The trade relations between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the United States of America are an essential part of the relations between the two countries in general. These relations are dated back to the discovery of oil by Standard Oil of California in 1933. Since then, the leaders of the two countries have been keen to enhance trade and investment relations through the establishment of joint working councils and committees in addition to the exchange of visits by trade delegations. According to preliminary data for 2017 issued by the General Authority for Statistics, the United States of America ranks second in terms of the volume of trade exchange of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the world countries by SR135 billion riyals, where SR69 billion represents the Kingdom's exports to the United States (51% of the volume of trade exchange of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the United States). Metal products, organic chemical products, fertilizers, aluminum and plastics are among the most important commodities exported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to the United States. Cars, aircraft, electrical appliances and medical equipment are among the most important commodities imported by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from the United States, the report said. As many as 474 Saudi-US companies are operating in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, where the total invested capital in these companies amounted to SR57 billion, it added.
