2020 Edition

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. 

Area

land

2,149,690 sq km

total

2,149,690 sq km

water

0 sq km

Area - comparative

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Climate

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Coastline

2,640 km

Elevation

highest point

As Sarawat range, 3,000 m

lowest point

Persian Gulf 0 m

mean elevation

665 m

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 45 00 E

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

Irrigated land

7,575 sq km (2022)

Land boundaries

border countries

Iraq 811 km; Jordan 731 km; Kuwait 221 km; Oman 658 km; Qatar 87 km; UAE 457 km; Yemen 1,307 km

total

4,272 km

Land use

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.)

forest

1.3% (2023 est.)

other

17.9% (2023 est.)

Location

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage

(Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone

18 nm

continental shelf

not specified

territorial sea

12 nm

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

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

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

Terrain

mostly sandy desert

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)

Alcohol consumption per capita

beer

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

other alcohols

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

spirits

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

total

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

wine

0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)

Birth rate

13.41 births/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.5% (2020 est.)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

55.3% (2022 est.)

Death rate

3.51 deaths/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

6.1 (2024 est.)

potential support ratio

16.5 (2024 est.)

total dependency ratio

37.5 (2024 est.)

youth dependency ratio

31.5 (2024 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.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Gross reproduction rate

0.9 (2025 est.)

Health expenditure

Health expenditure (as % of GDP)

6% of GDP (2021)

Health expenditure (as % of national budget)

12.8% of national budget (2022 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.5 deaths/1,000 live births

male

12.8 deaths/1,000 live births

total

11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 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.

Life expectancy at birth

female

78.8 years

male

75.6 years

total population

77.2 years (2024 est.)

Literacy

female

96.7% (2024 est.)

male

98.6% (2024 est.)

total population

97.9% (2024 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)

Maternal mortality ratio

7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Median age

female

29.3 years

male

34.6 years

total

32.8 years (2025 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Saudi or Saudi Arabian

noun

Saudi(s)

Net migration rate

7.35 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2025 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.4% (2016)

Physician density

3.41 physicians/1,000 population (2023)

Population

female

15,843,593

male

20,700,838

total

36,544,431 (2024 est.)

Population growth rate

1.72% (2025 est.)

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.)

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.)

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

18 years (2022 est.)

male

16 years (2022 est.)

total

17 years (2022 est.)

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.42 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.14 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.31 male(s)/female (2024 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2% (2025 est.)

male

28.3% (2025 est.)

total

17.6% (2025 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.84 children born/woman (2025 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.)

urban population

85% of total population (2023)

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

Capital

etymology

the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh, meaning "gardens;" the city was built around a small oasis

geographic coordinates

24 39 N, 46 42 E

name

Riyadh

time difference

UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

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

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

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

Country name

conventional long form

Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

conventional short form

Saudi Arabia

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

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/

embassy

Riyadh 11564

FAX

[966] (11) 488-7360

mailing address

6300 Riyadh Place, Washington DC 20521-6300

telephone

[966] (11) 835-4000

Diplomatic representation in the US

chancery

601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037

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/

FAX

[1] (202) 295-3625

telephone

[1] (202) 342-3800

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)

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

head of government

Crown Prince and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 27 September 2022)

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

Government type

absolute monarchy

Independence

23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

International law organization participation

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation

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

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)

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

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

Legal system

Islamic (sharia) system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; commercial disputes handled by special committees

Legislative branch

expected date of next election

August 2028

legislative structure

unicameral

legislature name

Shura Council (Majlis Ash-Shura)

most recent election date

9/2/2024

number of seats

151 (all appointed)

percentage of women in chamber

19.9%

scope of elections

full renewal

term in office

4 years

National anthem(s)

history

music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984

lyrics/music

Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB

title

"Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King)

National color(s)

green, white

National heritage

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)

total World Heritage Sites

7 (7 cultural, 1 natural)

National holiday

Saudi National Day (Unification of the Kingdom), 23 September (1932)

National symbol(s)

palm tree over two crossed swords

Political parties

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal for municipal elections

Agricultural products

milk, dates, chicken, wheat, tomatoes, watermelons, potatoes, olives, eggs, onions (2023)

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.7% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

on food

20.5% of household expenditures (2023 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$388.489 billion (2023 est.)

revenues

$378.413 billion (2023 est.)

Current account balance

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.)

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

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.)

Exports

Exports 2022

$445.881 billion (2022 est.)

Exports 2023

$368.731 billion (2023 est.)

Exports 2024

$360.897 billion (2024 est.)

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, alcohols, ships (2023)

Exports - partners

China 21%, India 12%, Japan 12%, USA 6%, UAE 4% (2023)

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

29.2% (2024 est.)

government consumption

21.4% (2024 est.)

household consumption

45% (2024 est.)

imports of goods and services

-25.6% (2024 est.)

investment in fixed capital

28.7% (2024 est.)

investment in inventories

1.4% (2024 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.5% (2024 est.)

industry

44.8% (2024 est.)

services

47.2% (2024 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$1.238 trillion (2024 est.)

Imports

Imports 2022

$258.371 billion (2022 est.)

Imports 2023

$289.91 billion (2023 est.)

Imports 2024

$317.012 billion (2024 est.)

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)

Imports - partners

China 21%, UAE 8%, USA 7%, India 6%, Germany 5% (2023)

Industrial production growth rate

-1.3% (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

Inflation rate (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.)

Labor force

17.168 million (2024 est.)

Public debt

Public debt 2016

13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

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.)

Real GDP growth rate

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.)

Real GDP per capita

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.)

Remittances

Remittances 2022

0% of GDP (2022 est.)

Remittances 2023

0% of GDP (2023 est.)

Remittances 2024

0% of GDP (2024 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

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.)

Taxes and other revenues

7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate

Unemployment rate 2022

5.6% (2022 est.)

Unemployment rate 2023

4.1% (2023 est.)

Unemployment rate 2024

3.9% (2024 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

23.8% (2024 est.)

male

9.8% (2024 est.)

total

13.8% (2024 est.)

Coal

consumption

66,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

exports

500 metric tons (2023 est.)

imports

223,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Electricity

consumption

383.512 billion kWh (2023 est.)

exports

352 million kWh (2023 est.)

imports

308 million kWh (2023 est.)

installed generating capacity

119.62 million kW (2023 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

38.23 billion kWh (2023 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2022 est.)

Electricity generation sources

fossil fuels

99.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

solar

0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

wind

0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2023

349.692 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

production

121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)

proven reserves

9.423 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil estimated reserves

258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

3.524 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

total petroleum production

11.174 million bbl/day (2023 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

44 (2023 est.)

total

14.5 million (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

Internet users

percent of population

100% (2023 est.)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

20 (2023 est.)

total subscriptions

6.788 million (2023 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

132 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

52.5 million (2023 est.)

Airports

90 (2025)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HZ

Heliports

69 (2025)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 20, oil tanker 55, other 348

total

433 (2023)

Ports

key ports

Dammam, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Ju Aymah Oil Terminal, Ras Tannurah, Ras Al Khafji, Ras Al Mishab

large

0

medium

1

ports with oil terminals

10

small

7

total ports

16 (2024)

very small

8

Railways

standard gauge

5,410 km (2016) 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings)

total

5,410 km (2016)

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 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 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)

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 expenditures

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 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)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

refugees

4,355 (2024 est.)

stateless persons

70,000 (2024 est.)

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

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)

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

384,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from consumed natural gas

237.801 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

418.326 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

total emissions

656.511 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2023 est.)

Environmental issues

desertification; depletion of underground water resources; limited freshwater resources; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management

Geoparks

global geoparks and regional networks

North Riyadh; Salma (2025)

total global geoparks and regional networks

2 (2025)

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

Methane emissions

agriculture

162.9 kt (2019-2021 est.)

energy

1,743.8 kt (2022-2024 est.)

other

28.3 kt (2019-2021 est.)

waste

927.6 kt (2019-2021 est.)

Particulate matter emissions

60.7 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

21.2 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

industrial

1.4 billion cubic meters (2022 est.)

municipal

3.392 billion cubic meters (2022 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.)