Hajj pilgrim numbers: A decade in review; Saudi Arabia's General Authority for Statistics

With over 1.47 million international pilgrims already arriving for the 2025 Hajj, Saudi Arabia continues to enforce strict regulations to prevent overcrowding and heat deaths during the pilgrimage. A long-standing quota system allocates Hajj slots by country based on its population, while entry restrictions ahead of the Hajj seasons are tightened to curb unauthorized pilgrims, which the Saudi Ministry of Interior warned against. Otherwise, performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit can result in a 20,000 SAR (5331.89 USD) fine, deportation, and a 10-year re-entry ban into the country.