Saudi Arabia at its true size
Saudi Arabia covers 2,250,000 km², number 12 of 194 countries by area. Home to 36,973,555 people (2025). Sitting near the equator, it is one of the few places Mercator gets almost right.
Equal-area projection · Natural Earth 50m
| Area | 2,250,000 km² Wikidata |
|---|---|
| Population | 36,973,555 World Bank, 2025 |
| Density | 16 per km² |
| Capital | Riyadh |
| Local time in Riyadh | |
| Time zone | UTC+3 IANA |
| Currency | Saudi riyal (SAR) Wikidata |
| Languages | Arabic |
| Traffic | On the right |
| Region | Western Asia, Asia |
| Status | Independent state |
| Member of | G20OPEC |
| Coast | Has a coastline |
| Calling code | +966 |
| Codes | SA · SAU · 682 |
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Where Saudi Arabia ranks
Among the independent states, in 42 rankings. Each links to its table.
People
- Population#43 of 19437 million people#18 of 48 in Asia
- Population density#176 of 19416 people per km²#45 of 48 in Asia
- Urban population#32 of 19285% urban#11 of 47 in Asia
- Fertility rate#79 of 1922.31 births per woman#18 of 47 in Asia
- Population growth#2 of 192+4.63% a year#2 of 47 in Asia
- Birth rate#88 of 19216.5 births per 1,000 people#20 of 47 in Asia
- Death rate#187 of 1922.3 deaths per 1,000 people#42 of 47 in Asia
- Children under 15#101 of 19223.6% under 15#25 of 47 in Asia
- People over 65#166 of 1923.1% aged 65 and over#42 of 47 in Asia
- Net migration#29 of 192+3.2 per 1,000 people#9 of 47 in Asia
- Refugees abroad#129 of 1900.06 refugees abroad per 1,000 people#33 of 47 in Asia
Health & education
- Life expectancy#45 of 19279.0 years#12 of 47 in Asia
- Infant mortality#144 of 1914.7 infant deaths per 1,000 live births#39 of 47 in Asia
- Doctors#48 of 1783.41 doctors per 1,000 people#6 of 46 in Asia
- University enrolment#18 of 14583.9% gross enrolment#6 of 42 in Asia
- Human Development Index#36 of 190an index of 0.900#7 of 46 in Asia
Economy
- GNI per capita#33 of 185$36,070 a person#9 of 45 in Asia
- Internet users#1 of 184100% online#1 of 43 in Asia
- GDP per capita (PPP)#19 of 184$73,784 a person#5 of 45 in Asia
- GDP growth#55 of 187+4.5% a year#20 of 45 in Asia
- Inflation#120 of 176+2.0% a year#25 of 42 in Asia
- Unemployment#138 of 1783.0% of the labour force#33 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in agriculture#152 of 1782.5% of jobs#39 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in industry#54 of 17823.1% of jobs#23 of 47 in Asia
- Jobs in services#31 of 17874.4% of jobs#7 of 47 in Asia
- Foreign investment#73 of 1842.6% of GDP#19 of 44 in Asia
- Exports#104 of 16829.7% of GDP#22 of 42 in Asia
- Military spending#7 of 1556.5% of GDP#4 of 38 in Asia
- Mobile subscriptions#20 of 191160 subscriptions per 100 people#10 of 47 in Asia
Energy & environment
- CO₂ per person#8 of 18518.5 tonnes a person#6 of 47 in Asia
- Forest area#175 of 1921% forest#41 of 47 in Asia
- Renewable energy#183 of 1900.1% renewable#41 of 47 in Asia
- Access to electricity#1 of 192100.0% with electricity#1 of 47 in Asia
- Air pollution (PM2.5)#2 of 19173.5 µg/m³#2 of 47 in Asia
- Protected land#90 of 19118.5% of the land protected#18 of 47 in Asia
- Arable land#161 of 1902.0% of the land arable#40 of 47 in Asia
- Water stress#3 of 176974.2% of its available fresh water#3 of 47 in Asia
- Precipitation#178 of 18059 mm a year#47 of 47 in Asia
Governance & safety
Countries of a similar size
Every country within 25% of Saudi Arabia’s area, lit up on the map →
- DR Congo0.96×Saudi Arabia is 4% smaller than DR Congo.
- Algeria0.94×Saudi Arabia is 6% smaller than Algeria.
- Mexico1.14×Saudi Arabia is 14% larger than Mexico.
- Indonesia1.18×Saudi Arabia is 18% larger than Indonesia.
- Sudan1.19×Saudi Arabia is 19% larger than Sudan.
- Kazakhstan0.83×Saudi Arabia is 17% smaller than Kazakhstan.
How many times does Saudi Arabia fit into…
- Russia: about 7.6 times
- Canada: about 4.4 times
- United States: about 4.4 times
The land itself
Rivers, summits and lakes Saudi Arabia shares with the rest of the world. Turn on “Rivers & lakes” and “Physical names” in the atlas to see them on the map.
Summits
- Jabal Sawda3,133 m
- Jabal al-Lawz2,580 m
Rivers are listed by the published length of their whole course, not the part inside Saudi Arabia. Figures from Wikidata, features from Natural Earth.
Neighbours
Questions about Saudi Arabia
- How big is Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia covers 2,250,000 km², which makes it number 12 of 194 countries by area. About 36,973,555 people live there (2025), 16 per km².
- Is Saudi Arabia bigger than DR Congo?
- Saudi Arabia is 4% smaller than DR Congo. Saudi Arabia: 2,250,000 km²; DR Congo: 2,344,858 km².
- How much does the Mercator map distort Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia lies close to the equator, so Mercator draws it at nearly its true size. It is the countries far from the equator that Mercator inflates.
- Which countries border Saudi Arabia?
- Saudi Arabia shares a land border with Yemen, Iraq, Oman, Jordan, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait, Qatar.