The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced the results of the Saudi 2022 census, which puts the population of the Kingdom at 32.1 million with 18.8 million nationals, of which 63 percent are under the age of 30 and 13.4 million residents.
The census showed that the total number of Saudi families accounted for 4.2 million, with an average size of 4.8 persons per family.
The percentage of Saudi males was close to that of Saudi females, as the ratio of males reached 50.2 percent, compared to 49.8 percent for females.
The census data was collected using various techniques, such as more than one million phone calls, 900,000 field visits, and advanced data analysis and statistics methods.
It has been conducted in line with the best international methodologies and with the help of the latest technologies.
Comparisons included five different data sources, and more than 200 indicators reviewed the data to confirm its accuracy.
- Saudi Arabia: a young society
The statistics showed that the Kingdom has a young population, with a median age of 29 and a population of Saudis under 30 making up 63 percent of the total, making Saudi Arabia one of the youngest countries in the world.
Minister of Economy and Planning, Chairman of the Board of Directors of GASTAT, Faisal al-Ibrahim, said the 2022 census was the most comprehensive and accurate in the Kingdom's history.
Ibrahim indicated that the outputs would be a "key pillar for planning and decision-making" and supporting the investment environment in the Kingdom for developing various sectors and achieving Vision 2030 goals.
The minister stressed that the figures are a performance measurement for government agencies and help make local, regional, and international comparisons with accuracy and transparency.
- Modern technologies and accurate data
The Chairman of the Authority, Fahad al-Dossari, indicated that they are seeking to keep pace with the transformations witnessed by Vision 2030.
Dossari noted that since the Authority's launch, the quality and accuracy of data have improved steadily, integration and participation between government agencies have increased, and the digital infrastructure has developed in the Kingdom.
He asserted that the Authority followed the best international methodologies and the latest technologies in implementing the census plan and followed modern methods for issuing data through cooperation with various government agencies.
The Saudi 2022 census is the most comprehensive and precise population survey conducted in the Kingdom's history, noting the official indicated that the results were more than 95 percent accurate.
- Successful housing plans
Researcher Abdulsalam al-Wail reported that the results of the announced census showed an improvement in data collection methodologies and modern technologies, significantly increasing its accuracy compared to previous years.
Wail told Asharq Al-Awsat that it was a positive indication to have a large number of young citizens in the country, noting that the results of the statistic showed a young society that would work in the coming years to advance development under Vision 2030.
Compared to the previous census, the data showed an increase in the number of Saudi homeowners, said the expert, which he believed was an indication of the success of the citizens' housing plans.
Over the past five years, the Ministry of Housing announced many initiatives to increase home ownership in the Kingdom.
Last year, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman announced that Saudi Arabia is seeking a population of 50 to 60 million by 2030, half of whom are Saudis.
