How many people visit Mecca each year, how many during Hajj and how
many during Ramadan.

Hi kopite-ga,

I was eager to answer your question as I was curious about this
myself. I also picked up some facts about Islam that I didn't know
before.

Annually, the Saudi Arabian government issues Hajj visas to foreign
Muslims who wish to make the obligatory, once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage
to Mecca.  In 2005, the Saudis issued 1.2 million Hajj visas. In
addition to these visitors from abroad, Saudi nationals participate in
the Hajj.  This year the total number of pilgrims, foreign and
national, gathered in Mecca was 2 million.


http://www.saudinf.com/main/y7747.htm
http://islam.about.com/library/weekly/aa022701.htm
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/01/19/world/main667941.shtml


Faithful Muslims may also make a lesser pilgrimage called Umrah, which
can be performed at any time. This year, according to the Saudi
Foreign Minister, 2.6 million Umrah visas were issued for the entire
Islamic calendar year.

The largest number of Umrah pilgrims go to Mecca during the last week
of Ramadan. Agence France Presse reported that Ramadan visitors this
year numbered 1.5 million, although an Islamic blogger reported 2+
million.


http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=2&article_id=19706
http://www.islamcan.com/dictionary/cgi-bin/csvread.pl?letter=U
http://islam.about.com/b/a/215017.htm


Thus it would seem that there are more Hajj than Ramadan visitors, and
it can be estimated that the difference is about half a million
people.


In summary:

 	How many visitors to Mecca in 2005:  the Saudi government issued 1.2
million Hajj visas and 2.6 million Umrah visas.  This adds up to 3.8
million visits, but may add up to fewer visitors as the same person
could have both visas in one year.

	How many during Hajj in 2005: 1.2 million foreign visitors and
approximately 800,000 Saudis.

How many during Ramadan in 2005: 1.5 to 2 million.

I hope this answers your question.

All the best, 

Alanna-ga

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Request for Answer Clarification by kopite-ga on 05 Nov 2005 21:16 PST

Thank you for the prompt response. Would it be possible to get figures
for 2004 and 2003 as well so that I may track the trend? I'd be happy
to work out a tip. Thanking you in advance...

---

Clarification of Answer by alanna-ga on 06 Nov 2005 11:46 PST

Hi kopite-ga,

I found figures for Hajj 2003 and 2004.

In 2003 there were  2 million Hajj pilgrims (1.5 million foreigners
and 500,000 Saudis) reported by CBS news

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2003/02/11/world/main540149.shtml


In 2004 there were 1.8 million (1.3 from abroad, 500,000 Saudis.

http://www.saudinf.com/main/y6585.htm


For Ramadan in 2003, Agence France Presse was quoted as reporting up
to 2.5 million visitors, foreign and local.

http://www.inq7.net/wnw/2003/nov/12/wnw_3-1.htm


I found only one reference for Ramadan in 2004, one that I consider a
"soft" estimate.  You can judge for yourself as it is an expected
figure and the source is not given.

"from the October 29, 2004 edition -
http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1029/p07s01-wome.html
The next day my 14-year-old daughter wants to go to Mecca for a minor
pilgrimage, or umra, with her girlfriends. An umra during Ramadan,
according to Islamic scholars, is the equivalent of, but does not take
place of, hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam. More than 1.5
million Muslims are expected to converge on Mecca this Ramadan."

http://www.csmonitor.com/2004/1029/p07s01-wome.htm



All the best,

alanna-ga

Thank you Alanna, good answer to a subject that I believe do no not
have an official statistic. I especially appreciate the promptness.

hi, i just want to add a little information, that the Hajj isn't
obligatory for all the muslim, i think a one must know that it's just
obligatory for those who have enough ressource (financial, health...)
to do it, just for informtion the"Hajj" cost around 4000?
thanks