Real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Real gdp growth was 4.5 in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia, 1980–2025
Source: Our World in Data.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 4.5 for real gdp growth in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 70.0% on the previous year and down 3.3% over ten years.
Over the whole period, real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia peaked at 12 in 2022 and was at its lowest, -16.11, in 1982.
That places Saudi Arabia 56th out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 | 5.8 | — |
| 1981 | 2.98 | -48.6% |
| 1982 | -16.11 | -640.0% |
| 1983 | -10.99 | -31.8% |
| 1984 | -4.01 | -63.5% |
| 1985 | -7.21 | +79.9% |
| 1986 | 1.01 | -114.0% |
| 1987 | -3.13 | -410.8% |
| 1988 | 6.6 | -310.7% |
| 1989 | 0.415 | -93.7% |
| 1990 | 9.43 | +2171.3% |
| 1991 | 8.22 | -12.8% |
| 1992 | 4.58 | -44.3% |
| 1993 | 0.38 | -91.7% |
| 1994 | 0.953 | +150.8% |
| 1995 | 0.312 | -67.3% |
| 1996 | 3.31 | +959.3% |
| 1997 | 2.65 | -19.9% |
| 1998 | 2.8 | +5.9% |
| 1999 | -0.633 | -122.6% |
| 2000 | 4.72 | -845.3% |
| 2001 | 0.345 | -92.7% |
| 2002 | -0.688 | -299.4% |
| 2003 | 8.77 | -1374.6% |
| 2004 | 8.63 | -1.6% |
| 2005 | 5.95 | -31.1% |
| 2006 | 3.31 | -44.3% |
| 2007 | 2.21 | -33.2% |
| 2008 | 6.24 | +181.8% |
| 2009 | -1.07 | -117.1% |
| 2010 | 5.04 | -572.4% |
| 2011 | 11.76 | +133.3% |
| 2012 | 5.76 | -51.0% |
| 2013 | 2.95 | -48.9% |
| 2014 | 4.03 | +36.6% |
| 2015 | 4.66 | +15.7% |
| 2016 | 1.7 | -63.4% |
| 2017 | 1.18 | -30.6% |
| 2018 | 3.23 | +173.0% |
| 2019 | 1.65 | -48.8% |
| 2020 | -3.81 | -330.3% |
| 2021 | 6.52 | -271.4% |
| 2022 | 12 | +84.1% |
| 2023 | 0.543 | -95.5% |
| 2024 | 2.65 | +387.8% |
| 2025 | 4.5 | +70.0% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 4.5 is above the median for high income countries, which is 2.4, 1.9× the median. (67 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 4.5 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.9, 1.6× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | +2171.3% | 0.415 | 9.43 |
| 2003 | +1374.6% | -0.688 | 8.77 |
| 1996 | +959.3% | 0.312 | 3.31 |
| 2000 | +845.3% | -0.633 | 4.72 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980s | -2.47 | -16.11 | 6.6 | 10 |
| 1990s | 3.2 | -0.633 | 9.43 | 10 |
| 2000s | 3.84 | -1.07 | 8.77 | 10 |
| 2010s | 4.2 | 1.18 | 11.76 | 10 |
| 2020s | 3.73 | -3.81 | 12 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 53 Kiribati 4.63 compare
- 54 Nepal 4.6 compare
- 55 Costa Rica 4.56 compare
- 57 St. Vincent and the Grenadines 4.5 compare
- 58 Grenada 4.41 compare
- 59 Philippines 4.4 compare
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 real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia?
- Real gdp growth in Saudi Arabia was 4.5 in 2025, according to Our World in Data.
- What is the highest real gdp growth recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 12 in 2022.
- What is the lowest real gdp growth recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -16.11 in 1982.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for real gdp growth?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 56th out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is real gdp growth rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Our World in Data, published as part of Real gdp growth. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).