Saudi Arabia: Introductory country profile

The UK has strong diplomatic, military, and economic ties with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is currently negotiating a trade agreement with the Gulf Cooperation Council, whose six members include the kingdom.

Recent diplomacy between Saudi Arabia and the United States has centred on negotiating a three-part agreement in which the kingdom would establish diplomatic relations with Israel, the US sign a defence agreement with Saudi Arabia, and progress made on a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The agreement is unlikely during the 2023/24 Israel-Hamas conflict.

This briefing introduces Saudi politics, human rights, trade, and international relations. It also signposts further reading. Please visit the Commons Library’s Middle East pages for detailed analysis on the region’s politics.

What does this paper cover?

This 19-page briefing provides an introduction to Saudi Arabia’s: 

• Leadership, politics, and political rights
• Human rights, such as the rights of women and migrant workers
• Trade with the UK and current negotiations on a trade agreement 
• Economy, including key statistics on population, economic growth and leading industries 
• Foreign relations with the US, neighbouring Gulf states and Iran

The paper signposts further reading on each of these topics on pages 15  to 19. This includes links to UK Parliament proceedings on Saudi Arabia and relevant Commons Library briefing papers. 

Please visit the Library’s Middle East pages for further analysis on the region’s politics.