Largest cities in Saudi Arabia, 1975 to 2050

Riyadh leads Saudi Arabia with 6.92 million people in 2025, ahead of Jeddah at 4.28 million in the UN city ranking.

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What the data shows

In 2025, Riyadh ranks #1 with 6.92M, ahead of Jeddah (4.28M) and Dammam (2.34M).
By 2050, on the UN's projections, Riyadh is projected to rank #1 with 9.15M, ahead of Jeddah (5.78M) and Dammam (3.19M).
Back in 1975, Jeddah was #1 with 0.19M.
The top spot changed hands once: Riyadh in 1984.
Biggest climber: Tabuk, from #13 in 1990 to #7 in 2050.
Riyadh, Dammam and Medina weren't on the board in 1975 but are in the top 5 by 2050.

About this chart

Riyadh leads the 2025 ranking for Saudi Arabia, with 6.92 million people under the UN city definition. The first year looks different: Jeddah headed the 1975 ranking at 0.19 million. Dammam occupies third place in 2025 at 2.34 million. These are populations of urban areas defined consistently by the UN, rather than administrative city limits.

The UN projects Riyadh to lead in 2050 at 9.15 million people. The figures after 2025 are projections. The Degree of Urbanization identifies contiguous dense settlements, so these totals can differ from municipal and metropolitan statistics. The historical ranking is useful for comparing positions; changing settlement boundaries mean it should not be treated as a measure of growth within fixed city limits.

The data

Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population.

Largest cities in Saudi Arabia, Population in millions, 1975–2050; projected after 2025, 1975–2050
Date	🇸🇦 Jeddah	🇸🇦 Mecca	🇸🇦 At Ta'if	🇸🇦 Al Ahsa	🇸🇦 Ha'il	🇸🇦 Abha	🇸🇦 Riyadh	🇸🇦 Medina	🇸🇦 Dammam	🇸🇦 Abu `Arish	🇸🇦 Unaizah	🇸🇦 Khamis Mushayt	🇸🇦 Tabuk	🇸🇦 Hafar Al-Batin
1975	0.19M	0.16M	0.12M	0.08M	0.06M	0.06M
1976	0.22M	0.18M	0.12M	0.10M	0.06M	0.06M
1977	0.25M	0.19M	0.13M	0.11M	0.07M	0.06M
1978	0.28M	0.20M	0.14M	0.13M	0.07M	0.07M
1979	0.31M	0.22M	0.14M	0.15M	0.07M	0.07M
1980	0.34M	0.23M	0.15M	0.16M	0.08M	0.07M	0.13M	0.07M
1981	0.39M	0.24M	0.16M	0.18M	0.08M	0.07M	0.23M	0.08M
1982	0.43M	0.26M	0.16M	0.19M	0.08M	0.08M	0.34M	0.09M
1983	0.48M	0.27M	0.17M	0.20M	0.09M	0.08M	0.45M	0.10M
1984	0.52M	0.29M	0.17M	0.21M	0.09M	0.08M	0.55M	0.11M
1985	0.57M	0.30M	0.18M	0.22M	0.09M	0.08M	0.66M	0.12M	0.20M	0.05M
1986	0.65M	0.33M	0.18M	0.23M	0.09M	0.08M	0.80M	0.13M	0.25M	0.05M
1987	0.74M	0.36M	0.19M	0.24M	0.10M	0.08M	0.95M	0.14M	0.30M	0.05M
1988	0.83M	0.39M	0.19M	0.25M	0.10M	0.08M	1.09M	0.16M	0.35M	0.05M
1989	0.92M	0.42M	0.19M	0.26M	0.10M	0.09M	1.23M	0.17M	0.40M	0.06M
1990	1.00M	0.45M	0.20M	0.26M	0.10M	0.09M	1.37M	0.18M	0.45M	0.06M	0.10M	0.07M	0.05M
1991	1.07M	0.47M	0.20M	0.27M	0.11M	0.09M	1.49M	0.21M	0.50M	0.06M	0.10M	0.09M	0.06M
1992	1.15M	0.49M	0.21M	0.28M	0.11M	0.09M	1.61M	0.24M	0.54M	0.06M	0.10M	0.10M	0.08M
1993	1.22M	0.51M	0.21M	0.29M	0.11M	0.09M	1.73M	0.28M	0.58M	0.06M	0.11M	0.11M	0.09M
1994	1.29M	0.53M	0.22M	0.30M	0.12M	0.09M	1.85M	0.31M	0.62M	0.06M	0.11M	0.13M	0.10M
1995	1.36M	0.55M	0.22M	0.31M	0.12M	0.10M	1.96M	0.34M	0.66M	0.06M	0.11M	0.14M	0.11M	0.06M
1996	1.42M	0.57M	0.23M	0.32M	0.13M	0.10M	2.08M	0.38M	0.70M	0.07M	0.12M	0.15M	0.12M	0.07M
1997	1.49M	0.59M	0.24M	0.34M	0.14M	0.10M	2.20M	0.41M	0.74M	0.07M	0.12M	0.16M	0.13M	0.07M
1998	1.55M	0.61M	0.25M	0.35M	0.15M	0.10M	2.32M	0.45M	0.78M	0.07M	0.13M	0.17M	0.14M	0.08M
1999	1.62M	0.63M	0.26M	0.37M	0.16M	0.11M	2.44M	0.49M	0.81M	0.07M	0.13M	0.19M	0.16M	0.09M
2000	1.68M	0.64M	0.27M	0.38M	0.17M	0.11M	2.56M	0.53M	0.85M	0.07M	0.14M	0.20M	0.17M	0.09M
2001	1.80M	0.70M	0.29M	0.40M	0.17M	0.11M	2.74M	0.57M	0.92M	0.08M	0.14M	0.22M	0.19M	0.11M
2002	1.91M	0.76M	0.31M	0.42M	0.18M	0.11M	2.92M	0.61M	1.00M	0.08M	0.15M	0.24M	0.21M	0.12M
2003	2.03M	0.82M	0.33M	0.44M	0.19M	0.12M	3.10M	0.65M	1.07M	0.08M	0.16M	0.25M	0.23M	0.13M
2004	2.15M	0.87M	0.35M	0.46M	0.20M	0.12M	3.28M	0.69M	1.15M	0.08M	0.16M	0.27M	0.25M	0.14M
2005	2.26M	0.93M	0.38M	0.48M	0.21M	0.12M	3.47M	0.73M	1.22M	0.08M	0.17M	0.29M	0.27M	0.15M
2006	2.36M	0.97M	0.39M	0.51M	0.21M	0.12M	3.67M	0.76M	1.29M	0.09M	0.18M	0.30M	0.29M	0.16M
2007	2.45M	1.01M	0.41M	0.53M	0.22M	0.13M	3.88M	0.79M	1.35M	0.09M	0.19M	0.31M	0.30M	0.17M
2008	2.54M	1.05M	0.42M	0.55M	0.23M	0.13M	4.08M	0.82M	1.42M	0.09M	0.19M	0.32M	0.32M	0.18M
2009	2.64M	1.09M	0.44M	0.58M	0.24M	0.14M	4.29M	0.85M	1.48M	0.09M	0.20M	0.32M	0.33M	0.19M
2010	2.73M	1.12M	0.46M	0.60M	0.25M	0.14M	4.49M	0.88M	1.54M	0.10M	0.21M	0.33M	0.34M	0.20M
2011	2.87M	1.17M	0.46M	0.63M	0.25M	0.14M	4.73M	0.93M	1.62M	0.10M	0.21M	0.36M	0.36M	0.20M
2012	3.02M	1.22M	0.47M	0.66M	0.26M	0.14M	4.96M	0.98M	1.70M	0.10M	0.21M	0.39M	0.38M	0.21M
2013	3.16M	1.27M	0.48M	0.69M	0.26M	0.14M	5.20M	1.02M	1.78M	0.10M	0.22M	0.41M	0.40M	0.22M
2014	3.30M	1.32M	0.48M	0.72M	0.26M	0.14M	5.44M	1.07M	1.86M	0.10M	0.22M	0.44M	0.42M	0.23M
2015	3.44M	1.37M	0.49M	0.75M	0.26M	0.14M	5.67M	1.12M	1.94M	0.10M	0.22M	0.46M	0.44M	0.24M
2016	3.53M	1.40M	0.47M	0.72M	0.25M	0.14M	5.80M	1.14M	1.97M	0.10M	0.21M	0.47M	0.45M	0.24M
2017	3.62M	1.42M	0.46M	0.68M	0.24M	0.13M	5.92M	1.16M	2.00M	0.09M	0.19M	0.47M	0.45M	0.25M
2018	3.71M	1.45M	0.44M	0.65M	0.22M	0.13M	6.05M	1.18M	2.03M	0.09M	0.18M	0.47M	0.46M	0.25M
2019	3.80M	1.48M	0.42M	0.61M	0.21M	0.12M	6.17M	1.20M	2.06M	0.09M	0.16M	0.47M	0.47M	0.26M
2020	3.89M	1.51M	0.41M	0.58M	0.20M	0.11M	6.29M	1.22M	2.09M	0.08M	0.15M	0.48M	0.48M	0.26M
2021	3.97M	1.55M	0.42M	0.61M	0.20M	0.11M	6.42M	1.26M	2.14M	0.08M	0.16M	0.48M	0.49M	0.27M
2022	4.05M	1.58M	0.44M	0.64M	0.21M	0.12M	6.54M	1.31M	2.19M	0.08M	0.17M	0.49M	0.51M	0.28M
2023	4.13M	1.62M	0.45M	0.67M	0.22M	0.12M	6.67M	1.35M	2.24M	0.09M	0.18M	0.49M	0.52M	0.29M
2024	4.21M	1.66M	0.47M	0.70M	0.23M	0.12M	6.79M	1.39M	2.29M	0.09M	0.19M	0.49M	0.54M	0.29M
2025	4.28M	1.69M	0.48M	0.73M	0.24M	0.12M	6.92M	1.43M	2.34M	0.09M	0.20M	0.50M	0.55M	0.30M
2026	4.35M	1.72M	0.49M	0.74M	0.24M	0.12M	7.02M	1.46M	2.37M	0.09M	0.20M	0.50M	0.57M	0.31M
2027	4.42M	1.75M	0.50M	0.75M	0.25M	0.12M	7.13M	1.49M	2.41M	0.09M	0.21M	0.50M	0.59M	0.31M
2028	4.49M	1.78M	0.51M	0.76M	0.26M	0.12M	7.24M	1.51M	2.44M	0.09M	0.21M	0.51M	0.61M	0.31M
2029	4.55M	1.80M	0.52M	0.77M	0.26M	0.12M	7.35M	1.54M	2.48M	0.09M	0.21M	0.51M	0.63M	0.32M
2030	4.62M	1.83M	0.53M	0.79M	0.27M	0.12M	7.46M	1.57M	2.51M	0.09M	0.22M	0.51M	0.64M	0.32M
2031	4.68M	1.86M	0.53M	0.81M	0.28M	0.12M	7.55M	1.59M	2.55M	0.09M	0.23M	0.51M	0.66M	0.33M
2032	4.74M	1.88M	0.54M	0.84M	0.28M	0.12M	7.64M	1.62M	2.58M	0.09M	0.23M	0.51M	0.67M	0.33M
2033	4.80M	1.91M	0.55M	0.87M	0.29M	0.12M	7.73M	1.64M	2.62M	0.09M	0.24M	0.51M	0.68M	0.33M
2034	4.86M	1.93M	0.56M	0.90M	0.30M	0.12M	7.82M	1.67M	2.65M	0.09M	0.25M	0.52M	0.69M	0.34M
2035	4.92M	1.96M	0.57M	0.93M	0.31M	0.12M	7.92M	1.69M	2.68M	0.09M	0.25M	0.52M	0.70M	0.34M
2036	4.99M	1.98M	0.58M	0.94M	0.31M	0.12M	8.01M	1.72M	2.72M	0.09M	0.26M	0.52M	0.72M	0.34M
2037	5.05M	2.01M	0.59M	0.95M	0.32M	0.12M	8.10M	1.75M	2.76M	0.09M	0.27M	0.52M	0.73M	0.35M
2038	5.11M	2.03M	0.60M	0.96M	0.32M	0.12M	8.19M	1.78M	2.79M	0.09M	0.27M	0.52M	0.75M	0.35M
2039	5.18M	2.06M	0.61M	0.98M	0.32M	0.12M	8.28M	1.81M	2.83M	0.09M	0.28M	0.52M	0.76M	0.35M
2040	5.24M	2.08M	0.62M	0.99M	0.33M	0.12M	8.37M	1.84M	2.87M	0.09M	0.29M	0.52M	0.78M	0.36M
2041	5.30M	2.12M	0.63M	1.01M	0.34M	0.12M	8.44M	1.87M	2.90M	0.09M	0.29M	0.52M	0.80M	0.36M
2042	5.35M	2.15M	0.63M	1.04M	0.34M	0.12M	8.52M	1.89M	2.93M	0.09M	0.30M	0.52M	0.81M	0.36M
2043	5.41M	2.18M	0.64M	1.06M	0.35M	0.12M	8.60M	1.92M	2.96M	0.09M	0.30M	0.52M	0.83M	0.37M
2044	5.46M	2.21M	0.65M	1.09M	0.35M	0.12M	8.67M	1.95M	3.00M	0.09M	0.31M	0.52M	0.85M	0.37M
2045	5.52M	2.24M	0.66M	1.11M	0.36M	0.13M	8.75M	1.98M	3.03M	0.09M	0.32M	0.52M	0.86M	0.37M
2046	5.57M	2.27M	0.67M	1.13M	0.37M	0.13M	8.83M	2.00M	3.06M	0.09M	0.32M	0.53M	0.87M	0.38M
2047	5.63M	2.29M	0.67M	1.14M	0.37M	0.13M	8.91M	2.03M	3.09M	0.09M	0.33M	0.53M	0.89M	0.38M
2048	5.68M	2.32M	0.68M	1.15M	0.38M	0.13M	8.99M	2.05M	3.13M	0.09M	0.33M	0.53M	0.90M	0.39M
2049	5.73M	2.35M	0.69M	1.17M	0.39M	0.13M	9.07M	2.08M	3.16M	0.09M	0.34M	0.53M	0.91M	0.39M
2050	5.78M	2.37M	0.70M	1.18M	0.39M	0.13M	9.15M	2.10M	3.19M	0.09M	0.35M	0.53M	0.93M	0.39M

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Frequently asked questions

What is the largest city in Saudi Arabia?

Riyadh is the largest city in Saudi Arabia in the UN 2025 series, with about 6.92 million people. Jeddah follows at 4.28 million. These figures use the UN Degree of Urbanization definition, not municipal boundaries.

Which city is projected to be largest in Saudi Arabia in 2050?

The UN projects Riyadh to rank first in 2050, with about 9.15 million people. This is a projection, not an observed population count.

Was Riyadh also the largest city in 1975?

The 1975 ranking was led by Jeddah, with 0.19 million people. The table preserves every city that reached the top ten in any year shown, including cities outside the top ten today.

Where does this data come from?

UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects: The 2025 Revision (File 21), city population, millions, 1975–2050 (projected after 2025). Retrieved November 5, 2026. Cities as defined by the Degree of Urbanization (contiguous dense areas), so figures differ from city-proper or metro counts. Blank cells indicate that the source supplies no city value for that year, not zero population. You can download the full table as a CSV from this page.

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