Countries / Gulf / Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia

High income · Hydrocarbon exporter · Data availability: good

The world’s largest oil exporter and the region’s largest economy, with state finances and growth still tightly coupled to crude prices. Vision 2030 drives an aggressive diversification push into tourism, entertainment, logistics, and giga-projects.

Alerts · what moved recentlyAll signals →

MilestoneNew

Saudi Arabia's unemployment rate, women, labour force survey fell below 10% in 2025, to 8.57%, the first time since 2001.

People · data through 2025

Rate decision

Policy rate raised to 4.50% from 4.25%

Sep 1, 2026 · BIS central bank policy rates

Financing

NDMC closed the October 2026 sukuk issuance and allocated SAR 6.749 billion

Oct 20, 2026 · National Debt Management Center

Trade measure

The Finance Minister set customs duties at 10% for two tariff lines.

Aug 21, 2026 · Ministry of Finance

Vitals

Core figures — the latest value each source holds, the previous reading and the bloc median.

GDP

$1.28T

as of 2025

up from $1.25T (2024)

Gulf median $133.4B

Real GDP growth

4.5%

as of 2025

up from 2.6% (2024)

Gulf median 2.8%

Inflation, year-on-year

1.8%

as of Aug 2026

down from 1.8% (Jul 2026)

GDP per person

$34,537

as of 2025

down from $35,528 (2024)

Gulf median $31,454

Dimmed cards hold figures more than a year old. All of this country's data in the Database →

Quarterly report

Written once from the quarter's findings, then frozen.

All reports →

Q3 2026 · Saudi Arabia

SAU — Q3 2026 brief

Saudi Arabia’s Q3 2026 findings recorded three consecutive annual declines in both the terms-of-trade adjustment and GNI per person. The terms-of-trade adjustment at constant prices fell from 234.9 billion in local currency in 2022 to -210.2 billion in 2025, a decline of 445.1 billion. Over the same years, GNI per person at purchasing-power parity at constant prices fell from $72,100 to $61,800, down 14%.

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Editions

Q3 2026→

All publications

Signals & patterns

Everything MENACodex detects for this economy — the lead finding charted, the rest filtered by pattern and sector.

PatternSector

Record · Trade & external

Saudi Arabia's inward foreign direct investment reached $32.6 billion in 2025, its highest level in records going back to 1990.

Foreign direct investment, net inflows (BoP, current US$)32.6B

Source: World Bank — World Development Indicators · data through 2025

MilestoneSaudi Arabia's unemployment rate, women, labour force survey fell below 10% in 2025, to 8.57%, the first time since 2001.

newdata through 2025

TrendSaudi Arabia's youth unemployment rate has fallen for 5 straight years, from 29.6% in 2020 to 10.0% in 2025: down 20 points.

data through 2025

TrendSaudi Arabia's investment (gross capital formation) at constant prices have risen for 5 straight years, from $171.6 billion in 2020 to $286.2 billion in 2025: up 67%.

data through 2025

TrendSaudi Arabia's gross domestic savings as a share of GDP have fallen for 3 straight years, from 41.7% in 2022 to 33.2% in 2025: down 8.5 points.

data through 2025

ReversalSaudi Arabia's ICT service exports as a share of service exports fell for 4 straight years, from 14.3% in 2020 to 3.45% in 2024, then rose to 3.62% in 2025.

data through 2025

· Signal archive →

Briefs

Analysis pieces on Saudi Arabia, every number checked against the source.

All briefs on Saudi Arabia →

Saudi Vision 2030: 2 of 21 measurable goals already met, by the government's figures

Saudi Arabia’s own reported figures show stronger progress in housing, health and digital government than in several economic diversification measures. The latest readings meet the heritage and volunteering targets, but unemployment no longer meets its goal.

Nov 1, 2026 · 2 min read policy interest rate

Saudi Arabia raises policy rate to 4.50% despite subdued inflation

policy interest rate (%)4.5

Oct 24, 2026 · 2 min read

Agenda Watch

Official decisions and what the news is reporting, with the original source named.

Date	Decision	Type	Source
Oct 20, 2026	NDMC closed the October 2026 sukuk issuance and allocated SAR 6.749 billion	Financing	National Debt Management Center (ndmc.gov.sa)
Oct 19, 2026	Saudi Arabia approved the first batch of hospitality projects under the Hospitality Investment Enablers program	Policy reform	Ministry of Tourism and Ministry of Investment (spa.gov.sa)
Sep 16, 2026	Saudi Arabia published regulations approved for four special economic zones.	Policy reform	Economic Cities and Special Zones Authority (uqn.gov.sa)
Sep 15, 2026	The Cabinet approved the National Strategy for Entrepreneurship and Small and Medium Enterprises.	Policy reform	Council of Ministers (uqn.gov.sa)
Sep 4, 2026	Saudi Arabia published a royal decree approving a new government procurement law.	Policy reform	King of Saudi Arabia (uqn.gov.sa)
Sep 1, 2026	Policy rate raised to 4.50% from 4.25%	Rate decision	Bank for International Settlements, central bank policy rates — Saudi Arabia, monthly series (data.bis.org)
Sep 1, 2026	Saudi Arabia completed a USD 3.25 billion international sukuk issuance.	Financing	National Debt Management Center (ndmc.gov.sa)
Aug 24, 2026	The Finance Ministry signed a joint statement for a credit line of up to USD 5 billion with Bpifrance.	Agreement	Ministry of Finance (ndmc.gov.sa)
Aug 21, 2026	The Finance Minister set customs duties at 10% for two tariff lines.	Trade measure	Ministry of Finance (uqn.gov.sa)
Aug 16, 2026	Saudi Arabia announced a 70% Saudization requirement for private-sector project management professions.	Policy reform	Ministry of Human Resources and Social Development (hrsd.gov.sa)
Aug 3, 2026	Saudi Arabia imposed final anti-dumping duties of 16.96%–29.94% on Indian ductile iron pipes.	Trade measure	General Authority for Foreign Trade (gaft.gov.sa)

Development plan monitoring

Saudi Vision 2030 · what the government promised, its own latest figures, and how far they have come.

Full plan, all 26 goals ↓

Economy

3 of the plan's goals

Small and medium enterprises' share of GDP22.9%

21.2% at startTarget 35%

Private sector's share of GDP51%

44% at startTarget 65%

Non-oil exports as a share of non-oil GDP22.1%

16.9% at startTarget 50%

People

3 of the plan's goals

Unemployment among Saudi nationals7.2%

12.3% at startTarget 7%

Women in the labour force35%

22.8% at startTarget 40%

Life expectancy79.7 years

77.06 years at startTarget 80 years

Public finance

2 of the plan's goals

Non-oil government revenue505.3 SAR bn

166 SAR bn at startTarget 1,000 SAR bn

Public Investment Fund assets3,409 SAR bn

720 SAR bn at startTarget 10,000 SAR bn

The full plan: every goal, the government's figures and the independent series beside them

Development plan monitoring

Saudi Vision 2030

Council of Economic and Development Affairs · launched 2016, horizon 2030 · 26 measurable goals, 21 with a reported figure, 2 reached · plan document · latest progress report

Launched 25 April 2016; three five-year phases, the third from 2026. The 2025 annual report tracks 390 indicators. Nearly every baseline printed in 2016 was restated in later reports; the goals below use the figures the plan now tracks, with the 2016 wording kept alongside.

Progress bars run from the baseline the plan now tracks to its current target. Government figures are as reported by the government; where an independent source measures the same thing, its figure is shown beside them.

1Unemployment among Saudi nationalsReached in 2024, not held: 7.2% in 2025
12.3% (2016)
7% by 2030
As reported by the government
2024: 7% (SPA25)2025: 7.2% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. No international series covers Saudi nationals only.
Official status
Reached 7.0% at end-2024, six years early; 7.2% at end-2025, a slight deviation from the interim target.
Tracked as
Unemployment Rate Among Saudis (GASTAT Labour Force Survey)
As printed in the plan
To lower the rate of unemployment from 11.6% to 7% (V16 p.39)
Revised
A 5% target by 2030 was announced by the Minister of Human Resources in November 2024 (press report); the 2025 annual report still prints 7%. source
Note
Saudi nationals only. The whole-population rate (World Bank, ILO) is about 3.5% and measures something else.
2Women in the labour force35% in 2025
22.8% (2016)
40% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 34% (SPA24)2024: 33.5% (SPA25)2025: 35% (ES25)
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, labor force participation rate, female: 33.6% in 2025
Check
The independent series measures something close but not the same; shown for context, not as a check. In 2025: government 35%, independent 33.6%. The World Bank and ILO series count all women aged 15 and over in the country; the plan's figure may be Saudi women only.
Official status
Original 30% target reached early; 35.0% in 2025 against a 2025 interim target of 36.6%, approaching.
Tracked as
Female Labor Force Participation Rate
As printed in the plan
To increase women's participation in the workforce from 22% to 30% (V16 p.39)
Revised
Target raised from 30% to 40% after the original was passed (ministry statement, December 2023; confirmed in the 2025 annual report). source
Note
The official reports do not say whether the figure covers all women in the country or Saudi women only; GASTAT reports a separate, higher figure for Saudi women.
3Small and medium enterprises' share of GDP22.9% in 2024
21.2% (2016)
35% by 2030
As reported by the government
2024: 22.9% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
22.9% (2024 data) against an interim target of 21.1%, exceeded.
Tracked as
SME contribution to GDP
As printed in the plan
SME contribution to GDP from 20% to 35% (V16 p.39)
Note
National definition of SMEs; value added as a share of GDP.
4Private sector's share of GDP51% in 2025
44% (2016)
65% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 45% (SPA24)2024: 47% (SPA25)2025: 51% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
51% in 2025 against an interim target of 47%, exceeded.
Tracked as
Private sector contribution to GDP
As printed in the plan
To increase the private sector's contribution from 40% to 65% of GDP (V16 p.53)
Note
Baseline restated from 40.3% to 44% after GDP was rebased in 2024.
5Non-oil exports as a share of non-oil GDP22.1% in 2025
16.9% (2016)
50% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 24.1% (SPA24)2024: 25.2% (EAM, press report)2025: 22.1% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. Non-oil GDP is published only by the Saudi statistics authority.
Official status
22.14% in 2025 against an interim target of 38%, below.
Tracked as
Non-oil exports as a share of non-oil GDP
As printed in the plan
To raise the share of non-oil exports in non-oil GDP from 16% to 50% (V16 p.61)
Note
Non-oil exports in riyals reached a record SAR 623 billion in 2025, but non-oil GDP grew faster, so the share has fallen.
6Foreign direct investment as a share of GDP2.8% in 2025
1% (2017)
5.7% by 2030
As reported by the government
2024: 2.4% (EAM, press report)2025: 2.8% (ES25)
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, inward foreign direct investment as a share of GDP: 2.56% in 2025
Check
The independent figure agrees with the government's. In 2025: government 2.8%, independent 2.56%. Same definition. Figures differ by source: the IMF put 2024 at 1.6% of GDP against the official 2.4%.
Official status
2.8% in 2025 (latest estimate) against an interim target of 3.4%, below.
Tracked as
FDI inflows as a share of GDP
As printed in the plan
FDI from 3.8% to the international level of 5.7% of GDP (V16 p.53)
Note
The 3.8% printed in 2016 is no longer used; the tracked baseline is 1.0% (2017).
7Non-oil government revenueSAR 505.3 billion in 2025
SAR 166 billion (2016)
SAR 1.00 trillion by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: SAR 457 billion (SPA24)2024: SAR 502.5 billion (MOF-Q4)2025: SAR 505.3 billion (MOF-Q4)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. The IMF's country reports split oil and non-oil revenue, but no database series does.
Official status
SAR 505 billion in 2025, about half-way; not rated in the 2025 report.
Tracked as
Non-oil revenue (Ministry of Finance)
As printed in the plan
Non-oil government revenue from SAR 163 billion to SAR 1 trillion (V16 p.67)
8Public Investment Fund assetsSAR 3.41 trillion in 2025
SAR 720 billion (2016)
SAR 10 trillion by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: SAR 2.81 trillion (SPA24)2024: SAR 3.53 trillion (SPA25)2025: SAR 3.41 trillion (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
About USD 909 billion at end-2025 against an interim target of USD 1.09 trillion, below.
Tracked as
PIF assets under management
As printed in the plan
PIF assets from SAR 600 billion to over SAR 7 trillion (V16 p.47)
Revised
Target raised to SAR 10 trillion (USD 2.67 trillion); the date of the change is not stated in the reports. source
Note
The 2025 figure is reported in dollars (about USD 909 billion) and converted at 3.75 riyals.
9Logistics Performance Index3.4 in 2023
3.15 (2016)
3.8 by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 3.4 (ES25)
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, logistics performance index: overall: 3.4 in 2022
Check
No year is reported by both.
Official status
3.4 (2023 edition) against an interim target of 3.18, exceeded.
Tracked as
LPI overall score (1 to 5)
As printed in the plan
To raise our global ranking in the Logistics Performance Index from 49 to 25 (V16 p.61)
Revised
The National Transport and Logistics Strategy sets a top-10 rank. source
Note
Now tracked as the World Bank's score rather than the rank. The index is published irregularly; the latest edition (2023) uses 2022 data.
10Global Competitiveness Index rankNo progress figure reported
25th (2016)
10th by 2030
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
No longer tracked in this form.
As printed in the plan
To rise from our current position of 25 to the top 10 countries on the Global Competitiveness Index (V16 p.53)
Note
The World Economic Forum index has not been published in comparable form since 2019. Official reports now cite the IMD World Competitiveness Ranking instead (17th in the 2025 report).
11Size of the economy, world rankNo progress figure reported
19th (2016)
15th by 2030
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, GDP: 1,276,942,933,333 in 2025
Check
No year is reported by both. A world rank can be computed from GDP in current dollars; the plan does not say which GDP measure it meant.
Official status
Rank not reported; the real-GDP interim target was exceeded in 2025.
Tracked as
Real GDP (USD 995 billion baseline, USD 1,732 billion target)
As printed in the plan
To move from our current position as the 19th largest economy in the world into the top 15 (V16 p.47)
Note
The annual reports no longer report a rank; they track real GDP, which reached USD 1,307 billion in 2025 against an interim target of 1,302.
12Local content in the oil and gas sector67.4% in 2024
37% (2016)
75% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 63% (SPA24)2024: 67.4% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
67.4% (2024 data) against an interim target of 68%, approaching.
Tracked as
Share of Local Content in the Oil and Gas Sector
As printed in the plan
To increase the localization of oil and gas sectors from 40% to 75% (V16 p.47)
13Household savings as a share of incomeNo progress figure reported
6% (2016)
10% by 2030
Check
No independent source measures this goal. International savings series are national, not household.
Official status
No figure found in the annual reports or the Financial Sector Development Program's reports.
As printed in the plan
To increase household savings from 6% to 10% of total household income (V16 p.75)
14Life expectancy79.7 years in 2024
77.06 years (2017)
80 years by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 78.1 years (SPA24)2024: 79.7 years (ES25)
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, life expectancy at birth: 78.982 years in 2024
Check
The independent figure agrees with the government's. In 2024: government 79.7 years, independent 78.982 years.
Official status
79.7 years (2024 data) against an interim target of 78.4, exceeded.
Tracked as
Life expectancy at birth
As printed in the plan
To increase the average life expectancy from 74 years to 80 years (V16 p.31)
Note
The official figure is a national estimate; the World Bank uses UN estimates, which can differ by a year or more.
15Umrah pilgrims from abroad18.03 million in 2025
6.2 million (2016)
30 million by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 13.56 million (SPA24)2024: 16.92 million (SPA25)2025: 18.03 million (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. International arrivals series count all visitors.
Official status
18.03 million in 2025 against an interim target of 15 million, exceeded.
Tracked as
Umrah Pilgrims from Outside the Kingdom
As printed in the plan
To increase our capacity to welcome Umrah visitors from 8 million to 30 million every year (V16 p.19)
Note
The 2016 goal was capacity; the tracked figure is actual pilgrims arriving from abroad.
16UNESCO World Heritage sitesReached in 2024
4 (2016)
8 by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 7 (SPA24)2024: 8 (SPA25)2025: 8 (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. The UNESCO list is the source; it is not among the platform's data sources.
Official status
8 sites; the 2030 target was met ahead of schedule.
As printed in the plan
To more than double the number of Saudi heritage sites registered with UNESCO (V16 p.19)
17Saudi cities among the world's 100 most liveable0 in 2025
0 (2016)
3 by 2030
As reported by the government
2025: 0 (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
0 in 2025 against an interim target of 1, below.
Tracked as
Number of Saudi Cities Ranked Among the 100 Most Livable Cities Globally
As printed in the plan
To have three Saudi cities be recognized in the top-ranked 100 cities in the world (V16 p.25)
Note
The ranking used is not named in the reports.
18Household spending on culture and entertainmentNo progress figure reported
2.9% (2016)
6% by 2030
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
No figure found in the annual reports.
As printed in the plan
Household spending on cultural and entertainment activities inside the Kingdom from 2.9% to 6% (V16 p.25)
19Adults who exercise regularly59.1% in 2025
49% (2016)
64% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 62.3% (SPA24)2024: 58.5% (SPA25)2025: 59.1% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
59.1% in 2025 against an interim target of 55%, exceeded. The 2023 reading (62.3%) was higher than the two since, which suggests a re-measurement.
Tracked as
Adults doing 150 minutes of physical activity a week
As printed in the plan
To increase the ratio of individuals exercising at least once a week from 13% of population to 40% (V16 p.25)
Note
The measure was redefined from 'once a week' to adults doing 150 minutes a week; the figures are not comparable with the 2016 wording.
20Social Capital Index rankNo progress figure reported
26th (2016)
10th by 2030
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
No longer tracked in this form.
As printed in the plan
To raise our position from 26 to 10 in the Social Capital index (V16 p.31)
Note
The plan does not name the index's publisher. The 2025 report tracks the World Happiness ranking and the Human Development Index instead.
21Non-profit sector's share of GDP1.4% in 2024
0.2% (2016)
5% by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 0.87% (SPA24)2024: 1.4% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
1.4% (2024 data) against an interim target of 0.56%, exceeded.
As printed in the plan
To raise the non-profit sector's contribution to GDP from less than 1% to 5% (V16 p.75)
22Volunteers a yearReached in 2024
22,900 (2016)
1,000,000 by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 834,000 (SPA24)2024: 1,200,000 (SPA25)2025: 1,749,000 (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
1.75 million in 2025; the 2030 target was passed in 2024.
As printed in the plan
To rally one million volunteers per year (compared to 11,000 now) (V16 p.75)
23UN e-government rank6th in 2024
36th (2014)
5th by 2030
As reported by the government
2024: 6th (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. The UN e-government survey is not among the platform's data sources.
Official status
6th in the 2024 survey, one place short of the 2030 target.
As printed in the plan
To raise our ranking on the E-Government Survey Index from our current position of 36 to be among the top five nations (V16 p.67)
Note
The UN survey is published every two years.
24Government effectiveness78.8 in 2023
61.9 (2016)
91.5 by 2030
As reported by the government
2022: 70.8 (SPA24)2023: 78.8 (ES25)
Independent figure
World Bank — World Development Indicators, government effectiveness - governance score: 67.48 score (0-100) in 2025
Check
The independent series measures something close but not the same; shown for context, not as a check. In 2023: government 78.8, independent 64.74. The World Bank now publishes government effectiveness as a 0–100 score rather than a percentile rank; shown beside the goal, not judged against it.
Official status
78.8 (46th) on 2023 data; interim target exceeded.
Tracked as
World Bank government effectiveness score (percentile)
As printed in the plan
To raise our ranking in the Government Effectiveness Index, from 80 to 20 (V16 p.67)
Note
Now tracked as the World Bank's percentile score (61.9 was 81st; 91.5 would be 20th). The World Bank changed its method in late 2025, so earlier readings are not comparable with the preliminary 2024 score of 66.6.
25Home ownership among Saudi families66.2% in 2025
47% (2016)
70% by 2030
As reported by the government
2020: 60% (ARG-H, press report)2022: 63.7% (ARG-H, press report)2023: 64% (ARG-H, press report)2024: 65.4% (ARG-H, press report)2025: 66.2% (ES25)
Check
No independent source measures this goal.
Official status
66.24% in 2025 against an interim target of 65%, exceeded.
Tracked as
Home ownership rate, Saudi families
As printed in the plan
Housing Program target: 70% home ownership by 2030 (the 2016 document set 52% by 2020) (V16 p.28; Housing Program)
Revised
The 70% by 2030 target comes from the Housing Program. source
Note
Not among the 24 goals printed in 2016; a headline target of the Housing Program. Saudi families only.
26Tourist visits a year106.2 million in 2023
—
150 million by 2030
As reported by the government
2023: 106.2 million (MT-PR)
Check
No independent source measures this goal. International arrivals series leave out the domestic three-quarters.
Official status
The original 100 million target was reached in 2023, seven years early; 150 million not yet.
Tracked as
Tourist visits, domestic and international
As printed in the plan
National Tourism Strategy: 100 million visits by 2030, raised to 150 million (tourism strategy)
Revised
Raised from 100 million to 150 million in October 2023 after the original was reached in 2023. source
Note
Not among the 24 goals printed in 2016. Domestic and international visits together; about a quarter are international.

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GDP, output, investment, savings · 241 series

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Oil, gas, power, emissions · 95 series

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Population, jobs, health, education · 48 series

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