ARAFAT: More than 1.7 million pilgrims are performing Hajj this year, the majority of whom live outside of Saudi Arabia, according to authorities in the Kingdom.
The total number of 1,707,301 is an increase of of 34,071, or 2.04 percent, compared with the 1,673,230 who attended the 2025 Hajj.
This comes amid continuing efforts to streamline pilgrimage operations, expand facilities at entry points and enhance services, officials said, and reflects the steady demand for Hajj places despite evolving regional and global conditions.
The increased attendance also underscores the Kingdom’s ongoing focus on operational efficiency, they added, particularly through the digitalization of services, improved crowd-management systems, and enhanced coordination between security, health and logistical authorities.
Figures provided by the General Authority for Statistics reveal that 1,546,655 pilgrims traveled from outside of the Kingdom to perform Hajj, while 160,646 are citizens or residents of Saudi Arabia. The vast majority of those arriving from abroad, 1,485,729, traveled by air, 54,429 entered the country through land crossings, and 6,497 arrived by sea.
