2023 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. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) 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. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. US troops returned to the Kingdom in October 2019 after attacks on Saudi oil infrastructure. From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud incrementally modernized the Kingdom. Driven by personal ideology and political pragmatism, he introduced a series of social and economic initiatives, including expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the role of the private sector in the economy, and discouraging businesses from hiring foreign workers. These reforms have accelerated under King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz, who ascended to the throne in 2015, and has since 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. Saudi Arabia saw some protests during the 2011 Arab Spring but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. Shia Muslims in the Eastern Province protested primarily against the detention of political prisoners, endemic discrimination, and Bahraini and Saudi Government actions in Bahrain. Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach by arresting some protesters but releasing most of them quickly and by using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis went to the polls to elect municipal councilors. In December 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal council elections, with 19 women winning seats. After King SALMAN ascended to the throne in 2015, he placed the first next-generation prince, MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, in the line of succession as Crown Prince. He designated his son, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Deputy Crown Prince. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore the legitimate government of Yemen, which had been ousted by Houthi forces allied with former president ALI ABDULLAH al-Salih. The war in Yemen has drawn international criticism for civilian casualties and its effect on the country’s dire humanitarian situation. In December 2015, then Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced Saudi Arabia would lead a 34-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism (it has since grown to 41 nations). In May 2017, Saudi Arabia inaugurated the Global Center for Combatting Extremist Ideology (also known as "Etidal") as part of its ongoing efforts to counter violent extremism. In June 2017, King SALMAN elevated MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN to Crown Prince. Since then, he has jockeyed for influence with neighboring countries in a bid to be the region’s main power broker. 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 April 2016, the Saudi Government announced a broad set of socio-economic reforms, known as Vision 2030. Low global oil prices throughout 2015 and 2016 significantly lowered Saudi Arabia’s governmental revenue. In response, the government cut subsidies on water, electricity, and gasoline; reduced government employee compensation packages; and announced limited new land taxes. In coordination with OPEC and some key non-OPEC countries, Saudi Arabia agreed to cut oil output in early 2017 to regulate supply and help elevate global prices. In early 2020, this agreement by the so-called OPEC+ coalition collapsed. Saudi Arabia launched a price war by flooding the market with low-priced oil before returning to the negotiating table to agree to OPEC+’s largest and longest-lasting output cut. This cut helped to buoy prices that had collapsed as a result of the price war and the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

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

11,910 sq km (2018)

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

80.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 79.1% (2018 est.)

forest

0.5% (2018 est.)

other

18.8% (2018 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 stormsvolcanism: despite many volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; 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 petroleum was discovered in the 1930s; most of the economic activities - and with it the country's population - is 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

23.45% (male 4,298,399/female 4,130,547)

15-64 years

72.36% (male 15,251,742/female 10,752,649)

65 years and over

4.19% (2023 est.) (male 799,270/female 707,199)

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

13.9 births/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

3.5% (2020) NA

Contraceptive prevalence rate

27.9% (2019)

Current health expenditure

5.5% of GDP (2018)

Currently married women (ages 15-49)

63.2% (2023 est.)

Death rate

3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Dependency ratios

elderly dependency ratio

3.7

potential support ratio

27.4 (2021 est.)

total dependency ratio

40.4

youth dependency ratio

36.8

Drinking water source

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

Education expenditures

7.8% of GDP (2020) NA

Ethnic groups

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Gross reproduction rate

0.92 (2023 est.)

Hospital bed density

2.2 beds/1,000 population (2017)

Infant mortality rate

female

10.7 deaths/1,000 live births

male

13.2 deaths/1,000 live births

total

12 deaths/1,000 live births (2023 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

78.6 years

male

75.3 years

total population

76.9 years (2023 est.)

Literacy

definition

age 15 and over can read and write

female

96% (2020)

male

98.6%

total population

97.6%

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

16 deaths/100,000 live births (2020 est.)

Median age

female

29 years

male

34.2 years

total

32 years (2023 est.)

Nationality

adjective

Saudi or Saudi Arabian

noun

Saudi(s)

Net migration rate

6.1 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2023 est.)

Obesity - adult prevalence rate

35.4% (2016)

Physicians density

2.74 physicians/1,000 population (2020)

Population

35,939,806 (2023 est.)

note

note: immigrants make up 38.3% of the total population, according to UN data (2019)

Population distribution

historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since petroleum was discovered in the 1930s; most of the economic activities - and with it the country's population - is 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

Population growth rate

1.65% (2023 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.)

note

note: despite having a large expatriate community of various faiths (more than 30% of the population), most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of Sunni Islam are restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi citizenship and non-Muslim places of worship are not permitted (2013)

Sanitation facility access

improved: rural

rural: NA

improved: total

total: 100% of population

improved: urban

urban: NA

unimproved: rural

rural: NA

unimproved: total

total: 0% of population (2020 est.)

unimproved: urban

urban: NA

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)

female

16 years (2021)

male

17 years

total

17 years

Sex ratio

0-14 years

1.04 male(s)/female

15-64 years

1.42 male(s)/female

65 years and over

1.13 male(s)/female

at birth

1.05 male(s)/female

total population

1.31 male(s)/female (2023 est.)

Tobacco use

female

2% (2020 est.)

male

26.5% (2020 est.)

total

14.3% (2020 est.)

Total fertility rate

1.89 children born/woman (2023 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

85% of total population (2023)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.9%

male

22.4%

total

28.8% (2021 est.)

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," and refers to various oasis towns in the area that merged to form the city

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

amendments

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; Basic Law amended many times, last in 2017

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 many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"

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 Michael RATNEY (since 27 April 2023)

consulate(s) general

Dhahran, Jeddah

email address and website

RiyadhACS@state.govhttps://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

info@saudiembassy.net; Saudisusemb@mofa.gov.sahttps://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); Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985)

elections/appointments

none; the monarchy is hereditary; an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes for 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, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family, which established the kingdom in 1932; the flag is manufactured with differing obverse and reverse sides so that the Shahada reads - and the sword points - correctly from right to left on both sides

note

note: the only national flag to display an inscription as its principal design; one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Moldova and Paraguay

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, 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 and 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 upon 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) legal system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; note - several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees

Legislative branch

description

unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 seats plus a speaker; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms); note - in early 2013, the monarch granted women 30 seats on the Council

note

note: composition as of 2021 - men 121, women 30, percent of women 19.9%

National anthem

lyrics/music

Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB

name

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

note

note: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984

National heritage

selected World Heritage Site locales

Hegra Archaeological Site (al-Hijr / Madā ͐ in Ṣāliḥ); At-Turaif District in ad-Dir'iyah; Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Makkah; Rock Art in the Hail Region; Al-Ahsa Oasis; Ḥimā Cultural Area

total World Heritage Sites

6 (all cultural)

National holiday

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

National symbol(s)

palm tree surmounting two crossed swords; national colors: green, white

Political parties and leaders

none

Suffrage

18 years of age; universal for municipal elections

note

https://www.wilsoncenter.org/publication/saudi-women-go-to-the-polls-finally

Agricultural products

milk, dates, poultry, fruit, watermelons, barley, wheat, potatoes, eggs, tomatoes

Average household expenditures

on alcohol and tobacco

0.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

on food

20.6% of household expenditures (2018 est.)

Budget

expenditures

$282.4 billion (2019 est.)

revenues

$247.093 billion (2019 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-)

-8.9% (of GDP) (2017 est.)

Credit ratings

Fitch rating

A (2019)

Moody's rating

A1 (2016)

note

note: The year refers to the year in which the current credit rating was first obtained.

Standard & Poors rating

A- (2016)

Current account balance

Current account balance 2019

$38.23 billion (2019 est.)

Current account balance 2020

-$22.814 billion (2020 est.)

Current account balance 2021

$44.324 billion (2021 est.)

Debt - external

Debt - external 31 December 2016

$189.3 billion (31 December 2016 est.)

Debt - external 31 December 2017

$205.1 billion (31 December 2017 est.)

Economic overview

high-income, oil-based Middle Eastern economy; OPEC leader; diversifying portfolio; declining per-capita incomes; young labor force; key human capital gaps; heavy bureaucracy and increasing corruption; substantial poverty; low innovation economy

Exchange rates

Currency

Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar -

Exchange rates 2017

3.75 (2017 est.)

Exchange rates 2018

3.75 (2018 est.)

Exchange rates 2019

3.75 (2019 est.)

Exchange rates 2020

3.75 (2020 est.)

Exchange rates 2021

3.75 (2021 est.)

Exports

Exports 2019

$285.86 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2020

$182.848 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports 2021

$286.502 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Exports - commodities

crude petroleum, refined petroleum, polymers, industrial alcohols, natural gas (2021)

Exports - partners

China 19%, India 10%, Japan 9%, South Korea 8%, United Arab Emirates 5% (2021)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP - composition, by end use

exports of goods and services

34.8% (2017 est.)

government consumption

24.5% (2017 est.)

household consumption

41.3% (2017 est.)

imports of goods and services

-28.6% (2017 est.)

investment in fixed capital

23.2% (2017 est.)

investment in inventories

4.7% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin

agriculture

2.6% (2017 est.)

industry

44.2% (2017 est.)

services

53.2% (2017 est.)

GDP (official exchange rate)

$792.849 billion (2019 est.)

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income 2013

45.9 (2013 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

highest 10%

NA

lowest 10%

NA

Imports

Imports 2019

$218.941 billion (2019 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2020

$182.184 billion (2020 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports 2021

$213.016 billion (2021 est.) note: data are in current year dollars

Imports - commodities

cars, refined petroleum, broadcasting equipment, gold, packaged medicines (2021)

Imports - partners

China 19%, United Arab Emirates 15%, United States 8%, India 6%, Germany 4% (2021)

Industrial production growth rate

1.71% (2021 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) 2019

-2.09% (2019 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2020

3.45% (2020 est.)

Inflation rate (consumer prices) 2021

3.06% (2021 est.)

Labor force

16.06 million (2021 est.)

note

note: comprised of 3.1 million Saudis and 10.7 million non-Saudis

Labor force - by occupation

agriculture

6.7%

industry

21.4%

services

71.9% (2005 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA

Public debt

Public debt 2016

13.1% of GDP (2016 est.)

Public debt 2017

17.2% of GDP (2017 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity)

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2019

$1.611 trillion (2019 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2020

$1.544 trillion (2020 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) 2021

$1.594 trillion (2021 est.)

Real GDP growth rate

Real GDP growth rate 2019

0.33% (2019 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2020

-4.14% (2020 est.)

Real GDP growth rate 2021

3.24% (2021 est.)

Real GDP per capita

note

note: data are in 2017 dollars

Real GDP per capita 2019

$45,000 (2019 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2020

$42,900 (2020 est.)

Real GDP per capita 2021

$44,300 (2021 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2019

$514.963 billion (31 December 2019 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2020

$472.851 billion (31 December 2020 est.)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold 31 December 2021

$473.89 billion (31 December 2021 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

8.6% (of GDP) (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate

note

note: data are for total population; unemployment among Saudi nationals is more than double

Unemployment rate 2019

5.67% (2019 est.)

Unemployment rate 2020

7.45% (2020 est.)

Unemployment rate 2021

7.36% (2021 est.)

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24)

female

47.9%

male

22.4%

total

28.8% (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions

from coal and metallurgical coke

300,000 metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from consumed natural gas

221.211 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

from petroleum and other liquids

358.414 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

total emissions

579.925 million metric tonnes of CO2 (2019 est.)

Coal

consumption

73,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

exports

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

imports

73,000 metric tons (2020 est.)

production

0 metric tons (2020 est.)

proven reserves

0 metric tons (2019 est.)

Electricity

consumption

331,381,500,000 kWh (2019 est.)

exports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

imports

0 kWh (2020 est.)

installed generating capacity

76.785 million kW (2020 est.)

transmission/distribution losses

31.055 billion kWh (2019 est.)

Electricity access

electrification - total population

100% (2021)

Electricity generation sources

biomass and waste

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

fossil fuels

99.9% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

geothermal

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

hydroelectricity

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

nuclear

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

solar

0.2% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

tide and wave

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

wind

0% of total installed capacity (2020 est.)

Energy consumption per capita

Total energy consumption per capita 2019

296.949 million Btu/person (2019 est.)

Natural gas

consumption

113,776,648,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

exports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

imports

0 cubic meters (2021 est.)

production

113,776,648,000 cubic meters (2020 est.)

proven reserves

9,422,812,000,000 cubic meters (2021 est.)

Petroleum

crude oil and lease condensate exports

7,340,800 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil and lease condensate imports

0 bbl/day (2018 est.)

crude oil estimated reserves

258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

refined petroleum consumption

3,182,300 bbl/day (2019 est.)

total petroleum production

10,815,700 bbl/day (2021 est.)

Refined petroleum products - exports

1.784 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - imports

609,600 bbl/day (2015 est.)

Refined petroleum products - production

2.476 million bbl/day (2015 est.)

Broadband - fixed subscriptions

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

23 (2020 est.)

total

7,890,261 (2020 est.)

Broadcast media

broadcast media are state-controlled; state-run TV operates 4 networks; Saudi Arabia is a major market for pan-Arab satellite TV broadcasters; state-run radio operates several networks; multiple international broadcasters are available

Communications - note

the innovative King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture (informally known as Ithra, meaning "enrichment") opened on 1 December 2017 in Dhahran, Eastern Region; its facilities include a grand library, several museums, an archive, an Idea Lab, a theater, a cinema, and an Energy Exhibit, all which are meant to provide visitors an immersive and transformative experience

Internet country code

.sa

Internet users

percent of population

100% (2021 est.)

total

36 million (2021 est.)

Telecommunication systems

domestic

fixed-line are 18 per 100 and mobile-cellular subscribership is 126 per 100 persons (2021)

general assessment

Saudi Arabia’s telecom and ICT sectors continue to benefit from the range of programs aimed at diversifying the economy away from a dependence on oil, and establishing a wider digital transformation over the next decade; an essential element of this has been the widening reach of 5G networks, which by mid-2021 reached about half of the population and the majority of cities; the MNOs have focused investment on upgrading LTE infrastructure and further developing 5G; this in part is aimed at generating additional revenue from mobile data services, and also to their contribution to the Vision 2030 program; the ongoing pandemic has resulted in more people working and schooling from home during periods of restricted travel; this has stimulated growth in mobile data traffic, while the government has encouraged non-cash transactions and so helped develop the vast e-commerce market; while Saudi Arabia’s fixed broadband penetration remains relatively low, there has been a concentration of fiber infrastructure and the Kingdom has developed one of the fastest services in the region (2022)

international

country code - 966; landing points for the SeaMeWe-3, -4, -5, AAE-1, EIG, FALCON, FEA, IMEWE, MENA/Gulf Bridge International, SEACOM, SAS-1, -2, GBICS/MENA, and the Tata TGN-Gulf submarine cables providing connectivity to Europe, Africa, the Middle East, Asia, Southeast Asia and Australia; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2019)

Telephones - fixed lines

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

19 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

6,773,272 (2022 est.)

Telephones - mobile cellular

subscriptions per 100 inhabitants

132 (2022 est.)

total subscriptions

48,197,996 (2022 est.)

Airports

214 (2021)

Airports - with paved runways

civil airports

17

joint use (civil-military) airports

6

military airports

10

note

note: paved runways have a concrete or asphalt surface but not all have facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control; the length of a runway required for aircraft to safely operate depends on a number of factors including the type of aircraft, the takeoff weight (including passengers, cargo, and fuel), engine types, flap settings, landing speed, elevation of the airport, and average maximum daily air temperature; paved runways can reach a length of 5,000 m (16,000 ft.), but the “typical” length of a commercial airline runway is between 2,500-4,000 m (8,000-13,000 ft.)

other airports

49

total

82

Airports - with unpaved runways

132

note

note: unpaved runways have a surface composition such as grass or packed earth and are most suited to the operation of light aircraft; unpaved runways are usually short, often less than 1,000 m (3,280 ft.) in length; airports with unpaved runways often lack facilities for refueling, maintenance, or air traffic control

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

HZ

Heliports

10 (2021)

Merchant marine

by type

bulk carrier 6, container ship 1, general cargo 21, oil tanker 58, other 327

total

413 (2022)

National air transport system

annual freight traffic on registered air carriers

1,085,470,000 (2018) mt-km

annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers

39,141,660 (2018)

inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers

230

number of registered air carriers

12 (2020)

Pipelines

209 km condensate, 2,940 km gas, 1,183 km liquid petroleum gas, 5,117 km oil, 1,151 km refined products (2013)

Ports and terminals

container port(s) (TEUs)

Ad Dammam (1,770,000), Jeddah (4,882,342), King Abdulla (2,813,920) (2021)

major seaport(s)

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jeddah, King Abdulla, Yanbu'

Railways

standard gauge

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

total

5,410 km (2016)

Roadways

paved

47,529 km (2006) (includes 3,891 km of expressways)

total

221,372 km (2006)

unpaved

173,843 km (2006)

Military - note

the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) are divided into the regular forces under the Ministry of Defense and the Saudi Arabian National Guard (SANG); the regular forces are responsible for territorial defense, although they can be called for domestic security duties if needed; they include land, naval, air, air defense, and strategic missile forces; the Land Forces have approximately 15 combat brigades which include a mix of armored, aviation, light infantry, mechanized or motorized infantry, royal guards, and airborne/special forces, plus separate battalions of artillery; the Naval Forces are undergoing a major acquisitions and modernization program; its principal warships are approximately 16 frigates and corvettes, with an additional 4 frigates on order; the Air Force is the largest and one of the most modern in the region, with over 350 combat aircraft from Europe and the US with more on order; the Strategic Missile Force manages Saudi Arabia’s ballistic missile inventory, largely acquired from Chinathe SANG is responsible for both internal security and external defense; its duties include protecting the royal family, guarding against military coups, defending strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina; the SANG is primarily comprised of tribal elements loyal to the Saud family and has at least 11 brigades of light infantry, mechanized/motorized infantry, and security forces; it is supplemented by combat helicopter units and tribal levies/militias known as Fowjthere are also large numbers of paramilitary forces under the Ministry of Interior, including Border Guards and the Facilities Security Force, as well as the Special Security Forces and Special Emergency Forces under the State Security Presidencythe US is Saudi Arabia’s closest security partner; 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; 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, the UK, and fellow Gulf Cooperation Council membersin 2015, Saudi Arabia led a military intervention into Yemen by a coalition of Arab states in support of the Republic of Yemen Government against the separatist Huthis; Saudi forces from both the Ministry of Defense and the SANG participated in combat operations in Yemen; Saudi Arabia also raised and equipped paramilitary/militia security forces in Yemen--based largely on tribal or regional affiliation--to deploy along the Saudi-Yemen border (2023)

Military and security forces

the Saudi Arabian Armed Forces (SAAF) include forces from 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)Ministry of Interior: police, Border Guard, Facilities Security ForceState Security Presidency (SSP): General Directorate of Investigation (Mabahith), Special Security Forces, Special Emergency Forces (2023)

note

note 1: the SANG (also known as the White Army) is a land force comprised off tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud; it is responsible for internal security, protecting the royal family, and external defensenote 2: the SAAF includes the Saudi Royal Guard Command, a unit which provides security and protection to the ruling family and other dignitaries

Military and security service personnel strengths

the Saudi Armed Forces have about 250,000 total active troops; approximately 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense (75,000 Land Forces; 15,000 Naval Forces, including about 3,000 marines; 35,000 Air Force/Air Defense/Strategic Missile Forces) and up to 125,000 in the Saudi Arabia National Guard (SANG) (2023)

note

note: SANG also has an irregular force (Fowj), primarily Bedouin tribal volunteers, with a total strength of approximately 25,000

Military deployments

continues to maintain a military presence in Yemen; has also established and supports several local militias, including the National Shield Forces in Aden and the Amajid Brigade in Abyan (2023)

Military equipment inventories and acquisitions

the inventory of the Saudi military forces, including the SANG, includes a mix of mostly modern weapons systems from the US and Europe; in recent years, the US has been the leading supplier of armaments; other major suppliers include France and the UK; Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest importers of arms (2023)

note

note: the Saudi Navy is in the midst of a multi-year and multi-billion-dollar expansion and modernization program to purchase new frigates, corvettes, and other naval craft from such suppliers as Spain and the US

Military expenditures

Military Expenditures 2018

10% of GDP (2018 est.)

Military Expenditures 2019

8.8% of GDP (2019 est.)

Military Expenditures 2020

8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Military Expenditures 2021

6% of GDP (2021 est.)

Military Expenditures 2022

6% of GDP (2022 est.)

Military service age and obligation

men (17-40) and women (21-40) may volunteer for military service; no conscription (2023)

note

note 1: in 2021, women were allowed to serve in the Army, Air Defense, Navy, Strategic Missile Force, medical services, and internal security forces up to the rank of non-commissioned officernote 2: the National Guard is restricted to citizens, but the regular Saudi military has hired foreigners on contract for operations associated with its intervention in Yemen

Disputes - international

Saudi Arabia-Bahrain: none identified Saudi Arabia-Iraq:  Saudi Arabia has been building a fence along its border with Iraq to keep out militants and smugglers Saudi Arabia-Jordan: Jordan and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement to demarcate their maritime borders in 2007 Saudi Arabia-Kuwait: Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; in December 2019, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait signed an agreement to demarcate land in a neutral zone and to restart oil production in shared fields, which had been suspended since 2014 because of disagreements Saudi Arabia-Oman: none identified Saudi Arabia-Qatar: none identified Saudi Arabia-UAE: Saudi Arabia and UAE have disputed the Shaybah oilfield, which Saudi Arabia controls Saudi Arabia-Yemen: the two countries signed the Treaty of Jeddah in 2000, which specified the coordinates of their land and maritime border and made provisions for grazing, the placement of armed forces, and future resource exploitation; in 2010, Saudi Arabia reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal crossborder activities

Illicit drugs

regularly sentences drug traffickers to the death penalty, although a moratorium on executions for drug offences has been in place since at least 2020; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement

Refugees and internally displaced persons

stateless persons

70,000 (2022); note - thousands of biduns (stateless Arabs) are descendants of nomadic tribes who were not officially registered when national borders were established, while others migrated to Saudi Arabia in search of jobs; some have temporary identification cards that must be renewed every five years, but their rights remain restricted; most Palestinians have only legal resident status; some naturalized Yemenis were made stateless after being stripped of their passports when Yemen backed Iraq in its invasion of Kuwait in 1990; Saudi women cannot pass their citizenship on to their children, so if they marry a non-national, their children risk statelessness

Space agency/agencies

Saudi Space Commission (SSC; established 2018); King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST; established 1977); KACST includes the Space and Aeronautics Research Institute (SARI; established 2000) (2023)

Space program overview

has one of the more advanced space programs in the region; manufactures and operates communications, remote sensing (RS), and scientific satellites; develops a range of satellite subsystems and payload technologies; SSC’s missions also include accelerating economic diversification, enhancing research and development, and raising private sector participation in the global space industry; is the main founder and financier of the Arab Satellite Communications Organization (Arabsat; launched in 1976; headquartered in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the primary satellite communications service provider for over 170 million persons in the Arab world); cooperates with the space agencies and industries of a wide range of countries, including those of Belarus, China, the European Space Agency 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 (established by the UAE in 2019 and includes Algeria, Bahrain, Egypt, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, and Sudan) (2023)

note

note: further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear in Appendix S

Terrorist group(s)

Islamic State of Iraq and ash-Sham (ISIS); al-Qa’ida; al-Qa’ida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP)

note

note: details about the history, aims, leadership, organization, areas of operation, tactics, targets, weapons, size, and sources of support of the group(s) appear(s) in Appendix-T

Air pollutants

carbon dioxide emissions

563.45 megatons (2016 est.)

methane emissions

45.47 megatons (2020 est.)

particulate matter emissions

57.16 micrograms per cubic meter (2019 est.)

Climate

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Environment - current issues

desertification; depletion of underground water resources; the lack of perennial rivers or permanent water bodies has prompted the development of extensive seawater desalination facilities; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management

Environment - international 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

Land use

agricultural land

80.7% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: arable land

arable land: 1.5% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent crops

permanent crops: 0.1% (2018 est.)

agricultural land: permanent pasture

permanent pasture: 79.1% (2018 est.)

forest

0.5% (2018 est.)

other

18.8% (2018 est.)

Major aquifers

Arabian Aquifer System

Major watersheds (area sq km)

Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)

Revenue from coal

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Revenue from forest resources

0% of GDP (2018 est.)

Total renewable water resources

2.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Total water withdrawal

agricultural

21.2 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

industrial

1.4 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

municipal

3.39 billion cubic meters (2020 est.)

Urbanization

rate of urbanization

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

urban population

85% of total population (2023)

Waste and recycling

municipal solid waste generated annually

16,125,701 tons (2015 est.)

municipal solid waste recycled annually

2,418,855 tons (2015 est.)

percent of municipal solid waste recycled

15% (2015 est.)