More than 1.7 million Muslim pilgrims performed the 2024 Hajj in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, according to official reports released in June 2024.
As one of the Five Pillars of Islam, the Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for those physically and financially able. The scale of the event tests the logistical and medical infrastructure of Saudi Arabia, particularly when extreme weather conditions coincide with the gathering.
Official data shows that a total of 1,707,301 [1] pilgrims completed the pilgrimage. Of that total, 1,546,655 [1] were international pilgrims who traveled to Mecca from across the globe. Other reports confirmed that more than 1.5 million [2] foreign Muslims arrived in the city for the event.
The pilgrimage concluded in early June 2024 with the tawaf al-wada, the farewell circumambulation around the Kaaba. Saudi officials said the final statistics on Tuesday, June 11, 2024 [1].
Conditions during the 2024 event were marked by intense heat. Temperatures exceeded 40 °C [3] during the pilgrimage, posing significant health risks to the millions of people gathered in the region.
The Hajj remains one of the largest annual human gatherings on earth. The coordination of over 1.5 million international visitors [1] requires extensive cooperation between the Saudi government and the home countries of the pilgrims to manage visas, transportation, and health screenings.
“More than 1.7 million Muslim pilgrims performed the 2024 Hajj in Mecca.”
The high proportion of international pilgrims relative to domestic participants underscores the global nature of the Hajj and the Saudi government's role as the primary custodian of the holy sites. However, the combination of massive crowds and temperatures exceeding 40 °C highlights a growing challenge for the Kingdom: managing the intersection of religious obligation and climate-driven health risks for a vulnerable, aging, and diverse population.
