Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) was 19.8% in 2025. ▲ Rising
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 1964–2025
Source: International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
In 2025, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia stood at 19.8%.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 12.3% on the previous year and down 21.2% over ten years.
Over the whole period, value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 26.8% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 5.7%, in 1974.
Saudi Arabia ranks 151st of 201 countries on this measure, in the bottom quarter.
The long-run direction has been consistently rising across the 62 years of available data.
Value of imported goods as a share of GDP (International Monetary) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1964 | 11.3% | — |
| 1965 | 12.4% | +10.3% |
| 1966 | 14.0% | +12.9% |
| 1967 | 13.8% | -2.0% |
| 1968 | 12.4% | -9.9% |
| 1969 | 14.8% | +19.5% |
| 1970 | 11.6% | -21.6% |
| 1971 | 10.2% | -12.3% |
| 1972 | 10.8% | +5.9% |
| 1973 | 12.1% | +11.9% |
| 1974 | 5.7% | -52.7% |
| 1975 | 8.0% | +40.9% |
| 1976 | 12.0% | +49.0% |
| 1977 | 16.3% | +35.9% |
| 1978 | 21.7% | +33.1% |
| 1979 | 18.6% | -14.2% |
| 1980 | 16.2% | -12.9% |
| 1981 | 16.9% | +4.4% |
| 1982 | 23.1% | +36.3% |
| 1983 | 26.8% | +16.1% |
| 1984 | 25.3% | -5.7% |
| 1985 | 20.4% | -19.3% |
| 1986 | 19.7% | -3.3% |
| 1987 | 21.1% | +7.3% |
| 1988 | 22.3% | +5.5% |
| 1989 | 20.4% | -8.6% |
| 1990 | 20.1% | -1.6% |
| 1991 | 21.5% | +7.0% |
| 1992 | 23.7% | +10.5% |
| 1993 | 20.7% | -12.6% |
| 1994 | 16.9% | -18.7% |
| 1995 | 18.7% | +11.1% |
| 1996 | 17.1% | -8.8% |
| 1997 | 17.1% | +0.1% |
| 1998 | 20.4% | +19.2% |
| 1999 | 17.3% | -15.1% |
| 2000 | 15.9% | -8.1% |
| 2001 | 16.9% | +6.3% |
| 2002 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 2003 | 16.9% | -0.1% |
| 2004 | 17.0% | +1.1% |
| 2005 | 17.9% | +5.2% |
| 2006 | 17.8% | -0.6% |
| 2007 | 21.0% | +17.8% |
| 2008 | 21.5% | +2.4% |
| 2009 | 21.5% | -0.2% |
| 2010 | 19.5% | -8.9% |
| 2011 | 18.8% | -4.0% |
| 2012 | 20.1% | +7.0% |
| 2013 | 21.1% | +5.3% |
| 2014 | 21.3% | +1.0% |
| 2015 | 25.1% | +17.9% |
| 2016 | 20.3% | -19.3% |
| 2017 | 17.2% | -15.2% |
| 2018 | 14.2% | -17.3% |
| 2019 | 14.8% | +4.1% |
| 2020 | 17.9% | +21.0% |
| 2021 | 15.4% | -14.1% |
| 2022 | 14.8% | -3.9% |
| 2023 | 17.3% | +16.7% |
| 2024 | 17.6% | +2.0% |
| 2025 | 19.8% | +12.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 19.8% is below the median for high income countries, which is 30.4%, 65% of the median. (73 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 19.8% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 27.2%, 73% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 13.1% | 11.3% | 14.8% | 6 |
| 1970s | 12.7% | 5.7% | 21.7% | 10 |
| 1980s | 21.2% | 16.2% | 26.8% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.3% | 16.9% | 23.7% | 10 |
| 2000s | 18.3% | 15.9% | 21.5% | 10 |
| 2010s | 19.3% | 14.2% | 25.1% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.1% | 14.8% | 19.8% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More economy & growth data for Saudi Arabia
- Real gdp growth, annual growth rate 69.95 % change on previous year (2025)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 04 - Annual real GDP 2.26 Percent per annum (2029)
- Africa's Development Dynamics (AfDD) Table 02 - Annual real GDP 3.52 Percent per annum (2029)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.62 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0168 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, US dollar, per capita 580.45 units per person (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, annual growth rate -0.3713 % change on previous year (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.0123 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- SDRs holdings, SDR, per capita 423.84 units per person (2025)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, annual growth rate 4.52 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Value of imported goods as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia was 19.8% in 2025, according to International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 26.8% in 1983.
- What is the lowest value of imported goods as a share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 5.7% in 1974.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for value of imported goods as a share of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 151st out of 201 countries with data for 2025.
- Is value of imported goods as a share of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 21.2%. The long-run trend across the full record is rising.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from International Monetary Fund (2026); National statistical organizations and central banks, OECD national accounts, and World Bank staff estimates (2026) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Value of imported goods as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Value of a country’s total goods imports, including freight and insurance costs, as a percentage of a country’s gross domestic product (GDP).