Domestic pilgrims have hovered between 500,000 and 700,000 since 1434, against over a million foreign pilgrims per year. Of the numbers for 1438, 209,415 were Saudis from KSA, and 390, 693 were Saudi residents from other nationalities. Nearly 14% of the non-Saudi domestic pilgrims came from Pakistan, the largest contingent after Egypt, followed by 10.7% of the cohort from India and then 9% from Yemen.
Other statistics included:
- Overseas pilgrims numbered 1.7 million. Just 1% of them arrived by sea, and another 5% overland; the rest arrived by air.
- GCC countries accounted for 35.3% of pilgrims, while 37.3% were from Asia excluding Arab countries.
- The majority of pilgrims arrived from the 19th of Dhul-Qa'adah, the month preceding Dhul-Hijjah when the Hajj is performed. Nearly 18% arrived from the 19th to 24th of Dhul-Qa'adah, with another 27% from 25-30 Dhul-Qa'adah. A quarter of the pilgrims arrived from 1-7 Dhul-Hijjah. The Hajj begins on the 8th of Dhul-Hijjah, ending on the 13th of the month.
- Almost 160,000 people were engaged in pilgrim services for 1438. This number excludes security forces. Some 86,987 people were managing welcome activities, supervision, energy, awareness-building and affairs for the two holy mosques - Al-Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah. Nearly 31,000 people were involved in health services, and close to 36,000 in transportation. Telecommunications services accounted for 3,743 persons.
The Hajj statistics programme aims at providing comprehensive and accurate data on the number of pilgrims by means of transportation and date of arrival, for use in setting up plans and programs required for extending distinguished services to pilgrims, the number of pilgrims from Makkah is calculated based on a survey implemented by General Authority for Statistics.
Hajj statistics centres are located at all entrances to Makkah in KSA, as well as at other support centres in the cities of Jeddah, Taif, and Medina. The counting usually begins on the first day of Dhu al-Hijjah, and ends at 6pm of the 9th day of the same month. The counting process also covers the pilgrims from overseas who are counted by General Directorate of Passports at KSA's borders.
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View the 1438 report (PDF)