Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a UN member state classified under Asia and the subregion Western Asia. Its UN M49 code is 682, ISO alpha-2 code SA, and ISO alpha-3 code SAU (UN Statistics Division, n.d.). The World Bank lists Riyadh as the capital. These identifiers come from the UN M49 standard, the UN’s system for naming and coding nations and regions, maintained by the UN Statistics Division. They are stable across international databases.

Statistical classification is not a political or territorial claim. The UN M49 grouping of Saudi Arabia under Western Asia is a geographic convention for data collection, not a statement about borders, sovereignty or disputed territory.

Country basics

UN M49 identifiers

The UN M49 standard assigns Saudi Arabia the code 682, with ISO alpha-2 code SA and ISO alpha-3 code SAU. The UN classifies Saudi Arabia in the Asia region and Western Asia subregion. The World Bank lists Riyadh as the capital. These codes and classifications come from the UN Statistics Division’s M49 overview.

How to verify current statistics

Do not rely on a single figure for Saudi Arabia’s population, GDP or other volatile statistics. Different sources define and measure differently, and published numbers can be projections, not counts. For the most current data, use these sources and note their reference years.

• Population: United Nations World Population Prospects (WPP) publishes annual estimates with a reference year. The General Authority for Statistics (GaStat) runs the national census and household surveys. The last census was 2022, with the population reported at around 32.2 million. The UN World Population Prospects 2024 revision gives a 2024 estimate of about 33.9 million. When comparing, use the same source and same reference year for both nations.
• Capital: Riyadh. The World Bank capital field lists Riyadh; the UN M49 overview lists the country name and code but not the capital.
• Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR), pegged to the U.S. dollar at 3.75 riyals per USD for most transactions. Exchange rates change; check the current rate from a central bank or a financial data source, and always note the date you checked.
• Languages: Arabic is the official language. English is widely used in business. For current legal status, refer to Saudi government sources.
• Government: Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy. The King is both head of state and head of government. The Basic Law of Governance (1992) serves as the closest document to a constitution. The Consultative Assembly (Majlis al-Shura) is appointed by the King and has an advisory role. The Council of Ministers is appointed by the King. The judicial system is based on Sharia law. Verify current leadership and political structure from official government sources.
• Economy: Saudi Arabia is the world’s largest exporter of petroleum, and oil dominates the economy. GDP per capita (PPP) is in the upper-middle to high-income range by World Bank classification. The IMF and World Bank publish current GDP figures, growth rates and fiscal projections. Oil price volatility and diversification efforts (Vision 2030) shape the economic outlook.
• Religion: Islam is the official religion. The two holiest cities of Islam, Mecca and Medina, are located in Saudi Arabia. Religious police historically enforced public conduct; recent reforms have reduced their authority. The legal system is based on Sharia.
• Demographics: Foreign nationals make up a large share of residents, over 40% in recent years, mainly for labour migration. Median age is around 32 years. Urban residents are about 84% of the total. Arabic is the official language; English is widely used in business.
• Political ratings: The political system is described by the CIA World Factbook as a monarchy, with the king as both head of state and head of government. Freedom House rates Saudi Arabia as “Not Free” (2024). Transparency International’s Corruption Perceptions Index 2023 scored Saudi Arabia 53 out of 100.

Size, time zone and membership

Saudi Arabia is the 14th largest nation by area (2,149,690 sq km; source: World Bank, 2021). It occupies about 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. Time zone: Arabia Standard Time (AST, UTC+3), IANA identifier Asia/Riyadh. The national day is 23 September (1932 unification). The nation is a member of the UN, GCC, Arab League, OPEC, G20 and WTO. Neighbours: Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Oman, Yemen.

Economic structure and Vision 2030

Oil dominates exports and government revenue, accounting for roughly 40% of GDP and about 75% of budget revenue (World Bank, 2023). The World Bank classifies Saudi Arabia as a high-income economy. Vision 2030, launched in 2016, is the national transformation plan to diversify away from oil dependence. Key economic sectors: oil and gas, petrochemicals, finance, tourism, construction. A 5% VAT was introduced in 2018; the rate was raised to 15% in July 2020. GDP per capita (PPP) was roughly $56,000 in 2023 (World Bank). Income inequality data is limited; official statistics publish a Gini index, but recent internationally comparable values are not consistently updated. The unemployment rate for Saudi nationals differs sharply from the total unemployment rate, and the labour force participation rate for Saudi women has been rising but remains far below that of men.

Demographics and infrastructure

The population in mid-2023 was about 36.9 million, but that figure includes a very large expatriate workforce (about 13.4 million non-Saudis). The median age is about 32 years (CIA World Factbook, 2024 est.). Internet penetration is above 95% (World Bank, 2023 estimate). Mobile phone penetration exceeds 100% due to multiple SIM ownership. The nation has no permanent rivers or lakes; desalination supplies a large share of drinking water. Life expectancy at birth is about 77 years.

Legal and social framework

The Basic Law of Governance (1992) states that Islam is the state religion and the Quran and the Sunnah are its constitution. The legal system is based on Sharia, with elements of civil and customary law. The nation has no codified criminal code; judges apply Sharia for many matters, with codified regulations increasingly issued for commercial and financial law. Public practice of religions other than Islam is restricted. Alcohol is prohibited.

Hajj and tourism

The Hajj pilgrimage attracts millions of visitors annually to Mecca and Medina. Saudi Arabia introduced e-visa and visa-on-arrival programs in 2019. Public behaviour laws changed after 2019 with the opening to tourism. Women have been permitted to drive since June 2018.

What to do with this information

Before you travel or do business

• Book accommodation and internal transport well ahead if you plan to visit during Hajj or Ramadan. Demand spikes sharply.
• Check the current SAR/USD exchange rate on the day you make any large transfer. Note the date and source.
• Confirm the visa type you need. The e-visa portal lists eligible nationalities and permitted activities. A business visa differs from a tourist visa, and overstaying carries financial penalties.
• Download the official GaStat app or bookmark its website if you need census or labour-market data for a report. Compare its figures with the UN WPP revision for the same reference year before citing a single number.
• Review the Basic Law of Governance and recent royal decrees if your work involves contracts, governance or compliance. The legal environment mixes Sharia principles with newer commercial regulations.

When you arrive

• Set your devices to Asia/Riyadh (UTC+3) immediately. Internal flight schedules, government office hours and prayer-time adjustments all follow this zone.
• Carry your passport or a digital copy on your phone. Authorities may request identification at checkpoints or in public spaces.
• Dress conservatively in public, even after the 2019 reforms. Local norms still apply, especially in Riyadh and smaller towns.
• Do not bring alcohol or pork products into the nation. Customs checks are thorough, and penalties are severe.

While you are there

• Separate your understanding of “total unemployment” from “Saudi national unemployment.” Official releases often report both. Use the GaStat labour-market bulletin for the most recent split.
• If you attend a meeting during prayer time, expect a pause. Businesses close briefly; schedules shift around the five daily prayers.
• Use cash or a local debit card for small purchases. International cards work in hotels and malls but may fail in smaller shops.
• For economic research, pull the IMF Article IV consultation and the World Bank’s latest Saudi Arabia economic update. These give fiscal projections and diversification benchmarks that a static GDP figure cannot.

When you cite this page

• Attribute UN M49 codes and World Bank capital fields to the UN Statistics Division and World Bank respectively. Note the year you accessed them.
• Do not present the M49 regional grouping as a political endorsement or territorial claim. State explicitly that it is a statistical convention.
• Quote the Freedom House rating, Transparency International score and CIA World Factbook description with their publication years. These ratings change annually.
• If you compare Saudi Arabia with another nation, align the reference year and data source for population, GDP and trade figures. Mismatched years produce misleading comparisons.