Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of GDP in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of GDP was 5.0% in 2024. ▼ Falling
Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of GDP in Saudi Arabia, 2010–2024
Source: United Nations Environment Programme – with minor processing by Our World in Data. Measured in %.
Analysis
The most recent figure for explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia is 5.0%, measured in 2024.
The figure is down 17.7% on the previous year and down 51.9% over ten years.
Over the whole period, explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia peaked at 12.0% in 2012 and was at its lowest, 2.4%, in 2020.
That places Saudi Arabia 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2024, putting it in the top 10%.
The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 15 years of available data.
Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of GDP in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | % | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.4% | — |
| 2011 | 11.3% | +20.2% |
| 2012 | 12.0% | +6.4% |
| 2013 | 11.2% | -6.6% |
| 2014 | 10.4% | -7.3% |
| 2015 | 7.0% | -33.2% |
| 2016 | 4.5% | -35.4% |
| 2017 | 5.3% | +17.8% |
| 2018 | 5.0% | -5.8% |
| 2019 | 3.9% | -21.6% |
| 2020 | 2.4% | -38.9% |
| 2021 | 4.9% | +106.3% |
| 2022 | 8.1% | +64.3% |
| 2023 | 6.1% | -24.7% |
| 2024 | 5.0% | -17.7% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 5.0% is above the median for high income countries, which is 0.3%, 18.6× the median. (65 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 5.0% is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 2.1%, 2.3× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010s | 8.0% | 3.9% | 12.0% | 10 |
| 2020s | 5.3% | 2.4% | 8.1% | 5 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More energy & mining data for Saudi Arabia
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, annual growth rate 1.85 % change on previous year (2025)
- Coal consumption, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal consumption, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Primary energy use, per capita 0.0001 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Coal production, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2024)
- Coal production, per unit of GDP 0 terawatt-hours per US$ of GDP (2024)
- Fossil fuel consumption by fuel, per capita 0 terawatt-hours per person (2025)
- Fuel imports 5.7% (2024)
Frequently asked questions
- What is explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia?
- Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp in Saudi Arabia was 5.0% in 2024, according to United Nations Environment Programme – with minor processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 12.0% in 2012.
- What is the lowest explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 2.4% in 2020.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 14th out of 194 countries with data for 2024.
- Is explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of gdp rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 51.9%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from United Nations Environment Programme – with minor processing by Our World in Data, published as part of Explicit fossil fuel subsidies as a share of GDP. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Fossil-fuel subsidies (consumption and production) as a proportion of total GDP (%).