The $13B Business...of Camels!

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Camels are multi-billion dollar industry in Saudi Arabia, and most people have no idea. For 3,000 years before oil, before highways, before any of this, the camel was the entire Saudi economy. A single camel could carry 400 kilos across desert terrain without water for weeks.

[00:00:18]That would kill a horse in days. The camel made the Arabian Peninsula crossable, and whoever owned the most camels controlled the trade. Then oil was discovered in 1938, and overnight [music] camels went from economic engine to cultural symbol. But see, Saudi Arabia never stopped taking them seriously.

[00:00:36]Today, there are about 2.1 million camels in Saudi, contributing $13 billion every year to the national economy. [music] The government has invested over $267 million in camel research, breeding, and production. Camel racing alone is a massive business. The King Abdulaziz Camel Festival, held every year outside Riyadh, attracts 38,000 [music] camels and over $18 million in prize money. A single prize-winning camel can sell for over $10 million. So, while everyone is watching the multi-billion dollar mega projects, the next Saudi export might just be standing in the desert the whole time.