More than 2.3 mln pilgrims take part in Hajj this year

On Monday, the ninth of Dhu-Al-Hijjah, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) announced the results this year’s Hajj statistics. The total number of pilgrims reached 2,371,675 pilgrims, 1,758,722 of whom came from outside Saudi Arabia, whereas 612,953 came from inside Saudi Arabia.

The total number of male pilgrims reached 1,327,127 pilgrims, while female pilgrims reached 1,044,548 pilgrims.

With respect to the pilgrims arriving from outside Saudi Arabia, GCC pilgrims reached 34,140 pilgrims with 1.9%, while the number of pilgrims from Arab countries apart from GCC pilgrims reached 395,410 pilgrims with 22.5%.

A Muslim pilgrim prays as she gather with others on Mount Mercy on the plains of Arafat during the annual haj pilgrimage, outside the holy city of Mecca. (Reuters)

Whereas the number of pilgrims from Asian countries apart from Arab countries reached 1,049,496 pilgrims with 59.7%. In addition, the number of pilgrims from African countries apart from Arab countries reached 166,083 pilgrims with 9.5%. However, the number of pilgrims from European countries reached 88,601 pilgrims with 5.0%, whereas the number of pilgrims from North America, South America, and Australia reached 24,992 pilgrims with 1.4%.

Moreover, 1,656.936 pilgrims who came from outside Saudi Arabia arrived through air ports, and 85,623 of whom arrived through land ports. However, 16,163 pilgrims arrived through sea ports.