Saudi Arabia Industry Employment
Employment in industry SL.IND.EMPL.ZS
Saudi Arabia's industry employment was 23.07% in 2025, ranked 126th globally. This represents a 0.0% increase from 2024. Data from World Bank, covering 1991–2025.
Overview
Saudi Arabia's industry employment stood at 23.07% in 2025, a rise of +0.01% from 2024. Based on recent trends, this figure is projected to reach 25.10% by 2026. Saudi Arabia ranked 126th globally.
Saudi Arabia's industry employment, as measured by the World Bank, has experienced significant fluctuations over the past 35 years. The country's industry employment rate peaked in 2015 at 26.37%, before declining to a trough of 16.88% in 2022. Despite recent improvements, industry employment in Saudi Arabia still lags behind its global ranking, currently standing at 23.07% in 2025, placing it at 126 globally. This is comparable to peer countries such as Cabo Verde, which shares a similar ranking. In contrast to its all-time peak, industry employment in Saudi Arabia has yet to fully recover from the decline experienced during the 2022 trough. A sustained increase in industry employment would require further investments in sectors such as manufacturing and energy, potentially driven by government policies aimed at diversifying the economy.
Data & projection
| Year | Industry Employment | YoY change | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2028* trend | 27.74% | - | - |
| 2027* trend | 26.42% | - | - |
| 2026* trend | 25.10% | - | - |
| 2025 | 23.07% | +0.01% | #126 |
| 2024 | 23.06% | +0.01% | #127 |
| 2023 | 23.06% | +6.17% | #129 |
| 2022 | 16.88% | −2.66% | #65 |
| 2021 | 19.54% | −3.36% | #100 |
| 2020 | 22.90% | −1.45% | #128 |
| 2019 | 24.35% | −1.31% | #138 |
| 2018 | 25.66% | −0.69% | #147 |
| 2017 | 26.35% | −0.01% | #157 |
| 2016 | 26.36% | −0.02% | #155 |
| 2015 | 26.37% | +0.08% | #155 |
| 2014 | 26.30% | +0.10% | #154 |
| 2013 | 26.19% | −0.13% | #154 |
| 2012 | 26.32% | +0.04% | #154 |
| 2011 | 26.28% | +0.37% | #153 |
Detected Pattern
Analysis
Saudi Arabia matched the Export Boom Cycle pattern in 2012. Historically, 71% of countries showing this pattern (546 out of 768) saw industry employment improve within 24 months. View full analysis →
Frequently Asked Questions
Saudi Arabia's industry employment was 23.07% in 2025. Ranked 126th globally. This represents a 0.0% increase from the previous year.
Saudi Arabia's industry employment peaked at 26.37% in 2015.
The lowest industry employment in Saudi Arabia was 16.88% in 2022.
Saudi Arabia ranks 126th globally in industry employment as of 2025.
The World Bank indicator code is SL.IND.EMPL.ZS. Data sourced from World Bank.
Saudi Arabia's industry employment is projected to reach 25.10% by 2026 based on trend extrapolation.
The industry employment of Saudi Arabia in 2025 was 23.07%. This ranks 126th in the world.
Cite this page
@misc{historysaid_saudi-arabia_industry-employment,
title = {Saudi Arabia Industry Employment},
url = {https://historysaid.com/saudi-arabia/industry-employment/},
publisher = {HistorySaid},
year = {2026}
}