Saudi Arabia
Asia Β· Capital: Riyadh
How it is run: Saudi Arabia is a member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly. Use the research links below to find out exactly who makes the laws there.
Saudi Arabia is home to 37.0 million people in Western Asia, where people speak Arabic.
Numbers that tell a story π’
π₯ People
37.0 million people
That is 0.5% of everybody alive (counted in 2025).
πΊοΈ Land
2,149,690 kmΒ²
One of the world's large countries: flying across it takes hours.
ποΈ How crowded
Only about 17 people per square kilometre β lots of wide open space between towns.
π Size in its region
18th most people in Asia
4th largest by land in Asia.
π£οΈ Official languages
Arabic
π° Money
Saudi riyal (Ψ±.Ψ³)
Life here today π©Ί
These come from World Bank open data β the same numbers governments use when they argue about budgets.
β€οΈ How long people live
79 years on average
One of the healthier countries β good hospitals and clean water make a big difference.
πΌ Money made per person each year
about US$34,537
An upper-middle-income country: growing cities, and more families joining the middle class.
π’ Living in cities
84.6% of people
Mostly a city country β think buses, trains and apartment blocks.
π Kids under 15
23.6% of the population
A fairly balanced mix of young and old.
Everyday details π§
π Phone code
+966
Dial this before the number to call from another country.
π Websites end in
.sa
π§ People here are called
Saudi Arabian
π·οΈ Name at home
Ψ§ΩΨ³ΨΉΩΨ―ΩΨ©
Also written: Saudi, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Al-Mamlakah al-βArabiyyah as-SuβΕ«diyyah.
π Coast or inland
Has a coastline
ποΈ UN voting group
Asia and the Pacific Group
Countries in the same group often plan votes together.
Neighbours & borders π€
Saudi Arabia touches 7 neighbours by land. Neighbours share rivers, roads and usually a lot of trade.
Say its name around the world π£οΈ
Countries have different names in different languages. Try these with a penpal.
Spanish
Arabia SaudΓ
French
Arabie Saoudite
Arabic
Ψ§ΩΨ³ΨΉΩΨ―ΩΨ©
Chinese
ζ²ηΉιΏζδΌ―
Japanese
γ΅γ¦γΈγ’γ©γγ’
Russian
Π‘Π°ΡΠ΄ΠΎΠ²ΡΠΊΠ°Ρ ΠΡΠ°Π²ΠΈΡ
Portuguese
ArΓ‘bia Saudita
German
Saudi-Arabien
Put it in perspective π
- India β the most populated country in Asia β has about 39.6Γ as many people as Saudi Arabia.
- Saudi Arabia covers roughly 20,473 times the area of Hong Kong Island.
- If everyone in Saudi Arabia lined up shoulder to shoulder, the line would stretch about 18,487 km.
Flags through time π
A flag is a country telling you what it believes. Scroll the timeline and watch Saudi Arabia change.
Third Saudi State
The green banner with the shahada flew as the kingdom formed.
Modern Saudi Arabia
The flag is never flown at half-mast because the writing is sacred.
Fast facts π§
Fact of the day: The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
π·οΈ Official name
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
ποΈ Capital
Riyadh
π Region
Asia Β· Western Asia
π€ Country code
SA
ποΈ UN status
UN member state
π© Independence
Independent country
More about Saudi Arabia π
Hegra (Mada'in Salih)
More than 100 tombs cut into desert sandstone by the same people who built Petra.
See it in Street Viewπ§ Where on the map
25.0Β° N, 45.0Β° E
π Half of the world
Northern & Eastern hemisphere
π°οΈ Clock check
Roughly UTC+3 β when it is noon in London it is about 15:00 in Riyadh.
- Saudi Arabia is a full member of the United Nations, so it gets one vote in the General Assembly β the same as every other member, big or small.
- πΈπ¦ is the flag of Saudi Arabia. Its country code β the short name used on the internet and at the Olympics β is SA.
- The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh β that's where the country's big decisions get made.
- Saudi Arabia shares its part of the world with Lebanon. Countries close together often trade the most with each other.
- Saudi Arabia is an independent country, meaning it makes its own laws.
Countries nearby π€
Talk about it π¬
- Saudi Arabia has 1 official language. How would your school day change if lessons were taught in more than one language?
- Saudi Arabia can trade by sea. What should a country protect first: its ports, its fishing waters, or its beaches?
- If Saudi Arabia spoke at the General Assembly tomorrow, what one problem should its delegate ask the world to help fix?
Quick quiz π§ͺ
Guess first, then tap to check your answer.
What is the capital of Saudi Arabia?
Riyadh
Which money do people spend in Saudi Arabia?
Saudi riyal (Ψ±.Ψ³)
How many countries share a land border with Saudi Arabia?
7 β Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen.
Roughly how many people live in Saudi Arabia?
37.0 million people
Keep researching π
Everything here is a starting point. These trusted sites, databases and libraries will take you further β and they are the kind of sources a teacher will accept in a report.
Start here β kid-friendly encyclopedias π
Short articles written for students, with maps and photos you can use in a report.
Official data & government sources ποΈ
Primary sources. Cite these when your teacher asks for real data.
News & current policy π°
Use two different outlets before you decide what you think.
Your library card π«
Libraries give you books, databases and librarians β all free.
Library tip: Ask your school or public librarian for their online databases (like Gale in Context or EBSCO Explora). Your library card unlocks them for free at home, and they are already checked by adults for school use.