Flag of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: capital, population, area and flag

Saudi Arabia is a country in Western Asia (Asia). Its capital is Riyadh. The population is about 37M (#43 of 193) and the area is about 2,149,690 km² (#12 of 193).

Key facts

Capital
Riyadh
Region
Asia / Western Asia
Population
36,973,555 (2025) #43 of 193
Total area
2,149,690 km² (2024) #12 of 193
Population density
16.4 people/km² (2024) #175 of 193
GDP (total)
$1.28T (2025) #19 of 189
GDP per capita
$34,537 (2025) #36 of 189
Life expectancy
79.0 years (2024) #45 of 193
Distance from Japan
8,693 km #129 of 192
Area compared with Japan
about 5.7 times that of Japan
Population compared with Japan
about 1/3 that of Japan
Main languages
Arabic
Currency
Saudi Riyal (SAR)
Calling code
+966
Time zone (capital)
UTC+3
Time difference from Japan (standard time)
6 h behind Japan
Driving side
Right
Capital location
24.64°N 46.72°E

Map of Saudi Arabia

Map of Saudi Arabia

Capital: Riyadh

Saudi Arabia: number one in the world

Saudi Arabia ranks first in the world for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data). Select one to see the whole ranking.

Saudi Arabia: in the world’s top 10 for food & farming

Saudi Arabia ranks among the world’s top 10 for these crops, animals, seafood and farm products (latest FAO data).

Neighbors by land

Top rankings

Saudi Arabia is in the top 10 for:

Saudi Arabia in world rankings

How Saudi Arabia compares with other countries, indicator by indicator. Click an indicator to see the full ranking.

IndicatorValueYearRank
Geography & nature
Total area2,149,690 km²2024#12 of 193
Number of land borders7#10 of 193 tied
Latitude of the capital24.6°#81 of 193
Distance from Japan8,693 km#129 of 192
Forest area (share of land)1.3%2024#178 of 193
Arable land (share of land)2.0%2024#161 of 190
Protected land (share of land)18.5%2025#91 of 192
Agricultural land (share of land)81.7%2024#6 of 192
Average annual rainfall59 mm2022#178 of 180
Freshwater resources per person75 m³2022#173 of 181
Forest area27,756 km²2025#95 of 193
Marine protected areas (share of territorial waters)3.5%2025#67 of 153
People & population
Population36,973,5552025#43 of 193
Population density16.4 people/km²2024#175 of 193
Population growth rate4.63%2025#2 of 193
Urban population (share of people)84.6%2025#32 of 193
Life expectancy79.0 years2024#45 of 193
Fertility rate2.31 births per woman2024#80 of 193
Infant mortality rate4.7 per 1,000 births2024#145 of 192 tied
Birth rate16.5 per 1,000 people2024#89 of 193 tied
Share of people aged 65 and over3.1%2025#171 of 193
Share of children aged 0–1423.6%2025#102 of 193
Life expectancy of women81.3 years2024#53 of 193
Life expectancy of men77.3 years2024#42 of 193
Maternal mortality ratio7 per 100,000 births2023#156 of 192 tied
City dwellers living in the largest city (share)25.4%2025#92 of 149
Death rate (per 1,000 people)2.3 per 1,000 people2024#188 of 193
Under-5 mortality (per 1,000 births)6.0 per 1,000 births2024#143 of 192
Population aged 15–64 (share of population)73.3%2025#7 of 193
Economy
GDP (total)$1.28T2025#19 of 189
GDP per capita$34,5372025#36 of 189
GDP per capita (PPP)$73,7842025#19 of 185
Economic growth rate4.5%2025#56 of 188
Inflation rate2.0%2025#123 of 179
Unemployment rate3.0%2025#140 of 178
Exports (share of GDP)29.7%2025#104 of 168
Imports (share of GDP)28.2%2025#128 of 168
Agriculture (share of GDP)2.6%2025#134 of 184
Industry (share of GDP)43.0%2025#11 of 185
Services (share of GDP)48.9%2025#135 of 185
Military spending (share of GDP)6.5%2025#7 of 155
Goods exports (total)$311B2025#25 of 190
Money sent home by workers abroad (share of GDP)0.0%2025#167 of 170
Women in the labor force (share of women)33.6%2025#154 of 178
Youth unemployment rate10.0%2025#110 of 178
Cereal production1,174,874 t2024#104 of 177
Cereal yield (per hectare of farmland)5,105 kg/ha2024#40 of 175
Fish and seafood production (catch + farmed)247,207 t2024#60 of 193
Fish catch (from sea, rivers and lakes)85,324 t2024#85 of 193
Aquaculture (farmed fish and seafood)161,883 t2024#30 of 193
Livestock production growth (2014–16 = 100)140.0 (2014–16 average = 100)2024#24 of 187
Fertilizer use (per hectare of arable land)126 kg/ha2024#73 of 187
Manufacturing (share of GDP)15.8%2025#36 of 178
Employment in agriculture (share of jobs)2.5%2025#153 of 178
High-technology exports (share of manufactured exports)0.5%2024#153 of 168
Foreign direct investment, inflows (share of GDP)2.6%2025#76 of 187
Labor force (number of people)18,383,6772025#37 of 178
Reserves of foreign currency and gold$505B2025#8 of 169
Daily life & technology
Internet users (share of people)100.0%2024#1 of 186 tied
Mobile phone subscriptions159.5 per 100 people2024#21 of 193
Access to electricity (share of people)100.0%2024#1 of 193 tied
Health spending (share of GDP)5.7%2023#112 of 192
Education spending (share of GDP)4.5%2023#77 of 179
Hospital beds2.4 per 1,000 people2023#81 of 157
Doctors3.41 per 1,000 people2023#49 of 188
Research spending (share of GDP)0.64%2024#58 of 130
Women in parliament (share of seats)19.9%2025#127 of 192
University and college enrollment83.9%2024#20 of 163
Fixed broadband subscriptions44.1 per 100 people2024#15 of 192
Air passengers carried47,979,9942023#22 of 152
Safe sanitation (share of people)83.9%2024#43 of 136
Undernourishment (share of people)2.5%2024#102 of 165 tied
Clean cooking fuels (share of people)100.0%2024#1 of 192 tied
Road traffic deaths35.9 per 100,000 people2019#8 of 183
Measles vaccination (share of children)96.0%2024#46 of 192 tied
Secondary school enrollment (gross)110.7%2024#22 of 180
Primary school completion rate99.4%2024#41 of 172
Nurses and midwives (per 1,000 people)6.56 per 1,000 people2023#48 of 190
Tuberculosis cases (per 100,000 people)8 per 100,000 people2024#148 of 191
Health spending per person$1,8252023#42 of 192
Container port traffic (TEU)8,029,571 TEU2024#26 of 150
Environment
Renewable electricity (share of power)0.1%2021#182 of 187
CO₂ emissions per person18.5 t CO₂e per person2024#8 of 186
CO₂ emissions (total)652.5 Mt CO₂e2024#8 of 186
Air pollution (PM2.5)73.5 µg/m³2023#2 of 192
Energy use per person6,676 kg oil eq. per person2024#9 of 146
Renewable energy (share of final energy use)0.1%2021#184 of 191 tied
Electricity consumption per person11,808 kWh per person2024#12 of 146
Electricity from nuclear power (share of total)0.0%2021#33 of 190 tied
Electricity from hydropower (share of total)0.0%2021#150 of 190 tied
Greenhouse gas emissions (total)838.9 Mt CO₂e2024#9 of 186
Freshwater withdrawal (share of internal resources)974.2%2022#5 of 175
Food & farming
Wheat: production820,393 t2024#55 of 120
Rice: production1,006 t2024#106 of 114
Maize (corn): production67,441 t2024#110 of 160
Barley: production11,775 t2024#82 of 100
Sorghum: production168,328 t2024#31 of 107
Millet: production13,268 t2024#43 of 73
Potatoes: production625,071 t2024#54 of 150
Groundnuts (peanuts): production1,931 t2024#82 of 108
Tomatoes: production682,569 t2024#35 of 164
Onions: production295,699 t2024#47 of 139
Cabbages: production18,508 t2024#96 of 143
Carrots (with turnips): production53,290 t2024#61 of 129
Cucumbers (with gherkins): production227,454 t2024#21 of 130
Lettuce (with chicory): production21,662 t2024#42 of 102
Cauliflower (with broccoli): production26,297 t2024#35 of 95
Eggplants (aubergines): production113,590 t2024#20 of 94
Green chilies and sweet peppers: production131,215 t2024#28 of 124
Lemons (with limes): production124,189 t2024#20 of 101
Bananas: production34,585 t2024#70 of 113
Grapes: production120,547 t2024#48 of 91
Mangoes (with guavas and mangosteens): production100,600 t2024#40 of 96
Watermelons: production608,478 t2024#23 of 119
Peaches (with nectarines): production39,163 t2024#37 of 79
Dates: production1,927,556 t2024#1 of 36
Olives: production351,278 t2024#11 of 40
Melons (cantaloupes and others): production69,130 t2024#35 of 95
Papayas: production4,800 t2024#43 of 68
Almonds: production123 t2024#43 of 48
Coffee: production760 t2024#53 of 74
Beef (cattle meat): production43,000 t2024#99 of 181
Chicken meat: production757,432 t2024#32 of 183
Cow’s milk: production2,958,843 t2024#42 of 178
Hen eggs: production377,065 t2024#32 of 167
Honey: production5,779 t2024#44 of 122
Sheep meat (mutton and lamb): production166,976 t2024#16 of 172
Goat meat: production50,881 t2024#19 of 164
Goat’s milk: production111,077 t2024#33 of 108
Butter (with ghee): production13,998 t2023#53 of 124
Cheese (all kinds): production145,379 t2023#31 of 105
Whiteleg shrimp: production71,319 t2024#10 of 54
Nile tilapia: production63,840 t2024#10 of 79
Common carp: production1,459 t2024#37 of 97
African sharptooth catfish: production650 t2024#27 of 63
Milkfish: production98 t2024#9 of 25
Barramundi (giant sea perch): production13,800 t2024#4 of 20
Gilthead seabream: production9,640 t2024#7 of 31
European seabass: production120 t2022#17 of 29
Shrimps and prawns: production87,096 t2024#14 of 114
Crabs: production6,802 t2024#23 of 97
Lobsters: production405 t2024#43 of 91
Squids, cuttlefish and octopuses: production1,307 t2024#50 of 102
Tunas, bonitos and billfishes: production7,171 t2024#65 of 133
Carps and other cyprinids: production1,459 t2024#63 of 115
Tilapias and other cichlids: production64,040 t2024#18 of 119
Herrings, sardines and anchovies: production532 t2024#83 of 108
Flatfishes (flounders, halibuts, soles): production119 t2024#68 of 91
Sharks and rays: production929 t2024#60 of 127
Cattle: number of animals534,181 animals2024#121 of 183
Chickens: number of animals212,409,000 birds2024#23 of 181
Sheep: number of animals22,428,136 animals2024#17 of 173
Goats: number of animals7,758,566 animals2024#28 of 180
Horses: number of animals40,470 animals2024#74 of 143
Camels: number of animals2,436,191 animals2024#5 of 46
Donkeys: number of animals98,285 animals2024#33 of 104

Questions about Saudi Arabia

What is the capital of Saudi Arabia?

The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh.

What is the population of Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia has a population of about 37M (2025), #43 of 193 among countries.

How big is Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia covers about 2,149,690 km², #12 of 193 among countries.

Which continent is Saudi Arabia in?

Saudi Arabia is in Asia, in the region of Western Asia.

What is Saudi Arabia number one in the world for in food and farming?

Saudi Arabia ranks first in the world for: Dates 1.93M t (FAO data).

What currency and languages are used in Saudi Arabia?

The currency is the Saudi Riyal. Main languages: Arabic.

How does Saudi Arabia compare with Japan in size and population?

The area of Saudi Arabia is about 5.7 times that of Japan, and its population is about 1/3 that of Japan.

How far is Saudi Arabia from Japan?

The capital, Riyadh, is about 8,693 km from Tokyo, the capital of Japan, in a straight line.

What is the time difference between Saudi Arabia and Japan?

The capital, Riyadh, is on UTC+3 in standard time: 6 h behind Japan.

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