Saudi Arabia now the 18th largest economy in the world and largest in MENA

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of Saudi budget revenues, 90% of export earnings, and 42% of GDP.

I wouldn't be so proud of such oil-run economy.

Those are completely outdated numbers. What is the source as well? Are you using that retarded photo on WIKIPEDIA from 2007 that shows the economy of KSA? Because those are numbers from WAY back. No longer relevant at all. Even less so in the past 4-5 years where the price of oil dropped significantly.
The oil, gas and minerals that we have been blessed with (like so much else today and throughout millennia of recorded history) is all ours. Not stolen, not given etc. No need to be butthurt and watch our economy grow on all fronts.

EDIT: We have one of the largest sovereign wealth funds in the world and the least debt of all the biggest economies of the world. Talk about a blessing from above. We are literary sitting on trillions of USD.

 

[Yongpeng Sun-Tastaufen]

poor guys fully reliant on oil and trust me they will still be fully reliant on oil for the next 100 years

Doubt it. In 100 years CO2 would be so high people would die from it. Oil use will have to stop within the next few decades at the most.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

Doubt it. In 100 years CO2 would be so high people would die from it. Oil use will have to stop within the next few decades at the most.

Well then it is a very good thing that KSA has the biggest potential for renewable energy in the region (by far) in the form of solar and win energy and even better we are building up to 16 nuclear power plants as well. Building the largest solar farm in the world (by far) too.

This Planned Solar Farm in Saudi Arabia Would Be 100 Times Bigger Than Any in the World

https://singularityhub.com/2018/04/...ld-be-100-times-bigger-than-any-in-the-world/

Gas, minerals and even oil (it has many more uses than just fuel hence the huge petrochemical industry in KSA and all oil-producing countries) will be of great importance for many decades. By then we will no longer be reliant on oil and this is already a work in process.

 

[HannibalBarca]

Not possible to be in top 10 with our population (some 25 million natives). No country in the top 10 anywhere in the world have such a relatively small population. We (Arabia) would have been in the top 10 without a doubt if Arabia was one country. In that case we would also have 80+ million people. 18th is a very good position for us. Take into account the high living standards, GDP per capita, HDMI index (only better in small countries in the Muslim and developing world such as Qatar and UAE with very small native populations) we are doing very well including mostly 80+ years of peace since the kingdom was united formally.

The social structure is undergoing massive change. Look at the role of women. More women graduate at universities than men. Most of the idiotic 30 year old laws (as a consequence of the Sahwa movement, Grand Mosque Seizure in 1979 and the "Islamic" revolution next door the same year) have gone. Taxation is being proposed thus more political inclusion for the people (citizens) which will be the consequence otherwise it will not be possible. The Yemen war and our more offensive role in the region (with all the dangers this entails) is sacrifice.

So is for the clerical elite to publicly admit that they were in the wrong doing the Sahwa movement and publicly apologize to the public. This is enormous change that nobody would have believed 5-6 years ago. MbS has his faults, as any leader in the region and the world, but overall he is doing much more good than bad and pushing the country forward and combating anyone that want the previous status quo and want to weaken the country.

I am very positive given that we are a very educated and young (one of the youngest societies in the world) population who all knew what it was to live under the Sahwa movement thus the vast majority of us would not shoot ourselves in the foot and fight for some "Islamic revolution" or other nonsense in case the House of Saudi rule ends one day which it will like that of any dynasty in what is now KSA in the past many millennia or anywhere in the world. Certainly the situation could be much worse and I would not change our current position with any regional country and that is the most important thing. That and progress being made. On practically every front, the most important being education.

Having a large population isn't always a good thing, if The social/Economical structure isn't stable.
The problem is not even Having more Woman or not or having X or Y more educated than the guy next door... Ofc it does play an important role in it, but it's not what push a country/group/entity to seek ''Prosperity''.

Yes, SA did change in some area to the better and yes no one is perfect neither that everything will be ok int he future...
But you are still lacking one of the most basic attribute to be able to topple that Glass floor... That is ''Sacrifice''.
You may have a goal, a vision, but you have nothing ''YET'' that is running behind you that could push you to enable a ''Sacrificial Behavior''.

There is this Iranian spectrum... But still for many it's just words...
At one Time Arabs got Israel... then later forgot it... Before that ''Independence'' from foreign forces...
Before that... The Mongols... and before that Crusades and before that Persia and The Roman Empire... and so on...

That's not only a SA problem... it's something shared by the Arabs in all the regions... They don't feel threatened... despite what happened in the previous decades... OR maybe little by little they are building up... till they explode...

Who knows... maybe another War could enable it... maybe more than one...

 

[Indos]

Saudi Arabia has been in G 20 since long time ago.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

Having a large population isn't always a good thing, if The social/Economical structure isn't stable.
The problem is not even Having more Woman or not or having X or Y more educated than the guy next door... Ofc it does play an important role in it, but it's not what push a country/group/entity to seek ''Prosperity''.

Yes, SA did change in some area to the better and yes no one is perfect neither that everything will be ok int he future...
But you are still lacking one of the most basic attribute to be able to topple that Glass floor... That is ''Sacrifice''.
You may have a goal, a vision, but you have nothing ''YET'' that is running behind you that could push you to enable a ''Sacrificial Behavior''.

There is this Iranian spectrum... But still for many it's just words...
At one Time Arabs got Israel... then later forgot it... Before that ''Independence'' from foreign forces...
Before that... The Mongols... and before that Crusades and before that Persia and The Roman Empire... and so on...

That's not only a SA problem... it's something shared by the Arabs in all the regions... They don't feel threatened... despite what happened in the previous decades... OR maybe little by little they are building up... till they explode...

Who knows... maybe another War could enable it... maybe more than one...

If you want to be a top 10 economy in the world having a large population is alfa and omega. Where would the US, China, India, Indonesia, UK, France, Germany etc. be with 25 million people? Nowhere to be seen. That is the reality. If we had 80 million people (Arabia) we would be in the top 10 but living standards would drop a bit.

Education is everything. 40-50 years ago where the situation was much different (people in KSA, the Arab world, MENA, developing world were not as educated and informed today, literacy rates were much worse everywhere) and people believed blindly in authorities. If a cleric x or y said something people generally tended to follow it. Rulers (kings) could throw untold riches away (King Saud) and even other high-ranking House of Saud members could do little until said king was removed and died in exile in Greece not far away from KSA. When 50% of the population feels that this is also their country, the country is much stronger as well.

I think that Arabs have feel threatened (from their own rulers mostly) and in some cases the US (Iraq) and Israel (Palestine) for much longer than anyone else in the region and with very few results other than misery. It is time to look inwards first and foremost and correct the ills and improve on all fronts (or at least try to) before creating some enemy to gather around. No regional country will ever be any threat for us (Arab world as a whole) due to being much weaker, outnumbered on all fronts compared to us be it size, geography, population, economy, military power etc. so there will never be a day where say Arabs from Mauritania to Oman will rally against "enemy x or y". If the US could not even do it let alone Israel in the 1960's and earlier, nothing will.

I have said it many times, currently the Arab leaders are their own biggest enemies and Arabs within their own countries. If that was not the case Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq would not have experienced what they did although in the latter's case not everything is due to its leaders but for instance Saddam Hussein started messing up really badly after his stupid move to conquer Kuwait. Had he not done so Iraq would be in a a very different place.

 

[HannibalBarca]

If you want to be a top 10 economy in the world having a large population is alfa and omega. Where would the US, China, India, Indonesia, UK, France, Germany etc. be with 25 million people? Nowhere to be seen. That is the reality. If we had 80 million people (Arabia) we would be in the top 10 but living standards would drop a bit.

Education is everything. 40-50 years ago where the situation was much different (people in KSA, the Arab world, MENA, developing world were not as educated and informed today, literacy rates were much worse everywhere) and people believed blindly in authorities. If a cleric x or y said something people generally tended to follow it. Rulers (kings) could throw untold riches away (King Saud) and even other high-ranking House of Saud members could do little until said king was removed and died in exile in Greece not far away from KSA. When 50% of the population feels that this is also their country, the country is much stronger as well.

I think that Arabs have feel threatened (from their own rulers mostly) and in some cases the US (Iraq) and Israel (Palestine) for much longer than anyone else in the region and with very few results other than misery. It is time to look inwards first and foremost and correct the ills and improve on all fronts (or at least try to) before creating some enemy to gather around. No regional country will ever be any threat for us (Arab world as a whole) due to being much weaker, outnumbered on all fronts compared to us be it size, geography, population, economy, military power etc. so there will never be a day where say Arabs from Mauritania to Oman will rally against "enemy x or y". If the US could not even do it let alone Israel in the 1960's and earlier, nothing will.

I have said it many times, currently the Arab leaders are their own biggest enemies and Arabs within their own countries. If that was not the case Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq would not have experienced what they did although in the latter's case not everything is due to its leaders but for instance Saddam Hussein started messing up really badly after his stupid move to conquer Kuwait. Had he not done so Iraq would be in a a very different place.

That's the thing... every country is selfish... and yet you wished and advocated for a bigger pop/land/ressources/manpower etc... But we both know what is the only way to get there... Conquest... and Unification... it's the only way.
And if you gonna bring me Europe... I will have considered your point few years ago... Today it's another story...

 

[Gangetic]

If you want to be a top 10 economy in the world having a large population is alfa and omega. Where would the US, China, India, Indonesia, UK, France, Germany etc. be with 25 million people? Nowhere to be seen. That is the reality. If we had 80 million people (Arabia) we would be in the top 10 but living standards would drop a bit.

Education is everything. 40-50 years ago where the situation was much different (people in KSA, the Arab world, MENA, developing world were not as educated and informed today, literacy rates were much worse everywhere) and people believed blindly in authorities. If a cleric x or y said something people generally tended to follow it. Rulers (kings) could throw untold riches away (King Saud) and even other high-ranking House of Saud members could do little until said king was removed and died in exile in Greece not far away from KSA. When 50% of the population feels that this is also their country, the country is much stronger as well.

I think that Arabs have feel threatened (from their own rulers mostly) and in some cases the US (Iraq) and Israel (Palestine) for much longer than anyone else in the region and with very few results other than misery. It is time to look inwards first and foremost and correct the ills and improve on all fronts (or at least try to) before creating some enemy to gather around. No regional country will ever be any threat for us (Arab world as a whole) due to being much weaker, outnumbered on all fronts compared to us be it size, geography, population, economy, military power etc. so there will never be a day where say Arabs from Mauritania to Oman will rally against "enemy x or y". If the US could not even do it let alone Israel in the 1960's and earlier, nothing will.

I have said it many times, currently the Arab leaders are their own biggest enemies and Arabs within their own countries. If that was not the case Syria, Libya, Yemen and Iraq would not have experienced what they did although in the latter's case not everything is due to its leaders but for instance Saddam Hussein started messing up really badly after his stupid move to conquer Kuwait. Had he not done so Iraq would be in a a very different place.

You think Oman/UAE/Kuwait/Bahrain could join Saudi Arabia soon?

 

[CrazyZ]

Saudia Arabia should be one of Pakistan's top export destinations. We need to expand the economic relationship beyond oil and defense. Joint industrial ventures should be set up in Saudi... Pakistan provides the cheap labor.... Saudi provides the infrastructure....this can be a huge boon. For example cars can be made in Saudi by Pakistani laborers for global export. This would expand Saudi's Industrial base beyond energy.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

You think Oman/UAE/Kuwait/Bahrain could join Saudi Arabia soon?

I think that they have very few options long-term. If (it will eventually happen) the US decides to relocate resources to more important areas of the world (for them) such as the Pacific and East Asia to counter China (their future biggest rival) the regional powers that will be (KSA is already one) will have to take over the security of those states as we already do partially in Bahrain. UAE is much stronger than the other smaller GCC states but I imagine a federal state that is composed of all GCC states. More or less the same people, same geography, same culture by large, same language by large (dialects notwithstanding), tied by millennia old history, ancestry etc. It will happen naturally as it already did when the GCC was created. Most people are very much in favor of it. It would also help solve the Yemen question once and for all. Leaders will no longer be able to look elsewhere but do something long-lasting as Yemen's security and future would be theirs and vice versa. Solve the problem of potential manpower etc.

If that happens KSA will no longer exist as we know it but it does not matter as it is all Arabia. The oldest regional region along with Mesopotamia next door.

This is not about some kind of invasion and MbS proclaiming himself as an emperor or what Hitler did in Austria. It is more or less an organic movement that will happen naturally irregardless of who rules and what entities that geography (Arabia) will be made up of. I have no doubt about it but it is not really in the books in the near future as it is not in the interest of the big powers (China, Russia nor the US). Regional countries will do everything to prevent it as well. That however will only work for so long.

I predict the same thing in other areas of the Arab world. 3-4 strong regional blocs will be created. At least they should. Either that or those regions will not fulfill their potential and forever be dependent on others in matters of strategic importance. For that to occur you would also have to change the ruling systems in place and give power to the people and let their voice be heard as this is what most people would want to by large. If they would have to vote with their pockets even more so and if security is a theme!

That's the thing... every country is selfish... and yet you wished and advocated for a bigger pop/land/ressources/manpower etc... But we both know what is the only way to get there... Conquest... and Unification... it's the only way.
And if you gonna bring me Europe... I will have considered your point few years ago... Today it's another story...

Unification will occur as I see it. Without a doubt. See post 25. But yes, borders throughout the history of mankind have only changed due to 2 reasons. Unifications/treaties that occurred peacefully or through conquest. Nowadays conquest is mostly a thing of the past although you at times see incidents such as Crimea but they are very rare for a good reason and only done by superpowers (Russia). Anyone else (Iraq in Kuwait) and hell breaks loose. There is a reason why the rulers of those smaller GCC states have allowed the US in. Indirectly (although it is not spoken about) it is "security" against KSA too. Neither the US would like us (KSA) to swallow all of Arabia up nor would the leaders want to lose their throne. Look at Qatar. They would have been invaded by us (worst case scenario) if not for the US military base since 1995. Calculated move by the former Sheikh. Politics is a mess.

 

[Indos]

Saudia Arabia should be one of Pakistan's top export destinations. We need to expand the economic relationship beyond oil and defense. Joint industrial ventures should be set up in Saudi... Pakistan provides the cheap labor.... Saudi provides the infrastructure....this can be a huge boon. For example cars can be made in Saudi by Pakistani laborers for global export. This would expand Saudi's Industrial base beyond energy.

Yes just like Malaysia whose citizen doesnt have blue color worker but still can build industry by using foreign worker from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

 

[ArabianEmpires&Caliphates]

Yes just like Malaysia whose citizen doesnt have blue color worker but still can build industry by using foreign worker from Indonesia and Bangladesh.

Well, there is a huge youth population in KSA (one of the biggest in the world in terms of percentage of the total population) and not all of them have the ability or want to be highly educated so many of them will have to work in manual jobs and what is considered as lesser attractive jobs on paper and less prestigious. This is already a work in progress as many jobs in KSA have been banned for foreigners namely to encourage natives (in particular those without a job and the youth in particular) to get those jobs. That is only fair and natural as citizens in country x or y should always have the priority.

Not everyone in a society can have a so-called knowledge based job. There should be equal respect for a cleaner and a engineer or doctor. In a perfect world that is.

There was a report years ago of a Saudi Arabian girl with a degree in nanotechnology from a leading US university working as a shawarma seller in KSA due to not being able to get a job. A few months later she thankfully got a job in her field.

http://saudigazette.com.sa/opinion/local-viewpoint/saudi-female-shawarma-seller/

There is this widespread idea, among certain circles on PDF, that no Saudi Arabians are doing manual work. This is utter nonsense of course.

 

[Mamadouso]

I think that they have very few options long-term. If (it will eventually happen) the US decides to relocate resources to more important areas of the world (for them) such as the Pacific and East Asia to counter China (their future biggest rival) the regional powers that will be (KSA is already one) will have to take over the security of those states as we already do partially in Bahrain. UAE is much stronger than the other smaller GCC states but I imagine a federal state that is composed of all GCC states. More or less the same people, same geography, same culture by large, same language by large (dialects notwithstanding), tied by millennia old history, ancestry etc. It will happen naturally as it already did when the GCC was created. Most people are very much in favor of it. It would also help solve the Yemen question once and for all. Leaders will no longer be able to look elsewhere but do something long-lasting as Yemen's security and future would be theirs and vice versa. Solve the problem of potential manpower etc.

If that happens KSA will no longer exist as we know it but it does not matter as it is all Arabia. The oldest regional region along with Mesopotamia next door.

This is not about some kind of invasion and MbS proclaiming himself as an emperor or what Hitler did in Austria. It is more or less an organic movement that will happen naturally irregardless of who rules and what entities that geography (Arabia) will be made up of. I have no doubt about it but it is not really in the books in the near future as it is not in the interest of the big powers (China, Russia nor the US). Regional countries will do everything to prevent it as well. That however will only work for so long.

I predict the same thing in other areas of the Arab world. 3-4 strong regional blocs will be created. At least they should. Either that or those regions will not fulfill their potential and forever be dependent on others in matters of strategic importance. For that to occur you would also have to change the ruling systems in place and give power to the people and let their voice be heard as this is what most people would want to by large. If they would have to vote with their pockets even more so and if security is a theme!



Unification will occur as I see it. Without a doubt. See post 25. But yes, borders throughout the history of mankind have only changed due to 2 reasons. Unifications/treaties that occurred peacefully or through conquest. Nowadays conquest is mostly a thing of the past although you at times see incidents such as Crimea but they are very rare for a good reason and only done by superpowers (Russia). Anyone else (Iraq in Kuwait) and hell breaks loose. There is a reason why the rulers of those smaller GCC states have allowed the US in. Indirectly (although it is not spoken about) it is "security" against KSA too. Neither the US would like us (KSA) to swallow all of Arabia up nor would the leaders want to lose their throne. Look at Qatar. They would have been invaded by us (worst case scenario) if not for the US military base since 1995. Calculated move by the former Sheikh. Politics is a mess.

Wasn’t the GCC supposed to be the way to move towards unification? I remember that there was once a plan to basically have one travel area and one single currency for all GCC, but that seems to have died now.

Also there was the plan to add Jordan to GCC but that has stopped as well.

It is difficult to see if there will ever be a unification of the peninsula.

 

[Peaceful Civilian]

Congratulations Saudi Arabia. They are taking good steps to encourage tourism & this government looks serious about economy. I have feeling Saudi Arabia will get spot in top 10 economy of the world in coming years.

 

[Sugarcane]

Good for KSA, But it should use it's wealth to gain influence by accelerating in Science and Technology, setup own manufacturing base (specially defense) and create allies by including other Muslim countries in these fields instead of wasting time and resource in playing proxy games with Iran.