Global Competitiveness ranking
Saudi Arabia at 17th — up 20 places
Ambitious Nation pillar2 sourcesLast verified 2026-05-18
Hero metric
IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook rank
17th
2025Saudi Arabia at 17th — up 20 places
Publishers include: Vision 2030 Office · Argaam
The Story
Before
In pre-Vision-2030 international rankings, Saudi Arabia sat in the high-30s on competitiveness indices.
Initiative
NCMS and supporting agencies executed a sustained program of regulatory reform, business-environment improvements, and competitiveness benchmarking.
Outcome
Saudi Arabia has risen to 17th globally in the IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook — a +20-place jump.
For citizens
A more competitive economy attracts investment, creates jobs, and rewards productivity. The ranking is an external scorecard on whether the reforms work.
Timeline of Milestones
2017
IMD rank: 36th
2025
IMD rank: 17th (+20 places)
Evidence library · 2 primary sources
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Background sources · 2 additional
From the editorial source repository
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Saudi Arabia advanced to 13th globally (of 70 economies) and 3rd among G20 in the 2026 IMD World Competitiveness Yearbook — up four places, and up from 36th in 2017; ranked 3rd in G20 after the US and China, #1 globally in cybersecurity, commercial services exports growth, terms of trade, and banking & financial services
Arab News (IMD)
Saudi Arabia ranked the safest country among G20 nations in 2025 — high public-safety standing that reinforces quality of life for citizens and the Kingdom's appeal to tourists and investors
Saudi Gazette
Made-in-Saudi exports
A record SAR 624 billion in 2025
SAR 624B ($166B)
PIF: from sovereign fund to sector builder
Assets grew nearly 5× since 2016
SAR 3.41T
Global companies headquartered in Saudi
From 44 to 700+ in four years
700+
MENA's #1 venture market — Saudi startups, Saudi capital
$1.72B raised in 2025; +145% year on year; 257 deals (most in MENA)
$1.72B
Initiative attribution: NCMS competitiveness reforms; Doing Business reforms; regulatory streamlining. Citizen benefit category: National progress.