Saudi Arabia – Export
Import
Saudi
Arabia is the 25th largest export economy in the world and the 62nd most
complex economy according to the Economic Complexity Index (ECI). In 2015,
Saudi Arabia exported $182B and imported $167B, resulting in a positive trade
balance of $15.6B. In 2015 the GDP of Saudi Arabia was $646B and its GDP per
capita was $53.5k.
Saudi Arabia imported US$129.8
billion worth of goods from around the globe in 2016, up by 40.4% since 2009
but down by -20.8% from 2015 to 2016.
Saudi Arabia’s top 10 imports
accounted for 56.7% of the overall value of its product purchases from other
countries.
Saudi imports represent 0.8% of total global imports which totaled $16.473
trillion for 2016.
Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Imports
|
Products
|
Import
Purchases (US $ Billion)
|
Per
%
|
|
Machinery including Computers
|
17.8
|
13.7 %
|
|
Vehicles
|
17.7
|
13.7 %
|
|
Electrical Machinery, Equipment's
|
14.3
|
11 %
|
|
Pharmaceuticals
|
4.8
|
3.7 %
|
|
Articles of Iron or Steel
|
4.2
|
3.2 %
|
|
Iron, Steel
|
3.2
|
2.5 %
|
|
Plastics, Plastic Articles
|
3
|
2.3 %
|
|
Gems, Precious metals
|
2.9
|
2.3 %
|
|
Optical, technical, medical Apparatus
|
2.9
|
2.3 %
|
|
Aircraft, Spacecraft
|
2.8
|
2.2 %
|
Saudi Arabia shipped US$207.6
billion worth of goods around the globe in 2016, up by 8.2% since 2009 when the
Great Recession kicked in and up by 3% from 2015 to 2016.
Saudi Arabia’s top 10 exports are concentrated, accounting
for 94.1% of the overall value of Saudi’s global shipments.
Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Exports
|
Products
|
Export
Sales (US $ Billion)
|
Per
%
|
|
Mineral Fuels including Oil
|
163.7
|
78.9 %
|
|
Plastics, Plastic Articles
|
14.4
|
7 %
|
|
Organic Chemicals
|
7.6
|
3.7 %
|
|
Ships, Boats
|
2.4
|
1.1 %
|
|
Aluminum
|
1.9
|
0.9 %
|
|
Machinery including computers
|
1.6
|
0.8 %
|
|
Dairy, Eggs, Honey
|
1.2
|
0.6 %
|
|
Vehicles
|
1.1
|
0.5 %
|
|
Electrical Machinery, Equipment
|
1.1
|
0.5 %
|
|
Gems, Precious Metals
|
1
|
0.5 %
|
Three of Saudi Arabia’s 10 largest
export companies produce diversified or specialized chemicals. Two other
mammoth Saudi firms offer telecommunications services, while two other
businesses operate in the food processing sector.
Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Major Export
Companies
|
Export
Companies
|
Asset
Value (US $ Billion)
|
Change
in Asset Value as of May 2016 compared to 2015 (%)
|
|
Saudi Basic Industries – Diversified
Chemicals
|
87.4
|
- 3.3 %
|
|
Saudi Arabian Mining – Diversified
Metals, Minings
|
26.1
|
+ 52.7 %
|
|
Saudi Telecom – Telecommunication
Services
|
25.8
|
+ 10.5 %
|
|
Petro Rabigh – Diversified Chemicals
|
13.7
|
+ 12.1 %
|
|
Tasnee -Conglomerates
|
12.6
|
No Change
|
|
Mobily – Telecommunication services
|
12.4
|
No Change
|
|
Kingdom Holding – Investment Services
|
11.5
|
- 6.9 %
|
|
Almaria – Food Processing
|
7.5
|
+ 20.3 %
|
|
Savola Group – Food Processing
|
7.2
|
+ 9.1 %
|
|
Saudi Arabia Fertilizers – Specialized
Chemicals
|
2.5
|
- 0.8 %
|
Cars, trucks, automobile parts and
piston engines were among the 20 highest value Saudi Arabian import products in
2016. The most valuable Saudi imports also include mobile phones, gold and
medicines. Mobile phones, gold, medications and computers represent other
imported products benefiting from powerful demand. Foodstuffs including chicken
and rice are also among Saudi Arabia’s highest value imports.
Highest Value Saudi Import Products
|
Products
|
Highest
Value Imports
|
Change
in Value over 7 yrs
|
|
Cars
|
12.9
|
+ 56 %
|
|
Phone Sys Device including Smartphones
|
5.1
|
+ 63.4 %
|
|
Medication mixes in dosage
|
3.5
|
+ 170.3 %
|
|
Aircraft parts
|
2.7
|
+ 44.2 %
|
|
Trucks
|
2.2
|
+ 6.7 %
|
|
Gold (Unwrought)
|
2.2
|
+ 230.6 %
|
|
Taps, Valves, Similar Appliances
|
1.6
|
+ 43.9 %
|
|
Poultry Meat
|
1.5
|
+ 39.2 %
|
|
Automobiles Parts/Accessories
|
1.4
|
+ 18 %
|
|
Computers, Optical Readers
|
1.4
|
- 6.7 %
|
|
Rubber Tires
|
1.3
|
+ 20.2 %
|
|
Air Conditioners
|
1.3
|
+ 131.1 %
|
|
Cigar, Cigarellos, cigarettes
|
1.2
|
+ 119.7 %
|
|
Machinery Parts
|
1.1
|
+ 44.8 %
|
|
Electrical Converters/Power Units
|
1
|
+ 33.4 %
|
|
Insulated Wire/cables
|
$ 991.2 Million
|
+ 60.1 %
|
|
Other Food Preparations
|
$ 950.9 Million
|
+ 76 %
|
|
Liquid Pumps and Elevators
|
$ 945.6 Million
|
+ 12 %
|
|
Piston Engines
|
$ 928.3 Million
|
+ 37.6 %
|
|
Rice
|
$ 917.3 Million
|
-
33.8 %
|