Saudi Arabia

Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan·High incomeG20

Population: 33.7M; 47th of 217
GDP: $1.24T; 18th of 214 · 2024
GDP per capita: $35,057; 45th of 214 · 2024
Life expectancy: 78.7; 58th of 217
Human development: 0.875; 35th of 189 · 2021

Benchmarked against

Saudi Arabia

Kuwait

Bahrain

Malta

United Arab Emirates

Default peers are drawn from region, income, and bloc membership — swap in any country you like. The gray tick on each strip is the world median.

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

Area: 2,149,690 km²
Resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Borders: Iraq; Jordan; Kuwait; Oman; Qatar; UAE; Yemen 1,307 km

Religion

who identifies with what, 2020

world view →

Muslim92.7%▼ 1.7pt
Christian4.4%▲ 1.0pt
Hindu2.6%▲ 0.6pt

Religious diversity: 1.61 / 10 · low · 138th of 193

Change markers show percentage-point shifts from 2010 to 2020 · Pew Research Center, Religious Composition 2010–2020.

Score card

quartile grades among all countries with data

A · Top quartileB · Above medianC · Below medianD · Bottom quartile

Topic

KWT

BHR

MLT

GDP

current US$

$1.24T–––

GDP per capita

current US$

–––

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

–––

GDP growth

annual %

–––

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

–––

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

–––

FDI inflows

current US$

$15.7B–––

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

43.4%–––

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

2.5%–––

Industry value added

% of GDP

44.8%–––

Unemployment

% of labor force

–––

Population

people

33.7M–––

Population density

people per km²

15–––

Urban population

% of total

85%–––

Life expectancy

years at birth

–––

Fertility rate

births per woman

2.3–––

Net migration

people

122K–––

Population under 15

% of total

23.8%–––

Population 65+

% of total

3%–––

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

–––

Health expenditure

% of GDP

4.6%–––

Physicians

per 1,000 people

–––

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

–––

Education expenditure

% of GDP

5.1%–––

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

–––

Internet users

% of population

–––

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

–––

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

–––

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

–––

Access to electricity

% of population

–––

Energy use per capita

kWh

96.9K–––

Electricity per capita

kWh

13.4K–––

Electricity generation

TWh

454.6–––

Renewable electricity

% of generation

–––

Fossil electricity

% of generation

–––

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

–––

CO₂ per capita

t per person

–––

Share of global CO₂

1.8%–––

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

–––

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

–––

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

–––

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

–––

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

0.374–––

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

9.78–––

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

1.38–––

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

2.45–––

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

4.56–––

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

–––

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

69.7%–––

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

3.18–––

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

37.7%–––

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

33.1%–––

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

70%–––

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

66.6%–––

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

39.6%–––

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

1.61–––

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

0.1%–––

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

–––

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

2.8–––

National pride

mean, 1–4

3.68–––

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

2.79–––

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

–––

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

–––

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

–––

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

–––

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

–––

Global Peace Index

1–5

–––

Military expenditure

% of GDP

7.1%–––

Economy & Trade

Output, growth, prices, and openness

theme overview →

GDP

current US$

#18/214

$1.24T2024

GDP per capita

current US$

#45/214

$35,0572024

GDP per capita, PPP

international $

#20/203

$71,565latest

GDP growth

annual %

#152/214

1.8%2024

GNI per capita

Atlas method, US$

#38/207

$35,5702024

Inflation

GDP deflator, annual %

#14/213

-0.2%2024

FDI inflows

current US$

#24/201

$15.7B2024

Merchandise trade

% of GDP

#140/205

43.4%2024

Agriculture value added

% of GDP

#143/206

2.5%2024

Industry value added

% of GDP

#13/208

44.8%2024

Unemployment

% of labor force

#68/187

4%latest

People & Society

Population structure, urbanization, and migration

theme overview →

Population

people

#47/217

33.7Mlatest

Population density

people per km²

#199/216

15latest

Urban population

% of total

#45/215

85%latest

Life expectancy

years at birth

#58/217

78.7latest

Fertility rate

births per woman

#88/217

2.3latest

Net migration

people

#16/217

122K2024

Population under 15

% of total

#107/217

23.8%2024

Population 65+

% of total

#197/217

3%2024

Health & Education

Longevity, mortality, learning, and public spending

theme overview →

Infant mortality

per 1,000 live births

#48/196

4.9latest

Under-5 mortality

per 1,000 live births

#53/196

6.2latest

Health expenditure

% of GDP

#135/192

4.6%latest

Physicians

per 1,000 people

#54/195

3.1latest

Adult literacy

% ages 15+

#45/160

98%latest

Education expenditure

% of GDP

#58/199

5.1%latest

Tertiary enrollment

% gross

#44/194

73.7%latest

Connectivity

Internet, mobile, and digital infrastructure

theme overview →

Internet users

% of population

#2/210

100%latest

Mobile subscriptions

per 100 people

#23/214

157.82023

Fixed broadband

per 100 people

#18/208

43.62023

Secure internet servers

per 1M people

#127/215

482.82024

Access to electricity

% of population

#96/215

100%latest

Energy & Climate

Energy use, electricity mix, and emissions

theme overview →

Energy use per capita

kWh

#11/198

96.9K2024

Electricity per capita

kWh

#11/202

13.4K2024

Electricity generation

TWh

#11/202

454.62024

Renewable electricity

% of generation

#179/202

2.2%2024

Fossil electricity

% of generation

#179/202

97.8%2024

CO₂ emissions

Mt per year

#197/204

692.12024

CO₂ per capita

t per person

#199/204

20.42024

Share of global CO₂

#8/204

1.8%2024

GHG per capita

t CO₂e per person

#186/193

26.42023

Governance & Democracy

Democratic institutions, corruption, and rule of law

theme overview →

Electoral democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#172/172

0.0162022

Liberal democracy

V-Dem, 0–1

#163/172

0.0432022

Corruption perceptions

CPI, 0–100

#54/178

512022

Control of corruption

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#64/193

0.3572022

Government effectiveness

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#47/193

0.5832022

Rule of law

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#74/193

0.2912022

Political stability

WGI, −2.5 to 2.5

#126/193

-0.3632022

Women's political empowerment

V-Dem, 0–1

#168/172

0.2932022

Values & Beliefs

What people hold sacred, permit, and pass on — from 40 years of World Values Survey interviews

theme overview →

Secular values

Welzel index, 0–1

#45/105

0.3742003

Importance of God

mean, 1–10

#8/113

9.782003

Acceptance of homosexuality

justifiable, 1–10

#103/112

1.382003

Acceptance of abortion

justifiable, 1–10

#81/114

2.452003

Acceptance of divorce

justifiable, 1–10

#68/114

4.562003

Bribery seen as justifiable

1–10

#62/114

1.742003

Men should get jobs first

% agreeing

#13/113

69.7%2003

Men make better leaders

agree, 1–4

#9/109

3.182003

Wouldn't want neighbors of another race

% mentioning

#7/112

37.7%2003

Wouldn't want immigrant neighbors

% mentioning

#23/112

33.1%2003

Children should learn independence

% mentioning

#9/114

70%2003

Children should learn obedience

% mentioning

#12/114

66.6%2003

Environment over economy

% choosing environment

#95/110

39.6%2003

Religious diversity

Pew RDI, 0–10

#138/193

1.612020

Religiously unaffiliated

% of population

#158/193

0.1%2020

Trust & Institutions

Who people trust, and how much faith they place in government, press, and courts

theme overview →

Most people can be trusted

% agreeing

#10/114

53%2003

Confidence in the press

mean, 1–4

#10/113

2.82003

National pride

mean, 1–4

#32/114

3.682003

Interest in politics

mean, 1–4

#9/114

2.792003

Development & Wellbeing

Composite measures of how life is going

theme overview →

Human Development Index

UNDP, 0–1

#35/189

0.8752021

Gender inequality

GII, 0–1

#59/170

0.2472021

Happiness

Cantril ladder, 0–10

#23/164

6.822025

Freedom & control over life

mean, 1–10

#94/113

6.62003

Life satisfaction

mean, 1–10

#50/114

7.282003

Global Peace Index

1–5

#116/158

2.262023

Military expenditure

% of GDP

#6/161

7.1%latest

Explore any measure in depth on its own page — try GDP per capita or electoral democracy.