Trade in services (% of GDP) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Trade in services (% of GDP) was 15.5% in 2025. ▼ Falling
Trade in services in Saudi Arabia, 1971–2025
Source: Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in % of GDP.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 15.5% for trade in services in 2025.
Compared with earlier readings it is up 3.6% on the previous year and down 0.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, trade in services in Saudi Arabia peaked at 32.1% in 1983 and was at its lowest, 6.2%, in 1974.
That places Saudi Arabia 131st out of 200 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 55 years of available data.
Trade in services (% of GDP) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of GDP | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1971 | 7.4% | — |
| 1972 | 7.5% | +2.2% |
| 1973 | 8.8% | +16.7% |
| 1974 | 6.2% | -29.5% |
| 1975 | 11.2% | +80.3% |
| 1976 | 14.1% | +26.2% |
| 1977 | 15.7% | +11.9% |
| 1978 | 20.0% | +26.8% |
| 1979 | 28.1% | +40.6% |
| 1980 | 21.5% | -23.3% |
| 1981 | 25.6% | +19.1% |
| 1982 | 25.7% | +0.3% |
| 1983 | 32.1% | +24.6% |
| 1984 | 30.9% | -3.6% |
| 1985 | 28.3% | -8.5% |
| 1986 | 26.4% | -6.8% |
| 1987 | 24.9% | -5.6% |
| 1988 | 19.5% | -21.6% |
| 1989 | 23.4% | +20.3% |
| 1990 | 21.6% | -7.9% |
| 1991 | 31.5% | +45.8% |
| 1992 | 26.0% | -17.3% |
| 1993 | 20.8% | -20.0% |
| 1994 | 16.1% | -22.9% |
| 1995 | 15.9% | -1.3% |
| 1996 | 17.0% | +7.4% |
| 1997 | 18.2% | +6.7% |
| 1998 | 14.7% | -19.1% |
| 1999 | 15.0% | +1.8% |
| 2000 | 15.8% | +5.8% |
| 2001 | 13.2% | -16.7% |
| 2002 | 13.3% | +0.6% |
| 2003 | 12.3% | -7.2% |
| 2004 | 12.2% | -1.0% |
| 2005 | 15.0% | +23.3% |
| 2006 | 17.0% | +13.1% |
| 2007 | 18.8% | +10.5% |
| 2008 | 15.5% | -17.6% |
| 2009 | 20.6% | +33.3% |
| 2010 | 17.3% | -16.3% |
| 2011 | 13.9% | -19.4% |
| 2012 | 11.9% | -14.5% |
| 2013 | 12.2% | +2.6% |
| 2014 | 15.1% | +24.0% |
| 2015 | 15.6% | +3.3% |
| 2016 | 13.6% | -13.2% |
| 2017 | 13.8% | +1.6% |
| 2018 | 12.4% | -9.7% |
| 2019 | 13.3% | +7.0% |
| 2020 | 10.4% | -21.9% |
| 2021 | 8.8% | -15.7% |
| 2022 | 11.0% | +25.0% |
| 2023 | 13.9% | +27.1% |
| 2024 | 15.0% | +7.5% |
| 2025 | 15.5% | +3.6% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 15.5% is below the median for high income countries, which is 32.3%, 48% of the median. (72 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 15.5% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 20.9%, 74% of the median. (22 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970s | 13.2% | 6.2% | 28.1% | 9 |
| 1980s | 25.8% | 19.5% | 32.1% | 10 |
| 1990s | 19.7% | 14.7% | 31.5% | 10 |
| 2000s | 15.4% | 12.2% | 20.6% | 10 |
| 2010s | 13.9% | 11.9% | 17.3% | 10 |
| 2020s | 12.4% | 8.8% | 15.5% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
- 128 Uzbekistan 15.6% compare
- 129 Trinidad and Tobago 15.6% compare
- 130 India 15.5% compare
- 132 Bhutan 15.4% compare
- 133 New Zealand 15.1% compare
- 134 Gabon 15.0% compare
More economy & growth data for Saudi Arabia
- 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)
- IMF holdings of currency, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.008 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is trade in services in Saudi Arabia?
- Trade in services in Saudi Arabia was 15.5% in 2025, according to Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest trade in services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 32.1% in 1983.
- What is the lowest trade in services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 6.2% in 1974.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for trade in services?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 131st out of 200 countries with data for 2025.
- Is trade in services rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 0.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Balance of Payments Statistics Yearbook and data files, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Trade in services (% of GDP). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Total trade in services includes services provided by residents to non-residents plus services provided by non-residents to residents. This indicator is expressed as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) which is the total income earned through the production of goods and services in an economic territory during an accounting period.