Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

https://www.humantruth.info/saudi_arabia.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	130th best
Capital	Riyadh
Land Area	2 149 690km²₁
Location	Asia, The Middle East
Population	33.7m₂
Life Expectancy	76.94yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$46 112 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	SA, SAU, 682₅
Internet Domain	.sa₆
Currency	Rial (SAR)₇
Telephone	+966₈

1. Overview

#bahrain #iraq #islam #kuwait #saudi_arabia #USA

“Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz ascended to the throne in 2005. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. The king instituted an interfaith dialogue initiative in 2008 to encourage religious tolerance on a global level; in 2009, he reshuffled the cabinet, which led to more moderates holding ministerial and judicial positions, and appointed the first female to the cabinet. The 2010-12 uprisings across Middle Eastern and North African countries sparked modest incidents in Saudi cities, predominantly by Shia demonstrators calling for the release of detainees and the withdrawal from Bahrain of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Peninsula Shield Force. Protests in general were met by a strong police presence, with some arrests, but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. In response to the unrest, King ABDALLAH in February and March 2011 announced a series of benefits to Saudi citizens including funds to build affordable housing, salary increases for government workers, and unemployment entitlements. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide in September 2011 for half the members of 285 municipal councils. Also in September, the king announced that women will be allowed to run for and vote in future municipal elections - first held in 2005 - and serve as full members of the advisory Consultative Council. During 2012, Shia protests increased in violence, while peaceful Sunni protests expanded. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds more than 20% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are ongoing governmental concerns.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“The birthplace and spiritual home of Islam, Saudi Arabia is as rich in attractions as it is in stirring symbolism. If you are not a Muslim pilgrim performing the hajj, or an expat working in the oil industry, Saudi Arabia is one of the most difficult places on earth to visit. For those travellers who do get in, rock-hewn Madain Saleh is the Arabian peninsula´s greatest archaeological treasure. Other wonders abound, from the echoes of TE Lawrence along the Hejaz Railway to the mudbrick ruins of Dir´aiyah. Jeddah, gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, has an enchanting old city made of coral, while the Red Sea coast has world-class diving without the crowds. Elsewhere, this is a land of astonishing natural beauty, particularly the plunging landscapes of the Asir Mountains in the Kingdom´s southwest.Best of all, there are few places left that can be said to represent the last frontier of tourism. Whether you´re an expat or a pilgrim, Saudi Arabia is one of them.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

“[In 2017] King Salman removed Mohammed bin Nayef as interior minister and crown prince, and appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, as the new crown prince. Mohammed bin Salman also serves as minister of defense. The succession move followed the removal of the country´s notorious prosecution service from the Interior Ministry and its transformation into an agency reporting directly to the royal court.
In addition, in July [2017], King Salman removed the domestic intelligence agency and counterterrorism powers from the Interior Ministry and merged them into the newly created Presidency of State Security, which reports directly to the royal court. In September, the king decreed that women will be allowed to drive from June 2018, ending a long-standing ban.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₁

2. Saudi Arabia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₂
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
	...
32	Czechia	0.889
33	Greece	0.887
34	Poland	0.876
35=	Saudi Arabia	0.875
35=	Bahrain	0.875
35=	Lithuania	0.875
38	Portugal	0.866
39	Latvia	0.863
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₂
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
	...
22	Finland	$49 452
23	Australia	$49 238
24	Canada	$46 808
25	Saudi Arabia	$46 112
26	France	$45 937
27	UK	$45 225
28	S. Korea	$44 501
29	New Zealand	$44 057
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃
1	Denmark	27.0
2	Norway	29.9
3	Sweden	31.8
	...
127	Egypt	100.3
128	Bangladesh	100.6
129	Bhutan	100.8
130	Saudi Arabia	101.6
131	Uzbekistan	101.6
132	Honduras	102.0
133	Kenya	102.2
134	Kiribati	103.1
	Asia Avg	92.0
	World Avg	88.6
q=199.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Saudi Arabia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #fertility #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population #yemen

Population:

Saudi Arabia's population is predicted to rise to 38.48 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 2.39. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population will grow, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity - the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate (two new children for each set of parents who die), which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1. The highest fertility rate ever detected in a single year was in Yemen in 1985, at 8.86.₁₄

Population₂
Pos.		2018 Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
	...
38	Afghanistan	37.2m
39	Canada	37.1m
40	Morocco	36.0m
41	Saudi Arabia	33.7m
42	Uzbekistan	32.5m
43	Peru	32.0m
44	Malaysia	31.5m
45	Angola	30.8m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
46	USA	77.2
47	Estonia	77.1
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
62	Czechia	1.62
63	St Martin	2.39
64	Trinidad & Tobago	1.61
65	Saudi Arabia	2.39
66	Macedonia	1.60
67	Libya	2.40
68	Iceland	1.59
69	Dominica	1.59
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio Lower is better₁₆
Pos.		2016 Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3=	Chad	04.7
	...
63	Equatorial Guinea	09.4
64=	Kiribati	09.5
64=	Guatemala	09.5
64=	Saudi Arabia	09.5
67	Haiti	09.6
68	Vanuatu	09.9
69	Cape Verde	10.0
70	Philippines	10.3
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants₁₇
Pos.		2017 %₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
	...
9	Luxembourg	45.3%
10	Oman	44.7%
11	Hong Kong	39.1%
12	Saudi Arabia	37.0%
13	Jordan	33.3%
14	Nauru	32.7%
15	Lebanon	31.9%
16	Switzerland	29.6%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants₁₈
Pos.		2010 %₁₈
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
	...
181	Ethiopia	0.7%
182	Tanzania	0.7%
183	Brazil	0.7%
184	Saudi Arabia	0.7%
185	Qatar	0.7%
186	Nigeria	0.6%
187	Maldives	0.6%
188	China	0.6%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #saudi_arabia #saudi_arabia_slavery #slavery #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2025)₁₉
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉
1	Sweden	6.1
2	Denmark	8.6
3	Norway	9.0
	...
185	Swaziland	138.1
186	Congo, DR	141.3
187	Angola	141.9
188	Saudi Arabia	143.6
189	Mauritania	143.8
190	Chad	144.9
	Asia Avg	103.00
	World Avg	86.55
q=199.

Saudi Arabia is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Saudi Arabia does worse than average in terms of its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₀ and in its average Freedom in the World rating. And finally, it sits amongst the bottom 20 in its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₁, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₂ (amongst the lowest in Asia), supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₃, supporting press freedom₂₄, freethought₂₅ (amongst the highest in Asia) and in LGBT equality₂₆ (amongst the lowest in Asia). There is no freedom of religion or belief in Saudi Arabia₂₇_,₂₈. Saudi Arabia's form of Wahhabi Islam makes the country fundamentally opposed to basic Human Rights and human rights campaigners are persecuted and imprisoned₁₁. The legal and social system systematically objectifies and subjugates women, although from 2017 there have been signs that things may get a little better, in some areas due to actions of King Salman, such as decreeing that from 2018 women can drive cars.₁₁; but years later, any meaningful change beyond that has not transpired₂₉.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Saudi Arabia

5. Saudi Arabia's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #saudi_arabia #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2025)₃₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₀
1=	Japan	44.1
2	Hong Kong	48.2
3	Singapore	49.5
	...
26	Kazakhstan	90.7
27	Uzbekistan	92.2
28	Indonesia	93.4
29	Saudi Arabia	94.9
30	Myanmar (Burma)	94.9
31	India	96.5
32	Oman	97.7
33	Bhutan	98.6
34	Kyrgyzstan	100.5
	Asia Avg	80.90
q=50.

Health (2025)₃₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₀
1	Monaco	14.3
2	Liechtenstein	30.1
3	Isle of Man	32.1
	...
107	Uzbekistan	92.2
108	Indonesia	93.4
109	Colombia	94.5
110	Saudi Arabia	94.9
111	Myanmar (Burma)	94.9
112	Ecuador	95.3
113	Jamaica	95.4
114	Panama	95.6
	World Avg	96.74
q=212.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Liechtenstein and The Isle of Man₃₁. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are S. Sudan, Angola and Nigeria₃₁.

21 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Europe and The Balkans₃₁, whereas the worst are Africa, Micronesia and Melanesia₃₁.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Public health in Saudi Arabia is very good. Saudi Arabia comes in the best 20 when it comes to its alcohol consumption rate₃₂, its immunizations take-up₃₃ and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₄ (one of the best in Asia). It does better than average in terms of its average life expectancy₁₂, its adolescent birth rate₃₅ and in its fertility rate₁₅. Saudi Arabia does not succeed in everything, however. Saudi Arabia does worse than average in its smoking rate₃₆. The prevalence of overweight adults has increased by 14% during the past 40 years. Life expectancy in Saudi Arabia improved by +8.4yrs in the 30 years from 1990, just over the global average improvement of +7.9yrs. Saudi Arabia is amongst only 41 countries who have seen their fertility rate drop by more than 4 since the 1960s. Its peak fertility rate was 7.67 in 1964.

Life Expectancy Higher is better₁₂
Pos.		2021 Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
	...
46	USA	77.2
47	Estonia	77.1
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
52	Sri Lanka	76.4
53	Algeria	76.4
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption Lower is better₃₂
Pos.		2016 Per Capita₃₂
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
6	Yemen	0.1
7=	Afghanistan	0.2
7=	Saudi Arabia	0.2
9	Syria	0.3
10=	Pakistan	0.3
11	Kiribati	0.4
12=	Iraq	0.4
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate 2.0 is best₁₅
Pos.		2022₁₅
1	US Virgin Islands	2.00
2	Ecuador	2.00
3	Nepal	2.01
	...
62	Czechia	1.62
63	St Martin	2.39
64	Trinidad & Tobago	1.61
65	Saudi Arabia	2.39
66	Macedonia	1.60
67	Libya	2.40
68	Iceland	1.59
69	Dominica	1.59
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.47
q=208.

Smoking Rates Lower is better₃₆
Pos.		2014₃₆
1	Guinea	15
2	Solomon Islands	26
3	Kiribati	28
	...
143	Denmark	1 378
144	Georgia	1 378
145	Cuba	1 392
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
147	Netherlands	1 396
148	Poland	1 396
149	Italy	1 443
150	Germany	1 480
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
	...
12	Finland	12
13	Australia	13
14	UAE	14
15	Saudi Arabia	15
16	Belgium	16
17	New Zealand	17
18	Jordan	18
19	S. Korea	19
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults Lower is better₃₇
Pos.		2016 %₃₇
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
	...
176=	Lebanon	67.9
176=	USA	67.9
178	Jordan	69.6
179	Saudi Arabia	69.7
180	Qatar	71.7
181	Kuwait	73.4
182	Micronesia	75.9
183	Samoa	77.6
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate Lower is better₃₅
Pos.		2022 Per 1000₃₅
1	Hong Kong	1.6
2	Denmark	1.8
3	S. Korea	2.1
	...
52	Belarus	11.2
53	Malta	11.5
54	Algeria	11.6
55	Saudi Arabia	11.6
56	New Zealand	11.8
57	Serbia	14.4
58	Albania	14.5
59	Russia	14.5
	Asia Avg	25.9
	World Avg	43.8
q=195.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 Higher is better₃₃
Pos.		2015 Avg %₃₃
1=	Hungary	99.0
1=	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
	...
11	Bahrain	98.2
12	Iran	98.1
13	Finland	98.1
14	Saudi Arabia	98.0
15=	Luxembourg	98.0
15=	Oman	98.0
17	Antigua & Barbuda	98.0
18	Cuba	97.9
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Saudi Arabia's Responsibility Towards The Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #energy #environmentalism #food #internationalism #kuwait #meat #over-exploitation #sustainability #the_environment #veganism #vegetarianism

Compared to Asia (2025)₃₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₈
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Nepal	47.9
3	India	49.5
	...
27	Malaysia	89.5
28	Palestine	92.7
29	Qatar	94.1
30	Saudi Arabia	94.9
31	Israel	95.8
32=	Laos	97.0
33	Russia	99.2
34	Myanmar (Burma)	99.9
35	Kuwait	100.5
	Asia Avg	86.44
q=51.

Responsibility Towards The Environment (2025)₃₈
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₈
1	Sri Lanka	34.9
2	Uruguay	43.2
3	Switzerland	45.0
	...
136	Liberia	94.2
137	Trinidad & Tobago	94.5
138	Ukraine	94.8
139	Saudi Arabia	94.9
140	Israel	95.8
141	Tonga	96.1
142=	St Kitts & Nevis	96.9
142=	Iceland	96.9
	World Avg	84.93
q=199.

All countries' current and historical approach towards the environment is gauged via 21 datasets, including multiple decades of data on its forested percent change 2000-2020, its environmental performance, energy to GDP efficiency, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population, reducing annual meat consumption per person and its score on the Green Future Index.

The countries that do the best (Sri Lanka, Uruguay and Switzerland) tend to have avoided the excesses of early industrial countries, and have not yet repeated the same mistakes of environmental destruction - at least, not on the same scale. The regions with the best average results per country are Central America, South America and Scandinavia. The worst are Eritrea, The Vatican City and Timor-Leste (E. Timor), and the worst regions Micronesia, Australasia and Melanesia.

For more, see:

" Countries With the Best Environmental Records" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Saudi Arabia is 139th in the world regarding its responsibility towards the environment. This rank is derived from 7 data sets. Saudi Arabia does better than average when it comes to its environmental performance₃₉ and in its forested percent change 2000-2020₄₀. However Saudi Arabia performs less well in most areas. It does worse than average when it comes to its score on the Green Future Index₄₁, reducing annual meat consumption per person₄₂, the rate of rational beliefs on the environment in the population₄₃, its sign-up rate to major international accords on protecting the environment and in energy to GDP efficiency₄₄.

Forest Area Change 2000-2020 Higher is better₄₀
Pos.		Total₄₀
1	Guernsey	82.6%
2	Bahrain	75.2%
3	Iceland	64.7%
	...
133=	Libya	0.0%
133=	Montserrat	0.0%
133=	Kiribati	0.0%
133=	Saudi Arabia	0.0%
137	Nepal	-0.1%
138	Finland	-0.2%
139	Canada	-0.3%
140	Guadeloupe	-0.5%
	Asia Avg	3.2%
	World Avg	-0.1%
q=234.

Environmental Performance Higher is better₃₉
Pos.		2018₃₉
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
	...
83	Mongolia	57.5
84=	Serbia	57.5
84=	Chile	57.5
86	Saudi Arabia	57.5
87	Ecuador	57.4
88	Algeria	57.2
89	Cape Verde	56.9
90	Mauritius	56.6
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency Lower is better₄₄
Pos.		2022 Avg₄₄
1	Rwanda	0.25
2	Chad	0.26
3	Tanzania	0.31
	...
136	China	1.68
137	UAE	1.73
138	Zimbabwe	1.74
139	Saudi Arabia	1.76
140	Serbia	1.79
141	Paraguay	1.79
142	Jamaica	1.83
143	Moldova	1.88
	Asia Avg	1.50
	World Avg	1.23
q=165.

In the 1960s, Saudi Arabia had the 3rd-highest rate of primary energy consumption per GDP per capita; it was grossly inefficient, but into the 1970s it was one of only 4 countries that improved its energy-to-GDP efficiency by more than 1.0 (another was Kuwait).

International Accords on the Environment Higher is better
Pos.		Total Avg Rate
1	Sweden	83%
2	Canada	82%
3	Norway	81%
	...
136	Zimbabwe	52%
137	Suriname	52%
138	St Vincent & Grenadines	52%
139	Saudi Arabia	52%
140	Central African Rep.	52%
141	Mauritania	51%
142	Lesotho	51%
143	Croatia	51%
	Asia Avg	55.4%
	World Avg	57.5%
q=197.

Saudi Arabia was one of the 19 countries that signed the Basel Convention on its very first day. It also enacted the Rotterdam Convention on obtaining prior consent for transporting certain hazardous chemicals in 2000, whilst most others delayed it until subsequent years.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment Higher is better₄₃
Pos.		2011 %₄₃
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
	...
99	Ireland	27.9%
100	Israel	27.6%
101	Palestine	27.5%
102	Saudi Arabia	27.2%
103	Belgium	26.9%
104	Syria	26.6%
105	Qatar	26.5%
106	Bahrain	26.3%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

Meat Consumption Lower is better₄₂
Pos.		2021 kg₄₂
1	Congo, DR	03.0
2	Burundi	03.5
3	Bangladesh	04.3
	...
94	Dominican Rep.	53.5
95	Peru	54.0
96	Mauritius	54.2
97	Saudi Arabia	55.1
98	Zimbabwe	56.0
99	Belize	56.6
100	Japan	57.2
101	Turkmenistan	57.4
	Asia Avg	46.7
	World Avg	52.5
q=185.

Green Future Index Higher is better₄₁
Pos.		2023 Score₄₁
1	Iceland	6.7
2	Finland	6.7
3	Norway	6.4
	...
53=	Kazakhstan	4.1
53=	Vietnam	4.1
55	Thailand	4.1
56	Saudi Arabia	4.1
57	Kuwait	4.1
58	Ethiopia	4.0
59	Angola	4.0
60	Egypt	4.0
	Asia Avg	4.3
	World Avg	4.8
q=76.

7. Saudi Arabia's Modernity and Learning

#charity #christianity #corruption #education #extremism #happiness #health #hinduism #human_development #inequality #intelligence #islam #it_security #judaism #life_expectancy #modernity #morals #paganism #pakistan #peace #politics #religious_violence #research #saudi_arabia #science #technology #terrorism #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)₄₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₅
1	S. Korea	22.2
2	Japan	24.7
3	Israel	29.5
	...
8	Turkey	55.9
9	Malaysia	59.4
10	Kazakhstan	59.8
11=	Saudi Arabia	62.0
12	UAE	64.3
13	Georgia	65.6
14	Bahrain	66.2
15	China	71.4
16	Kuwait	74.7
	Asia Avg	78.26
q=49.

Modernity & Learning (2020)₄₅
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₄₅
1	Finland	7.1
2	Belgium	12.9
3	Denmark	13.6
	...
55	Uruguay	57.6
56	Malaysia	59.4
57	Kazakhstan	59.8
58=	Saudi Arabia	62.0
58=	Tonga	62.0
60	UAE	64.3
61	Mexico	64.5
62	Montenegro	64.9
	World Avg	86.31
q=190.

The most modern countries, with the best results from education, the highest levels of research, and with the easiest access to information on the Internet, are Finland, Belgium and Denmark₄₆. The worst countries are Eritrea, S. Sudan and Sierra Leone₄₆. Despite improves in global education, access to tertiary (adult) education is becoming increasingly unequal between the rich haves and the poor have-nots₄₇.

“Education, at all levels and ages, is the single most vital support for equality as well as being a country's most vital economic and social resource. [...] Every successful aspirant to modernisation and economic development, from Japan to South Korea, China to Chile, has got there with a big emphasis on education.”
Bill Emmott (2017)₄₈

15 datasets are used to calculate points for each country, including multiple decades of data on Research and Development, Secondary Education, Length of Schooling, Intellectual Endeavours, Maths, Science & Reading, Religiosity, IQ, the percent of citizens with access to the internet, Freedom On The Internet, IT Security, IPv6 Uptake and digital quality of life. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Baltic States and Europe₄₆, whereas the worst are Melanesia, Africa and Micronesia₄₆.

For more, see:

" Which Countries are Most Modern, With the Best Education and Internet Access?" by Vexen Crabtree (2025).

Modernity and Education:

Research & Development Higher is better
Pos.		2016 % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₄₉
2	Israel	4.11₄₉
3	Japan	3.58₄₉
	...
111	Paraguay	0.09₅₀
112=	Congo, DR	0.08₅₁
112=	Indonesia	0.08₅₂
114	Saudi Arabia	0.07₅₃
115=	Algeria	0.07₅₄
115=	Cape Verde	0.07₅₅
117	Trinidad & Tobago	0.05₅₀
118=	Macau	0.05₅₂
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education Higher is better₅₆
Pos.		2018₅₆
1=	Luxembourg	100.0%
1=	Estonia	100.0%
1=	Austria	100.0%
	...
70	Samoa	74.5%
71	Trinidad & Tobago	73.4%
72	Philippines	73.2%
73	Saudi Arabia	72.8%
74	Andorra	72.3%
75	Panama	72.2%
76	UAE	70.7%
77	Brunei	70.1%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling Higher is better₅₇
Pos.		2021 Years₅₇
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
	...
32	Italy	16.2
33	Czechia	16.2
34	Latvia	16.2
35	Saudi Arabia	16.1
36	Israel	16.1
37	Tonga	16.0
38	Poland	16.0
39	Austria	16.0
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
	...
78	Colombia	78
79	Liberia	79
80	Kyrgyzstan	80
81	Saudi Arabia	81
82	Uganda	82
83	Mauritius	83
84	UAE	84
85	Tonga	85
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

IQ Higher is better₅₈
Pos.		2006₅₈
1=	Hong Kong	108
1=	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
	...
83=	Panama	84
83=	Paraguay	84
83=	Morocco	84
83=	Saudi Arabia	84
87	Algeria	83
88=	Libya	83
88=	Tunisia	83
88=	Oman	83
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

“Saudi Arabia is as infamous as Pakistan for its deadly serious approach to blasphemy, against a backdrop of general religious intolerance and barbarism. For example in 2002 it was reported that Saudi Arabia's government began denying access to websites containing general religious content on Christianity, Islam, Paganism, Judaism and Hinduism₅₉. This, like other moves in the region, is designed to keep Muslim populations' access to information limited, so that they will remain steadfast in the "correct" form of Islam as judged by the authorities.”
"Blasphemy and Censorship: In Christianity and Islam: 4.1. Islam: Blasphemy and Censorship"
Vexen Crabtree (2012)

Internet Users Higher is better₆₀
Pos.		2016₆₀
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
	...
68=	Uruguay	65%
68=	Antigua & Barbuda	65%
70	Greece	65%
71	Saudi Arabia	65%
72	French Polynesia	64%
73	Albania	63%
74	Palestine	63%
75	Montenegro	62%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet Lower is better₆₁
Pos.		2012₆₁
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
	...
36	Pakistan	63
37	Belarus	69
38=	Bahrain	71
38=	Saudi Arabia	71
40	Vietnam	73
41=	Ethiopia	75
41=	Myanmar (Burma)	75
43	Uzbekistan	77
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security Lower is better₆₂
Pos.		2013₆₂
1=	Ireland	0.11
1=	Luxembourg	0.11
1=	Belize	0.11
	...
38	Laos	0.86
39	Spain	0.88
40	Kuwait	0.93
41	Saudi Arabia	0.93
42	Malaysia	0.96
43	Canada	0.96
44	Tajikistan	1.01
45	Brazil	1.02
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98

IPv6 Uptake Higher is better₆₃
Pos.		2017 Ratio₆₃
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
	...
27	Austria	7.5
28	Hungary	7.4
29	Guatemala	6.9
30	Saudi Arabia	6.8
31	Vietnam	5.9
32	Slovenia	5.4
33	Bolivia	5.0
34	Macau	4.2
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

Digital Quality of Life Higher is better₆₄
Pos.		2024₆₄
1	Germany	77.9%
2	Finland	76.9%
3	France	73.9%
	...
37	Australia	59.7%
38	Greece	58.9%
39	Qatar	58.6%
40	Saudi Arabia	57.5%
41	Malaysia	57.5%
42	Argentina	56.2%
43	UAE	55.8%
44	Chile	55.0%
	Asia Avg	46.4%
	World Avg	48.4%
q=121.

National Culture:

World Giving Index Higher is better₆₅
Pos.		2022 %₆₅
1	Indonesia	68.0
2	Kenya	61.0
3	USA	59.0
	...
85=	Lithuania	37.0
86	Panama	36.0
87=	El Salvador	36.0
87=	Saudi Arabia	36.0
89	S. Africa	35.0
90=	Ivory Coast	35.0
90=	Congo, (Brazzaville)	35.0
90=	Namibia	35.0
	Asia Avg	37.9
	World Avg	39.6
q=125.

Corruption Higher is better₆₆
Pos.		2022 Points₆₆
1	Denmark	90.0
2=	Finland	87.0
2=	New Zealand	87.0
	...
53	Greece	52.0
54	Rwanda	51.0
55=	Malta	51.0
55=	Saudi Arabia	51.0
57	Croatia	50.0
58=	Mauritius	50.0
59	Namibia	49.0
60	Vanuatu	48.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Thoughout the 2010s, Saudi Arabia made serious improvements to its Corruption Perception Index score (+10), sitting amongst the top 10 best-improvers that decade.

Happiness Higher is better₆₇
Pos.		2024 Score₆₇
1	Finland	7.7
2	Denmark	7.5
3	Iceland	7.5
	...
29	Kosovo	6.7
30	Kuwait	6.6
31	Serbia	6.6
32	Saudi Arabia	6.6
33	France	6.6
34	Singapore	6.6
35	Romania	6.6
36	Brazil	6.5
	Asia Avg	5.41
	World Avg	5.58
q=147.

Creativity & Culture Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
	...
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	133
134	Mali	134
135	Chad	135
136	Saudi Arabia	136
137	Congo, (Brazzaville)	137
138	Algeria	138
139	Azerbaijan	139
140	Paraguay	140
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid & Development Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
	...
82	Costa Rica	82
83	Kuwait	83
84	Belarus	84
85	Saudi Arabia	85
86	Azerbaijan	86
87	Uganda	87
88	Vietnam	88
89	Central African Rep.	89
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Peace Versus Instability:

Global Peace Index Lower is better₆₈
Pos.		2023 Score₆₈
1	Iceland	1.12
2	Denmark	1.31
3	Ireland	1.31
	...
116	Belarus	2.25
117	Kenya	2.25
118	Mozambique	2.26
119	Saudi Arabia	2.26
120	Honduras	2.27
121	Egypt	2.27
122	El Salvador	2.28
123	Nicaragua	2.29
	Asia Avg	2.17
	World Avg	2.07
q=163.

Peacekeeping & Security Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
	...
138	Cape Verde	138
139	St Lucia	139
140	Kuwait	140
141	Saudi Arabia	141
142	St Vincent & Grenadines	142
143	Belize	143
144	Haiti	144
145	Libya	145
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees & UN Treaties Lower is better₃₄
Pos.		2017 Rank₃₄
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
	...
114	Morocco	114
115	Iraq	115
116	Dominica	116
117	Saudi Arabia	117
118	Lesotho	118
119	Oman	119
120	Egypt	120
121	Colombia	121
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism Lower is better₆₉
Pos.		2019 Score₆₉
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
	...
118	Burundi	5.10
119	Palestine	5.18
120	Bangladesh	5.21
121	Saudi Arabia	5.24
122	Ethiopia	5.35
123	UK	5.41
124	Burkina Faso	5.42
125	Myanmar (Burma)	5.51
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

Economic Inequality and Poverty:

Inequality in Life Expectancy Lower is better₇₀
Pos.		2019₇₀
1	Iceland	2.40
2=	Singapore	2.50
2=	Hong Kong	2.50
	...
50	Chile	6.30
51=	USA	6.30
51=	Romania	6.30
53	Saudi Arabia	6.40
54	Oman	6.70
55	Bahamas	6.80
56	Sri Lanka	7.00
57=	Costa Rica	7.10
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

8. Religion and Beliefs

#atheism #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #humanism #islam #judaism #religion #religion_in_saudi_arabia #saudi_arabia

Disbelief In God (2007)₇₁
Pos.		Higher is better %₇₁
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
	...
120=	Ivory Coast	0
120=	Pakistan	0
120=	Niger	0
120=	Saudi Arabia	0
120=	Rwanda	0
120=	Cameroon	0
120=	Philippines	0
120=	Kuwait	0
120=	Madagascar	0
120=	Nigeria	0
120=	Malawi	0
120=	Chad	0
120=	Nepal	0
120=	Morocco	0
120=	Mauritania	0
120=	Mali	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₇₂:

Christian	4.4%
Muslim	93%
Hindu	1.1%
Buddhist	0.3%
Folk Religion	0.3%
Jewish	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.7%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Muslim (official) 100%₇₃.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Saudi Arabia's form of Wahhabi Islam (a kind of Sunni Islam) makes the country fundamentally opposed to Human Rights. Sociologists Grim & Finke place Saudi Arabia into the worst categories of religious freedom and persecution, along with just 13 other countries. In 1948 Saudi Arabia was one of just 8 countries that refused to sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, disagreeing that people had the right to choose their religion₇₄. Non-religious folk such as Humanists are in an impossible situation, and prosecutions can be made for 'promoting atheism' if they don't conceal themselves₂₉; other religions and Muslim minorities such as Twelver Shia and Ismailis are also persecuted₁₁.

Links: