Country explorer: Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has experienced significant economic transformations characterized by fluctuating GDP per capita growth, a gradual reduction in unemployment rates despite global trends, and variable inflation rates, reflecting its efforts towards economic diversification beyond oil, in contrast to stabilization seen in other high-income and Gulf Cooperation Council countries.

Saudi Arabia has witnessed significant demographic transitions, characterized by a steady increase in population, fluctuating net migration with a notable dip in recent years, a decreasing fertility rate aligning with global trends among high-income countries, and improvements in life expectancy, reflecting wider health and societal advancements observed across the Gulf region.

Saudi Arabia has achieved universal access to clean cooking fuels and electricity, paralleling high-income countries, while making moderate improvements in managed sanitation facilities and showcasing a commitment to enhancing basic living conditions.

In the past two decades, Saudi Arabia has experienced noticeable improvements in human development indicators including a significant increase in its Human Development Index, a notable reduction in child mortality rates, a steady rise in literacy rates, and advancements in the average learning-adjusted years of schooling, illustrating a concerted effort in enhancing education, healthcare, and overall living standards, akin to its Gulf Cooperation Council peers but with unique strides in educational reforms and health sector improvements.

Saudi Arabia has experienced a notable shift in its environment and energy sectors, highlighted by a decrease in per capita CO₂ emissions, a decline in renewable freshwater resources per capita, and a stable management of its forest area, reflecting broader societal and developmental transformations inherent to its economic diversification goals and sustainability efforts, distinguishing it from many of its regional peers who face similar environmental challenges.

Saudi Arabia has rapidly transformed its technological and innovative landscape, marked by a surging internet user base, widespread mobile phone adoption, increasing research and development spending, and a notable rise in scientific publications, positioning itself as a progressive leader in technology and innovation among its Middle Eastern peers.

Saudi Arabia has experienced transformative societal changes, marked by an increase in foreign-born population, improving life satisfaction scores, decreasing gender inequality, and shifting age dependency ratios, positioning it as a nation rapidly evolving amidst both regional and global peers.

Saudi Arabia has shown notable volatility in governance indicators, reflecting significant societal transformations, including modest improvements in rule of law and corruption perceptions, alongside gradual changes in political civil liberties and press freedom, setting it apart in both progress and challenges within the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) context.