Saudi Arabia Cities by Population 2024

As the world's 13th largest country by area, it is no surprise that Saudia Arabia is also one of the most populous countries in the world. The city of Riyadh is the country's largest, boasting a population of over 4 million, which contributes heavily to the total population. In addition to Riyadh, there are three additional cities that have populations exceeding one million. There are also 19 cities that have over 100,000 residents, and an additional 44 that each surpass the 10,000 person milestone. These cities are spread across Saudi Arabia's 13 different regions. Each region also has a capital and governorates, which are further divided into sub-governorates. There are a total of 118 governorates in this country.

With such a large population, the majority of Saudi Arabian residents live in the urbanized cities. Just 17% of the population lives in the country's rural areas, while the remaining 83% live in the larger cities that provide more opportunities, both in industries including oil, finance and agriculture, and education. This is a dramatic decrease from the 1960 recorded rural population of 69% of the population. Like many other countries, however, the development and expansion of cities, combined with migrants and natives moving to the cities, has contributed to the decline in rural populations.