Age, Biography, and Wiki
King Salman was born on December 31, 1935, making him 88 years old as of early 2025. He is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia. Salman ascended to the throne in 2015 following the death of his half-brother, King Abdullah. He served as the Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2022.
| Occupation | Prime Ministers |
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| Date of Birth | 31 December 1935 |
| Age | 89 Years |
| Birth Place | Riyadh, Saudi Arabia |
| Horoscope | Capricorn |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
Height, Weight & Measurements
Information regarding King Salman's height, weight, and other physical measurements is not readily available in public sources.
Saudi Arabia has emerged as the main group to finance and arm the rebels fighting against the Syrian government. Saudi Arabia openly backed the Army of Conquest, an umbrella rebel group that reportedly included an al-Qaeda linked al-Nusra Front and another Salafi coalition known as Ahrar al-Sham.
In August 2010, Salman underwent spinal surgery in the United States and remained out of the kingdom for recovery. He has had one stroke and, despite receiving physiotherapy, his left arm does not work as well as his right. It has been reported that Salman has mild vascular dementia, in addition to reports of Alzheimer's dementia.
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Dating & Relationship Status
King Salman is married and has several children. His son, Mohammed bin Salman, is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and a prominent figure in the country's political and economic landscape.
Salman's major initiatives as king include the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, Saudi Vision 2030, and a 2017 decree allowing Saudi women to drive. His seventh son, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is considered the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia due to the King's poor health and Mohammed's own political maneuvering. Mohammed replaced his father as prime minister in 2022, making him the first king since Saud in 1964 not to serve as head of government.
Salman also undertook several foreign tours while he was governor. In 1974, he visited Kuwait, Bahrain and Qatar to strengthen Saudi Arabia's relationship with those nations. During his visit to Montreal, Canada in 1991, he inaugurated a gallery. In 1996, he was received in the Élysée Palace in Paris by the then-French president Jacques Chirac. The same year he toured Bosnia and Herzegovina to give donations to the Muslim citizens of the country. Being a part of an Asian tour in 1998, Salman visited Pakistan, Japan, Brunei and China.
Salman's first wife was his first cousin Sultana bint Turki Al Sudairi, daughter of his maternal uncle Turki bin Ahmad Al Sudairi, a former governor of Asir Province. They were married in 1954, when Salman was 18 years old and Sultana was 13 or 14. She bore him six children, including his only known daughter. Two adult sons died during the couple's lifetimes. Sultana died on 30 July 2011. Their children were:
* Prince Fahd (1955–2001). Salman was only 19 years old when he became a father with the birth of Fahd in 1955. Fahd married a cousin and was the father of four children. A businessman and horse-breeder, he died of heart failure aged 47 in July 2001. After his death, his mother extended generous patronage in his memory to an existing, struggling charity, which then renamed itself The Prince Fahd bin Salman Charitable Society for the Care of Kidney Patients. Fahd's brother Abdulaziz has taken over patronage of that charity after the death of their mother.
Salman's third wife is Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain, granddaughter of Rakan bin Hithlain and great-granddaughter of Dhaydan bin Hithlain, leaders of the Al Ajman tribe. She has six sons with Salman:
U.S. intelligence officials believe that King Salman has been kept apart from his wife Princess Fahda bint Falah Al Hithlain for several years, on the orders of their son Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
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Net Worth and Salary
King Salman's net worth is estimated to be around $18 billion. His wealth is primarily derived from the rich oil reserves of Saudi Arabia, as well as investments in sectors like real estate, banking, and telecommunications. The Saudi Royal Family's overall net worth is estimated to be over $1.4 trillion, with much of it coming from oil revenues and various business ventures.
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud (born 31 December 1935) has been King of Saudi Arabia since 2015, and was Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia from 2015 to 2022. He is the 25th son of King Abdulaziz, the founder of Saudi Arabia. He assumed the throne on 23 January 2015. Prior to his accession, he was Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia from 18 June 2012 to 23 January 2015. Salman is the third oldest living head of state, the oldest living monarch, and Saudi Arabia's first head of state born after the unification of Saudi Arabia. He has a reported personal wealth of at least $18 billion, which makes him the third wealthiest royal in the world.
After coming to power, Salman reshuffled the cabinet on 30 January 2015. Khalid bin Ali bin Abdullah al-Humaidan was made the intelligence chief. Prince Bandar bin Sultan was removed from his post in the security council and the adviser to the monarch was also removed as were the former monarch's sons Turki as governor of Riyadh and Mishaal as governor of Mecca. Ali al-Naimi remained the minister of petroleum and mineral resources, as did Saud al-Faisal of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ibrahim Al-Assaf as finance minister. Salman also "gave a bonus of two months' salary to all Saudi state employees and military personnel", including pensioners and students, while also asking citizens to "not forget me in your prayers".
In 2015, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter met with King Salman and his Arabian military counterpart, Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, at Jeddah to answer regional security concerns in the Kingdom and the Gulf states over lifting Iranian economic and conventional military sanctions as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action outlines. The King has misgivings over the deal since it would increase the regional power of Iran especially in the proxy conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and elsewhere. In January 2016, Saudi Arabia executed the prominent Saudi Shia cleric Sheikh Nimr. Iran warned that the House of Saud would pay a high price for the execution of Sheikh Nimr by God's will.
Career, Business, and Investments
- Government Roles: Before becoming King, Salman held several important government positions, including Governor of Riyadh Province and Minister of Defense.
- Business and Investments: The Saudi Royal Family's wealth is also bolstered by investments in real estate, technology, and finance. Notable investments include stakes in companies like Saudi Aramco, the largest oil company in the world.
Salman received his early education at the Princes' School in the capital city of Riyadh, a school established by King Abdulaziz specifically to provide education for his children. He studied religion and modern science.
As governor, Salman contributed to the development of Riyadh from a mid-sized town into a major urban metropolis. He served as an important liaison to attract tourism, capital projects, and foreign investment to his country. He favored political and economic relationships with the West. During his governorship, Salman recruited advisors from King Saud University.
In April 2015, three months after becoming king, Salman appointed a full nephew, Muhammad bin Nayef, as the new Crown Prince to replace his youngest brother Prince Muqrin. Furthermore, he made his son, Mohammed bin Salman, the Deputy Crown Prince. Almost all powers under the king were concentrated in the hands of the crown prince and deputy crown prince, both of whom held the portfolio determining all security and economic development issues in Saudi Arabia.
Salman and his family own a media group, including pan-Arab daily Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Eqtisadiah. Though he owns only ten percent of the Saudi Research and Marketing Group (SRMG), he is often referred by auditors as its owner. He reportedly controlled the organization through his son Prince Faisal, who is a former chairman of the concern. The SRMG publishes such daily papers as Arab News, Asharq Al-Awsat and Al Eqtisadiah through its subsidiary Saudi Research and Publishing Company (SRPC).
His legal counsel was William Jeffress Jr., of U.S.-based firm Baker Botts LLP, in a lawsuit filed by families of victims of the September 11 attacks from 2002 to 2010.
Social Network
King Salman is not known to have a personal presence on social media platforms, which is typical for members of the Saudi royal family.
Salman was appointed Deputy Governor of Riyadh Province on 17 March 1954, aged 18, and held the post until 19 April 1955. He was appointed the governor of the same province on 5 February 1963, and remained in that office until 5 November 2011, a period of almost half a century.
According to The Washington Post, the late Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi "criticized Prince Salman, then governor of Riyadh and head of the Saudi committee for support to the Afghan mujahideen, for unwisely funding Salafist extremist groups that were undermining the war [in Afghanistan against the Soviets]."
On 18 June 2012, Salman was appointed as Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia shortly after the death of his brother, Crown Prince Nayef bin Abdulaziz. Prince Salman was also made First Deputy Prime minister. His nomination as crown prince and deputy prime minister was seen by some as a signal that King Abdullah's cautious reforms were likely to continue. On the other hand, Saudi reformists stated that while Prince Salman, in contrast to other Saudi royals, took a more diplomatic approach towards them, he could not be considered a political reformer. They also argued that, like King Abdullah, Salman focused mainly on economic improvement rather than political change.
On 27 August 2012, the Royal Court announced that Salman was in charge of state affairs whilst King Abdullah was out of the country. Prince Salman launched a Twitter account on 23 February 2013. In September 2012, Salman was named as the deputy chairman of the military service council. He is a strong advocate for philanthropy in poor Muslim nations such as Somalia, Sudan, and Afghanistan.
Education
Details about King Salman's formal education are not widely reported, but he has been involved in various governmental and diplomatic roles throughout his life.
King Salman's influence extends beyond his wealth, shaping Saudi Arabia's future through strategic investments and political alliances. His leadership has been marked by significant economic reforms and international partnerships, continuing to impact the global stage.
