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 2,030 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
Total: 2,149,690 km²
Land: 2,149,690 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 4,272 km
Border countries (7): (7) Iraq 811 km; Jordan 731 km; Kuwait 221 km; Oman 658 km; Qatar 87 km; UAE 457 km; Yemen 1,307 km

Coastline: 2,640 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specified

Climate: harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain: mostly sandy desert

Elevation
Highest point: As Sarawat range, 3,000 m
Lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Mean elevation: 665 m

Land use
Agricultural land: 80.8% (2023 est.)
Arable land: 1.6% (2023 est.)
Permanent crops: 0.1% (2023 est.)
Permanent pasture: 79.1% (2023 est.)
Forest: 1.3% (2023 est.)
Other: 17.9% (2023 est.)

Irrigated land: 7,575 km² (2022)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Volcanism: little activity in the past few centuries, despite many volcanic formations; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar

Geography
Note: Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea allow for considerable shipping (especially of crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Population
Total: 36,544,431 (2024 est.)
Male: 20,700,838
Female: 15,843,593
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
Growth rate: 1.68% (2024 est.)

Languages: Arabic (official)
Major-language sample(s): ; كتاب حقائق العالم، المصدر الذي لا يمكن الاستغناء عنه للمعلومات الأساسية (Arabic); The World Factbook, the indispensable source for basic information.

Religions: Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-12% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2020 est.)
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)

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)

Dependency ratios
Total dependency ratio: 37.5 (2024 est.)
Youth dependency ratio: 31.5 (2024 est.)
Elderly dependency ratio: 6.1 (2024 est.)
Potential support ratio: 16.5 (2024 est.)

Median age
Total: 32.4 years (2024 est.)
Male: 34.6 years
Female: 29.3 years

Population growth rate: 1.68% (2024 est.)

Birth rate: 13.6 births/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Death rate: 3.5 deaths/1,000 population (2024 est.)

Population distribution: historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea

Urbanization
Urban population: 85% of total population (2023)
Rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 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)

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.)

Maternal mortality ratio: 7 deaths/100,000 live births (2023 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 11.7 deaths/1,000 live births (2024 est.)
Male: 12.8 deaths/1,000 live births
Female: 10.5 deaths/1,000 live births

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 77.2 years (2024 est.)
Male: 75.6 years
Female: 78.8 years

Total fertility rate: 1.87 children born/woman (2024 est.)

Drinking water source
Urban: 1.6% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 1.4% of population (2022 est.)

Sanitation facility access
Urban: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Rural: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)
Total: 0.3% of population (2022 est.)

Children under the age of 5 years underweight: 3.5% (2020 est.)

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.9% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Capital
Name: Riyadh
Geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E
Time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)
Etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh, meaning 'gardens;' the city was built around a small oasis

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

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

International law organization participation: has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

Executive branch
Chief of state: King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015)
Head of government: Crown Prince and Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 27 September 2022)
Cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members
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

Legislative branch
Legislature name: Shura Council (Majlis Ash-Shura)
Legislative structure: unicameral
Number of seats: 151 (all appointed)
Scope of elections: full renewal
Term in office: 4 years
Most recent election date: 9/2/2024
Percentage of women in chamber: 19.9%
Expected date of next election: August 2,028

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

National anthem
Title: 'Aash Al Maleek' (Long Live Our Beloved King)
Lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB
History: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984

National heritage
Total World Heritage Sites: 7 (7 cultural, 1 natural)
Selected World Heritage Site locales:

Real gdp growth rate: 1.8% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 12% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Real gdp per capita: 1.8% (2024 est.); 0.5% (2023 est.); 12% (2022 est.)
Note: annual GDP % growth based on constant local currency

Gdp composition by end use
Household consumption: 45% (2024 est.)
Government consumption: 21.4% (2024 est.)
Investment in fixed capital: 28.7% (2024 est.)
Investment in inventories: 1.4% (2024 est.)
Exports of goods and services: 29.2% (2024 est.)
Imports of goods and services: -25.6% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to rounding or gaps in data collection

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 2.5% (2024 est.)
Industry: 44.8% (2024 est.)
Services: 47.2% (2024 est.)
Note: figures may not total 100% due to non-allocated consumption not captured in sector-reported data

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

Industrial production growth rate: -1.3% (2024 est.)
Note: annual % change in industrial value added based on constant local currency

Labor force: 17.168 million (2024 est.)
Note: number of people ages 15 or older who are employed or seeking work

Unemployment rate: 3.9% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Note: % of labor force seeking employment

Youth unemployment
Rate (ages 15-24): 3.9% (2024 est.); 4.1% (2023 est.); 5.6% (2022 est.)
Rate (ages 15-24) note: % of labor force seeking employment

Budget
Revenues: $378.413 billion (2023 est.)
Expenditures: $388.489 billion (2023 est.)
Note: central government revenues (excluding grants) and expenditures converted to US dollars at average official exchange rate for year indicated

Taxes and other revenues: 7.8% (of GDP) (2023 est.)
Note: central government tax revenue as a % of GDP

Exports: $360.897 billion (2024 est.); $368.731 billion (2023 est.); $445.881 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - exports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: crude petroleum, refined petroleum, plastics, alcohols, ships (2023)
Commodities note: top five export commodities based on value in dollars

Imports: $317.012 billion (2024 est.); $289.91 billion (2023 est.); $258.371 billion (2022 est.)
Note: balance of payments - imports of goods and services in current dollars
Commodities: cars, refined petroleum, gold, broadcasting equipment, packaged medicine (2023)
Commodities note: top five import commodities based on value in dollars

Electricity
Installed generating capacity: 119.62 million kW (2023 est.)
Consumption: 383.512 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Exports: 352 million kWh (2023 est.)
Imports: 308 million kWh (2023 est.)
Transmission/distribution losses: 38.23 billion kWh (2023 est.)
Access electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.)
Generation sources fossil fuels: 99.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources solar: 0.3% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)
Generation sources wind: 0.4% of total installed capacity (2023 est.)

Coal
Consumption: 66,000 metric tons (2023 est.)
Exports: 500 metric tons (2023 est.)
Imports: 223,000 metric tons (2023 est.)

Petroleum
Total petroleum production: 11.174 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Refined petroleum consumption: 3.524 million bbl/day (2023 est.)
Crude oil estimated reserves: 258.6 billion barrels (2021 est.)

Natural gas
Production: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Consumption: 121.219 billion cubic meters (2023 est.)
Proven reserves: 9.423 trillion cubic meters (2021 est.)

Carbon dioxide emissions: 656.511 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From coal and metallurgical coke: 384,000 metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From petroleum and other liquids: 418.326 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)
From consumed natural gas: 237.801 million metric tonnes of CO&sub2; (2023 est.)

Energy consumption per capita: 349.692 million Btu/person (2023 est.)

Telephones
Fixed lines total subscriptions: 6.788 million (2023 est.)
Fixed lines subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 20 (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular total subscriptions: 52.5 million (2023 est.)
Mobile cellular subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 132 (2022 est.)

Internet
Users percent of population: 100% (2023 est.)

Broadband fixed subscriptions
Total: 14.5 million (2023 est.)
Subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 44 (2023 est.)

Military expenditures: 7.1% of GDP (2024 est.); 7% of GDP (2023 est.); 6.5% of GDP (2022 est.); 7% of GDP (2021 est.); 8% of GDP (2020 est.)

Airports: 90 (2025)

Heliports: 69 (2025)

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

Merchant marine
Total: 433 (2023)
By type: bulk carrier 9, container ship 1, general cargo 20, oil tanker 55, other 348