Argentina and Saudi Arabia Economies: A Side-by-Side Table Comparison

In comparing Argentina and Saudi Arabia, we see notable differences: Argentina’s population is 1.27 times larger, while its land area is 1.3 times greater. However, Saudi Arabia’s GDP is 1.75 times larger, and its military spending dwarfs Argentina’s by 24 times. Income inequality and economic freedom also favor Saudi Arabia.

Basic Indicators

Indicator	Argentina	Saudi Arabia	Comparison
Population source (2022 data), updated 2024	46.23 million (32nd)	36.41 million (40th)	Argentina’s population is approximately 1.27 times larger than Saudi Arabia’s.
Surface area (sq. km) source (2022 data), updated 2024	2.78 million sq. km (8th)	2.15 million sq. km (12th)	Argentina is 1.3 times larger than Saudi Arabia.
GDP source (2022 data), updated 2024	631.13B USD (22nd)	1,108.57B USD (17th)	Saudi Arabia’s total GDP is 1.75 times larger than Argentina’s.
GDP per capita source (2022 data), updated 2024	$13,651 (64th)	30,448 USD (37th)	Argentina’s GDP per capita is roughly 55% lower than Saudi Arabia’s, with Argentinians producing about $16,797 less per person annually.

Economic Indexes

Index	Argentina	Saudi Arabia	Comparison
HDI (Human Development Index) source (2022 data), updated 2024	0.849 (48th)	0.875 (40th)	Argentina’s HDI is 0.849 (high), while Saudi Arabia’s is 0.875 (high). Saudi Arabia’s score is 0.026 higher, indicating slightly better human development overall.
Index of Economic Freedom source (2024 data)	49.9 (132nd)	61.9 (64th)	Argentina’s Index of Economic Freedom is 19.9% lower than Saudi Arabia’s, 12 points less.
GINI source (2022 data), updated 2024	42 (2021 est.)	45.9 (2013 est.)	With a 9.5% higher Gini coefficient, Saudi Arabia has a higher degree of income inequality than Argentina.

International trade _{source(2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	Saudi Arabia
Total imports	92.57B USD	291.57B
Imports % of GDP	15.35%	23.29%
Main import partners	China 21%, Brazil 20%, US 14%, Germany 3%, Paraguay 2%	China 22%, UAE 16%, US 6%, India 6%, Germany 4%
Main import items	refined petroleum, vehicle parts/accessories, natural gas, fertilizers, cars	cars, broadcasting equipment, garments, gold, refined petroleum
Total exports	83.36B USD	370.97B
Exports % of GDP	16.30%	40.22%
Main export Partners	Brazil 15%, China 9%, US 8%, Chile 6%, India 5%	China 19%, India 13%, Japan 10%, South Korea 10%, US 7%
Main export items	soybean meal, corn, soybean oil, wheat, trucks	crude petroleum, refined petroleum, ethylene polymers, plastics, fertilizers

Argentina’s imports are about a third of Saudi Arabia’s, and Argentina imports 34% less of its GDP compared to Saudi Arabia. Argentina’s exports are just 22% of Saudi Arabia’s, focusing on agri-products, while Saudi’s are mainly high-value petroleum.

Military Power _{source (2023 data), updated 2024}

Indicator	Argentina	Saudi Arabia
Military expenditure	3.1B USD	75.8B USD
Military expenditure (% of GDP)	0.41%	7.42%
Active military	72k	257k
Active military per 1,000 capita	2.3	7.8

Saudi Arabia’s military expenditure is approximately 24 times larger than Argentina’s at $75.8 billion compared to $3.1 billion, and it allocates a significantly higher percentage of its GDP to defense at 7.42% versus Argentina’s 0.41%.