Saudi Arabia
Top Sights & Landmarks
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.
Location
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Area
Elevation
Detailed Geography Information
Coastline
2,640 km
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
Major aquifers
Arabian Aquifer System
Major watersheds (area sq km)
Indian Ocean drainage: (Persian Gulf) Tigris and Euphrates (918,044 sq km)
Maritime claims
territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 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
Natural resources
Terrain
mostly sandy desert
Population & Growth
Age Distribution
Demographic Longevity
Vital Dynamics
Detailed People & Society Information
Alcohol consumption per capita
0 liters of pure alcohol (2019 est.)
Children under the age of 5 years underweight
3.5% (2020 est.)
Currently married women (ages 15-49)
55.3% (2022 est.)
Dependency ratios
total dependency ratio: 36.9 (2025 est.) youth dependency ratio: 30.5 (2025 est.) elderly dependency ratio: 6.3 (2025 est.) potential support ratio: 15.8 (2025 est.)
Education expenditure
5.1% of GDP (2023 est.) 14.8% national budget (2024 est.)
Ethnic groups
Gross reproduction rate
0.9 (2025 est.)
Health expenditure
6% of GDP (2021) 12.8% of national budget (2022 est.)
Hospital bed density
2.2 beds/1,000 population (2021 est.)
Infant mortality rate
total: 11.4 deaths/1,000 live births (2025 est.) male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births
Languages
Literacy
total population: 97.9% (2024 est.) male: 98.6% (2024 est.) female: 96.7% (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.)
Nationality
noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Obesity - adult prevalence rate
35.4% (2016)
Physician density
3.41 physicians/1,000 population (2023)
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
Refugees and internally displaced persons
Religions
School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education)
total: 17 years (2022 est.) male: 16 years (2022 est.) female: 18 years (2022 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 65 years and over: 1.14 male(s)/female total population: 1.31 male(s)/female (2024 est.)
Tobacco use
total: 17.6% (2025 est.) male: 28.3% (2025 est.) female: 2% (2025 est.)
Climate & Issues
harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Land Cover
Air & Carbon Emissions
Water Resources & Use
Detailed Environmental Information
Geoparks
total global geoparks and regional networks: 2 (2025) global geoparks and regional networks: North Riyadh; Salma (2025)
International environmental agreements
Urbanization
urban population: 85% of total population (2023) rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 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.)
Capital & State Profile
Executive Branch
Legislative Branch
National Identity & Symbols
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
Detailed Government Information
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
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
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah local short form: Al Arabiyah as Suudiyah 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)
International law organization participation
has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt
International organization participation
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
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
Suffrage
18 years of age; universal for municipal elections
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
Size & Performance
GDP Sector Breakdown
Trade Balance
Budget Balance
Export Profile
Top Export Partners
Major Export Commodities
Labor & Employment
Income Inequality
Detailed Economic Data
Agricultural products
Current account balance
-$5.685 billion (2024 est.) $35.133 billion (2023 est.) $150.353 billion (2022 est.) note: balance of payments - net trade and primary/secondary income in current dollars
Exchange rates
Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar - Exchange rates: 3.75 (2024 est.) 3.75 (2023 est.) 3.75 (2022 est.) 3.75 (2021 est.) 3.75 (2020 est.)
GDP - composition, by end use
Industrial production growth rate
-1.3% (2024 est.) note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency
Industries
Inflation rate (consumer prices)
1.7% (2024 est.) 2.3% (2023 est.) 2.5% (2022 est.) note: annual % change based on consumer prices
Remittances
0% of GDP (2024 est.) 0% of GDP (2023 est.) 0% of GDP (2022 est.) note: personal transfers and compensation between resident and non-resident individuals/households/entities
Reserves of foreign exchange and gold
$463.87 billion (2024 est.) $457.949 billion (2023 est.) $478.232 billion (2022 est.) note: holdings of gold (year-end prices)/foreign exchange/special drawing rights in current dollars
Taxes and other revenues
7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.) note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP
Grid Infrastructure
Generation Mix
Fossil Fuels Production
Intensity & Nuclear
Digital Access
Active internet users as a percentage of the total population.
Fixed Broadband
Mobile Cellular
Broadcast Media
Aviation
Railways
Ports & Harbors
Merchant Marine
Military Expenditures
Active Duty Strengths
approximately 250,000 active Saudi Armed Forces, including 125,000 under the Ministry of Defense and 125,000 in the National Guard (2025)
Service & Defense Details
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) note 1: the regular armed forces under the Ministry of Defense are responsible for external defense, although they can be called for domestic security duties if needed note 2: the SANG (also known as the White Army) is a land force comprised of tribal elements loyal to the House of Saud; it is responsible for internal security, protecting the royal family, guarding against military coups, defending strategic facilities and resources, and providing security for the cities of Mecca and Medina; it may also assist the regular armed forces in combat operations note 3: the SAAF includes the Saudi Royal Guard Command, a unit which provides security and protection to the ruling family and other dignitaries
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) 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
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)
voluntary military service for men (17-40) and women (typically 21-40, although maximum age may vary by role); no conscription (2025)
Space Agency
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)