Photo: Mardetanha · CC BY-SA 3.0 · via Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale
Topic 05 of 18 · Country Index 2026
Saudi Arabia: Health & Wellbeing
How long, and how well fed, do people live?
Saudi Arabia is placed 58th of 200 countries on health & wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics. Readings behind it: Life Expectancy at Birth 78.73 (2023); Under-Five Mortality Rate 5.958 (2024).
Share
Health & Wellbeing
58th
of 200 countries placed
Placed from 3 of 4 key statistics
- 78.73Life Expectancy at Birth, 2023Years a newborn would live at current death rates
- 5.958Under-Five Mortality Rate, 2024Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
- 10.85Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five, 2024Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
- —Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, 2024No reading for this country
01The evidence
The 4 key statistics that decide it
Only these place Saudi Arabia on health & wellbeing — one vote each. Every value is the publisher’s own, read at the edition the Country Index 2026 used — or, for a survey-based key, each country’s latest reading; the grey ticks are every other country it was compared with, lowest on the left.
Key 1 of 4
Life Expectancy at Birth
UN DESA Population Division
2023 edition · data for 2023 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
78.73
Years a newborn would live at current death rates
Higher is better
Saudi Arabia: 78.73. Across the 222 countries in this edition, values run from 54.46 (Nigeria) to 86.37 (Monaco); the world median is 74.63.
- World median
- 74.63
- Best in Western Asia
- 82.91 United Arab Emirates
- Land neighbours
- United Arab Emirates 82.91 · Iraq 72.32 · Jordan 77.81 · Kuwait 80.4 · Oman 80.03 · Qatar 82.37 · Yemen 69.3
Key 2 of 4
Under-Five Mortality Rate
UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
5.958
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)
Lower is better
Saudi Arabia: 5.958. Across the 200 countries in this edition, values run from 1.26 (San Marino) to 115.65 (Nigeria); the world median is 14.54.
- World median
- 14.54
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.34 Israel
- Land neighbours
- United Arab Emirates 4.789 · Iraq 21.84 · Jordan 12.94 · Kuwait 8.104 · Oman 10.28 · Qatar 5.885 · Yemen 38.14
Key 3 of 4
Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five
UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates)
Latest reading per country, 2014–2024 · Saudi Arabia’s is from 2020 · CC BY 3.0 IGO
10.85
Children under 5 who are stunted (%)
Lower is better
Saudi Arabia: 10.85. Across the 162 countries at their latest reading, values run from 0.518 (Latvia) to 52.8 (Burundi); the world median is 13.8.
- World median
- 13.8
- Best in Western Asia
- 3.205 Kuwait
- Land neighbours
- Iraq 12.64 · Jordan 8.231 · Kuwait 3.205 · Oman 11.4 · Qatar 6.24 · Yemen 48.54
Key 4 of 4
Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity
Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)
2024 edition · data for 2024 · CC BY 4.0
No reading
Population in severe food insecurity (%)
Lower is better
FAO publishes no 2024 figure for Saudi Arabia, so the standing rests on the other keys.
Across the 125 countries in this edition, values run from 0.6 (Brazil) to 62.9 (South Sudan); the world median is 4.9.
- World median
- 4.9
- Best in Western Asia
- 0.7 Israel
- Land neighbours
- United Arab Emirates 0.9 · Kuwait 3.8
02Over time
Which way Saudi Arabia is moving
Each key’s published value, edition by edition, beside the world median. The Country Index 2026 is the first edition of the standing, so the standing itself has no history to chart yet.
Life Expectancy at Birth
Years a newborn would live at current death rates · higher is better
Saudi ArabiaWorld median
Saudi Arabia rose from 72.61 in 2000 to 78.73 in 2023; the world median went from 70.68 to 74.63.
Every year’s figures
Year Saudi Arabia World median 2023 78.73 74.630 2022 77.31 74.313 2021 77.09 72.433 2020 77.60 73.063 2019 78.31 74.196 2018 78.75 74.081 2017 78.72 74.029 2016 78.35 74.013 2015 77.78 73.783 2014 77.12 73.330 2013 76.52 73.386 2012 76.09 73.210 2011 75.81 73.003 2010 75.62 72.827 2009 75.45 72.426 2008 75.30 72.264 2007 75.07 72.113 2006 74.76 72.027 2005 74.40 71.876 2004 74.03 71.477 2003 73.66 71.409 2002 73.30 71.173 2001 72.95 70.926 2000 72.61 70.678 Under-Five Mortality Rate
Deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) · lower is better
Saudi ArabiaWorld median
Saudi Arabia fell from 21.9 in 2000 to 5.958 in 2024; the world median went from 30.43 to 14.54.
Every year’s figures
Year Saudi Arabia World median 2024 6.0 14.5 2023 6.2 15.2 2022 6.4 14.7 2021 6.7 15.1 2020 6.9 15.3 2019 7.2 15.7 2018 7.6 16.3 2017 8.0 16.8 2016 8.5 17.5 2015 9.0 17.9 2014 9.6 18.3 2013 10.1 18.7 2012 10.8 18.8 2011 11.4 19.0 2010 12.1 19.2 2009 12.9 20.8 2008 13.7 20.7 2007 14.5 21.8 2006 15.4 22.8 2005 16.3 24.0 2004 17.3 25.9 2003 18.4 26.9 2002 19.4 28.0 2001 20.6 29.1 2000 21.9 30.4
03In context
Saudi Arabia beside its neighbours
A position reads best beside the countries around it. Every position below is a place among all 200 countries on health & wellbeing, never a place within the region.
Saudi Arabia and the countries it borders
Standing among all 200; the key columns are the publishers’ own values.
| Country | Standing | Life Expectancy at BirthYears a newborn would live at current death rates | Under-Five Mortality RateDeaths before age five (per 1,000 live births) | Stunting Prevalence in Children Under FiveChildren under 5 who are stunted (%) | Prevalence of Severe Food InsecurityPopulation in severe food insecurity (%) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 United Arab Emiratescompare | 13th | 82.91 | 4.789 | — | 0.9 |
 Qatar | =34th | 82.37 | 5.885 | 6.24 | — |
 Kuwait | 49th | 80.4 | 8.104 | 3.205 | 3.8 |
| Saudi Arabia | 58th | 78.73 | 5.958 | 10.85 | — |
 Oman | 69th | 80.03 | 10.28 | 11.4 | — |
 Jordan | 70th | 77.81 | 12.94 | 8.231 | — |
 Iraq | 113th | 72.32 | 21.84 | 12.64 | — |
 Yemen | 172nd | 69.3 | 38.14 | 48.54 | — |
“—”: no published reading in that edition. What a standing is
Across Western Asia
Every country in the sub-region, by its place among all 200.
Placed either side on health & wellbeing
The countries immediately above and below Saudi Arabia in the topic’s list.
04Context, no vote
Where Saudi Arabia is ahead of the world, and behind
37 more statistics filed under health & wellbeing, published in full and deliberately given no vote in the standing. Select a row for the publisher, the rank and the links.
Ahead of the world median20
Statistics on which Saudi Arabia does better than the middle country measured.
Immunisation Coverage, Measles First Dose (MCV1)WUENIC · 2025 · world median 909990▲ Improved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 99 · world median 90 · Infants given a first dose of measles vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 13 to 99; higher is better.
Dietary Energy SupplyFAO · 2024 · world median 2,9823,6462,982No real change since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 3,646 · world median 2,982 · Dietary energy supply (kcal per person per day). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1,757 to 3,962; higher is better.
Position 12th of 155 · derived.
Immunisation Coverage, DTP3WUENIC · 2025 · world median 919891▲ Improved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 98 · world median 91 · Infants given a third dose of DTP vaccine (%). WHO and UNICEF (WUENIC), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 39 to 99; higher is better.
Prevalence of UndernourishmentFAO · 2023 · world median 5.22.55.2▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 2.5 · world median 5.2 · Population undernourished (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 54.2; lower is better.
Position 104th of 104 · derived, 1st = worst.
Human Development IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.7620.90.762▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 0.9 · world median 0.762 · HDI score (0–1). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.388 to 0.972; higher is better.
Ranked 37th of 193 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Maternal Mortality RatioMMEIG · 2023 · world median 46.657.3646.65No real change since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 7.36 · world median 46.65 · Maternal deaths per 100,000 live births. UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter-Agency Group (MMEIG), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.11 to 992.83; lower is better.
Position 158th of 195 · derived, 1st = worst.
Neonatal Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 8.1342.8648.134▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 2.864 · world median 8.134 · Deaths in the first 28 days (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.544 to 39.47; lower is better.
Position 157th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Infant Mortality RateUN IGME · 2024 · world median 12.264.65612.26▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 4.656 · world median 12.26 · Deaths before age one (per 1,000 live births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 1.214 to 71.87; lower is better.
Position 155th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Mortality Rate, Ages 5–14UN IGME · 2024 · world median 2.8581.4692.858▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 1.469 · world median 2.858 · Deaths between ages 5 and 14 (per 1,000 children aged 5). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.392 to 59.04; lower is better.
Position 150th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Stillbirth RateUN IGME · 2023 · world median 8.1634.0338.163▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 4.033 · world median 8.163 · Stillbirths (per 1,000 total births). UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 1.18 to 34.9; lower is better.
Position 149th of 200 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adult Mortality (Probability of Dying Between 15 and 60)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 133.781.5133.7▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 81.5 · world median 133.7 · Deaths before age 60 per 1,000 people alive at 15, at that year's death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 25.15 to 415.44; lower is better.
Position 163rd of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Adolescent Birth Rate (Ages 15–19)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 27.4611.1127.46▼ Worsened since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 11.11 · world median 27.46 · Live births per 1,000 women aged 15–19. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.465 to 163.09; lower is better.
Position 159th of 222 · derived, 1st = worst.
Births Attended by Skilled Health StaffUNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance) · 2023 · world median 99.399.899.3▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 99.8 · world median 99.3 · Births attended by skilled health staff (%). UNICEF and WHO (Joint Database on Skilled Birth Attendance), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 60.9 to 100; higher is better.
Position 23rd of 84 · derived.
Life Expectancy at Age 65UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 16.3918.2116.39▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 18.21 · world median 16.39 · Further years a 65-year-old would live at current death rates. UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 12.13 to 23.21; higher is better.
Position 69th of 222 · derived.
Fruit Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 84.83105.3284.83▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 105.32 · world median 84.83 · Fruit available as food, excluding wine (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 4.27 to 379.63; higher is better.
Agreement That Vaccines Are SafeWellcome Trust · 2018 · world median 77.6584.5177.65No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 84.51 · world median 77.65 · People aged 15+ who agree that vaccines are safe (% of those who had heard of vaccines). Wellcome Trust, 2018 edition, data for 2018.
Published values in that edition run from 29.29 to 97.91; higher is better.
Position 48th of 144 · derived.
Institutional DeliveriesUNICEF · 2025 · world median 96.998.796.9No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 98.7 · world median 96.9 · Live births delivered in a health facility (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 11.5 to 100; higher is better.
Gender Inequality IndexUNDP Human Development Report Office · 2023 · world median 0.3510.2280.351No real change since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 0.228 · world median 0.351 · GII (0 = full equality, 1 = maximum inequality). UNDP Human Development Report Office, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.003 to 0.838; lower is better.
Ranked 61st of 172 by UNDP Human Development Report Office.
Vegetable Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 102.69118.98102.69▼ Worsened since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 118.98 · world median 102.69 · Vegetables available as food (kg per person per year). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.89 to 412.72; higher is better.
Human Capital IndexWorld Bank Group · 2020 · world median 0.5640.5760.564▲ Improved since 2010
Saudi Arabia: 0.576 · world median 0.564 · HCI score (0–1). World Bank Group, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 0.292 to 0.879; higher is better.
Position 84th of 172 · derived.
Behind the world median9
Statistics on which Saudi Arabia does worse than the middle country measured.
Antenatal Care Coverage, At Least Four VisitsUNICEF · 2025 · world median 8179.781No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 79.7 · world median 81 · Women with a live birth who had 4+ antenatal visits (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 22.6 to 100; higher is better.
Position 82nd of 153 · derived.
Wasting Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 3.5463.93.546No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 3.9 · world median 3.546 · Children under 5 who are wasted (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.1 to 22.74; lower is better.
Position 76th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Share of Dietary Energy Supply from Cereals, Roots and TubersFAO · 2022 · world median 414541▼ Worsened since 2012
Saudi Arabia: 45 · world median 41 · Share of dietary energy supply from cereals, roots and tubers (%). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2022 edition, data for 2022.
Published values in that edition run from 21 to 82; lower is better.
Postnatal Care for Newborns Within Two DaysUNICEF · 2025 · world median 82.977.782.9No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 77.7 · world median 82.9 · Newborns with a health check within 2 days of birth (%). UNICEF, 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 7.3 to 99.9; higher is better.
Position 65th of 109 · derived.
Coefficient of Variation of Habitual Caloric ConsumptionFAO · 2024 · world median 0.250.270.25▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 0.27 · world median 0.25 · Coefficient of variation of habitual calorie consumption across the population (standard deviation ÷ mean). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.17 to 0.4; lower is better.
Overweight Prevalence in Children Under FiveUNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates) · 2024 · world median 5.58.4485.5▲ Improved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 8.448 · world median 5.5 · Children under 5 who are overweight (%). UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0.623 to 26.43; lower is better.
Position 55th of 163 · derived, 1st = worst.
Demand for Family Planning Satisfied by Modern MethodsUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 71.2553.371.25▲ Improved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 53.3 · world median 71.25 · Share of women aged 15–49 wanting to avoid pregnancy who use a modern method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 8.4 to 92.4; higher is better.
Position 147th of 196 · derived.
Days Above 35°CECMWF · 2025 · world median 3.48173.053.48No real change since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 173.05 · world median 3.48 · Days a year with a maximum temperature above 35°C, averaged over the country’s land. World Bank Group (Climate Change Knowledge Portal), from Copernicus ERA5 (ECMWF), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 222.89; lower is better.
PM2.5 Air Pollution ExposureAtmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis · 2023 · world median 14.4550.114.45No real change since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 50.1 · world median 14.45 · Population-weighted PM2.5 concentration (µg/m³). Atmospheric Composition Analysis Group, Washington University in St. Louis, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2.5 to 68.2; lower is better.
Position 6th of 220 · derived, 1st = worst.
No better end8
These describe the shape of a country — more is not better or worse, only different — so they are never ahead or behind.
Adults Who Have Been Too Anxious or Depressed to Carry OnWellcome Trust · 2020 · world median 20.0529.9620.05No earlier reading
Saudi Arabia: 29.96 · world median 20.05 · People aged 15+ who have ever been too anxious or depressed to continue their usual activities for two weeks or more (%). Wellcome Trust, 2020 edition, data for 2020.
Published values in that edition run from 2.934 to 49.35.
Average Weekly Hours WorkedILO · 2025 · world median 38.8940.7738.89Moved since 2015
Saudi Arabia: 40.77 · world median 38.89 · Average weekly hours actually worked per employed person. International Labour Organization (ILO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 23.64 to 54.7.
Position 75th of 182 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Meat Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 57.8358.0857.83Moved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 58.08 · world median 57.83 · Meat available as food (kg per person per year, carcass weight). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 3.49 to 156.95.
Fish and Seafood Supply per PersonFAO · 2023 · world median 16.1712.9216.17Moved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 12.92 · world median 16.17 · Fish and seafood available as food (kg per person per year, live-weight equivalent). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 0.38 to 83.81.
Pesticide Use per HectareFAO · 2024 · world median 1.730.71.73Moved since 2014
Saudi Arabia: 0.7 · world median 1.73 · Pesticide use (kg per hectare of cropland). Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2024 edition, data for 2024.
Published values in that edition run from 0 to 37.72.
Position 134th of 178 · derived, counted from the highest value.
Modern Contraceptive PrevalenceUN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 35.418.335.4Moved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 18.3 · world median 35.4 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using a modern contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 2 to 73.8.
Contraceptive Prevalence (Any Method)UN DESA Population Division · 2023 · world median 41.2522.241.25Moved since 2013
Saudi Arabia: 22.2 · world median 41.25 · Share of all women aged 15–49 using any contraceptive method (%). UN DESA Population Division, 2023 edition, data for 2023.
Published values in that edition run from 6.6 to 78.7.
Cost of a Healthy DietFAO · 2025 · world median 4.553.074.55Moved since 2017
Saudi Arabia: 3.07 · world median 4.55 · Cost of the cheapest locally available healthy diet, PPP dollars per person per day. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), 2025 edition, data for 2025.
Published values in that edition run from 2.66 to 8.27.
No current reading for Saudi Arabia
Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries (last 2022), Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls (last 2023), INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Low Birthweight Prevalence, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum) (last 2020), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax) (last 2018), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum) (last 2020), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. Listed rather than hidden, so the page can be checked against it.
“Position · derived” is this site’s ordering of the published values, 1st = best unless the row says otherwise; the publisher ranks no country on it. Rank, position and standing
05Country Index 2026
Health & Wellbeing among Saudi Arabia’s 14 topics
Health & Wellbeing is Saudi Arabia’s 6th best-placed topic of 14. Strongest first, each marker at its share of that topic’s field.
- Mobility & Trade40th of 1774/4 keys
- Digital & Technology45th of 1984/4 keys
- Work & Labour45th of 1824/4 keys
- Development & Human Capital50th of 1963/3 keys
- Governance & Institutionsjoint 54th of 1944/4 keys
- Health & Wellbeing58th of 2003/4 keys
- Education & Knowledge77th of 1983/4 keys
- Economy & Innovation69th of 1764/4 keys
- Risk & Resilience83rd of 1934/4 keys
- Food & Agriculturejoint 86th of 1844/4 keys
- Peace & Security123rd of 1774/4 keys
- Democracy & Civil Liberties163rd of 1983/4 keys
- Gender & Equality167th of 1834/4 keys
- Environment & Sustainability185th of 1863/4 keys
No standing on Poverty & Inequality, Energy: too few of those topics’ key statistics are published for this country.
06The top of the list
Who leads on health & wellbeing
The three countries placed highest of 200, and the leaders Saudi Arabia can most readily be measured against.
1
San MarinoSouthern Europe
1st of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Matl derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
2
MonacoWestern Europe
2nd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
3
AndorraSouthern Europe
3rd of 200 · 2 of 4 keys
Photo: Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk · CC BY-SA 3.0, greyscale
Placed highest nearby
Highest placed on all 4 keys
South Korea5th4/4 keysHighest in Western Asia
Israel10th3/4 keysThis page
Saudi Arabia58th3/4 keys
Positions out of 200 placed on the topic. A country needs readings on enough keys to be placed, and the top of the list is often held on fewer of them.
07Analysis
Charts and analysis about Saudi Arabia and health & wellbeing
On health & wellbeing
Global Hunger Index 2025: Countries with the Most Alarming Hunger Crisis
Thirteen countries scored across four editions — 2000, 2008, 2016 and 2025 — and five the report could not score at all. DR Congo and South Sudan share 121st place on 37.5.
On health & wellbeing
World Happiness Report 2025: Finland Leads Again as the US and UK Face Major Declines
The ten highest life evaluations of 2025, drawn on a world map, and the six things the report uses to explain them. Costa Rica and Mexico are the only two outside Europe and the Middle East.
08Questions
Saudi Arabia on health & wellbeing: questions answered
Every answer is built from the numbers on this page, so none can say something the page does not.
How does Saudi Arabia rank on health & wellbeing?
Saudi Arabia is placed 58th of 200 countries on Health & Wellbeing in the Country Index 2026, from 3 of its 4 key statistics (Life Expectancy at Birth, Under-Five Mortality Rate and Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five). The position is this site’s ordering of published statistics, not a rank any publisher printed.
What is the latest Life Expectancy at Birth figure for Saudi Arabia?
78.73 in 2023 (years a newborn would live at current death rates), according to UN DESA Population Division. The world median in the same edition was 74.63.
What is the latest Under-Five Mortality Rate figure for Saudi Arabia?
5.958 in 2024 (deaths before age five (per 1,000 live births)), according to UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME). The world median in the same edition was 14.54.
How does Saudi Arabia compare with Iraq on health & wellbeing?
Iraq is placed 113th of 200, and Saudi Arabia 58th. Life Expectancy at Birth: Iraq 72.32, Saudi Arabia 78.73; Under-Five Mortality Rate: Iraq 21.84, Saudi Arabia 5.958; Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five: Iraq 12.64, Saudi Arabia 10.85.
How have Saudi Arabia’s health & wellbeing figures changed?
Life Expectancy at Birth rose from 72.61 in 2000 to 78.73 in 2023; Under-Five Mortality Rate fell from 21.9 in 2000 to 5.958 in 2024.
Which health & wellbeing statistics are missing for Saudi Arabia?
No current reading is published for Saudi Arabia on Caesarean Section Rate, Care-Seeking for Children with Symptoms of Pneumonia, Catastrophic Out-of-Pocket Health Spending, Children with Functional Difficulties, Early Initiation of Breastfeeding, Excess Mortality During the COVID-19 Pandemic, Exclusive Breastfeeding Under Six Months, Fatal Occupational Injuries, Female Genital Mutilation Prevalence, Global Multidimensional Poverty Index, Global Report on Food Crises, HPV Vaccination Coverage, Girls, INFORM Severity Index, Insecticide-Treated Net Use, Low Birthweight Prevalence, Malaria Incidence (P. falciparum), Malaria Incidence (P. vivax), Malaria Mortality (P. falciparum), Minimum Dietary Diversity, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Oral Rehydration Salts for Children with Diarrhoea, Prevalence of Moderate or Severe Food Insecurity, Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity, Severe Child Food Poverty, Children Aged 6–23 Months, Share of Population Unable to Afford a Healthy Diet and Violent Discipline of Children. They are listed rather than hidden, so the evidence on the page can be checked against it.
09Method
Method, sources and how to cite
What this topic does not measure
Health spending, hospital beds and doctors per person are not measured, because more of any of them does not guarantee better outcomes. Mental health and self-reported happiness are not part of this topic. Food supply per person is measured under Food & Agriculture. Maternal mortality and many other indicators are published here as context; maternal mortality is a key in Development & Human Capital instead.
How the Health & Wellbeing standing is decided
A standing is this site’s ordering, named with its edition — never a publisher’s rank. 4 key statistics vote, one vote each; every country’s published value becomes a place within that key’s own field, the places are averaged, and the average is never published. A country needs 2 of the 4 keys to be placed.
The health & wellbeing method, step by stepHow every standing on this site is built
The key statistics and their licences
- Life Expectancy at Birth — UN DESA Population Division, CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Under-Five Mortality Rate — UN Inter-agency Group for Child Mortality Estimation (UN IGME), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Stunting Prevalence in Children Under Five — UNICEF, WHO and World Bank Group (Joint Malnutrition Estimates), CC BY 3.0 IGO
- Prevalence of Severe Food Insecurity — Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), CC BY 4.0
The other 37 statistics on this page come from 14 publishers, each named beside its numbers, with every edition and licence on the datasets pages.
The standing itself is part of the Country Index 2026, published under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Photographs
Saudi Arabia’s banner and the countries placed highest, from their profiles: Wikimedia Commons, shown in greyscale, each used under the licence named.
- Saudi Arabia (banner) — Mardetanha, CC BY-SA 3.0
- San Marino — Matl derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Monaco — Martin Weber derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Andorra — Tiia Monto derivative work: Jjtkk, CC BY-SA 3.0
Cite this page
Nations Inquiry (2026). Saudi Arabia: Health & Wellbeing — standing and statistics, Country Index 2026. https://nationsinquiry.com/countries/saudi-arabia/health