Clientelism Index in Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia: Clientelism Index was 0.568 in 2025. ▼ Falling

Latest (2025)
0.568
Change on year
unchanged
World rank
72nd
of 176 countries
All-time high
0.733
in 1789
All-time low
0.55
in 1975
Years of data
234
1789–2025

Clientelism Index in Saudi Arabia, 1789–2025

00.20.40.60.8178919072025

Source: V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.

Analysis

In 2025, clientelism index in Saudi Arabia stood at 0.568.

That represents a change of up 3.3% over ten years.

Over the whole period, clientelism index in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.733 in 1789 and was at its lowest, 0.55, in 1975.

That places Saudi Arabia 72nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025, putting it in the middle of the range.

The long-run direction has been consistently falling across the 234 years of available data.

Averages by decade

DecadeAverage LowestHighest Years
1780s 0.733 0.733 0.733 1
1790s 0.733 0.733 0.733 10
1800s 0.733 0.733 0.733 10
1810s 0.733 0.733 0.733 9
1820s 0.671 0.671 0.671 8
1830s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1840s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1850s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1860s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1870s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1880s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1890s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1900s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1910s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1920s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1930s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1940s 0.671 0.671 0.671 10
1950s 0.623 0.591 0.671 10
1960s 0.591 0.591 0.591 10
1970s 0.5705 0.55 0.591 10
1980s 0.55 0.55 0.55 10
1990s 0.55 0.55 0.55 10
2000s 0.55 0.55 0.55 10
2010s 0.5554 0.55 0.568 10
2020s 0.568 0.568 0.568 6

Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia

  1. 69 Ethiopia 0.574 compare
  2. 70 Sao Tome and Principe 0.573 compare
  3. 71 Bahrain 0.572 compare
  4. 73 Kazakhstan 0.565 compare
  5. 73 Morocco 0.565 compare
  6. 75 Mali 0.559 compare

See the full ranking of 176 places →

More reference data data for Saudi Arabia

All data for Saudi Arabia →

Frequently asked questions

What is clientelism index in Saudi Arabia?
Clientelism index in Saudi Arabia was 0.568 in 2025, according to V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data.
What is the highest clientelism index recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The highest recorded value was 0.733 in 1789.
What is the lowest clientelism index recorded in Saudi Arabia?
The lowest recorded value was 0.55 in 1975.
How does Saudi Arabia rank for clientelism index?
Saudi Arabia ranks 72nd out of 176 countries with data for 2025.
Is clientelism index rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
Over the last ten years it is up 3.3%. The long-run trend across the full record is falling.
Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
The figures come from V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data, published as part of Clientelism Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.

Download this data

CSV · JSON — 234 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).

About this data

Indicator
Clientelism Index
Source
V-Dem (2026) – processed by Our World in Data
Licence
CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data)
Coverage
176 places, 24,366 data points, 1789–2025
Last refreshed

Composite index measuring the extent to which politics hinge on clientelistic exchanges of targeted goods, jobs, or cash for electoral support; higher values denote more pervasive clientelism.