Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia 

Geography                 Economy                 Defense Forces
 

People                    Transportation          Government



Communications            History      	          Travel

GEOGRAPHY

Location

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Area

Land Boundaries

Total 4,415 km, Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline

2,640 km

Maritime Claims

International Disputes

Large section of boundary with Yemen not defined; status of boundary with UAE not final; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia

Climate

Harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Terrain

Mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural Resources

Land Use

Irrigated Land

4,350 sq km (1989 est.)

Environment

Note: Extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

PEOPLE

Population

19,409,058 (July 1996 est.)
18,729,576 (July 1995 est.)

Age Structure

0-14 Years

43% (male 4,228,660; female 4,103,622) (July 1996 est.)
43% (male 4,065,224; female 3,952,573) (July 1995 est.)

15-64 Years

55% (male 6,393,384; female 4,240,535) (July 1996 est.)
55% (male 6,219,737; female 4,078,001) (July 1995 est.)

65 Years and Over

2% (male 227,789; female 215,068) (July 1996 est.)
2% (male 210,669; female 203,372) (July 1995 est.)

Population Growth Rate

3.45% (1996 est.)
3.68% (1995 est.)

Birth Rate

38.32 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)
38.78 births/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Death Rate

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)
5.54 deaths/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Net Migration Rate

1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)
3.56 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1995 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female
all ages: 1.27 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Infant Mortality Rate

46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)
48.9 deaths/1,000 live births (1995 est.)

Life Expectancy at Birth

Total Fertility Rate

6.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)
6.48 children born/woman (1995 est.)

Nationality

Ethnic Divisions

Religions

Languages

Arabic

Literacy

Age 15 and over that can read and write (1995 est.)

Labor Force

6 million-7 million

By occupation:

GOVERNMENT

Names

Digraph

SA

Type

Monarchy

Capital

Riyadh

Administrative Divisions

13 provinces (mintaqah, singular - mintaqat); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah, Asir, Hail, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

Independence

23 September 1932 (unification)

National Holiday

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Constitution

None; governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law)

Legal System

Based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

Suffrage

None

Executive Branch

Legislative Branch

A consultative council comprised of 60 members and a chairman who are appointed by the King for a term of four years

Judicial Branch

Supreme Council of Justice

Political Parties and Leaders

None allowed

Member of

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

National Anthem

Flag

Green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the traditional color of Islam

ECONOMY

Overview

This is a well-to-do oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Economic (as well as political) ties with the US are especially strong. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 35% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved total), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. For the 1990s the government intends to bring its budget, which has been in deficit since 1983, back into balance, and to encourage private economic activity. Roughly four million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and banking sectors. For over a decade, Saudi Arabia's domestic and international outlays have outstripped its income, and the government has cut its foreign assistance and is beginning to rein in domestic programs. For 1996, the country looks to its policies of maintaining moderate fiscal reforms, restraining public spending, and encouraging non-oil exports.

National Product

GDP - purchasing power parity - $189.3 billion (1995 est.); $173.1 billion (1994 est.)

National Product Real Growth Rate

0% (1995 est.)
-3% (1994 est.)

National Product Per Capita

$10,100 (1995 est.)
$9,510 (1994 est.)

Inflation Rate (consumer Prices)

5% (1995 est.)
1% (1993 est.)

Unemployment Rate

6.5% (1992 est.)

Budget

Exports

$41.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$39.4 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

Imports

$21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.)
$28.9 billion (f.o.b., 1993 est.)

Commodities:

Partners:

External Debt

$18.9 billion (December 1989 est., includes short-term trade credits)

Industrial Production

Growth rate 17% (1994 est.); 20% (1991 est.); accounts for 50% of GDP, including petroleum

Electricity

Industries

Agriculture

Accounts for 9% of GDP, 5% of labor force; subsidized by government; products - wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus fruit, mutton, chickens, eggs, milk; approaching self-sufficiency in food

Illicit Drugs

Death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine

Economic Aid

Currency

1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalah

Exchange Rates

Saudi riyals (SR) per US$1 - 3.7450 (fixed rate since late 1986), 3.7033 (1986)

Fiscal Year

Calendar year

TRANSPORTATION

Railroads

Highways

Pipelines

Crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km)

Ports

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ras al Khafji, Ras al Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Merchant Marine

Airports

Heliports

4 (1995 est.)

COMMUNICATIONS

Telephone System

1.46 million telephones (1993); modern system

Radio

Television

DEFENSE FORCES

Branches

Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Frontier Forces, Special Security Force, Public Security Force

Manpower Availability

Males age 15-49 5,405,828; males fit for military service 3,005,900; males reach military age (17) annually 165,010 (1996 est.)

Defense Expenditures

Exchange rate conversion - $12.1 billion, 8.5% of GDP (1996); $17.2 billion, 13.8% of GDP (1994)

History
World Atlas

Last modified: 17 december 1997