Net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: Net foreign assets was 2.00 trillion current LCU in 2017. ◆ Volatile
Net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2017
Source: International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF). Measured in current LCU.
Analysis
The most recent figure for net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia is 2.00 trillion current LCU, measured in 2017.
Compared with earlier readings it is down 6.9% on the previous year and up 68.7% over ten years.
Over the whole period, net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia peaked at 2.88 trillion current LCU in 2014 and was at its lowest, 707.00 million current LCU, in 1960.
That places Saudi Arabia 48th out of 187 countries with data for 2017, putting it in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
Net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | current LCU | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | 707.00 million current LCU | — |
| 1961 | 1.07 billion current LCU | +51.8% |
| 1962 | 1.15 billion current LCU | +7.3% |
| 1963 | 2.45 billion current LCU | +112.6% |
| 1964 | 2.81 billion current LCU | +15.0% |
| 1965 | 3.40 billion current LCU | +20.9% |
| 1966 | 3.60 billion current LCU | +5.7% |
| 1967 | 4.31 billion current LCU | +19.9% |
| 1968 | 3.83 billion current LCU | -11.2% |
| 1969 | 3.53 billion current LCU | -7.7% |
| 1970 | 3.99 billion current LCU | +12.9% |
| 1971 | 7.03 billion current LCU | +76.2% |
| 1972 | 12.88 billion current LCU | +83.3% |
| 1973 | 16.76 billion current LCU | +30.1% |
| 1974 | 78.44 billion current LCU | +368.1% |
| 1975 | 138.23 billion current LCU | +76.2% |
| 1976 | 184.31 billion current LCU | +33.3% |
| 1977 | 214.90 billion current LCU | +16.6% |
| 1978 | 203.47 billion current LCU | -5.3% |
| 1979 | 216.51 billion current LCU | +6.4% |
| 1980 | 311.06 billion current LCU | +43.7% |
| 1981 | 475.37 billion current LCU | +52.8% |
| 1982 | 527.22 billion current LCU | +10.9% |
| 1983 | 492.85 billion current LCU | -6.5% |
| 1984 | 450.79 billion current LCU | -8.5% |
| 1985 | 379.02 billion current LCU | -15.9% |
| 1986 | 347.66 billion current LCU | -8.3% |
| 1987 | 333.21 billion current LCU | -4.2% |
| 1988 | 317.83 billion current LCU | -4.6% |
| 1989 | 309.92 billion current LCU | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 304.46 billion current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1991 | 298.94 billion current LCU | -1.8% |
| 1992 | 286.86 billion current LCU | -4.0% |
| 1993 | 266.37 billion current LCU | -7.1% |
| 1994 | 243.48 billion current LCU | -8.6% |
| 1995 | 231.24 billion current LCU | -5.0% |
| 1996 | 262.54 billion current LCU | +13.5% |
| 1997 | 271.51 billion current LCU | +3.4% |
| 1998 | 217.41 billion current LCU | -19.9% |
| 1999 | 186.71 billion current LCU | -14.1% |
| 2000 | 219.35 billion current LCU | +17.5% |
| 2001 | 220.61 billion current LCU | +0.6% |
| 2002 | 208.95 billion current LCU | -5.3% |
| 2003 | 263.70 billion current LCU | +26.2% |
| 2004 | 375.06 billion current LCU | +42.2% |
| 2005 | 598.94 billion current LCU | +59.7% |
| 2006 | 912.72 billion current LCU | +52.4% |
| 2007 | 1.18 trillion current LCU | +29.8% |
| 2008 | 1.69 trillion current LCU | +43.0% |
| 2009 | 1.60 trillion current LCU | -5.4% |
| 2010 | 1.76 trillion current LCU | +9.9% |
| 2011 | 2.14 trillion current LCU | +21.7% |
| 2012 | 2.56 trillion current LCU | +19.6% |
| 2013 | 2.83 trillion current LCU | +10.3% |
| 2014 | 2.88 trillion current LCU | +1.9% |
| 2015 | 2.53 trillion current LCU | -12.2% |
| 2016 | 2.15 trillion current LCU | -15.1% |
| 2017 | 2.00 trillion current LCU | -6.9% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 2.00 trillion current LCU is above the median for high income countries, which is 113.77 billion current LCU, 17.6× the median. (61 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 2.00 trillion current LCU is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 501.95 billion current LCU, 4.0× the median. (23 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where Net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia changed far more than this series normally does. A large move can be a real event or a change in how the figure was measured — the source note below says who published it.
| Year | Change | From | To |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | +368.1% | 16.76 billion current LCU | 78.44 billion current LCU |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | 2.69 billion current LCU | 707.00 million current LCU | 4.31 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1970s | 107.65 billion current LCU | 3.99 billion current LCU | 216.51 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1980s | 394.49 billion current LCU | 309.92 billion current LCU | 527.22 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 1990s | 256.95 billion current LCU | 186.71 billion current LCU | 304.46 billion current LCU | 10 |
| 2000s | 728.03 billion current LCU | 208.95 billion current LCU | 1.69 trillion current LCU | 10 |
| 2010s | 2.36 trillion current LCU | 1.76 trillion current LCU | 2.88 trillion current LCU | 8 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More financial sector data for Saudi Arabia
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0027 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, US dollar, per capita 93.38 units per person (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, annual growth rate 1.42 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per unit of GDP 0.002 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve position in the IMF, SDR, per capita 68.19 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, annual growth rate 6.5 % change on previous year (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per unit of GDP 0.0027 units per US$ of GDP (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, US dollar, per capita 93.38 units per person (2025)
- Reserve tranche position, SDR, annual growth rate 1.42 % change on previous year (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- What is net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia?
- Net foreign assets in Saudi Arabia was 2.00 trillion current LCU in 2017, according to International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF).
- What is the highest net foreign assets recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 2.88 trillion current LCU in 2014.
- What is the lowest net foreign assets recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was 707.00 million current LCU in 1960.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for net foreign assets?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 48th out of 187 countries with data for 2017.
- Is net foreign assets rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is up 68.7%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from International Financial Statistics database, International Monetary Fund (IMF), published as part of Net foreign assets (current LCU). Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
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About this data
Net foreign assets are the sum of foreign assets held by monetary authorities and deposit money banks, less their foreign liabilities. This indicator is expressed in current prices, meaning no adjustment has been made to account for price changes over time. This series is expressed in local currency units.