That estimated dollar metric grew by 9% from $144.3 billion five years earlier in 2019.
Year over year, Saudi Arabian spending on imports dropped by -17.1% compared to $189.9 billion starting from 2022.
In 2023, Saudi Arabia’s largest 5 imported products by spending were cars, phone devices including smartphones, unwrought gold, medication mixes in dosage, then aircraft and spacecraft. Collectively, that quintet of major imports represented almost one-fifth (19.6%) of total Saudi imports by value.
Top Suppliers for Saudi Arabian Imports
The latest data from 2022 shows that 65.8% of products imported into Saudi Arabia was supplied by exporters in: mainland China (21% of the Saudi Arabian total), United States of America (9.2%), United Arab Emirates (6.3%), India (5.5%), Germany (4.2%), Japan (3.5%), Egypt (also 3.5%), South Korea (2.8%), Italy (2.7%), Switzerland (2.5%), France (2.4%) and Oman (2.2%).
From a continental perspective, 53.9% of Saudi Arabia’s total imports by value was purchased from suppliers in Asian countries. Trade partners in Europe provided 25.6% of products imported into Saudi Arabia while another 10.4% worth of goods originated from suppliers in North America.
Smaller percentages came from Africa (5.6%), Latin America (3.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (1.4%) mostly Australia and New Zealand.
Given Saudi Arabia’s population of 32.8 million people, its total 157.4 billion in 2023 imports translates to roughly $4,800 in yearly product demand from every person in the Middle Eastern nation. That dollar amount exceeds Saudi Arabia’s average $4,000 per person during 2022.
Saudi Arabia’s Top 10 Imports
The following product groups represent the highest dollar value in Saudi Arabia’s import purchases during 2023. Also shown is the percentage share each product category represents in terms of overall imports into Saudi Arabia.
- Vehicles: US$22.9 billion (14.6% of total imports)
- Machinery including computers: $20.4 billion (13%)
- Electrical machinery, equipment: $15.3 billion (9.7%)
- Pharmaceuticals: $6 billion (3.8%)
- Gems, precious metals: $5.5 billion (3.5%)
- Articles of iron or steel: $4.8 billion (3%)
- Aircraft, spacecraft: $4.6 billion (2.9%)
- Furniture, bedding, lighting, signs, prefabricated buildings: $4.1 billion (2.6%)
- Optical, technical, medical apparatus: $4 billion (2.6%)
- Plastics, plastic articles: $3.9 billion (2.5%)
Saudi Arabia’s top 10 imports accounted for 58.1% of the overall value of its product purchases from other countries.
Aircraft and spacecraft posted the fastest growth in value among the top 10 import categories, up by 109.9% from 2022 to 2023.
In second place for higher purchases was the furniture, bedding, lighting, signs and prefabricated buildings category via a 50.5% advance.
Saudi imports of vehicles rose 19.4% from 2022.
Gems and precious metals incurred the severest decline among the top 10 Saudi imports, falling -26.6% year over year. That category was pulled lower by reduced spending on imported jewelry and gold.
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 Automotive Imports
In 2023, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of vehicles.
- Cars: US$15 billion (down -0.8% from 2022)
- Trucks: $2.7 billion (up 48.9%)
- Tractors: $1.2 billion (up 508.6%)
- Armored vehicles, tanks: $1.13 billion (down 0%)
- Automobile parts/accessories: $1.11 billion (down -12.6%)
- Special purpose vehicles: $633.7 million (up 269.4%)
- Public-transport vehicles: $531.6 million (up 138.1%)
- Trailers: $194.4 million (down -2.4%)
- Motorcycles: $94 million (up 86.4%)
- Automobile bodies: $70.2 million (up 192.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of tractors (up 508.6%), special purpose vehicles (up 269.4%) then automobile bodies (up 192.7%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
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 Machinery Imports
In 2023, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of machinery including computers.
- Turbo-jets: US$2.6 billion (up 182.7% from 2022)
- Taps, valves, similar appliances: $1.8 billion (up 14.7%)
- Air conditioners: $1.4 billion (down -5%)
- Computers, optical readers: $1.3 billion (down -49.3%)
- Heavy machinery (bulldozers, excavators, road rollers): $1.1 billion (up 12%)
- Liquid pumps and elevators: $910.3 million (up 6.4%)
- Miscellaneous machinery: $902.5 million (up 64.8%)
- Air or vacuum pumps: $884.3 million (up 26.9%)
- Centrifuges, filters and purifiers: $851.5 million (down -16.4%)
- Machinery parts: $802.9 million (down -19.9%)
Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of turbo-jets (up 182.7%), miscellaneous machinery (up 64.8%) then air or vacuum pumps (up 26.9%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
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 Electrical Product Imports
In 2023, Saudi importers spent the most on the following 10 subcategories of electronic products.
- Phone devices including smartphones: US$4.6 billion (down -32.7% from 2022)
- Solar power diodes/semi-conductors: $1.4 billion (up 228.8%)
- Electrical converters/power units: $1.1 billion (up 32.3%)
- Insulated wire/cable: $674.8 million (up 28.7%)
- Electrical/optical circuit boards, panels: $655.3 million (up 55%)
- TV receivers/monitors/projectors: $625.1 million (down -16.6%)
- Lower-voltage switches, fuses: $614.1 million (down -0.7%)
- Electric storage batteries: $607.3 million (up 2.2%)
- High-voltage switches, fuses: $602.8 million (down -13.1%)
- Electric water heaters, hair dryers: $456.1 million (up 0.4%)
Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of solar power diodes or semi-conductors (up 228.8%), electrical or optical circuit boards and panels (up 55%) then electrical converters and power units (up 32.3%) grew at the fastest pace from 2022 to 2023.
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 Pharmaceutical Imports
In 2023, Saudi importers spent the most on the following subcategories of pharmaceuticals and related products.
- Medication mixes in dosage: US$3.7 billion (down -24.1% from 2022)
- Blood fractions (including antisera): $1.9 billion (up 6%)
- Sutures, special pharmaceutical goods: $170.2 million (up 6.2%)
- Packaged dressings: $138.3 million (down -9.9%)
- Medication mixes not in dosage: $95.6 million (down -67.9%)
- Dried organs, heparin: $12.3 million (down -1.7%)
Among these import subcategories, Saudi purchases of sutures and other special pharmaceutical goods (up 6.2%) and blood fractions including antisera (up 6%) increased from 2022 to 2023.
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 August 8, 2024
International Monetary Fund, World Economic Outlook Database (GDP based on Purchasing Power Parity). Accessed on August 8, 2024
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on August 8, 2024
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on August 8, 2024
Wikipedia, Saudi Arabia. Accessed on August 8, 2024