Drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Drinking water usage in urban areas was 205.23 people in 2024. ▲ Rising
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2024
Source: WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data. Measured in people.
Analysis
In 2024, drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia stood at 205.23 people. That is the highest value across all 25 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 2.4% on the previous year and up 20.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia peaked at 205.23 people in 2024 and was at its lowest, 91.65 people, in 2000.
Saudi Arabia ranks 76th of 188 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 25 years of available data.
Drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | people | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 91.65 people | — |
| 2001 | 96.82 people | +5.6% |
| 2002 | 102.05 people | +5.4% |
| 2003 | 107.34 people | +5.2% |
| 2004 | 112.7 people | +5.0% |
| 2005 | 118.13 people | +4.8% |
| 2006 | 123.64 people | +4.7% |
| 2007 | 129.23 people | +4.5% |
| 2008 | 134.91 people | +4.4% |
| 2009 | 140.67 people | +4.3% |
| 2010 | 146.51 people | +4.2% |
| 2011 | 152.44 people | +4.0% |
| 2012 | 158.45 people | +3.9% |
| 2013 | 164.53 people | +3.8% |
| 2014 | 170.68 people | +3.7% |
| 2015 | 176.9 people | +3.6% |
| 2016 | 181.77 people | +2.8% |
| 2017 | 182.63 people | +0.5% |
| 2018 | 180.63 people | -1.1% |
| 2019 | 181.75 people | +0.6% |
| 2020 | 185.33 people | +2.0% |
| 2021 | 187.84 people | +1.4% |
| 2022 | 193.42 people | +3.0% |
| 2023 | 200.49 people | +3.7% |
| 2024 | 205.23 people | +2.4% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 115.71 people | 91.65 people | 140.67 people | 10 |
| 2010s | 169.63 people | 146.51 people | 182.63 people | 10 |
| 2020s | 194.46 people | 185.33 people | 205.23 people | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More environment data for Saudi Arabia
- Historical exposure to drought — Land soil moisture anomaly -52.52 Percentage change (2025)
- Historical exposure to drought — Cropland soil moisture anomaly -27.86 Percentage change (2025)
- Standard Deviation, annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Standard Deviation 0.424 °C (2025)
- Temperature change 1.58 °C (2025)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), annual 2.53 % change on previous year (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per unit 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Total greenhouse gas emissions excluding LULUCF (Mt CO2e), per capita 0 Mt CO2e per person (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), annual growth rate 9.62 % change on previous year (2024)
- Methane (CH4) emissions from Agriculture (Mt CO2e), per unit of GDP 0 Mt CO2e per US$ of GDP (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia?
- Drinking water usage in urban areas in Saudi Arabia was 205.23 people in 2024, according to WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 205.23 people in 2024.
- What is the lowest drinking water usage in urban areas recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 91.65 people in 2000.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for drinking water usage in urban areas?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 76th out of 188 countries with data for 2024.
- Is drinking water usage in urban areas rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 20.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from WHO/UNICEF Joint Monitoring Programme for Water Supply, Sanitation and Hygiene (2025) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Drinking water usage in urban areas. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 25 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Number of people using drinking water directly collected from surface waters.