Comparison
Read two legal systems against each other
Because every portal follows the same fifteen-section outline, the comparison is genuinely like-for-like rather than a collage of whatever each government happens to publish.
Select up to six documented jurisdictions
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| Attribute | Saudi ArabiaReviewed | United KingdomReviewed |
|---|---|---|
| Legal family | Islamic law | Common law |
| System of government | Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy | Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy |
| Constitution | Basic Law of Governance | Uncodified constitution |
| In force since | 1992 | 1215 |
| Capital | Riyadh | London |
| Official languages | Arabic | English, Welsh, Scottish Gaelic |
| Currency | Saudi riyal (SAR) | Pound Sterling (GBP) |
| Population | 36,900,000 | 68,500,000 |
| Division of powers | Unitary. Thirteen provinces headed by governors drawn from the royal family and appointed by the King, each with an appointed provincial council. No legislative competence exists below the national level. | The executive sits inside the legislature. Judicial independence was strengthened in 2005 when the Supreme Court replaced the Appellate Committee of the House of Lords. |
| How law is made | There is no legislature with power to enact law. Proposals originate in ministries or the Shura Council, are considered by the Council of Ministers, and take effect as royal decrees signed by the King and published in Umm al-Qura. The Shura Council may study and recommend but its resolutions require royal approval, and the King may legislate without consulting it. | First reading, second reading, committee stage, report stage and third reading in each House, then ping-pong on amendments, then Royal Assent. |
| Legal profession | Advocates are licensed under the Code of Law Practice and must be Saudi nationals to appear in court, though licensed foreign firms may advise and now associate more freely following the 2024 opening. Judges are appointed from graduates of Sharia faculties by the Supreme Judicial Council and the King. Notarisation is a judicial function performed by notaries within the Ministry of Justice, and most commercial documentation must be executed in Arabic to be enforceable onshore. | A split profession: solicitors (regulated by the SRA) advise and conduct litigation; barristers (Bar Standards Board) hold rights of audience in the higher courts. |
A comparison table flattens nuance by design. Where a difference matters to a decision you are making, open both portals and read the section in full — the constitutional detail behind a one-line summary is often the part that governs the outcome.