The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced that during the month of May 2023, the Industrial Production Index reached 1.2% compared to the same month of last year, with a slight decrease that resulted from the decline of mining and quarrying activity, which contributed directly to the decrease of the general index.   the Industrial Production Publication revealed the increase of the sub-index of manufacturing activity by 10.3% compared to the same month of last year (May 2022). However, the sub-index of electricity and gas supply activity increased by 12.0%.  The publication also indicated a decrease on the sub-index of mining and quarrying activity during the month of May 2023 by 5.5% compared to the same month of last year (May 2022).  It is noteworthy the Industrial Production Index (IPI) is an economic indicator that reflects relative changes and evolution in the volume of industrial production quantities based on the data of the Industrial Production Survey. It is implemented monthly and targets industrial establishments operating in the targeted activities, which are mining and quarrying, manufacturing, and electricity and gas supply.

General Authority for Statistics announced today that the total number of pilgrims for this year amounted to (1,845,045) pilgrims. Number of external pilgrims arriving from various ports was (1,660,915), while the number of internal pilgrims reached (184,130) citizens and residents. According to its statistical results for Hajj 1444 H, GASTAT indicated that the number of male pilgrims out of the general total number of internal and external pilgrims amounted to (969,694) pilgrims, while the number of female pilgrims reached (875,351). Regarding the statistics of external pilgrims, GASTAT indicated that the number of pilgrims from Arab countries reached (346,214) or (21%). Number of pilgrims from African countries other than Arab countries was (221,863) or (13.4%), while the number of pilgrims from Europe, America, Australia and other unclassified countries reached (36,521) or (2.1%). As for the ways of arrival, (1,593,271) pilgrims arrived through airports, (60,813) pilgrims arrived through land ports, and (6,831) pilgrims arrived through seaports. GASTAT noted that the number of countries benefiting from Makkah Route initiative was 7 countries, where the number of beneficiaries from this initiative reached (242,272) pilgrims. Travel procedures for all pilgrims benefiting from the initiative have been completed after checking health requirements, and their luggage has been transported directly from their countries of departure to their place of residence. It should be noted that GASTAT relied on administrative records data to issue statistical data and indicators for Hajj season 1444 AH / 2023, as a main source of data represented by all government and private entities concerned with serving pilgrims to provide data according to a unified form that includes a number of elements as an extension of the statistical approach that was followed during the past three years. Hajj statistics publication shows the total number of pilgrims, and their distribution according to sex, nationality, and way of arrival. It is worth noting that GASTAT is the only official statistical reference for statistical data and information in Saudi Arabia. It carries out all the statistical work, in addition to the technical oversight of the statistical sector. It also designs and implements field surveys, conducts statistical studies and researches, analyzes data and information, in addition to documenting and archiving all works of information and statistical data that cover all aspects of life in Saudi Arabia from its multiple sources. Data are written, classified, and analyzed; their indicators are extracted as well. On the other hand, GASTAT's President, Dr. Fahad bin Abdullah Al-Dossari, on behalf of all GASTAT's employees, expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, and to His Royal Highness Prince Muhammad bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister - may Allah protect them - for everything that was provided to pilgrims, asking Allah Almighty to accept their Hajj, and to help all government entities in Saudi Arabia to provide distinguished services to pilgrims. To view the executive summary of Hajj statistics 1444 AH, please visit the following link: https://www.stats.gov.sa/system/tdf/file_manger/Hajj%20Report%201444H-EN...

The General Authority for Statistics organized a virtual webinar on the Saudi Census 2022, with the participation of a number of GASTAT employees and international experts, to introduce the census methodology and the efforts made in its implementation, after announcing the results of the first phase of the Saudi Census 2022, which included demographics, households and housing. In the course of the webinar, the participating international experts confirmed that the Saudi census 2022 is one of the most powerful population censuses that have been implemented recently in the Arab region and the Middle East due to the combination between register-based data and field enumeration. They pointed out that the high level of integration and participation between government entities, and the development of digital infrastructure in Saudi Arabia contributed to achieving data quality, making it a pioneering experience in the framework of combining and comparing multiple sources. The webinar addressed several axes, most notably the statistical methodology that was used in the Saudi census 2022, which international experts described as a professional methodology. It went through several stages, beginning with the preparation of the census project, then collecting, analyzing, and processing statistical data, and finally extracting and publishing the results in line with international best practices. The webinar discussed the technical aspect of the Saudi census 2022, and the impact of the great development in the digital infrastructure witnessed by Saudi Arabia with the launch of Vision 2030. This helped in raising GASTAT’s technical capabilities, as the latest modern technologies were used in the census project, such as self-enumeration. Field enumeration process relied on geospatial data, using satellite images with the aim of improving geographical coverage, accuracy of sorting addresses, and ensuring that no dwelling was overlooked during enumeration. Satellites have also contributed to verifying dwellings data with high accuracy. The webinar included a discussion of the main quality standards that were applied in the data collection phase to ensure coverage of the entire population, and comparisons between what was applied in the Saudi census 2022 and the procedures used in a number of countries of the world, including the United States of America, the United Kingdom, and Australia, in addition to talking about the pivotal role GASTAT undertakes to maintain the highest levels of confidentiality and privacy for individuals and to protect their personal data that they provided during the data collection phase. The webinar revealed that GASTAT has allocated an integrated team to review and audit the data, and made more than a million calls to ensure the quality of work, in addition to carrying out (900,000) additional field visits to ensure the accuracy and quality of the data collected. It also compared five different sources of data and reviewed them through 200 indicators of data quality. This had a great impact in providing an accurate population database that will be used as a reliable basis for developing economic and social policies. The webinar emphasized that this reflects the importance of the census project in providing accurate and reliable data and various statistical indicators on the demographics of Saudi Arabia that support decision-makers and contribute to the development of plans and policy-making in all sectors and fields.

General Authority for Statistics announced that the total number of pilgrims during 2022 reached (24,715,307), including 9,517,829 pilgrims who performed Umrah for one time. Total number of external Umrah performers reached (8,372,429), where males reached 3,700,785, by 44.20%, and female reached (4,671,644), representing 55.80%. However, total number of internal Umrah performers reached (16,342,878), where the number of Saudis among them recorded (6,642,881), representing 40.65%, and the number of non-Saudi pilgrims reached (9,699,997), representing 59.35%. Total number of internal male pilgrims made up(11,033,994) with a percentage of 67.52%, while the number of female pilgrims reached (5,308,884) with a percentage of 32.48%. April was the most intense month during the year in terms of the number of pilgrims, recording (5,479,637). However, Makkah region was the largest in terms of the total number of internal pilgrims, recording (10,270,637). Regarding Hajj statistics during the past year (1443 / 2022), the total number of pilgrims reached (926, 062), where external pilgrims, who came through various ports, recorded (781,409) with a percentage of 84.4%, while the number of internal pilgrims reached (144,653) representing 15 ,6%. GASTAT’s statistics indicated- in its statistical results for Hajj season during the past year 1443- that the number of internal male pilgrims reached (77,776) pilgrims, while the number of females reached (66,877) pilgrims. However, the number of external male pilgrims and female pilgrims reached (421,999) and (359,410), respectively.  According to GASTAT, the percentage of pilgrims coming to KSA via air transportation amounted to 94.7%, and land transportation accounted for 4.5%, out of total pilgrims . However, sea transportation was least used by external pilgrims by 0.8%. GASTAT indicated that the total number of workforce participated to service pilgrims and Umrah performers during the past year 1443  from various government and private sectors exceeded 236 thousand male and female employees, including 73,556 from public services sector, 26,392 from medical services sector, 19,421 from transportation services sector and 3,728  from telecommunications sector. With regard to medical services provided to pilgrims during Hajj season last year 1443, the number of medical facilities and teams within the scope of Makkah, Madinah, and Holy Sites reached 900 that provided emergency and inpatient services to more than 22,000 pilgrims. Moreover, cardiac catheterization services, kidney dialysis and other surgical operations were conducted to 1,904 pilgrims, and vaccination campaigns were implemented to pilgrims, workers and residents of Makkah region with 120,423 thousand doses. It should be noted that GASTAT relied on administrative records data that are used as main source of data while issuing statistical data and indicators of Hajj and Umrah for 1443 /2022 and represented in all government and private entities, including data for Hajj permits for internal pilgrims and for those hold Hajj visa to count the number of pilgrims. Data was also provided according to a unified form that includes a number of elements such as data of workforce and medical services of entities participated to service pilgrims and Umrah performers, according to temporal and spatial reference.