Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS was 15.6% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Saudi Arabia, 2000–2024
Source: United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
Analysis
The most recent figure for proportion of total government spending on essential services in Saudi Arabia is 15.6%, measured in 2024. That is the lowest value across all 10 years on record.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 1.3% on the previous year.
Over the whole period, proportion of total government spending on essential services in Saudi Arabia peaked at 21.6% in 2006 and was at its lowest, 15.6%, in 2024.
Saudi Arabia ranks 56th of 197 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 10 years of available data.
Proportion of total government spending on essential services … UIS in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2000 | 17.8% | — |
| 2001 | 20.9% | +17.2% |
| 2002 | 21.3% | +1.9% |
| 2003 | 21.5% | +0.8% |
| 2004 | 20.2% | -5.9% |
| 2005 | 19.3% | -4.4% |
| 2006 | 21.6% | +12.0% |
| 2008 | 19.3% | -10.9% |
| 2023 | 15.8% | -17.7% |
| 2024 | 15.6% | -1.3% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 15.6% is above the median for high income countries, which is 11.4%, 1.4× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 15.6% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 14.2%, 1.1× the median. (17 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2000s | 20.2% | 17.8% | 21.6% | 8 |
| 2020s | 15.7% | 15.6% | 15.8% | 2 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More education data for Saudi Arabia
- Teachers in secondary education, both sexes (number), gaps filled 242,375 (2024)
- Repeaters in primary education, all grades, both sexes (number), gaps 26,900 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, male (number), gaps filled 215,559 (2024)
- Enrolment in pre-primary education, female (number), gaps filled 214,840 (2024)
- Secondary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.36 million (2024)
- Primary education, duration (years), annual growth rate 0 % change on previous year (2025)
- Primary education, pupils, gaps filled 3.45 million (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, annual growth rate 2.53 % change on previous year (2022)
- Primary education, pupils, per unit of GDP 0 units per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Primary education, pupils, per capita 0.0976 units per person (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is proportion of total government spending on essential services in Saudi Arabia?
- Proportion of total government spending on essential services in Saudi Arabia was 15.6% in 2024, according to United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database.
- What is the highest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 21.6% in 2006.
- What is the lowest proportion of total government spending on essential services recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 15.6% in 2024.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for proportion of total government spending on essential services?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 56th out of 197 countries with data for 2024.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Statistics Division, SDG Global Database, published as part of Proportion of total government spending on essential services, education [UIS methodology] (%). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 10 observations, free to reuse under UN SDG Global Database (open, attribution requested).