Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom: Urban population
Urban population in 2025: 84.6% in Saudi Arabia and 83.3% in United Kingdom, by UN estimates. In 2025 the value was higher in Saudi Arabia, by 1.3 percentage points, or 1.02 times that in United Kingdom.
Saudi ArabiaUnited Kingdom
Watch it change on the map% of people · UN · log scale
Latest figures
% of people · UN
| Country | Latest | 10 years before | Rank in 2025 | Projected |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saudi Arabia | 84.6 2025 | 83 | 51 of 229 | 87.5 2050 |
| United Kingdom | 83.3 2025 | 81.8 | 54 of 229 | 84.4 2050 |
What the numbers say
- Saudi Arabia has been higher since 1993, when it overtook United Kingdom.
- In 2025, Saudi Arabia ranked 51 and United Kingdom ranked 54 of 229 countries, counting from the highest.
- The UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) puts Saudi Arabia at 87.5% and United Kingdom at 84.4% in 2050.
Every year
% of people · UN
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 84.6 | 83.3 |
| 2024 | 84.5 | 83.2 |
| 2023 | 84.3 | 83.2 |
| 2022 | 84.1 | 83.1 |
| 2021 | 84 | 83 |
| 2020 | 83.8 | 82.9 |
| 2019 | 83.6 | 82.7 |
| 2018 | 83.5 | 82.5 |
| 2017 | 83.3 | 82.2 |
| 2016 | 83.1 | 82 |
| 2015 | 83 | 81.8 |
| 2014 | 82.8 | 81.6 |
| 2013 | 82.6 | 81.5 |
| 2012 | 82.4 | 81.3 |
| 2011 | 82.3 | 81.1 |
| 2010 | 82.1 | 81 |
| 2009 | 81.9 | 80.9 |
| 2008 | 81.6 | 80.8 |
| 2007 | 81.4 | 80.7 |
| 2006 | 81.2 | 80.6 |
| 2005 | 81 | 80.5 |
| 2004 | 80.8 | 80.3 |
| 2003 | 80.5 | 80.2 |
| 2002 | 80.3 | 80.1 |
| 2001 | 80.2 | 80 |
| 2000 | 80 | 79.8 |
| 1999 | 79.8 | 79.6 |
| 1998 | 79.6 | 79.4 |
| 1997 | 79.4 | 79.1 |
| 1996 | 79.2 | 78.9 |
| 1995 | 78.9 | 78.7 |
| 1994 | 78.7 | 78.5 |
| 1993 | 78.3 | 78.3 |
| 1992 | 78 | 78.2 |
| 1991 | 77.6 | 78.1 |
| 1990 | 77 | 78.1 |
| 1989 | 76.3 | 78.1 |
| 1988 | 75.6 | 78.2 |
| 1987 | 74.8 | 78.3 |
| 1986 | 73.9 | 78.3 |
| 1985 | 72.9 | 78.4 |
| 1984 | 71.9 | 78.5 |
| 1983 | 70.6 | 78.5 |
| 1982 | 69.3 | 78.6 |
| 1981 | 67.9 | 78.6 |
| 1980 | 66.4 | 78.6 |
| 1979 | 64.9 | 78.5 |
| 1978 | 63.3 | 78.3 |
| 1977 | 61.7 | 78.1 |
| 1976 | 60.1 | 77.8 |
| 1975 | 58.4 | 77.6 |
| 1974 | 56.8 | 77.3 |
| 1973 | 55.1 | 77.1 |
| 1972 | 53.2 | 77 |
| 1971 | 51.2 | 76.9 |
| 1970 | 49.2 | 76.9 |
| 1969 | 47.1 | 77 |
| 1968 | 45 | 77.1 |
| 1967 | 42.9 | 77.2 |
| 1966 | 40.9 | 77.4 |
| 1965 | 39 | 77.6 |
| 1964 | 37.2 | 77.8 |
| 1963 | 35.6 | 78 |
| 1962 | 34.1 | 78.2 |
| 1961 | 32.8 | 78.4 |
| 1960 | 31.4 | 78.6 |
| 1959 | 30.2 | 78.8 |
| 1958 | 29 | 79 |
| 1957 | 27.8 | 79.3 |
| 1956 | 26.7 | 79.5 |
| 1955 | 25.6 | 79.8 |
| 1954 | 24.6 | 80 |
| 1953 | 23.7 | 80.1 |
| 1952 | 22.8 | 80.2 |
| 1951 | 22 | 80.3 |
| 1950 | 21.3 | 80.3 |
UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025) · 2026–2050
| Year | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 84.8 | 83.4 |
| 2027 | 84.9 | 83.5 |
| 2028 | 85.1 | 83.6 |
| 2029 | 85.2 | 83.6 |
| 2030 | 85.4 | 83.7 |
| 2031 | 85.5 | 83.8 |
| 2032 | 85.6 | 83.8 |
| 2033 | 85.8 | 83.9 |
| 2034 | 85.9 | 83.9 |
| 2035 | 86 | 84 |
| 2036 | 86.2 | 84.1 |
| 2037 | 86.3 | 84.1 |
| 2038 | 86.4 | 84.2 |
| 2039 | 86.5 | 84.2 |
| 2040 | 86.6 | 84.2 |
| 2041 | 86.7 | 84.3 |
| 2042 | 86.8 | 84.3 |
| 2043 | 86.9 | 84.3 |
| 2044 | 87 | 84.4 |
| 2045 | 87.1 | 84.4 |
| 2046 | 87.2 | 84.4 |
| 2047 | 87.3 | 84.4 |
| 2048 | 87.3 | 84.4 |
| 2049 | 87.4 | 84.4 |
| 2050 | 87.5 | 84.4 |
Each country on its own
Good to know
- The share of people living in places the country itself counts as urban.
- Source: UN DESA, World Urbanization Prospects 2025.
- The dashed line is the UN projection (World Urbanization Prospects 2025), a scenario rather than a forecast.
- Ranks count the 229 countries with a value in 2025, highest first.
How the layers work, where their data comes from and what they can’t tell you: Countries through time