Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) was 16.7% in 2025. ◆ Volatile
Manufactures exports in Saudi Arabia, 1968–2025
Source: Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division. Measured in % of merchandise exports.
Analysis
Saudi Arabia recorded 16.7% for manufactures exports in 2025.
The figure is up 5.1% on the previous year and down 7.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, manufactures exports in Saudi Arabia peaked at 22.0% in 2020 and was at its lowest, 0.1%, in 1968.
That places Saudi Arabia 123rd out of 196 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % of merchandise exports | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1968 | 0.1% | — |
| 1969 | 0.1% | +7.3% |
| 1974 | 0.1% | -5.8% |
| 1975 | 0.6% | +566.4% |
| 1976 | 0.2% | -60.0% |
| 1977 | 0.3% | +19.9% |
| 1978 | 0.6% | +109.7% |
| 1979 | 0.7% | +26.1% |
| 1980 | 0.6% | -11.9% |
| 1981 | 0.6% | -6.9% |
| 1982 | 1.0% | +73.1% |
| 1985 | 3.2% | +207.9% |
| 1991 | 6.4% | +100.2% |
| 1992 | 10.2% | +58.3% |
| 1993 | 6.5% | -35.8% |
| 1994 | 8.1% | +24.4% |
| 1995 | 10.9% | +34.5% |
| 1996 | 9.4% | -13.5% |
| 1998 | 13.0% | +37.2% |
| 1999 | 9.3% | -28.3% |
| 2000 | 7.0% | -24.7% |
| 2001 | 9.7% | +38.4% |
| 2002 | 9.4% | -2.4% |
| 2003 | 9.1% | -3.8% |
| 2004 | 9.0% | -0.6% |
| 2005 | 8.0% | -10.9% |
| 2006 | 7.9% | -2.0% |
| 2007 | 8.6% | +9.3% |
| 2008 | 7.6% | -12.4% |
| 2009 | 10.3% | +36.4% |
| 2010 | 11.0% | +6.4% |
| 2011 | 10.1% | -7.7% |
| 2012 | 10.2% | +1.3% |
| 2013 | 11.1% | +7.9% |
| 2014 | 12.9% | +16.7% |
| 2015 | 18.1% | +40.4% |
| 2016 | 18.4% | +1.5% |
| 2017 | 16.7% | -9.1% |
| 2018 | 16.2% | -2.7% |
| 2019 | 16.9% | +3.8% |
| 2020 | 22.0% | +30.5% |
| 2021 | 19.6% | -10.7% |
| 2022 | 14.7% | -25.2% |
| 2023 | 14.6% | -0.5% |
| 2024 | 15.9% | +8.7% |
| 2025 | 16.7% | +5.1% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 16.7% is below the median for high income countries, which is 59.0%, 28% of the median. (71 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 16.7% is below the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 24.7%, 68% of the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports) in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +566.4% | 0.1% | 0.6% |
| 1985 | +207.9% | 1.0% | 3.2% |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 0.1% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 2 |
| 1970s | 0.4% | 0.1% | 0.7% | 6 |
| 1980s | 1.4% | 0.6% | 3.2% | 4 |
| 1990s | 9.2% | 6.4% | 13.0% | 8 |
| 2000s | 8.7% | 7.0% | 10.3% | 10 |
| 2010s | 14.2% | 10.1% | 18.4% | 10 |
| 2020s | 17.3% | 14.6% | 22.0% | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More private sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Merchandise trade 44.2% (2025)
- Food imports 12.3% (2025)
- Manufactures imports 72.1% (2025)
- Merchandise imports 254.06 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service imports 122.08 billion current US$ (2025)
- Food exports 2.2% (2025)
- Merchandise exports 310.67 billion current US$ (2025)
- Commercial service exports 66.92 billion current US$ (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per capita 8,403 current US$ per person (2025)
- Merchandise exports (current US$), per unit of GDP 0.2433 current US$ per US$ of GDP (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is manufactures exports in Saudi Arabia?
- Manufactures exports in Saudi Arabia was 16.7% in 2025, according to Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division.
- What is the highest manufactures exports recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 22.0% in 2020.
- What is the lowest manufactures exports recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 0.1% in 1968.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for manufactures exports?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 123rd out of 196 countries with data for 2025.
- Is manufactures exports rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 7.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Comtrade database, United Nations (UN), publisher: UN Statistics Division, published as part of Manufactures exports (% of merchandise exports). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 46 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (World Bank Open Data).
About this data
Manufactures comprise commodities in SITC (Rev. 3) sections 5 (chemicals), 6 (basic manufactures), 7 (machinery and transport equipment), and 8 (miscellaneous manufactured goods), excluding division 68 (non-ferrous metals). This indicator is expressed as a percentage of merchandise exports which is comprised of goods whose economic ownership is changed between a resident and a non-resident and that are not included in the following specific categories: goods under merchanting, non-monetary gold, and parts of travel, construction, and government goods and services n.i.e.