State Capacity Index in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia: State Capacity Index was 0.4078 in 2015. ◆ Volatile
State Capacity Index in Saudi Arabia, 1960–2015
Source: Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
Analysis
The most recent figure for state capacity index in Saudi Arabia is 0.4078, measured in 2015.
The figure is down 3.2% on the previous year and down 49.5% over ten years.
Over the whole period, state capacity index in Saudi Arabia peaked at 0.8077 in 2005 and was at its lowest, -0.6969, in 1961.
Saudi Arabia ranks 90th of 166 countries on this measure, in the middle of the range.
The series is highly variable year to year, so single readings are best treated with caution.
State Capacity Index in Saudi Arabia, year by year
| Year | Value | Change |
|---|---|---|
| 1960 | -0.6196 | — |
| 1961 | -0.6969 | +12.5% |
| 1962 | -0.6674 | -4.2% |
| 1963 | -0.6429 | -3.7% |
| 1964 | -0.6342 | -1.4% |
| 1965 | -0.4516 | -28.8% |
| 1966 | -0.3808 | -15.7% |
| 1967 | -0.3673 | -3.5% |
| 1968 | -0.375 | +2.1% |
| 1969 | -0.3417 | -8.9% |
| 1970 | -0.348 | +1.8% |
| 1971 | -0.3104 | -10.8% |
| 1972 | -0.2566 | -17.3% |
| 1973 | -0.2062 | -19.6% |
| 1974 | -0.001 | -99.5% |
| 1975 | 0.0695 | -7358.4% |
| 1976 | 0.1359 | +95.6% |
| 1977 | 0.1965 | +44.6% |
| 1978 | 0.1984 | +1.0% |
| 1979 | 0.2424 | +22.2% |
| 1980 | 0.3094 | +27.6% |
| 1981 | 0.3157 | +2.0% |
| 1982 | 0.3248 | +2.9% |
| 1983 | 0.2999 | -7.7% |
| 1984 | 0.3844 | +28.2% |
| 1985 | 0.4229 | +10.0% |
| 1986 | 0.4124 | -2.5% |
| 1987 | 0.3941 | -4.4% |
| 1988 | 0.3895 | -1.2% |
| 1989 | 0.3798 | -2.5% |
| 1990 | 0.3602 | -5.2% |
| 1991 | 0.231 | -35.9% |
| 1992 | 0.5697 | +146.6% |
| 1993 | 0.6459 | +13.4% |
| 1994 | -0.0876 | -113.6% |
| 1995 | -0.0024 | -97.3% |
| 1996 | -0.1019 | +4214.1% |
| 1997 | -0.0238 | -76.6% |
| 1998 | -0.017 | -28.4% |
| 1999 | -0.0258 | +51.5% |
| 2000 | -0.0144 | -44.4% |
| 2001 | -0.0031 | -78.2% |
| 2002 | -0.0426 | +1263.0% |
| 2003 | -0.035 | -17.8% |
| 2004 | 0.2083 | -695.3% |
| 2005 | 0.8077 | +287.8% |
| 2006 | 0.7843 | -2.9% |
| 2007 | 0.793 | +1.1% |
| 2008 | 0.7849 | -1.0% |
| 2009 | 0.3022 | -61.5% |
| 2010 | 0.2361 | -21.9% |
| 2011 | 0.2515 | +6.5% |
| 2012 | 0.2712 | +7.8% |
| 2013 | 0.4558 | +68.1% |
| 2014 | 0.4212 | -7.6% |
| 2015 | 0.4078 | -3.2% |
Saudi Arabia compared with similar countries
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4078 is below the median for high income countries, which is 1.59, 26% of the median. (49 countries reporting)
- Saudi Arabia's 0.4078 is above the median for Middle East, North Africa, Afghanistan & Pakistan, which is 0.2707, 1.5× the median. (21 countries reporting)
Biggest year-on-year movements
Years where State Capacity Index 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1975 | +7358.4% | -0.001 | 0.0695 |
| 1996 | -4214.1% | -0.0024 | -0.1019 |
| 2002 | -1263.0% | -0.0031 | -0.0426 |
| 2004 | +695.3% | -0.035 | 0.2083 |
| 2005 | +287.8% | 0.2083 | 0.8077 |
| 1992 | +146.6% | 0.231 | 0.5697 |
Averages by decade
| Decade | Average | Lowest | Highest | Years |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1960s | -0.5177 | -0.6969 | -0.3417 | 10 |
| 1970s | -0.0279 | -0.348 | 0.2424 | 10 |
| 1980s | 0.3633 | 0.2999 | 0.4229 | 10 |
| 1990s | 0.1548 | -0.1019 | 0.6459 | 10 |
| 2000s | 0.3585 | -0.0426 | 0.8077 | 10 |
| 2010s | 0.3406 | 0.2361 | 0.4558 | 6 |
Countries ranked near Saudi Arabia
More reference data data for Saudi Arabia
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.1847 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 1.4 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.1771 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Indirect emissions (N2O) - Agricultural Soils 2.44 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure applied to Soils 0.6194 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure Management 0.2207 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Manure left on Pasture 6.07 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - IPCC Agriculture 10.64 (2050)
- Emission Totals - Emissions (N2O) - Crop Residues 0.9641 (2050)
Frequently asked questions
- What is state capacity index in Saudi Arabia?
- State capacity index in Saudi Arabia was 0.4078 in 2015, according to Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data.
- What is the highest state capacity index recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The highest recorded value was 0.8077 in 2005.
- What is the lowest state capacity index recorded in Saudi Arabia?
- The lowest recorded value was -0.6969 in 1961.
- How does Saudi Arabia rank for state capacity index?
- Saudi Arabia ranks 90th out of 166 countries with data for 2015.
- Is state capacity index rising or falling in Saudi Arabia?
- Over the last ten years it is down 49.5%. The long-run trend across the full record is volatile.
- Where does this Saudi Arabia data come from?
- The figures come from Jonathan Hanson and Rachel Sigman (2021); Population based on various sources (2023) – with major processing by Our World in Data, published as part of State Capacity Index. Statizoid updates them automatically from the source API.
Download this data
CSV · JSON — 56 observations, free to reuse under CC BY 4.0 (Our World in Data).
About this data
Measures state capacity by combining 21 different indicators related to three key dimensions: extractive capacity, coercive capacity, and administrative capacity. Higher values indicate greater state capacity.