Quick facts
Makkah overview
Makkah (orange) and the other large cities of Saudi Arabia
Makkah lies in Mecca Region in Saudi Arabia at 21.43°N, 39.83°E, about 333 m above sea level. The local time zone is Asia/Riyadh (UTC+3); GeoNames classifies it as a regional capital.
It is smaller than Riyadh (4,205,961) and larger than Madinah (1,300,000). The largest city in Saudi Arabia is Jeddah with 4,697,000 people; the capital, Riyadh, has 4,205,961.
The national capital, Riyadh, is about 793 km away; the nearest large city is Ta’if, 64 km from Makkah.
Saudi Arabia as a whole has a live population of 35,340,881 (+1.7% a year) and ranks #47 of 238 countries — see the Saudi Arabia population page for the full statistics and the Saudi Arabia atlas for provinces, terrain and society maps.
Cities near Makkah
Largest cities in Saudi Arabia
| # | City | Region | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeddah | Mecca Region | 4,697,000 |
| 2 | RiyadhCapital | Riyadh Region | 4,205,961 |
| 3 | Makkah | Mecca Region | 1,578,722 |
| 4 | Madinah | Medina Region | 1,300,000 |
| 5 | Dammam | Eastern Province | 1,252,523 |
| 6 | Sulţānah | Medina Region | 946,697 |
| 7 | Buraydah | Al-Qassim Region | 745,353 |
| 8 | Ta’if | Mecca Region | 688,693 |
| 9 | Tabuk | Tabuk Region | 667,000 |
| 10 | Ha'il | Ha'il Region | 605,930 |
Frequently asked questions
What is the population of Makkah?
Makkah has about 1,578,722 inhabitants according to the latest official census or estimate compiled by GeoNames. This is the city proper; the metropolitan area is larger.
Is Makkah the capital of Saudi Arabia?
No. The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh (4,205,961 people), about 793 km away. Makkah is the 3rd largest city of the country and a regional capital.
How big is Makkah compared with the rest of Saudi Arabia?
Its 1,578,722 residents are 4.5% of the 35,340,881 people living in Saudi Arabia today. Jeddah is larger with 4,697,000 people.
Where is Makkah?
In Mecca Region, Saudi Arabia, at latitude 21.43 and longitude 39.83, 333 m above sea level. Nearby large cities include Ta’if (64 km), Jeddah (67 km).
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Cite or link to this page
Glostats. (2026). Makkah Population 2026 — Saudi Arabia. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://glostats.com/cities/saudi-arabia/makkah/<a href="https://glostats.com/cities/saudi-arabia/makkah/">Makkah Population 2026 — Saudi Arabia</a> — GlostatsFigures on this page may be quoted, charted or republished as long as the page is credited with a link. Terms · Download the data as CSV · Embed a live counter.
City populations are GeoNames figures (CC BY 4.0): the latest official census or estimate for the city proper — the municipality, not the wider metropolitan area — so they can differ from "metro area" numbers you see elsewhere. Country populations are live Glostats estimates from the UN World Population Prospects. Distances are great-circle distances between city centres. Page generated 2026-10-20. More about our data.