MigrantoSaudi Diaspora
236.7K Saudis live abroad — 1% of the population of Saudi Arabia
Saudi diaspora by country
The top 3 countries are home to 58% of the diaspora
| Country | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| Turkey | 61221 |
| Libya | 40027 |
| Canada | 35996 |
| Palestine | 24923 |
| Australia | 14397 |
| India | 10381 |
| Indonesia | 8877 |
| Sweden | 8610 |
| UAE | 6157 |
| Algeria | 3992 |
| Egypt | 3490 |
| Kuwait | 2406 |
| Mali | 1906 |
| Senegal | 1513 |
| Venezuela | 1454 |
| Italy | 1449 |
| Sri Lanka | 1432 |
| Norway | 1072 |
| Qatar | 956 |
| Iraq | 690 |
| Bahrain | 619 |
| South Africa | 577 |
| Finland | 570 |
| Denmark | 563 |
| Hungary | 532 |
| Greece | 459 |
| Brazil | 386 |
| Mauritania | 357 |
| China | 276 |
| Cyprus | 243 |
| Colombia | 213 |
| Mexico | 204 |
| Bulgaria | 191 |
| Malta | 134 |
| Panama | 90 |
| Luxembourg | 68 |
| Slovakia | 52 |
| Guatemala | 35 |
| Slovenia | 29 |
| Guinea | 27 |
| Iceland | 27 |
| Costa Rica | 19 |
| Estonia | 18 |
| Dominican Republic | 18 |
| Bolivia | 16 |
| Lithuania | 15 |
| Latvia | 12 |
By region
41% of the diaspora lives in the Middle East
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Key facts
The Saudi diaspora in numbers
The community in Turkey is growing fastest
The number of Saudis living in Turkey has grown 350% since 2015, from 13.6K to 61.2K.
Most Saudis abroad live in Turkey
26% of the diaspora lives in Turkey, while the next country accounts for just 17%.
The map of the diaspora has changed since 1990
4 countries have entered the top 20 since 1990: Mali, Italy, Sri Lanka. Mali climbed from outside the top 20 to #13.
The share of the diaspora living in North America has grown since 1990
1.9% of the diaspora lived in North America in 1990, compared with 15.2% today.
Saudi diaspora population over time
People living abroad, by year
| Year | Emigrants |
|---|---|
| 1990 | 73557 |
| 1995 | 91112 |
| 2000 | 113266 |
| 2005 | 110937 |
| 2010 | 143733 |
| 2015 | 159958 |
| 2020 | 215551 |
| 2024 | 236699 |
Largest communities over time
Saudis living in the 5 largest countries, by year
| Year | Turkey | Libya | Canada | Palestine | Australia |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 3312 | 12976 | 1426 | 21258 | 599 |
| 1995 | 3838 | 19379 | 3403 | 20773 | 965 |
| 2000 | 4363 | 26101 | 7439 | 20289 | 1525 |
| 2005 | 7122 | 28771 | 11205 | 20238 | 2969 |
| 2010 | 10027 | 31573 | 20892 | 23955 | 12383 |
| 2015 | 13612 | 35352 | 28250 | 24094 | 14386 |
| 2020 | 51517 | 37866 | 29531 | 24951 | 14974 |
| 2024 | 61221 | 40027 | 35996 | 24923 | 14397 |
Fastest-changing communities
How the number of Saudis in each country has changed since the selected year
Saudis among immigrants in other countries
Where Saudis make up the largest share of a country's immigrants
Data source: International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division)
Frequently asked questions
How many Saudis live outside Saudi Arabia?
Around 236.7K Saudis live abroad, the world's #127 largest diaspora.
Where do most Saudis abroad live?
Most Saudis live in Turkey, Libya and Canada — these three countries account for about 58% of all Saudis living abroad.
Which country has the largest Saudi population outside Saudi Arabia?
Turkey is home to the largest Saudi community abroad — 61.2K people, about 26% of all Saudis living abroad.
What share of the population of Saudi Arabia lives abroad?
About 1% of the population of Saudi Arabia lives abroad — that's 236.7K out of a total population of 35.3M.
Is the Saudi diaspora growing?
Yes — over the past decade, the number of Saudis living abroad has grown from 160K to 236.7K, about 48%.
Where does the data on the Saudi diaspora come from?
The source is International Migrant Stock 2024 (UN DESA, Population Division). It counts people born in Saudi Arabia who now live in other countries. Descendants of emigrants born abroad are not included.
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Living in Saudi Arabia
See the full country overview