News

The President of the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), Fahad Aldossari, participated in the 15th Meeting of the GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Work, held virtually on Tuesday, November 10, 2026. The meeting was organized by the GCC Statistical Center, with the participation of the heads of statistical agencies of GCC member states with the aim of strengthening cooperation and coordination and advance joint statistical efforts across the GCC in support of the region’s development.
The meeting discussed several topics on its agenda, most notably a governance framework for enhancing the exchange and transfer of statistical knowledge and expertise among GCC member states. The initiative aims to document national experiences, facilitate knowledge sharing, and strengthen statistical capabilities. Discussions also covered the methodological framework for measuring the total contribution of tourism to the economy, a draft Memorandum of Understanding between the GCC Statistical Center and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and guidelines for providing international organizations with access to microdata, in a manner that promotes statistical cooperation while safeguarding data confidentiality.
The 15th Meeting of the GCC Permanent Committee for Statistical Work forms part of ongoing efforts to advance joint GCC statistical work, enhance the efficiency of statistical ecosystems, and strengthen their capacity to keep pace with future development trends.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Road Transport Statistics 2025 publication, which showed that the total number of arriving and departing passengers through land ports exceeded 70.7 million, representing an increase of 7.2% compared to 2024. The number of arriving passengers exceeded 37.0 million, while the number of departing passengers reached approximately 33.7 million, accounting for 47.7% of total passenger traffic. King Fahd Causeway Port accounted for 49.1% of total passenger traffic, followed by Al-Khafji Port at 12.2%. January recorded the highest passenger traffic during the year, with over 7.4 million passengers, while March recorded the lowest passenger traffic, at approximately 4.6 million passengers.
Regarding road freight, the total quantity of freight exported and imported through land ports exceeded 26.8 million tons, representing an increase of 4.4% compared to 2024. The quantity of exports increased by 6.3%, reaching 14.3 million tons, while the quantity of imports increased by 2.4%, reaching 12.5 million tons. Al-Batha Port ranked first in freight exports, accounting for 27.9% of total exports, and in freight imports, accounting for 31.9% of total imports, followed by Al-Hadithah Port in freight exports at 23.2% and Riyadh Dry Port in freight imports at 26.0%.
The results showed that the number of registered and roadworthy vehicles exceeded 16.7 million by the end of 2025, representing an increase of 5.3% compared to the end of 2024. Private vehicles accounted for 71.2% of the total, followed by private transportation vehicles at 20.0% and public transportation vehicles at 4.4%. The number of newly registered vehicles during the year reached approximately 1.1 million, representing an increase of 3.6%.
Regarding driving licenses, the total number of valid driving licenses by the end of 2025 exceeded 11.3 million, with private licenses accounting for 87.2% of the total. Saudis accounted for 51.0% of valid driving license holders, compared to 49.0% for non-Saudis. The number of newly issued driving licenses during the year reached approximately 1.2 million, representing a decrease of 8.1% compared to 2024.
It is noteworthy that Road Transport Statistics is an annual publication that provides indicators on passenger traffic, freight traffic, road infrastructure, and road traffic. It is based on administrative records from a number of government and private entities, as well as statistical models, and serves as a reference for studies, research, and local, regional, and international comparisons.
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Structural Business Statistics 2025 results, which showed that the business sector's operating revenues increased by 2.3% compared to the previous year, reaching SAR 5,628 billion.
Results also showed that compensation of employees increased by 6.0%, reaching SAR 624.1 billion. Of this total, SAR 528.9 billion was allocated to salaries and wages, accounting for 84.8% of total compensation, while SAR 95.1 billion was allocated to benefits and allowances, representing 15.2%. Total gross fixed capital formation reached SAR 992 billion, recording a growth of 0.4%, while the gross operating surplus amounted to SAR 2,542 billion, decreasing by 0.1%.
It is worth noting that Structural Business Statistics provide detailed indicators on the structure of economic activities in the Kingdom, covering operating revenues and expenditures, as well as compensation of employees. The data are classified according to the International Standard Industrial Classification of All Economic Activities (ISIC4).
 

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the results of the ICT Access and Usage Statistics by Households and Individuals 2026 survey, which showed that 99.6% of individuals aged 15–74 use the Internet. The percentage reached 99.8% among Saudi males, compared to 99.5% among Saudi females. The 15–24 age group recorded the highest Internet usage percentage among all age groups, at 99.9% of its total population.
Results also indicated that 99.3% of individuals use the Internet at home, while 98.0% use it at least once a day. Regarding the devices used to access the Internet, mobile phone usage reached 98.4%, compared to 13.9% for laptops and 12.3% for tablets.
Participation in social networking platforms ranked first among Internet usage activities, accounting for 99.7% of all Internet users, with equal percentages among males and females. This is followed by seeking information about goods and services, at 65.4%. The results also showed that 87.8% of Internet users watch video content online, while 55.2% listen to audio content. Meanwhile, 19.4% of Internet users use the Internet to play games.
Regarding e-government services, the percentage of individuals accessing government services online reached 98.4%. The percentage among Saudis stood at 98.6%, reaching 98.9% among males, compared to 98.4% among females. Accessing electronic government forms ranked first among the services used, accounting for 89.0% of all individuals accessing government services online.
In terms of e-commerce, 74.5% of all Internet users purchase goods and services online. The percentage among Saudis reached 84.9%, at 86.8% among Saudi females, compared to 83.1% among Saudi males. Clothing, footwear, sports goods, household goods, and other items topped the list of online purchases, accounting for 85.2%, followed by food, groceries, or tobacco at 54.4%, while purchases of books, magazines, and newspapers accounted for 22.8%.
It is worth noting that GASTAT produces its statistics in accordance with a unified methodology aligned with procedures adopted by international organizations. This enables international comparability of indicators and meets the requirements of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) indicators.