The Industrial Sector in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Countries
The industrial sector serves as the cornerstone of global economic growth, with its indicators reflecting the progress and development of nations. The economic power of certain Western countries today is largely attributed to the strength of their industrial sectors. Given the vital role of this sector, “Mashroo3k” presents key insights into the industrial landscape of the GCC countries:
Saudi Arabia:
-
Number of operational factories: 8,258
-
Licensed workforce: 968,121 workers
-
Total capital investment: SAR 1,256,616 million
-
Largest industrial activities by number of factories:
- Non-metallic minerals (1,641 factories)
- Rubber and plastics (1,122 factories)
- Key industrial regions:
-
-
Factory classification:
-
Small factories: 43.7% of total factories (3,671 factories), employing 111,354 workers
-
Medium factories: 46.6% of total factories (3,907 factories), employing 379,342 workers
-
Large factories: 9.7% of total factories (813 factories), employing 477,425 workers
-
Factories under construction: 1,801 factories, with 78,650 licensed workers and SAR 68,481 million in capital investment
-
Riyadh’s share of under-construction factories: 40.4% (728 factories)
United Arab Emirates:
-
Total factories: 6,481
-
Total workforce: 737,126 workers
-
Number of manufacturing establishments: 32,654
-
Total manufacturing sector output: AED 448,127 million
-
Leading industrial activity:
-
Industrial exports value: Exceeding AED 240 billion
-
Global competitiveness target: Aiming for 25th place in the Global Industrial Performance Index (previously ranked 38th)
-
Support for SMEs: Strategy to establish 13,500 small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
Kuwait:
-
Total industrial establishments: 5,539
-
Total workforce: 160,654 workers
-
Total industrial output: KWD 35,929.7 million
-
Factories by workforce size:
-
1-10 workers: 4,526 establishments employing 24,048 workers, with an output of KWD 250.3 million
-
11-19 workers: 464 establishments employing 6,871 workers, with an output of KWD 113.1 million
-
20+ workers: 549 establishments employing 129,735 workers, with an output of KWD 35,566.3 million
Qatar:
-
Total industrial establishments: 3,467
-
Total workforce: 161,872 workers
-
SMEs’ share of total factories: 84%
-
Manufacturing sector’s GDP contribution: 9.2%
-
Factories by workforce size:
-
1-10 workers: 1,799 establishments, employing 8,305 workers
-
10+ workers: 1,668 establishments, employing 153,567 workers
Oman:
-
Total manufacturing establishments: 61,217
-
Total workforce in the manufacturing sector: 237,000 workers
-
Manufacturing sector’s GDP contribution: 9.6%
-
Manufacturing exports’ share of total exports: 31.4%
-
Annual manufacturing sector growth rate: 6% over the past five years