Saudi Arabia
Some figures reconciled across multiple sources via Civica's methodology (v0.2 BETA). Methodology →
Saudi Arabia⌘K
Overview
- Background
- Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) founded the modern Saudi state in 1932 after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. After Iraq invaded Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia took in the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees, while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil and liberate Kuwait the following year. Major terrorist attacks in 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure.
From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom through a series of social and economic initiatives that included expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the private sector's role in the economy, and discouraging the hiring of foreign workers. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region; Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach, arresting and quickly releasing some protesters and using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis voted for municipal councilors. King ABDALLAH's reforms accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015 and lifted the Kingdom's ban on women driving, implemented education reforms, funded green initiatives, and allowed cinemas to operate for the first time in decades. In 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal elections, with 19 women winning seats. King SALMAN initially named his nephew, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Crown Prince, but a palace coup in 2017 resulted in King SALMAN's son, Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, taking over as Crown Prince. King SALMAN appointed MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN as prime minister in 2022.
In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore Yemen's legitimate government, which had been ousted by Houthi forces. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country’s dire humanitarian situation. The same year, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia would lead a multi-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism, and in 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as "Etidal").
The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds about 17% of the world's proven oil reserves as of 2020. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification -- particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in 2005 -- and promotes foreign investment in the Kingdom. In 2016, the Saudi Government announced broad socio-economic reforms known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices in 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia’s governmental revenue, prompting cuts to subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government-employee compensation; and new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed to cut oil output in 2017 to regulate supply and help boost global prices. In 2020, this agreement collapsed, and Saudi Arabia launched a price war by flooding the market with low-priced oil before returning to the negotiating table to agree to a major output cut that helped buoy prices.
Geography
Area
- Land
- 2,149,690 sq km
- Water
- 0 sq km
- Total
- 2,149,690 sq km
- Climate
- harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
- Terrain
- mostly sandy desert
Land Use
- Other
- 17.9% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 1.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 80.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.)
- Location
- Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
- Coastline
- 2,640 km
Elevation
- Lowest point
- Persian Gulf 0 m
- Highest point
- As Sarawat range, 3,000 m
- Mean elevation
- 665 m
- Irrigated land
- 7,575 sq km (2022)
- Major aquifers
- Arabian Aquifer System
- Map references
- Middle East
Land Boundaries
- Total
- 4,272 km
- Border countries
- Iraq 811 km; Jordan 731 km; Kuwait 221 km; Oman 658 km; Qatar 87 km; UAE 457 km; Yemen 1,307 km
Maritime Claims
- Contiguous zone
- 18 nm
- Territorial sea
- 12 nm
- Continental shelf
- not specified
- Natural hazards
- frequent sand and dust storms
volcanism: little activity in the past few centuries, despite many volcanic formations; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar - Geography note
- Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea allow for considerable shipping (especially of crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
- Natural resources
- petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
- Area comparative
- slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
- Geographic coordinates
- 25 00 N, 45 00 E
- Population distribution
- historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea
Major Watersheds (Area Sq Km)
- Indian ocean drainage
- (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
People & Society
Literacy
- Male
- 98.6% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 96.7% (2024 est.)
- Total population
- 97.9% (2024 est.)
Languages
- Languages
- Arabic (official)
- Major language sample(s)
كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic)
The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.
- Religions
- Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-12% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2020 est.)
Sex Ratio
- At birth
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- 0 14 years
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15 64 years
- 1.42 male(s)/female
- Total population
- 1.31 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
- 65 years and over
- 1.14 male(s)/female
- Birth rate
- 13.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Death rate
- 3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)
Median Age
- Male
- 34.6 years
- Total
- 32.8 years (2025 est.)
- Female
- 29.3 years
Population
- Male
- 20,700,838
- Total
- 36,544,431 (2024 est.)
- Female
- 15,843,593
Nationality
- Noun
- Saudi(s)
- Adjective
- Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Tobacco Use
- Male
- 28.3% (2025 est.)
- Total
- 17.6% (2025 est.)
- Female
- 2% (2025 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 85% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Age Structure
- 0 14 years
- 22.9% (male 4,266,720/female 4,097,270)
- 15 64 years
- 72.7% (male 15,577,133/female 10,994,061)
- 65 years and over
- 4.4% (2024 est.) (male 856,985/female 752,262)
- Ethnic groups
- Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Dependency Ratios
- Total dependency ratio
- 37.5 (2024 est.)
- Youth dependency ratio
- 31.5 (2024 est.)
- Potential support ratio
- 16.5 (2024 est.)
- Elderly dependency ratio
- 6.1 (2024 est.)
- Physician density
- 3.41 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
Health Expenditure
- Health expenditure (as % of GDP)
- 6% of GDP (2021)
- Health expenditure (as % of national budget)
- 12.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
- Net migration rate
- 7.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)
- Hospital bed density
- 2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
- Total fertility rate
- 1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)
Drinking Water Source
- Improved: rural
- rural: 100% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 98.6% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 98.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Education Expenditure
- Education expenditure (% GDP)
- 5.1% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Education expenditure (% national budget)
- 14.8% national budget (2024 est.)
Infant Mortality Rate
- Male
- 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
- Total
- 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.)
- Female
- 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births
- Population growth rate
- 1.72% (2025 est.)
- Gross reproduction rate
- 0.9 (2025 est.)
- Population distribution
- historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea
Life Expectancy at Birth
- Male
- 75.6 years
- Female
- 78.8 years
- Total population
- 77.2 years (2024 est.)
- Maternal mortality ratio
- 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)
Sanitation Facility Access
- Improved: rural
- rural: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: total
- total: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Improved: urban
- urban: 99.7% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: rural
- rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: total
- total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
- Unimproved: urban
- urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Alcohol Consumption Per Capita
- Beer
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Wine
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Total
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Spirits
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Other alcohols
- 0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
- Major urban areas population
- 7.682 million RIYADH (capital), 4.863 million Jeddah, 2.150 million Mecca, 1.573 million Medina, 1.329 million Ad Dammam, 872,000 million Hufuf-Mubarraz (2023)
- Obesity adult prevalence rate
- 35.4% (2016)
- Currently married women (ages 15 49)
- 55.3% (2022 est.)
- Children under the age of 5 years underweight
- 3.5% (2020 est.)
School Life Expectancy (Primary to Tertiary Education)
- Male
- 16 years (2022 est.)
- Total
- 17 years (2022 est.)
- Female
- 18 years (2022 est.)
Government
Civica · structure
How power is organised
ExecutiveLegislative
- Flag
- description: green (traditional Islamic color) with the Shahada, or Muslim creed, in large white Arabic script that translates as, "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the messenger of God;" the text is above a white horizontal saber pointing to the left
history: design dates to the early 20th century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family that established the kingdom in 1932; the flag has different sides so that the text reads correctly from right to left and the saber points in the same direction on both sides
Capital
- Name
- Riyadh
- Etymology
- the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh, meaning "gardens;" the city was built around a small oasis
- Time difference
- UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
- Geographic coordinates
- 24 39 N, 46 42 E
- Suffrage
- 18 years of age; universal for municipal elections
Citizenship
- Citizenship BY birth
- no
- Citizenship BY descent only
- the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father
- Dual citizenship recognized
- no
- Residency requirement for naturalization
- 5 years
Constitution
- History
- 1 March 1992 -- Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and traditions of the Prophet Muhammad
- Amendment process
- proposed by the king directly or proposed to the king by the Consultative Assembly or by the Council of Ministers; passage by the king through royal decree
Country Name
- Etymology
- named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name Arabia can be traced back at least as far as the ancient Romans, who referred to the peninsula as "Arabia Felix" (Arabia the Fortunate)
- Local long form
- Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
- Local short form
- Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
- Conventional long form
- Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Conventional short form
- Saudi Arabia
- Independence
- 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
- Legal system
- Islamic (sharia) system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; commercial disputes handled by special committees
- Government type
- absolute monarchy
Judicial Branch
- Highest court(s)
- High Court (consists of the court chief; organized into circuits with 3-judge panels, except for the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments)
- Subordinate courts
- Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts
- Judge selection and term of office
- High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree on the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2-year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment
Executive Branch
- Cabinet
- Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members
- Chief of state
- King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015)
- Head of government
- Crown Prince and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 27 September 2022)
- Election/appointment process
- none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes who have a voice in selecting future Saudi kings
- National holiday
- Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932)
- National color(s)
- green, white
National Heritage
- Total world heritage sites
- 7 (7 cultural, 1 natural)
- Selected world heritage site locales
- Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ) (c); At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah (c); Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah (c); Rock Art in the Hail Region of Saudi Arabia (c); Al-Ahsa Oasis, an Evolving Cultural Landscape (c); Ḥimā Cultural Area (c); ‘Uruq Bani Ma’arid (n);The Cultural Landscape of Al-Faw Archaeological Area (c)
- Political parties
- none
Legislative Branch
- Term in office
- 4 years
- Number of seats
- 151 (all appointed)
- Legislature name
- Shura Council (Majlis Ash-Shura)
- Scope of elections
- full renewal
- Legislative structure
- unicameral
- Most recent election date
- 9/2/2024
- Expected date of next election
- August 2028
- Percentage of women in chamber
- 19.9%
National Anthem(s)
- Title
- "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King)
- History
- music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984
- Lyrics/music
- Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB
- National symbol(s)
- palm tree over two crossed swords
- Administrative divisions
- 13 regions (manatiq, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah al Munawwarah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah al Mukarramah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk
Diplomatic Representation in the US
- Fax
- [1] (202) 295-3625
- Chancery
- 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
- Telephone
- [1] (202) 342-3800
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador Reema Bint Bandar Bin Sultan AL SAUD (since 8 July 2019)
- Consulate(s) general
- Houston, Los Angeles, New York
- Email address and website
saudisusemb@mofa.gov.sa
https://www.saudiembassy.net/
Diplomatic Representation from the US
- Fax
- [966] (11) 488-7360
- Embassy
- Riyadh 11564
- Telephone
- [966] (11) 835-4000
- Mailing address
- 6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300
- Chief of mission
- Ambassador (vacant); Chargé d’Affaires Alison DILWORTH (since January 2025)
- Consulate(s) general
- Dhahran, Jeddah
- Email address and website
RiyadhACS@state.gov
https://sa.usembassy.gov/
- International organisations
- ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, BRICS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOOSA, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
- International law organization participation
- has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
Legislature
SAUDI ARABIA · LEGISLATURE
Majlis al-Shura
151 seats · hover a seat for the party
Total seats
151
Majority line
77
Largest party
Appointed Members
Parties
1
All political parties
Leaders
Current
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
- Head of State
- Head of Government
Economy
Budget
- Note
- note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated
- Revenues
- $378.413 billion (2023 est.)
- Expenditures
- $388.489 billion (2023 est.)
Exports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $360.9B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
- Exports 2022
- $445.881 billion (2022 est.)
- Exports 2023
- $368.731 billion (2023 est.)
- Exports 2024
- $360.897 billion (2024 est.)
Imports
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $317.0B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
- Imports 2022
- $258.371 billion (2022 est.)
- Imports 2023
- $289.91 billion (2023 est.)
- Imports 2024
- $317.012 billion (2024 est.)
- Industries
- crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction
- Labor force
- 17.168 million (2024 est.)
Public Debt
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
- Public debt 2016
- 13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)
Remittances
- Note
- note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
- Remittances 2022
- 0% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Remittances 2023
- 0% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Remittances 2024
- 0% of GDP (2024 est.)
Exchange Rates
- Currency
- Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar -
- Exchange rates 2020
- 3.75 (2020 est.)
- Exchange rates 2021
- 3.75 (2021 est.)
- Exchange rates 2022
- 3.75 (2022 est.)
- Exchange rates 2023
- 3.75 (2023 est.)
- Exchange rates 2024
- 3.75 (2024 est.)
- Economic overview
- high-income, oil-based Middle Eastern economy; OPEC founding member; Vision 2030 strategy prioritizing economic diversification, increased private sector involvement, and projects funded by sovereign wealth fund and foreign investment; young labor force; falling but significant poverty rate despite lack of official statistics
Unemployment Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 3.0%
- Note
- note: % of labor force seeking employment
- Unemployment rate 2022
- 5.6% (2022 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2023
- 4.1% (2023 est.)
- Unemployment rate 2024
- 3.9% (2024 est.)
- Exports partners
- China 21%, India 12%, Japan 12%, USA 6%, UAE 4% (2023)
- Imports partners
- China 21%, UAE 8%, USA 7%, India 6%, Germany 5% (2023)
Real GDP Per Capita
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $71,375
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP per capita 2022
- $67,200 (2022 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2023
- $64,500 (2023 est.)
- Real GDP per capita 2024
- $62,700 (2024 est.)
Real GDP Growth Rate
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 2.0%
- Note
- note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency
- Real GDP growth rate 2022
- 12% (2022 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2023
- 0.5% (2023 est.)
- Real GDP growth rate 2024
- 1.8% (2024 est.)
- Agricultural products
- milk, dates, chicken, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, olives, eggs, onions (2023)
- Exports commodities
- crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, alcohols, ships (2023)
- Imports commodities
- cars, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
Current Account Balance
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- -$16.3B
- Note
- note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
- Current account balance 2022
- $150.353 billion (2022 est.)
- Current account balance 2023
- $35.133 billion (2023 est.)
- Current account balance 2024
- -$5.685 billion (2024 est.)
- Taxes and other revenues
- 7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
- GDP (official exchange rate)
- $1.238 trillion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY End Use
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection
- Household consumption
- 45% (2024 est.)
- Government consumption
- 21.4% (2024 est.)
- Investment in inventories
- 1.4% (2024 est.)
- Investment in fixed capital
- 28.7% (2024 est.)
- Exports of goods and services
- 29.2% (2024 est.)
- Imports of goods and services
- -25.6% (2024 est.)
Average Household Expenditures
- On food
- 20.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
- On alcohol and tobacco
- 0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)
Inflation Rate (Consumer Prices)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 1.7%
- Note
- note: annual % change based on consumer prices
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2022
- 2.5% (2022 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2023
- 2.3% (2023 est.)
- Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2024
- 1.7% (2024 est.)
- Industrial production growth rate
- -1.3% (2024 est.)
Real GDP (Purchasing Power Parity)
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- $2.213 trillion (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: data in 2021 dollars
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2022
- $2.161 trillion (2022 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2023
- $2.173 trillion (2023 est.)
- Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2024
- $2.213 trillion (2024 est.)
Youth Unemployment Rate (Ages 15 24)
- Male
- 9.8% (2024 est.)
- Note
- note: % of labor force ages 15-24 seeking employment
- Total
- 13.8% (2024 est.)
- Female
- 23.8% (2024 est.)
Reserves of Foreign Exchange and Gold
- Note
- note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2022
- $478.232 billion (2022 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2023
- $457.949 billion (2023 est.)
- Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 2024
- $463.87 billion (2024 est.)
GDP Composition, BY Sector of Origin
- Note
- note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data
- Industry
- 44.8% (2024 est.)
- Services
- 47.2% (2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 2.5% (2024 est.)
Energy
Coal
- Exports
- 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 66,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Petroleum
- Total petroleum production
- 11.174 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
- Crude oil estimated reserves
- 258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)
- Refined petroleum consumption
- 3.524 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Electricity
- Exports
- 352 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Imports
- 308 million kWh (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 383.512 billion kWh (2023 est.)
- Installed generating capacity
- 119.62 million kW (2023 est.)
- Transmission/distribution losses
- 38.23 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Natural Gas
- Production
- 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Consumption
- 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
- Proven reserves
- 9.423 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)
Electricity Access
- Electrification total population
- 100% (2022 est.)
Energy Consumption Per Capita
- Total energy consumption per capita 2023
- 349.692 million Btu/person (2023 est.)
Electricity Generation Sources
- Wind
- 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Solar
- 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
- Fossil fuels
- 99.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Communications
Internet Users
- Percent of population
- 100% (2023 est.)
- Broadcast media
- state-controlled broadcast media; state-run TV operates 4 networks; major market for pan-Arab satellite TV broadcasters; state-run radio with several networks; multiple international broadcasters available
- Internet country code
- .sa
Telephones Fixed Lines
- Total subscriptions
- 6.788 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 20 (2023 est.)
Telephones Mobile Cellular
- Total subscriptions
- 52.5 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 132 (2022 est.)
Broadband Fixed Subscriptions
- Total
- 14.5 million (2023 est.)
- Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants
- 44 (2023 est.)
Transport
Ports
- Large
- 0
- Small
- 7
- Medium
- 1
- Key ports
- Dammam, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Ju Aymah Oil Terminal, Ras Tannurah, Ras Al Khafji, Ras Al Mishab
- Very small
- 8
- Total ports
- 16 (2024)
- Ports with oil terminals
- 10
- Airports
- 90 (2025)
Railways
- Total
- 5,410 km (2016)
- Standard gauge
- 5,410 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings)
- Heliports
- 69 (2025)
Merchant Marine
- Total
- 433 (2023)
- BY type
- bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 20, oil tanker 55, other 348
- Civil aircraft registration country code prefix
- HZ
Environment
- Climate
- harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Geoparks
- Global geoparks and regional networks
- North Riyadh; Salma (2025)
- Total global geoparks and regional networks
- 2 (2025)
Land Use
- Other
- 17.9% (2023 est.)
- Forest
- 1.3% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land
- 80.8% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: arable land
- arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent crops
- permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
- Agricultural land: permanent pasture
- permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.)
Urbanization
- Urban population
- 85% of total population (2023)
- Rate of urbanization
- 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)
Methane Emissions
- Other
- 28.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Waste
- 927.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)
- Energy
- 1,743.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)
- Agriculture
- 162.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)
Waste and Recycling
- Municipal solid waste generated annually
- 16.126 million tons (2024 est.)
- Percent of municipal solid waste recycled
- 18.8% (2022 est.)
- Environmental issues
- desertification; depletion of underground water resources; limited freshwater resources; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management
Total Water Withdrawal
- Municipal
- 3.392 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Industrial
- 1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
- Agricultural
- 21.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
Carbon Dioxide Emissions
- Total emissions
- 656.511 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From consumed natural gas
- 237.801 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From coal and metallurgical coke
- 384,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- From petroleum and other liquids
- 418.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)
- Particulate matter emissions
- 60.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)
- Total renewable water resources
- 2.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)
International Environmental Agreements
- Party to
- Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Climate Change-Paris Agreement, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping-London Protocol, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
- Signed, but not ratified
- none of the selected agreements
Military & Security
- Military note
- Saudi Arabia's security concerns include border security, cyberattacks, instability in Yemen, international terrorism, maritime security, and regional rivals such as Iran and Turkey
Saudi Arabia has close security ties with the US; the SAAF conducts bilateral exercises with the US military and hosts US forces; the US has participated in a cooperative program to equip and train the SANG since 1973, and much of the equipment for both the regular forces and the SANG has been acquired from the US; Saudi Arabia also has defense relationships with China, France, India, Pakistan, the UK, and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members; it is a member of the Peninsula Shield Forces, a joint military force established by the GCC countries with the aim of maintaining security and stability in the region; the force was established in 1982, and its leadership is based in Saudi Arabia (2025)
Military Expenditures
- Civica canonical (reconciled)
- 7.3%
- Military expenditures 2020
- 8% of GDP (2020 est.)
- Military expenditures 2021
- 7% of GDP (2021 est.)
- Military expenditures 2022
- 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.)
- Military expenditures 2023
- 7% of GDP (2023 est.)
- Military expenditures 2024
- 7.1% of GDP (2024 est.)
- Military and security forces
- the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into two ministries:
Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes marines, special forces, naval aviation), Royal Saudi Air Force, Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Missiles Force; Ministry of the National Guard: Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG)
Other security forces include:
Ministry of Interior: Facilities Security Forces, Public Security Forces (police), General Directorate of Border Guard
State Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2025) - Military service age and obligation
- voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025)
- Military equipment inventories and acquisitions
- the inventory of the Saudi military forces, including the SANG, is comprised of imported modern armaments; major suppliers include Canada, China, France, Spain, the UK, and the US; Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest importers of arms (2025)
- Military and security service personnel strengths
- approximately 250,000 active Saudi Armed Forces, including 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 125,000 in the National Guard (2025)
Terrorism
- Terrorist group(s)
- Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida
Space
- Space agency/agencies
- Saudi Space Agency (SSA; elevated to agency level from previous Saudi Space Commission or SSC, which was established in 2018); King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST; established 1977) (2024)
- Space program overview
- has a national space strategy (Vision 2030) that seeks to grow its domestic space industry and use the space sector to accelerate economic diversification, enhance scientific research and development, and raise private-sector participation in the global space industry; manufactures and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; develops a range of satellite subsystems and payload technologies; is the main founder and financier of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat, launched in 1976 and headquartered in Riyadh); cooperates with the space agencies and industries of a wide range of countries, including those of Belarus, China, Egypt, the ESA and its member states (particularly France, Germany, Greece, and Hungary), India, Kazakhstan, Morocco, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine, the UAE, the UK, and the US; member of the Arab Space Cooperation Group (2025)
- Key space program milestones
- 1985 - first communications satellite (Arabsat-1A) built and launched by European commercial companies; first Saudi astronaut in space on US Space Shuttle
2004 - first domestically built, experimental remote sensing (RS) satellite (SaudiSat-2) launched by Russia
2017-2019 - contributed to China’s robotic spacecraft mission (Chang’e-4) to the far side of the Moon
2021 - domestically built maritime-tracking satellite (Shaheen Sat) launched by Russia; began participating in Russia's astronaut training program
2022 - signed US-led Artemis Accords on space and lunar exploration
2023 - sent two astronauts, including first Saudi woman, to the International Space Station on a US commercial spacecraft
Transnational Issues
Refugees and Internally Displaced Persons
- Refugees
- 4,355 (2024 est.)
- Stateless persons
- 70,000 (2024 est.)
Scores & Rankings
ScoreValueGlobal rankTrendAs of
Civica Index30.0 / 100as of 2024-Q4133 / 190−11.02024-Q4
Civica Pulse−4.1as of 2026-05-06—2026-05-06
V-Dem Liberal Democracy0.05as of 2024-Q4160 / 170+0.022024-Q4
Freedom House StatusNot Free (0/100)as of 2024-Q4—−7.02024-Q4
Press Freedom (RSF)Restricted press (18/100)as of 2024—2024
Human Development Index0.875as of 2022—2022
Corruption Perceptions Index52 / 100as of 202352 / 1802023
Cite this page
Cite this page
Civica. (2026). Civica Atlas — Saudi Arabia — vintage 2026-Q1: Saudi Arabia factbook. Civica Atlas. Retrieved May 7, 2026, from https://civicaatlas.org/factbook/saudi-arabia
Sources: FAO FAOSTAT, ILO ILOSTAT, IMF (WEO), UN Statistics Division, UNDP HDR, UNESCO Institute for Statistics, V-Dem, WHO Global Health Observatory, World Bank, WTO Stats, CIA World Factbook, Wikidata