Saudi Arabia | Economic Indicators | Moody's Analytics (2024)

Economy - overview:

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 16% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of budget revenues, 42% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings.

Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. Approximately 6 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors; at the same time, however, Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Saudi officials are particularly focused on employing its large youth population.

In 2017, the Kingdom incurred a budget deficit estimated at 8.3% of GDP, which was financed by bond sales and drawing down reserves. Although the Kingdom can finance high deficits for several years by drawing down its considerable foreign assets or by borrowing, it has cut capital spending and reduced subsidies on electricity, water, and petroleum products and recently introduced a value-added tax of 5%. In January 2016, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia intends to list shares of its state-owned petroleum company, ARAMCO - another move to increase revenue and outside investment. The government has also looked at privatization and diversification of the economy more closely in the wake of a diminished oil market. Historically, Saudi Arabia has focused diversification efforts on power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemical sectors. More recently, the government has approached investors about expanding the role of the private sector in the health care, education and tourism industries. While Saudi Arabia has emphasized their goals of diversification for some time, current low oil prices may force the government to make more drastic changes ahead of their long-run timeline.

GDP (purchasing power parity):

$1.789 trillion (2017 est.)

$1.787 trillion (2016 est.)

$1.756 trillion (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 16

GDP (official exchange rate):

$678.5 billion (2017 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:

0.1% (2017 est.)

1.7% (2016 est.)

4.1% (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 199

GDP - per capita (PPP):

$55,300 (2017 est.)

$56,300 (2016 est.)

$56,600 (2015 est.)

note: data are in 2017 dollars

country comparison to the world: 21

Gross national saving:

28.8% of GDP (2017 est.)

25.2% of GDP (2016 est.)

26.1% of GDP (2015 est.)

country comparison to the world: 31

GDP - composition, by end use:

household consumption: 41.3%

government consumption: 24.6%

investment in fixed capital: 24.4%

investment in inventories: 4.4%

exports of goods and services: 35.6%

imports of goods and services: -30.3% (2017 est.)

GDP - composition, by sector of origin:

agriculture: 2.6%