Roads Authority: Saudi Arabia Ranks First Globally in Road Network Connectivity Index
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia boasts an extensive road network whose total length exceeds the Earth’s circumference, reaching more than 73,000 kilometers, compared to the Earth’s circumference of approximately 40,075 kilometers.
This vast expansion is not merely a statistical figure. However, it has translated into global leadership, with the Kingdom ranking first worldwide in the Road Network Connectivity Index, according to reports by the World Competitiveness Forum.
This extensive network serves as a vital artery, facilitating domestic mobility and connecting the Kingdom with eight neighboring countries, including GCC states, Jordan, Iraq, and Yemen, reinforcing its position as a global logistics hub and supporting key sectors such as Hajj and Umrah, tourism, and trade.
The Kingdom also ranked fourth among G20 countries in the Road Infrastructure Quality Index, reflecting the continuous development of the road sector. The Roads General Authority applies global best practices to ensure the highest levels of safety, most notably through the launch of the Road Code as a unified technical reference for all entities responsible for roads, guaranteeing the highest standards of planning, design, implementation, and maintenance. The authority has also issued the Road Right-of-Way Permits Regulation, aimed at organizing activities within road corridors, enhancing safety levels, and improving user experience, in line with its regulatory and supervisory role.
The authority continues to implement key projects and initiatives to advance the road sector, to achieve the targets of the Roads Sector Program, including ranking sixth globally in the Road Quality Index by 2030, reducing road fatalities to fewer than five deaths per 100,000 people, covering the road network with road safety features in accordance with the International Road Assessment Programme (IRAP), and maintaining advanced service levels to meet the network’s capacity requirements.
