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Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom
Side-by-side comparison of Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom from official statistics: size, economy, people, trade, natural resources, health, infrastructure and military, with world ranks, years and sources.
Saudi Arabia
Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan · nation age 299 years
United Kingdom
Europe & Central Asia · nation age 1,099 years
In short
Saudi Arabia scores 76.5 in the NationsTree Index (15th in the world) and United Kingdom scores 74.6 (22nd), a gap of 2.0 points. Their trees are 35 m and 44 m tall; tree height grows with real GDP and is adjusted by the index.
United Kingdom has 88% more people than Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is 8.8 times larger than United Kingdom by land area. The economy of United Kingdom is 65% larger than that of Saudi Arabia (GDP at purchasing power parity). Population: Saudi Arabia 37.0 million and United Kingdom 69.5 million (2025).
GDP per person at purchasing power parity is $73,784 in Saudi Arabia and $64,606 in United Kingdom (2025, international dollars). People in United Kingdom live on average 2.4 years longer (81.4 vs 79.0 years).
Of 34 indicators reported by both countries, Saudi Arabia ranks higher in the world on 11 and United Kingdom on 23. Saudi Arabia is clearly stronger in main industries, economy and military. United Kingdom is clearly stronger in environment & energy, institutions & safety and science & innovation.
As a nation, United Kingdom is the older of the two (statehood since 927, 1,099 years), compared with Saudi Arabia (since 1727). Over the last five years Saudi Arabia improved faster (direction score 100 vs 15 out of 100).
Where they differ most
The indicators with the biggest gap in world position between Saudi Arabia and United Kingdom.
Saudi Arabia
26.0
192nd of 205
United Kingdombetter
81.3
19th of 205
High-tech exportsTrade
Saudi Arabia
0.5%
154th of 168
United Kingdombetter
29.2%
17th of 168
Air pollution (PM2.5)Environment & energy
Saudi Arabia
73.5
199th of 200
United Kingdombetter
9.5
43rd of 200
General government gross debtEconomy
Saudi Arabiabetter
31.8%
40th of 189
United Kingdom
102.1%
171st of 189
GDP growthEconomy
Saudi Arabiabetter
4.5%
63rd of 210
United Kingdom
1.4%
162nd of 210
Over time
How the two countries moved against each other, from the yearly data.
Saudi Arabia overtook United Kingdom in the NationsTree Index in 2025, the latest year with data.
Saudi Arabia overtook United Kingdom in GDP per person (PPP) in 2021 and has stayed ahead since.
United Kingdom has been ahead of Saudi Arabia in GDP (PPP), life expectancy and population in every year since 1990.
Strength by category
Average world percentile of the indicators in each category (0–100, direction taken into account). i
Saudi ArabiaUnited Kingdom All indicators
Latest available value for each country with its year and world rank. Green: the better world position of the two, red: the weaker one.
| Indicator | Saudi Arabia | United Kingdom |
|---|---|---|
| Land & people | ||
| Surface area km² | 2,149,69012th/216 · 2024 | 243,61079th/216 · 2024 |
| Land area km² | 2,149,69012th/216 · 2024 | 241,93079th/216 · 2024 |
| Population people | 37.0 m43rd/217 · 2025 | 69.5 m22nd/217 · 2025 |
| Population growth % | 4.63%2nd/217 · 2025 | 0.30%154th/217 · 2025 |
| Population density people/km² | 16.4196th/216 · 2024 | 286.444th/216 · 2024 |
| Urban population % | 84.6%47th/217 · 2025 | 83.3%50th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 0–14 % | 23.6%105th/217 · 2025 | 17.0%155th/217 · 2025 |
| Population aged 65+ % | 3.1%195th/217 · 2025 | 19.7%39th/217 · 2025 |
| Economy | ||
| GDP USD | $1.28 trn19th/210 · 2025 | $4.00 trn5th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP (PPP) intl. USD | $2.73 trn17th/199 · 2025 | $4.49 trn9th/199 · 2025 |
| Real GDP (PPP, constant 2021 prices) intl. USD 2021 | $2.33 trn17th/199 · 2025 | $3.75 trn10th/199 · 2025 |
| GDP per person USD | $34,53750th/210 · 2025 | $57,60227th/210 · 2025 |
| GDP per person (PPP) intl. USD | $73,78425th/199 · 2025 | $64,60632nd/199 · 2025 |
| GNI per person (Atlas) USD | $36,07041st/201 · 2025 | $54,55025th/201 · 2025 |
| GDP growth % | 4.5%63rd/210 · 2025 | 1.4%162nd/210 · 2025 |
| Inflation % | 2.0%59th/180 · 2025 | 3.9%118th/180 · 2025 |
| Unemployment % | 3.0%41st/187 · 2025 | 4.7%80th/187 · 2025 |
| Central government debt % of GDP | — | 130.7%54th/55 · 2024 |
| General government gross debt % of GDP | 31.8%40th/189 · 2025 | 102.1%171st/189 · 2025 |
| Government budget balance % of GDP | -5.8%161st/192 · 2025 | -5.3%154th/192 · 2025 |
| Main industries | ||
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing % of GDP | 2.6%138th/197 · 2025 | 0.6%179th/197 · 2025 |
| Industry incl. construction % of GDP | 43.0%12th/200 · 2025 | 16.5%152nd/200 · 2025 |
| Manufacturing % of GDP | 15.8%37th/192 · 2025 | 7.7%128th/192 · 2025 |
| Services % of GDP | 48.9%149th/200 · 2025 | 73.1%21st/200 · 2025 |
| Trade | ||
| Exports of goods & services USD | $379.83 bn27th/182 · 2025 | $1.22 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Imports of goods & services USD | $359.76 bn27th/182 · 2025 | $1.28 trn4th/182 · 2025 |
| Exports % of GDP | 29.7%114th/183 · 2025 | 30.6%111th/183 · 2025 |
| Imports % of GDP | 28.2%142nd/183 · 2025 | 31.9%126th/183 · 2025 |
| Trade openness % of GDP | 57.9%131st/183 · 2025 | 62.5%124th/183 · 2025 |
| Fuel exports % of merchandise exports | 78.7%11th/170 · 2025 | 7.2%63rd/170 · 2025 |
| Manufactures exports % of merchandise exports | 16.7%113th/171 · 2025 | 59.7%55th/171 · 2025 |
| Food exports % of merchandise exports | 2.2%152nd/171 · 2025 | 6.7%131st/171 · 2025 |
| Ores & metals exports % of merchandise exports | 1.2%127th/171 · 2025 | 5.7%59th/171 · 2025 |
| High-tech exports % of manufactured exports | 0.5%154th/168 · 2024 | 29.2%17th/168 · 2024 |
| Current account balance % of GDP | -2.6%107th/191 · 2025 | -3.0%116th/191 · 2025 |
| Foreign direct investment, inflows % of GDP | 2.6%81st/196 · 2025 | 0.9%147th/196 · 2025 |
| Natural resources | ||
| Natural resource rents % of GDP | 25.6%17th/209 · 2021 | 0.6%127th/209 · 2021 |
| Oil rents % of GDP | 23.69%6th/197 · 2021 | 0.42%56th/197 · 2021 |
| Natural gas rents % of GDP | 1.72%26th/197 · 2021 | 0.17%55th/197 · 2021 |
| Coal rents % of GDP | 0.00%68th/195 · 2021 | 0.00%60th/195 · 2021 |
| Mineral rents % of GDP | 0.16%65th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%90th/209 · 2021 |
| Forest rents % of GDP | 0.00%170th/209 · 2021 | 0.00%183rd/209 · 2021 |
| Arable land % of land area | 2.0%169th/206 · 2024 | 25.3%39th/206 · 2024 |
| Renewable freshwater per person m³ | 75175th/183 · 2022 | 2,144103rd/183 · 2022 |
| Tourism | ||
| International tourist arrivals arrivals | 20.3 m13th/194 · 2019 | 11.1 m22nd/194 · 2020 |
| Tourism receipts USD | $5.96 bn27th/175 · 2020 | $31.66 bn1998 |
| Tourism receipts % of exports | 3.2%104th/168 · 2020 | 8.2%1998 |
| Outbound trips departures | 27.2 m6th/107 · 2019 | 23.8 m8th/107 · 2020 |
| Society & health | ||
| Life expectancy years | 79.057th/217 · 2024 | 81.442nd/217 · 2024 |
| Under-5 mortality per 1,000 births | 6.051st/196 · 2024 | 4.736th/196 · 2024 |
| Physicians per 1,000 people | 3.4148th/174 · 2023 | 3.3053rd/174 · 2023 |
| Hospital beds per 1,000 people | 2.477th/145 · 2023 | 2.475th/145 · 2022 |
| DPT immunization % of children 12–23 months | 97%29th/193 · 2024 | 92%86th/193 · 2024 |
| Completed lower secondary, 25+ % of adults | 85.8%60th/153 · 2024 | 99.8%3rd/153 · 2021 |
| Secondary enrolment % gross | 110.7%24th/173 · 2024 | 112.1%23rd/173 · 2023 |
| Old-age dependency ratio % of working-age population | 4.2%210th/217 · 2025 | 31.1%38th/217 · 2025 |
| Health spending % of GDP | 5.7%113th/193 · 2023 | 11.1%16th/193 · 2024 |
| Adult literacy % | 97.9%21st/98 · 2024 | — |
| Tertiary enrolment % gross | 83.9%20th/150 · 2024 | 80.4%26th/150 · 2023 |
| Human Development Index index 0–1 | 0.90037th/193 · 2023 | 0.94613th/193 · 2023 |
| Income inequality (Gini) index | — | 32.437th/108 · 2021 |
| Extreme poverty % of population | — | 0.4%27th/108 · 2021 |
| Infrastructure & digital | ||
| Access to electricity % of population | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 | 100.0%1st/215 · 2024 |
| Safely managed drinking water % of population | — | 99.8%17th/150 · 2024 |
| Safely managed sanitation % of population | 83.9%45th/144 · 2024 | 97.8%13th/144 · 2024 |
| Internet users % of population | 100.0%1st/186 · 2024 | 95.5%26th/186 · 2024 |
| Mobile subscriptions per 100 people | 16024th/210 · 2024 | 12284th/210 · 2024 |
| Fixed broadband per 100 people | 44.118th/208 · 2024 | 42.222nd/208 · 2024 |
| Trade & transport infrastructure quality (LPI) score 1–5 | 3.6029th/164 · 2022 | 3.7024th/164 · 2022 |
| Rail lines route-km | 2,93942nd/82 · 2018 | 16,17913th/82 · 2021 |
| Air passengers carried passengers | 48.0 m22nd/161 · 2023 | 118.9 m7th/161 · 2023 |
| Environment & energy | ||
| CO₂ emissions per person t CO₂e | 18.48196th/203 · 2024 | 4.22139th/203 · 2024 |
| Renewable energy % of final energy use | 0.1%202nd/212 · 2021 | 12.2%131st/212 · 2021 |
| Air pollution (PM2.5) µg/m³ | 73.5199th/200 · 2023 | 9.543rd/200 · 2023 |
| Forest area % of land area | 1.3%195th/214 · 2024 | 13.5%149th/214 · 2024 |
| Energy use per person kg oil eq. | 6,6769th/149 · 2024 | 2,09555th/149 · 2024 |
| Institutions & safety | ||
| Government effectiveness score 0–100 | 67.555th/205 · 2025 | 77.628th/205 · 2025 |
| Control of corruption score 0–100 | 64.346th/207 · 2025 | 78.918th/207 · 2025 |
| Rule of law score 0–100 | 63.183rd/207 · 2025 | 79.526th/207 · 2025 |
| Political stability score 0–100 | 65.9116th/207 · 2025 | 70.792nd/207 · 2025 |
| Regulatory quality score 0–100 | 67.046th/205 · 2025 | 80.614th/205 · 2025 |
| Voice & accountability score 0–100 | 26.0192nd/205 · 2025 | 81.319th/205 · 2025 |
| Homicide rate per 100,000 | 0.939th/145 · 2019 | 1.147th/145 · 2021 |
| Military | ||
| Military expenditure USD | $83.18 bn8th/156 · 2025 | $88.98 bn6th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of GDP | 6.5%7th/156 · 2025 | 2.4%45th/156 · 2025 |
| Military expenditure % of government spending | 23.5%5th/154 · 2025 | 5.4%73rd/154 · 2025 |
| Armed forces personnel people | 282,00025th/170 · 2020 | 153,00041st/170 · 2020 |
| Armed forces personnel % of labour force | 1.92%31st/168 · 2020 | 0.45%121st/168 · 2020 |
| Arms imports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.0 bn1st/163 · 2025 | 609.0 m16th/163 · 2025 |
| Arms exports (SIPRI TIV) TIV | 3.0 m53rd/65 · 2023 | 702.0 m9th/65 · 2025 |
| Science & innovation | ||
| R&D spending % of GDP | 0.64%57th/110 · 2024 | 2.68%13th/110 · 2023 |
| Patent applications by residents applications | 3,10817th/137 · 2024 | 11,1059th/137 · 2024 |
| Scientific articles articles | 24,59520th/197 · 2023 | 97,5365th/197 · 2023 |
Questions and answers
Which has more people, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger population: 69.5 m (2025) compared with 37.0 m for Saudi Arabia (2025). Source: World Bank, SP.POP.TOTL.
Which is bigger by area, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
Saudi Arabia is larger: 2,149,690 km² (2024) compared with 243,610 km² for United Kingdom (2024). Source: World Bank, AG.SRF.TOTL.K2.
Which economy is larger, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the larger economy at purchasing power parity: $4.49 trn intl. (2025) compared with $2.73 trn intl. for Saudi Arabia (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.MKTP.PP.CD.
Which is richer per person, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
Saudi Arabia has the higher GDP per person (PPP): $73,784 intl. (2025) compared with $64,606 intl. for United Kingdom (2025). Source: World Bank, NY.GDP.PCAP.PP.CD.
Where do people live longer, in Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom has the higher life expectancy at birth: 81.4 years (2024) compared with 79.0 years for Saudi Arabia (2024). Source: World Bank, SP.DYN.LE00.IN.
Which spends more on the military, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
United Kingdom spends more on the military: $88.98 bn (2025) compared with $83.18 bn for Saudi Arabia (2025). Source: World Bank, MS.MIL.XPND.CD.
Which ranks higher in the NationsTree Index, Saudi Arabia or United Kingdom?
Saudi Arabia: 76.5 points (15th in the world); United Kingdom: 74.6 points (22nd). The index combines foundations, economic strength, quality of life, problems and 5-year direction from public statistics.
Algeria
Argentina
Australia
Canada
Egypt
Indonesia
Iran
Italy
Ireland
MexicoSources
World Bank World Development Indicators and Worldwide Governance Indicators, compiling UN agencies, the IMF, WHO, SIPRI and national statistical offices; every row links to its world ranking with the source series. See Sources & licences and Methodology.
Cite as: NationsTree (2026). Saudi Arabia vs United Kingdom — country comparison. https://nationstree.org/compare/saudi-arabia-vs-united-kingdom. Data as of 26 October 2026.