Population

According to the officials census taken in September 2004, the kindom’s population was 22.67 million. The Central Department of Statistics and Information (CDSI) is currently planning to conduct the general census of population and housing for 2010. In the meantime, the Saudi Arabian Monestry Agency’s (SAMA) 45th Annual Report released the latest preliminary estimates, the Kingdom’s population was 24.81 million in 2008,representing a growth rate of 2.3 percent over the previous year’s estimate of 24.24 million. These estimates also revealed that the total population is expected to reach 29.3 million by 2015, averaging a growth rate of 2.5 percent per annum. The Saudi population constituted 73 percent (18.12 million), while non-Saudis constitutes 27 percent(6.69 million) of the total population.

Saudi Arabia is also among the fastest growing young societies worldwide. According to SAMA, over 40 percent of the Kindom’s population is below 20 years of age. The majority of the population is concentrated in three regions, Makka, with 25.1 percent (6.23 million), Riyadh, with 24.5 percent (6.08 million), and the Eastern Province, with 14.7 percent (3.64 million). The high growth rate of the Kingdom’s population can be attributed to improvements in economic, health, and social conditions over the course of the past three decades.

People:

Population 27,601,038 (2007); males, 15,034,806 (2007 est.); females, 12,566,232 (2007 est.)

Population Density 8 people per square mile (11 people per square kilometer)

Population Growth Rate 2.06% (2007 est.)

Net Migration Rate -5.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.)

Fertility Rate 3.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)

Birthrate 29.1 births per 1,000 population (2007)

Death Rate 2.55 deaths per 1,000 population (2007)

Life Expectancy at Birth Total population: 75.8 years; male, 73.9 years; female, 78.0 years (2007 est.)

Median Age total: 21.4; male, 22.9; female, 19.6 (2007 est.)

Ethnic Groups Arab, 90%, Afro-Asian, 100% Religion Muslim, 100% Language Arabic (official)

Literacy (Age 15 and over can read and write) Total population: 78.8% (84.7%, male; 70.8%, female) (2003)