044,362 4,155,978 1,822,524 5,978,502 12,206,825 9,816,039 22,022,864
2004 8,245,575 8,198,412 16,443,987 4,248,335 1,871,564 6,119,899 12,493,910 10,069,976 22,563,886
2005 8,453,097 8,401,060 16,854,157 4,506,528 1,968,899 6,475,427 12,959,625 10,369,959 23,329,584
2006 8,663,597 8,606,584 17,270,181 4,780,413 2,071,296 6,851,709 13,444,010 10,677,880 24,121,890
2007 8,876,666 8,814,670 17,691,336 5,070,944 2,179,018 7,249,962 13,947,610 10,993,688 24,941,298
2008 9,091,249 9,024,301 18,115,550 5,379,132 2,292,343 7,671,475 14,470,381 11,316,644 25,787,025
2009 9,307,550 9,235,696 18,543,246 5,706,050 2,411,561 8,117,611 15,013,600 11,647,257 26,660,857
2010* 9,525,178 9,448,437 18,973,615 6,052,837 2,536,980 8,589,817 15,578,015 11,985,417 27,563,432
2011** 9,743,626 9,662,059 19,405,685 6,297,735 2,672,935 8,970,670 16,041,361 12,334,994 28,376,355
2012** 9,962,431 9,876,017 19,838,448 6,591,296 2,766,151 9,357,447 16,553,727 12,642,168 29,195,895
2013** 10,181,018 10,090,040 20,271,058 6,643,278 3,079,936 9,723,214 16,824,296 13,169,976 29,994,272
2014** 10,398,993 10,303,543 20,702,536 6,867,332 3,200,507 10,067,839 17,266,325 13,504,050 30,770,375
2015** 10,614,813 10,515,147 21,129,960 7,076,815 3,314,643 10,391,458 17,691,628 13,829,790 31,521,418

  Source: Population estimates based on the results of population censuses (1974; 1992; 2004; 2010 preliminary results),
Central Department for Statistics and Information (CDSI)/ General Authority for Statistics (GaStat)
* preliminary results
** estimates from census 2010′ preliminary figures

ANNEXED NOTE

1. Technical Notes and Definitions

Reference periods: middle of given years
Population of reference: all individuals (nationals and non-nationals) present within the Kingdom’s borders during time of reference, be they permanent or temporary residents.
Implementation method: the Censuses are carried out according to de facto methodology, i.e. counting persons where they are during time of reference, be they usual residents of the place or temporary residents.
Estimates are based upon censuses’ results.
The first Saudi census was launched in 1962. It is usually not used, as it did not cover the whole of the resident population. 1974 census is the first comprehensive one in Saudi history. However, its rate of coverage and accuracy of data are considered weak.
1992 census’ population figures, along with ensuing estimates of Saudi population and rates of demographic growth for the following years, were shown to be inflated (see Winckler, O. “The Surprising Results of the Saudi Arabian 2004 Demographic Census”, IJMES, n°40, 2008, pp. 12-15).
Between 2004 and 2010 censuses, Saudi population figures seem consistent with natural increase figures. As non-national population is concerned, it is probably underestimated in official counts. Irregular workers and sojourners are also many (non-official, hence unverifiable estimates range between 1 and 2 millions).
Regarding mid-year estimates, it has to be noted that after each census CDSI has readjusted past figures for Saudi and non-Saudi populations, intercensal data as well as data for census years. Therefore, present data differ significantly from available census figures.

2. Institution which provides data

Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI), Ministry and Economy and Planning/ General Authority for Statistics (GaStat)

3. Data availability

Results of censuses conducted in 1992 and 2004 are available on the website of the General Authority for Statistics (http://www.stats.gov.sa/en), previously CDSI (http://www.cdsi.gov.sa/), in downloadable PDF format.
http://www.stats.gov.sa/en/73
http://www.stats.gov.sa/ar/73
Final results of 2010′ census have been released in May 2016. However, figures of population published by GaStat for 2015 in the Annual Yearbook (http://www.stats.gov.sa/en/46) are calculated on the basis of the preliminary results of census 2010.
Mid-year estimates of population in Saudi Arabia since 1974 are available in Saudi Arabia Monetary Agency (SAMA) Annual Reports and Yearly Statistics: http://www.sama.gov.sa/en-US/EconomicReports/Pages/YearlyStatistics.aspx

Date of access: June 2016.