Languages spoken in Saudi Arabia
Asia · Capital: Riyadh · Population 36.5 million
The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. An estimated 100% of the population speaks it as a first or additional language, or roughly 36.5 million people. The only other recorded language is Najdi Arabic, at 3% of the population. Arabic belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family. Arabic is also spoken in all seven of its neighbours. In total, two languages are recorded in Saudi Arabia, and their shares add up to 103% of the population, which implies the average resident speaks about 1.0 of them.
What languages are spoken in Saudi Arabia?
| Language | Share of population | Status | Estimated speakers |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArabicAfro-Asiatic | 100% | Official | 36.5 million |
| Najdi Arabic | 3% | Spoken | 1.1 million |
Percentages are the share of the population that speaks each language, including as a second language, so they add up to well over 100% in multilingual countries. Speaker counts are estimates derived from the percentage and the country's population, not counted figures.
What is the official language of Saudi Arabia?
The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Arabic is spoken by an estimated 100% of the population, or roughly 36.5 million people, counting both first-language and additional speakers.
Official status comes from Unicode CLDR. It distinguishes languages that are official nationwide, those used as de facto official without being named in law, and those official only in particular regions or territories.
How many people speak Arabic in Saudi Arabia?
An estimated 100% of Saudi Arabia's 36.5 million people speak Arabic, which works out at roughly 36.5 million speakers. That figure is derived from the population and the reported share, and it counts second-language speakers, so it is an estimate rather than a census count.
Key facts about Saudi Arabia
- Capital
- Riyadh
- Population
- 36.5 million
- Continent
- Asia
- Area
- 2,149,690 km²
- Currency
- SAR
- Languages recorded
- 2
- Land borders
- 7
- ISO codes
- SA / SAU / 682
Which countries border Saudi Arabia?
Saudi Arabia shares a land border with seven countries: the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and Yemen. Arabic, the most widely spoken language in Saudi Arabia, is also spoken in the United Arab Emirates, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, and 3 others.
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Language shares, population, and official status: Unicode CLDR. Capital, area, borders, and currency: mledoze/countries (ODbL 1.0). Flag image: flagcdn.com. Speaker counts are estimates derived from population and reported share.