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General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Industrial Production Index (IPI) results for September 2025. The overall IPI recorded an increase of 9.3% compared to the same month of the previous year. In detail, compared with September 2024, the sub-index for mining and quarrying and the sub-index for manufacturing increased by 11.0% and 6.3%, respectively. The sub-index for electricity, gas, steam, and air conditioning supply also recorded an increase of 12.6%, while the sub-index for water supply, sewage, waste management, and remediation activities increased by 9.2% Regarding the main economic activities, the index for oil activities increased by 10.1%, while the index for non-oil activities increased by 7.3%, compared with September 2024.
It is noteworthy that GASTAT publishes the IPI monthly. It is an economic indicator that reflects the relative changes in the volume of industrial output, based on data from the Industrial Production Survey, which is conducted on a sample of industrial establishments engaged in the targeted activities: mining and quarrying, manufacturing, electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply, water supply, sewage and waste management, and remediation activities. 
 

The 40th meeting of UN’s HLG-PCCB for statistics for the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development commenced today at the headquarters of GASTAT in Riyadh, with the participation of heads of national statistical offices and representatives of regional and international statistical organizations that are members of the Group.

Kingdom’s hosting of this major international meeting underscores the growing role of GASTAT in supporting global efforts to advance statistical data systems and enhance countries’ capabilities in the statistical domain. The meeting’s agenda includes discussions on enhancing integration across international statistical systems, developing national capacities for producing accurate and reliable statistical data, and exploring ways to expand the use of innovative statistical data.

GASTAT continues its preparations to host the 6th United Nations World Data Forum through the program "Road to Riyadh” which spans a full year before the date of the event. The program features a series of workshops and panel discussions at the local, regional, and international levels, with the participation of experts and statistical institutions from around the world. It aims to facilitate knowledge exchange, strengthen partnerships, and ensure the sustainability and long-term impact of the Forum’s outcomes, as it serves as a key platform for advancing global data and statistical systems.

It is worth noting that hosting the Forum in Riyadh carries significant importance, reflecting the Kingdom’s growing leadership in advancing statistical systems, fostering international partnerships in the data field, and embracing cutting-edge statistical innovations, technologies, and global best practices to support shared objectives at the local, regional, and international levels.
 

GASTAT launches the first activities of the Road to Riyadh Program, which will run for a whole year ahead of hosting the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum in Riyadh in November 2026. The program features a series of workshops and panel discussions at local, regional, and international levels, with the participation of leading experts and statistical institutions from around the world. A panel discussion entitled “Utilizing advanced technologies and methodologies to enhance statistical systems and enable sustainable development” will be held on the sidelines of the 40th meeting of the High-Level Group for partnership, coordination, and capacity-building for statistics for the 2030 agenda for sustainable development (HLG-PCCB), hosted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia at GASTAT’s headquarters on November, 10–11 2025.
The panel aims to enhance international cooperation, develop both national and international statistical systems, foster partnerships among national statistical offices, international organizations, private sector, and civil society to develop global data and statistical systems, and oversee the organization of the forum.
The panel, which will feature the participation of the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossari, will address the future of data and statistics, highlight the vital role of National Statistical Organizations (NSOs) in developing data collection and analysis methodologies, and explore modern technologies to enhance the outputs quality and support decision-making. It will also discuss the main challenges related to governance, skill building, and the ethical aspects associated with adopting technological solutions within statistical systems.
Several heads and officials from member statistical organizations and international organizations within the HLG-PCCB, including Saudi Arabia, Bulgaria, China, Singapore, Palestine, Switzerland, and PARIS21, will present the latest international experiences and best practices in statistical digital transformation and discuss the importance of international cooperation and building sustainable partnerships to strengthen national capacities and support the measurement of progress toward achieving the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals.
It is noteworthy that the Road to Riyadh Program is part of GASTAT’s ongoing preparations to host the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum. The program aims to facilitate the exchange of expertise, strengthen partnerships, and showcase the statistical advancements achieved by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which have contributed to progress across several international indicators. It also seeks to ensure the sustainability of the forum’s outcomes and maximize their impact beyond its conclusion.
 

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, represented by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT), will host the 40th meeting of UN High-Level Group for Partnership, Coordination, and Capacity-Building for statistics related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda (HLG-PCCB). The meeting will take place on November 10–11  2025 at GASTAT’s headquarters in Riyadh, with the participation of committee members, including heads of national statistical offices and representatives of international and regional statistical organizations. This global event reflects the Kingdom’s growing leadership in supporting the international statistical system and advancing joint efforts to develop statistical capacity, contributing to monitoring progress toward achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and coordinating related initiatives among member states.
Hosting this meeting highlights the Kingdom’s leading role in the statistical field at the international level and its commitment to supporting global efforts to achieve the SDGs, in line with the objectives of Saudi Vision 2030 to enhance knowledge exchange and strengthen national and international statistical infrastructures.
During the meeting, participants will explore ways to enhance integration among international statistical systems and develop national capacities to produce accurate and reliable data. Discussions will also address expanding the use of innovative data, adopting advanced statistical methodologies to support development and economic planning, examining strategies to strengthen national data ownership, and evaluating the role of the private sector in supporting statistical systems of member states. In addition, the meeting will review the 2026 workplan and prepare to present the group’s report to the UN Statistical Commission in the first quarter of the year.
It is worth noting that the HLG-PCCB was established by the UN Statistical Commission during its 46th session, with membership comprising heads of international and regional statistical organizations. The group’s work focuses on international cooperation to develop statistical systems, oversee the organization of the UN World Data Forum, and develop statistical data strategies by supporting countries in building statistical policies aligned with international standards
 

أعلنت الهيئة العامة للإحصاء نتائج النسخة الثانية من مسابقة المعرفة الإحصائية التي نفذتها بالتعاون مع وزارة التعليم، واستهدفت طلاب وطالبات المرحلتين المتوسطة والثانوية في جميع مدارس التعليم العام الحكومية والأهلية، والتي انطلقت في التاسع عشر من أكتوبر الماضي، واستمرت لمدة أسبوعين، وتزامنت مع الاحتفاء باليوم العالمي للإحصاء.
وبحسب النتائج التي أعلنتها الهيئة فقد شاركت في المسابقة الإدارات العامة للتعليم في مناطق المملكة كافة، وبلغ إجمالي عدد الطلاب والطالبات المشاركين فيها (1,690,787) طالبًا وطالبة، وكان إجمالي الطلاب الذكور المشاركين في المسابقة (764,785) طالبًا فيما شاركت في المسابقة (926,002) طالبةً. في ذات السياق بلغ إجمالي عدد طلاب وطالبات المرحلة المتوسطة المشاركين (672,622) طالبًا وطالبة، و(1,018,165) طالبًا وطالبة في المرحلة الثانوية.
وكشفت النتائج أن طلاب وطالبات الإدارة العامة للتعليم بمنطقة الرياض هم الأكثر مشاركة بنسبة بلغت  22.1%من إجمالي المشاركين، يليهم طلاب وطالبات الإدارة العامة للتعليم بمحافظة جدة  بنسبة 20.2%من إجمالي المشاركين، ثم طلاب وطالبات الإدارة العامة للتعليم بمنطقة مكة المكرمة  في المرتبة الثالثة بنسبة 12.1%، فيما حقق طلاب وطالبات التعليم العام في الإدارة العامة للتعليم بالمنطقة الشرقية  المرتبة الرابعة بنسبة 10.0% من إجمالي المشاركين، وحلَّ طلاب وطالبات الإدارة العامة للتعليم بمنطقة القصيم في المرتبة الخامسة بنسبة 9.0%.
يشار إلى أن هذه المسابقة تأتي ضمن برنامج المعرفة الإحصائية، والذي يهدف إلى رفع الوعي بالهيئة العامة للإحصاء ودورها الوطني وتعريف الطلاب والطالبات بعلوم البيانات الإحصائية، واطلاعهم على مجالات العمل الإحصائي، ومراحل تنفيذ المسوح الميدانية، إضافة إلى توضيح وشرح بعض المفاهيم مثل المؤشرات الإحصائية، وتدريبهم على التعامل مع مصادر البيانات الإحصائية التي تسهم بدورها في قياس التقدم في تحقيق أهداف التنمية المستدامة ودعم مستهدفات رؤية السعودية 2030.

The General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) has announced the release of the Construction Cost Index (CCI) publication in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as part of its continuous efforts to develop statistical products for key sectors and to provide a reliable and effective reference supported by accurate estimates.
This release is based on a comprehensive analysis of the costs of key construction components, including materials, labor, equipment and machinery rentals, and energy, for both the residential and non-residential sectors.
The publication aims to support decision-making processes for contractors, real estate developers, and relevant stakeholders and to contribute to outlining a clear roadmap for residential and non-residential construction projects within the building and construction sector.
In the same context, the results of CCI Survey for September 2025 showed an annual increase of 0.7% compared to the same month of the previous year.
This increase was mainly driven by higher construction costs in the residential sector, which rose by 0.8%, and in the non-residential sector, which increased by 0.6%.
The results of CCI Publication for September 2025 indicated that the index remained stable monthly compared to August 2025.
Construction costs for both the residential and non-residential sectors recorded relative stability during September 2025.

General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) released the Physical Activity Statistics publication in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia 2025, which showed that 59.1% of the Kingdom’s population (18 years and above) engage in physical activity for (150 minutes or more) per week. The prevalence among males was 66.5%, while among females it was 43.1%. According to the publication, the age group (18–29) years had the highest participation in physical activity at 71.2%, whereas individuals (80 years and above) had the lowest participation, not exceeding 3.5%
In the same context, transport-related physical activity, including walking or cycling, ranked first among adults engaging in physical activity at 57.1%, followed by work-related physical activity at 43.9%, while non-work-related physical activity ranked last at 37.8%. The report also covered the daily time spent by adults (18 years and above) sitting or lying down, excluding sleep.
The results also showed that 19.0% of children and adolescents (5–17 years) engage in physical activity for (60 minutes or more) daily, with 23.3% of males and 14.4% of females meeting this threshold. Regarding the time spent by children and adolescents in sedentary or non-physical activities, the results indicated that 34.6% spend one to two hours daily sitting or engaging in sedentary non-physical activities, such as watching television or using electronic devices, excluding school time.
It is worth noting that the estimates in the Physical Activity Statistics publication are based on self-reported data from individuals or their caregivers. The publication presents physical activity indicators through self-reporting by the Kingdom’s adult population (18 years and above) and children and adolescents (5–17 years). The accuracy of the data relies on the results of the National Health Survey, the Women and Child Health Survey for 2025, along with population estimates from GASTAT for 2025.

On behalf of His Royal Highness Prince Saud bin Mishal bin Abdulaziz, Deputy Governor of Makkah Region, His Highness Prince Saud bin Abdullah bin Jalawi, Governor of Jeddah, inaugurated today the Second Statistical Forum for Universities and Statistical Associations, organized by the General Authority for Statistics (GASTAT) at the Conference Center of the University of Jeddah. The event brought together a distinguished group of experts, specialists, representatives of scientific associations, and academics and researchers in the fields of statistics and data-related sciences.
Upon His Highness’s arrival, the national anthem was played, followed by a recitation from the Holy Qur’an. Then, the President of GASTAT, Fahad Aldossary, delivered a speech emphasizing the vital role of statistics in the national development journey. He noted that the forum serves as a distinguished scientific platform for the exchange of experiences and best practices between academic and professional institutions, contributing to the advancement of research and academic programs, statistical methodologies, and the promotion of statistical innovation through the use of modern technologies and strategic partnerships.
In his speech, Aldossary announced the launch of the “Road to Riyadh” program, which represents the preparatory phase for the Kingdom’s hosting of the Sixth United Nations World Data Forum 2026, scheduled to be held in Riyadh in November 2026. The program aims to raise global awareness of the Kingdom’s pioneering role in the field of statistics and to highlight its efforts in leading digital transformation and developing the statistical ecosystem to support the achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the aspirations of Saudi Vision 2030 toward building a knowledge-based, data-driven economy.

The program will span a full year leading up to the forum and will include workshops, events, and local, regional, and international panel sessions, with the participation of leading experts, institutions, and statistical bodies from around the world. It will also continue beyond the conclusion of the forum to ensure the sustainability of its outcomes, maximize its impact, and solidify its achievements in the long term.
At the conclusion of his speech, Aldossary also announced the launch of the second cycle of the Innovation Lab projects, following the positive results achieved in the first cycle. He emphasized the lab’s role in enabling researchers and specialists to develop innovative statistical projects and solutions that align with the ongoing developments in the statistical community, meet the requirements of Saudi Vision 2030, and contribute to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). He also invited researchers and statisticians to apply and participate in this new cycle.
His Highness witnessed the signing of six memoranda of cooperation between GASTAT and the following institutions: King Abdulaziz University, Taif University, King Khalid University, Imam Mohammad ibn Saud Islamic University, the Islamic University of Madinah, and the Saudi Statistical Association.
These cooperation agreements aim to strengthen collaboration, enhance coordination, and integrate efforts within the scope of all parties’ expertise. They also establish an institutional framework for shared activities and tasks, and support the development of institutional capacities in areas of mutual interest. On this occasion, His Highness received a commemorative gift.
This forum comes as part of GASTAT’s ongoing efforts to foster integration with universities and statistical associations, expand strategic and research partnerships, and consolidate the Kingdom’s advanced position in the fields of data, statistics, and indicators. It also reaffirms the Kingdom’s role as a regional and international statistical reference, contributing to measuring progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals and supporting the realization of Saudi Vision 2030.
Following the opening ceremony, the forum’s sessions commenced with a main panel discussion titled “The Role of Universities in Shaping the Future of Statistical Innovation.” The session highlighted the role of universities in developing innovative statistical methodologies, building national capacities, and aligning educational outcomes with sustainable development needs.
The program also featured a series of panel sessions that addressed key topics, including the role of statistics in community development, modern methodologies for improving data quality, ethics in statistical work and data privacy, and best practices of statistical offices in providing data to users.
It is worth noting that the first edition of the forum, organized by GASTAT in 2024, witnessed notable attendance, significant scientific and research contributions, and recommendations that yielded tangible results in the field of statistical work. This year’s edition coincides with the World Statistics Day 2025, observed on October 20 under the theme “Statistics for Sustainable Opportunities.” The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia joins the global community in celebrating this occasion, which is held every five years, reaffirming the importance of official statistics in supporting development and informed decision-making.