Hajj Statistics: A Complete Guide

Hajj refers to the annual pilgrimage made to the Kaaba in the holy city of Mecca during the month of Dhuʻl-Hijjah. It bears immense significance as it is an obligation for every financially and physically capable adult Muslim to perform Hajj at least once in their lifetime.

During the Hajj season, millions of Muslims from all around the world travel to Saudi Arabia, making it a huge logistical event. Reviewing the Hajj statistics helps us understand the scale of the pilgrimage and study trends, such as changes in the demographics of the pilgrims. It also helps the Saudi authorities to prepare adequately for the Hajj the following year and to put in place any new measures if necessary. If you’re a Muslim looking to perform Hajj, these statistics can enable you to better plan for your pilgrimage to Mecca. 

Read on to learn about some key facts about Hajj 2025, the changing trends over the past years, and why Hajj is important. 

2025 Key Hajj Statistics at a Glance 

• 📉 During COVID-19 in 2020, only 10,000 pilgrims were allowed under strict controls
• 🕋 The largest Hajj in history was in 2023, with over 1.84 million pilgrims
• 🌍 1.6 million were international pilgrims from over 180 countries
• 🕋 More than 63% of the pilgrims arrived from Asian countries In 2024 , and this trend is expected to continue in 2025, with the largest number of pilgrims set to arrive from Indonesia. 
• Hajj 2025 figures may exceed those of 2024, as more than 1.25 million pilgrims have already arrived in Saudi Arabia as of May 28, 2025.

Total Number of Pilgrims Over the Years

Here are some key statistics regarding the number of Hajj pilgrims in recent years: 

• 2019: 📉 Nearly 2.5 million people who completed the Hajj before the pandemic. 
• 2020: Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only 10,000 people were permitted to participate that year. 
• 2021: 🧕 With the slight relaxation of pandemic restrictions, nearly 58,000 Muslims performed Hajj. 
• 2022: With more restrictions lifted, the Saudi government capped the number of pilgrims to 1 million, resulting in about 926,000 pilgrims that year. 
• 2023: 🕋 That year saw the highest number of Hajj pilgrims since the pandemic, with over 1.84 million pilgrims in attendance. 
• 2024: 🌍 The number of pilgrims sustained from 2023 to 2024, with more than 1.83 million in attendance and 1.6 million of them being international pilgrims. 
• 2025: 🔮 Over one million pilgrims are expected to attend Hajj 2025, potentially surpassing pre-pandemic records

Over the past five years, the numbers fluctuated significantly as unprecedented restrictions were imposed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Another factor influencing the figures is the quotas given to different countries. Saudi Arabia permits a certain number of pilgrims to arrive from each country yearly, usually based on the number of Muslims living there. Policy changes by the Saudi government also influence the figures. 

What Year Had the Largest Number of Hajj Pilgrims?

2012 saw the highest number of pilgrims in history, with around 3.16 million people having travelled to Mecca for Hajj. This figure consisted of 1.7 million international pilgrims, with the remaining 1.4 million individuals originating from Saudi Arabia.

Even though the number of pilgrims has increased after the pandemic, with figures peaking at 1.84 million in 2023, it is still considerably less than the 3.16 million pilgrims who attended Hajj 2012. 

The Saudi government cut quotas for each country by 20% in 2013 to enable further construction works to expand the Grand Mosque. The quotas were likely reduced to protect pilgrims from overcrowding and injuries or loss of life due to stampedes. 

Pilgrim Data by Age, Gender, and Travel Mode

Here are specific figures of pilgrims according to age, gender, and travel mode: 

Age

Here are key statistics regarding the age of pilgrims: 

• A majority of the pilgrims are usually in the age range of 35~65.
• This may be due to the long waiting list that Muslims have to be on to travel to Mecca. Another reason may be the high costs involved in traveling to Mecca, such as the flight tickets, food and accommodation costs, and other Hajj-related expenses.

Gender

Review some important figures concerning the gender of pilgrims: 

• In 2024, roughly 52% of the pilgrims were male, while 48% of them were female. 
• The percentage of female pilgrims has increased over the past few years, as only 44% of the pilgrims were female in 2019. 
• This change may be due to major policy changes that several countries have made that allow women to perform Hajj without a male guardian (Mahrem).

Travel Mode

Here are some statistics regarding how pilgrims travel to Saudi Arabia: 

• In 2024, 94% of pilgrims traveled by flight, 5% by land, and 1% by sea. 
• In the past, most pilgrims traveled to Mecca by land, so this is a significant change that can be attributed to the increased accessibility to travel by air. 
• There is also a dedicated Hajj Terminal at Jeddah’s King Abdulaziz International Airport to facilitate the large arrivals of pilgrims into the Kingdom during the Hajj period. 

Country-Wise Breakdown of Pilgrims

Some countries have a significantly higher number of pilgrims than others. This is due to the quotas allocated to them by the Saudi government. Indonesia has the highest Muslim population worldwide and usually sends the most pilgrims, with around 221,000 pilgrims expected in 2025. 

Indonesia is closely followed by Pakistan, which has a quota of 180,000 pilgrims, and then India, with a quota of around 175,000. Saudi Arabia allocates Hajj quotas based mainly on the number of Muslims in each country, with around 1,000 pilgrims per million Muslims. This system is intended to enable Muslims from all over the world to participate in the Hajj. 

Here are the numbers of pilgrims expected in 2025 according to countries:

• Indonesia: 221,000
• Pakistan: 180,000
• India: 175,025
• Bangladesh: 127,198
• Nigeria: 95,000
• Iran: 87,550
• Algeria: 41,300
• Turkey: 37,770
• Egypt: 35,375
• Sudan: 32,000

Effects of COVID-19 on Participation in the Hajj

In two consecutive years, COVID-19 affected the Hajj drastically. Saudi Arabia initially closed the holy sites of Mecca and Medina in February 2020. In March, they were reopened with some restrictions.

As the pandemic worsened, more extreme measures were taken. For the 2020 Hajj, the Saudi authorities decided to limit participation to 10,000 people living in Saudi Arabia. Only healthy people between the ages of 20 and 50 who had no COVID symptoms could apply. The government selected people who had never participated in the Hajj before, and 70% of the pilgrims selected were not from Saudi Arabia.

In 2021, the rules remained the same, only allowing 60,000 vaccinated people living in Saudi Arabia to undertake the pilgrimage. They had to be between the ages of 18 and 65 and had to be free from any chronic illnesses. 

Why These Statistics are Important

These figures play an important role in planning and preparing for the Hajj. Accurate figures on pilgrims help the Saudi government to decide on which areas to improve infrastructure and the kind of security measures to implement to prevent casualties due to overcrowding. The government also uses these figures to work out how many buses, temporary hospitals, security personnel, and catering services it needs.

As a potential pilgrim, these figures are useful for you to determine how likely you are to be selected for the Hajj based on the quota of your country. You can also better prepare your expectations, such as how crowded it will be and how long you will have to wait at different points. 

What to Expect for Hajj 2025

The Hajj dates for 2025 are Wednesday, June 4, to Monday, June 9. Eid al-Adha falls between this period from June 6 to June 7. That brings us to an important question: how long is the Hajj? The pilgrimage usually lasts five to six days. However, many participants stay in Saudi Arabia for two weeks or more to visit Madina as well.

Based on recent figures from the past two years, it is predicted that the number of pilgrims may cross the one million mark in 2025. 

The Hajj cost varies greatly depending on where you’re travelling from:

• UK: £4,000 to £9,000
• India: ₹560,000 to ₹1,000,000
• Indonesia: 89 to 150 million rupiah 

In most cases, these packages include flights, hotels, ground transportation in Saudi Arabia, and some meals. Premium packages allow you to stay in hotels that are closer to the holy sites and offer more comfort.

How Saudi Arabia Runs Hajj and Makes the Experience Better for Pilgrims

Every year, Saudi Arabia makes improvements to better facilitate the arrival of millions of Hajj pilgrims. For example, the Makkah Route Initiative streamlines travel procedures for pilgrims from their home countries, eliminating the need for immigration checks upon arrival. This reduces wait times and overcrowding at entry points. There is also a luggage coding and sorting system to effectively manage baggage delivery. 

Saudi Arabia also deploys security forces that work constantly to ensure the safe and smooth movement of pilgrims and secure the entrances to Mecca. They use the latest AI technologies to monitor crowd density and detect any violations. Upon receiving alerts from the system, highly skilled personnel quickly deal with the security issues. 

There are also AI-powered buses that use GPS and real-time traffic to map the most efficient routes and dynamic scheduling to adjust transportation schedules according to real-time crowd movement. 

As many people have succumbed to the intense heat and physical demands of the pilgrimage, healthcare is a vital component. Saudi Arabia has health care centres and healthcare staff ready to care for and treat pilgrims who suffer from heatstroke and other ailments. 

​​ The Jamarat Bridge has multiple levels to avoid crowding, and the Mecca Metro runs day and night, transporting 72,000 pilgrims between the holy sites every hour. Ongoing improvements include enlarging the Grand Mosque and installing better cooling systems.

Understanding Hajj: Purpose, Requirements, and Eligibility

As the fifth pillar of Islam, the Hajj represents submission to Allah and fosters spiritual renewal. More than a religious obligation, Muslims undertake this costly and physically demanding pilgrimage for a deep spiritual experience. 

All foreign pilgrims need to apply for a Hajj visa through authorized travel agents in their countries. The Saudi government also mandates that all pilgrims need to leave Saudi Arabia after Hajj, no longer than the 10th day of Muharram. 

Additionally, applicants need to be of the Muslim faith and at least 18 years old. Women are able to perform Hajj without a male guardian.

Conclusion

Hajj meaning in Islam refers to a sacred journey that unites Muslims from around the world in the holy site of Mecca. The Mecca Hajj draws millions of people who are on waitlists to perform Islamic rituals and fulfill their religious obligation. 

Since the pandemic, the number of pilgrims performing Hajj has increased, and may continue to increase in 2025. Most of the pilgrims are traveling from Asian countries, and there has been an increase in the percentage of female pilgrims. The government has been managing quotas to strike a balance between allowing as many pilgrims to perform Hajj and ensuring their safety and protection at the same time. 

Hajj statistics are a valuable resource to the Saudi government, official tour operators around the world, and Muslims who are planning to undertake the pilgrimage.

FAQs

Here are answers to frequently asked questions about Hajj: