The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia bought US$232 billion worth of imported products from around the globe in 2024.

That dollar metric accelerated by 76.7% from $131.3 billion five years earlier in 2020.

Year over year, Saudi Arabian spending on imports slowed to a 9.9% gain compared to $211.1 billion starting from 2023.

In 2024, Saudi Arabia’s largest 5 imported products by spending were cars, processed petroleum oils, phone devices including smartphones, unwrought gold, then medication mixes in dosage. Collectively, that quintet of major imports represented almost one-quarter (24.3%) of total Saudi imports by value.

Top Suppliers for Saudi Arabian Imports

The latest data shows that 68.2% of products imported into Saudi Arabia was supplied by exporters in: mainland China (23.9% of the Saudi Arabian total), United States of America (8.5%), United Arab Emirates (5.52%), India (5.5%), Germany (4.3%), Japan (3.6%), Italy (3.5%), Egypt (3.3%), Switzerland (3.1%), South Korea (2.6%), United Kingdom (2.3%) and France (2.1%).

From a continental perspective, 54.9% of Saudi Arabia’s total imports by value was purchased from suppliers in Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe provided 26.3% of products imported into Saudi Arabia while another 9.9% worth of goods originated from suppliers located in North America.

Smaller percentages came from Africa (5.3%), Latin America (2.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.7%) mostly Australia and New Zealand.

Given Saudi Arabia’s population of 35.3 million people, its total US$232 billion in 2024 imports translates to roughly $6,600 in yearly product demand from every person in the Middle Eastern nation. That dollar amount eclipses Saudi Arabia’s average $4,800 per person during 2023.

Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Imports

The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Saudi Arabia’s import purchases during 2024. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Saudi Arabia.

1. Vehicles: $26.3 billion (11.3%)
2. Electrical machinery, equipment: $26.1 billion (11.3%)
3. Mineral fuels including oil: $13.1 billion (5.7%)
4. Gems, precious metals: $10.4 billion (4.5%)
5. Pharmaceuticals: $9.2 billion (3.9%)
6. Articles of iron or steel: $7.8 billion (3.4%)
7. Iron, steel: $6.2 billion (2.7%)
8. Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $6 billion (2.6%)
9. Plastics, plastic articles: $5.3 billion (2.3%)

Saudi Arabia’s top 10 import product categories generated more than three-fifths (61.6%) of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.

Items made from iron or steel posted the fastest growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 37.3% from 2023 to 2024.

In second place for higher purchases was the electrical machinery and equipment category via a 33.1% advance.

Saudi imports of machinery including computers rose 24.6% from 2023.

Mineral fuels including oil incurred the lone decline among the top 10 Saudi imports, falling an overall -13.8% year over year. That category was pulled lower by reduced Saudi spending on imported lignite (down -37.1%) then petroleum bitumen and residues (down -20.8%).

Please note that the results listed above are at the 2-digit Harmonized Tariff System code level. Information presented under the sections below.

Saudi Arabia’s Biggest Machinery Imports

In 2024, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.

1. Computers, optical readers: US$3.2 billion (up 26.4% from 2023)
2. Machinery parts: $3.1 billion (up 109%)
3. Taps, valves, similar appliances: $2.9 billion (up 49.5%)
4. Air conditioners: $1.8 billion (up 16.9%)
5. Piston engine parts: $1.6 billion (up 12.7%)
6. Turbo-jets: $1.5 billion (up 32.6%)
7. Liquid pumps and elevators: $1.3 billion (up 16.1%)
8. Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.2 billion (down -26.2%)
9. Air or vacuum pumps: $1.14 billion (up 31.9%)
10. Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $1.14 billion (up 10.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of machinery parts: (up 109%), taps, valves and similar appliances (up 49.5%), then turbo-jets (up 32.6%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported machinery among Saudi businesses and consumers.

Saudi Arabia’s Biggest Automotive Imports

In 2024, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.

1. Cars: US$19.5 billion (up 4.4% from 2023)
2. Trucks: $2.6 billion (down -6%)
3. Automobile parts/accessories: $1.8 billion (up 20.4%)
4. Public-transport vehicles: $869.4 million (up 24.8%)
5. Special purpose vehicles: $585.9 million (up 19.5%)
6. Trailers: $361.4 million (up 37.4%)
7. Tractors: $142.4 million (down -53.4%)
8. Automobile bodies: $134 million (up 5.9%)
9. Motorcycles: $92.7 million (up 35.5%)
10. Motorcycle parts/accessories: $49 million (down -25.2%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of trailers (up 37.4%), motorcycles (up 35.5%), then public-transport vehicles (up 24.8%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported vehicles among Saudi businesses and consumers.

Saudi Arabia’s Biggest Electrical Product Imports

In 2024, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic products.

1. Phone devices including smartphones: US$9.7 billion (up 21% from 2023)
2. Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $2.2 billion (up 63.9%)
3. Electrical converters/power units: $2.1 billion (up 85.9%)
4. High-voltage switches, fuses: $1.2 billion (up 60.1%)
5. Insulated wire/cable: $1.1 billion (up 60.9%)
6. Electric storage batteries: $1 billion (up 55.6%)
7. TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $863.7 million (up 15.2%)
8. Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $844.9 million (up 46.1%)
9. Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $834.9 million (up 8.6%)
10. Electric generating sets, converters: $692.4 million (up 63.3%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of electrical converters or power units (up 85.9%), solar power diodes and semi-conductors (up 63.9%), then electric generating sets and converters (up 63.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported electronics among Saudi businesses and consumers.

Saudi Arabia’s Biggest Imports of Mineral Fuels including Oil

Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of mineral fuels including oil during 2024.

Processed petroleum oils: US$12.7 billion (down -14.1% from 2023)

Petroleum oil residues: $160.3 million (down -20.8%)

Coal tar oils (high temperature distillation): $76 million (up 13.5%)

Tar pitch, coke: $68.6 million (down -3.4%)

Coal, solid fuels made from coal: $51.5 million (down -12.9%)

Coke, semi-coke: $42.7 million (up 8.5%)

Peat: $32.1 million (up 69.1%)

Petroleum jelly, mineral waxes: $13.4 million (up 16%)

Lignite: $4.1 million (up 38.8%)

Petroleum gases: $3.5 million (down -37.1%)

Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of peat (up 69.1%), lignite (up 38.8%), then petroleum jelly and mineral waxes (up 16%) grew at the fastest pace from 2023 to 2024.

These amounts and the percentage gains within parenthesis clearly show where the strongest demand lies for different types of imported pharmaceuticals among Saudi businesses and consumers.
 

See also Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Exports, China’s Top Trading Partners, India’s Top Trading Partners, Turkey’s Top Trading Partners and Singapore’s Top Trading Partners

Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Middle East: Saudi Arabia. Accessed on April 28, 2025

International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on April 28, 2025

International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on April 28, 2025

Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on April 28, 2025

Wikipedia, Saudi Arabia. Accessed on April 28, 2025