Post by : Mariam
Al-Faris
Saudi Arabia’s gross domestic product (GDP) expanded by 4.8 percent in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period in 2024, official data from the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) revealed. The growth was supported by both oil and non-oil activities, showing the Kingdom’s strong economic performance. Oil activities increased by 8.3 percent, while non-hydrocarbon sectors grew by 4.3 percent. Government services also contributed, expanding by 1.4 percent during the same period.
GASTAT noted that non-oil sectors were the main driver of growth, contributing 2.4 percentage points to the total GDP increase. Oil activities added 2 points, while net taxes and government services contributed 0.2 points each. Among individual sectors, petroleum refining recorded the highest growth at 11.9 percent, followed by crude oil and natural gas activities at 7.3 percent. Electricity, gas, and water services also rose by 6.4 percent, reflecting overall positive trends across all economic activities.
On a seasonally adjusted basis, Saudi Arabia’s GDP increased by 1.4 percent compared to the previous quarter. Oil activities grew by 3.3 percent quarter on quarter, while government services and non-oil sectors advanced by 1 percent and 0.6 percent respectively. This growth pattern shows steady progress in diversifying the economy under the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy, which aims to reduce dependence on crude oil revenues and strengthen other economic sectors.
Saudi Arabia’s trade balance also showed significant improvements. Exports rose by 18.4 percent compared to the same period last year and 7.5 percent from the previous quarter. Imports increased by 4.3 percent year on year, although they fell 1.2 percent from the last quarter. These figures highlight the Kingdom’s expanding international trade and growing economic resilience amid global market changes.
International organizations have also recognized Saudi Arabia’s strong economic performance. Earlier this month, the World Bank upgraded its 2025 growth forecast for the Kingdom to 3.8 percent from 3.2 percent, citing growth in both oil and non-oil sectors. Similarly, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) raised its economic forecast to 4 percent for both 2025 and 2026, indicating renewed confidence in the country’s economic policies and development trajectory.
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