1.
[syn: Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]
WordNet (r) 3.0 (2006):
Saudi Arabia
n 1: an absolute monarchy occupying most of the Arabian
Peninsula in southwest Asia; vast oil reserves dominate the
economy [syn: Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia]
CIA World Factbook 2002:
Saudi Arabia
Introduction Saudi Arabia
-------------------------
Background: In 1902 Abd al-Aziz Ibn SAUD
captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-
year campaign to unify the Arabian
Peninsula. In the 1930s, the
discovery of oil transformed the
country. Following Iraq's invasion
of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia
accepted the Kuwaiti royal family
and 400,000 refugees while allowing
Western and Arab troops to deploy on
its soil for the liberation of
Kuwait the following year. A
burgeoning population, aquifer
depletion, and an economy largely
dependent on petroleum output and
prices are all major governmental
concerns.
Geography Saudi Arabia
----------------------
Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian
Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Map references: Middle East
Area: total: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
Area - comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the
size of the US
Land boundaries: total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km,
Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman
676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km,
Yemen 1,458 km
Coastline: 2,640 km
Maritime claims: contiguous zone: 18 NM
continental shelf: not specified
territorial sea: 12 NM
Climate: harsh, dry desert with great
temperature extremes
Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Natural resources: petroleum, natural gas, iron ore,
gold, copper
Land use: arable land: 1.72%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
Irrigated land: 16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms
Environment - current issues: desertification; depletion of
underground water resources; the
lack of perennial rivers or
permanent water bodies has prompted
the development of extensive
seawater desalination facilities;
coastal pollution from oil spills
Environment - international party to: Biodiversity, Climate
agreements: Change, Desertification, Endangered
Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of
the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
signed, but not ratified: none of
the selected agreements
Geography - note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf
and Red Sea provide great leverage
on shipping (especially crude oil)
through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
People Saudi Arabia
-------------------
Population: 23,513,330
note: includes 5,360,526 non-
nationals (July 2002 est.)
Age structure: 0-14 years: 42.4% (male 5,086,541;
female 4,883,942)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,493,304;
female 5,396,985)
65 years and over: 2.8% (male
362,780; female 289,778) (2002 est.)
Population growth rate: 3.27% (2002 est.)
Birth rate: 37.25 births/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Death rate: 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002
est.)
Net migration rate: 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population
(2002 est.)
Sex ratio: at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.39 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 1.25 male(s)/
female
total population: 1.22 male(s)/
female (2002 est.)
Infant mortality rate: 49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002
est.)
Life expectancy at birth: total population: 68.4 years
female: 70.2 years (2002 est.)
male: 66.7 years
Total fertility rate: 6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)
HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (1999 est.)
HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/ NA
AIDS:
HIV/AIDS - deaths: NA
Nationality: noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Ethnic groups: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Religions: Muslim 100%
Languages: Arabic
Literacy: definition: age 15 and over can read
and write
total population: 78%
male: 84.2%
female: 69.5% (2002 est.)
Government Saudi Arabia
-----------------------
Country name: conventional long form: Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi
Arabia
local long form: Al Mamlakah al
Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al Arabiyah as
Suudiyah
Government type: monarchy
Capital: Riyadh
Administrative divisions: 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular -
mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash
Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al
Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah
(Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il,
Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk
Independence: 23 September 1932 (Unification of
the Kingdom)
National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23
September (1932)
Constitution: governed according to Shari'a
(Islamic law); the Basic Law that
articulates the government's rights
and responsibilities was introduced
in 1993
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: chief of state: King and Prime
Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown
Prince and First Deputy Prime
Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (half-brother to the monarch,
heir to the throne since 13 June
1982, regent from 1 January to 22
February 1996); note - the monarch
is both the chief of state and head
of government
elections: none; the monarch is
hereditary
head of government: King and Prime
Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown
Prince and First Deputy Prime
Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (half-brother to the monarch,
heir to the throne since 13 June
1982, regent from 1 January to 22
February 1996); note - the monarch
is both the chief of state and head
of government
cabinet: Council of Ministers is
appointed by the monarch and
includes many royal family members
Legislative branch: a consultative council (90 members
and a chairman appointed by the
monarch for four-year terms)
Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice
Political parties and leaders: none allowed
Political pressure groups and none
leaders:
International organization ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS,
participation: CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF,
IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM,
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO,
UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO,
WTrO (observer)
Diplomatic representation in the US: chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR
bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue
NW, Washington, DC 20037
consulate(s) general: Houston, Los
Angeles, and New York
telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
Diplomatic representation from the chief of mission: Ambassador Robert
US: W. JORDAN (since 3 October 2001)
embassy: Collector Road M,
Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
mailing address: American Embassy
Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-
1307; International Mail: P. O. Box
94309, Riyadh 11693
telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800
FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360
consulate(s) general: Dhahran,
Jiddah (Jeddah)
Flag description: 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 Saudi Arabia
--------------------
Economy - overview: This is an oil-based economy with
strong government controls over
major economic activities. Saudi
Arabia has the largest reserves of
petroleum in the world (26% of the
proved reserves), ranks as the
largest exporter of petroleum, and
plays a leading role in OPEC. The
petroleum sector accounts for
roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45%
of GDP, and 90% of export earnings.
About 25% of GDP comes from the
private sector. Roughly 4 million
foreign workers play an important
role in the Saudi economy, for
example, in the oil and service
sectors. Riyadh expects to have a
budget deficit in 2002, in part
because of increased spending for
education and other social programs.
The government in 1999 announced
plans to begin privatizing the
electricity companies, which follows
the ongoing privatization of the
telecommunications company. The
government is expected to continue
calling for private sector growth to
lessen the kingdom's dependence on
oil and increase employment
opportunities for the swelling Saudi
population. Shortages of water and
rapid population growth will
constrain government efforts to
increase self-sufficiency in
agricultural products.
GDP: purchasing power parity - $241
billion (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate: 1.6% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita: purchasing power parity - $10,600
(2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector: agriculture: 7%
industry: 48%
services: 45% (2000 est.)
Population below poverty line: NA%
Household income or consumption by lowest 10%: NA%
percentage share: highest 10%: NA%
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 1.7% (2001)
Labor force: 7 million
note: 35% of the population in the
15-64 age group is non-national
(July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation: agriculture 12%, industry 25%,
services 63% (1999 est.)
Unemployment rate: NA%
Budget: revenues: $42 billion
expenditures: $54 billion, including
capital expenditures of $NA (2002
est.)
Industries: crude oil production, petroleum
refining, basic petrochemicals,
cement, construction, fertilizer,
plastics
Industrial production growth rate: 1% (1997 est.)
Electricity - production: 123.5 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source: fossil fuel: 100%
hydro: 0%
other: 0% (2000)
nuclear: 0%
Electricity - consumption: 114.855 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports: 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports: 0 kWh (2000)
Agriculture - products: wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons,
dates, citrus; mutton, chickens,
eggs, milk
Exports: $66.9 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners: US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea
11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000)
Imports: $29.7 billion (f.o.b., 2001)
Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs,
chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners: US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%,
UK 7.3% (2000)
Debt - external: $23.8 billion (2001 est.)
Economic aid - donor: pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund
reconstruction of Lebanon; since
1993, Saudi Arabia has committed
$208 million for assistance to the
Palestinians; pledged $240 million
to development in Afghanistan
Currency: Saudi riyal (SAR)
Currency code: SAR
Exchange rates: Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450
(fixed rate since June 1986)
Fiscal year: calendar year
Communications Saudi Arabia
---------------------------
Telephones - main lines in use: 3.1 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular: 1 million
note: in 1998, the government
contracted for the installation of
575,000 additional Group Speciale
Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone
lines over 15 months to raise the
total number of subscribers to more
than one million; Riyadh planned to
further expand the GSM system in
1999 by adding an additional one
million lines (1998)
Telephone system: general assessment: modern system
domestic: extensive microwave radio
relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-
optic cable systems
international: microwave radio relay
to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar,
UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable
to Kuwait and Jordan; submarine
cable to Djibouti, Egypt and
Bahrain; satellite earth stations -
5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2
Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1
Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
Radio broadcast stations: AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios: 6.25 million (1997)
Television broadcast stations: 117 (1997)
Televisions: 5.1 million (1997)
Internet country code: .sa
Internet Service Providers (ISPs): 42 (2001)
Internet users: 570,000 (2001)
Transportation Saudi Arabia
---------------------------
Railways: total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-
m gauge (724 km are double-tracked)
(2001)
Highways: total: 146,524 km
paved: 44,104 km
unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)
Waterways: none
Pipelines: crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum
products 150 km; natural gas 2,200
km (includes natural gas liquids
1,600 km)
Ports and harbors: Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah,
Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji,
Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr,
Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Merchant marine: total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over)
totaling 1,071,315 GRT/1,412,125 DWT
ships by type: cargo 11, chemical
tanker 10, container 4, livestock
carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum
tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3,
roll on/roll off 11, short-sea
passenger 8
note: includes some foreign-owned
ships registered here as a flag of
convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1,
Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, United
Arab Emirates 1, United Kingdom 3
(2002 est.)
Airports: 209 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways: total: 71 70
over 3,047 m: 31 31
2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 11
914 to 1,523 m: 3 3
under 914 m: 2 2 (2001)
1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 23
Airports - with unpaved runways: total: 138
2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
1,524 to 2,437 m: 79
under 914 m: 15 (2001)
914 to 1,523 m: 39
Heliports: 5 (2001)
Military Saudi Arabia
---------------------
Military branches: Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force,
Air Defense Force, National Guard,
Ministry of Interior Forces
(paramilitary)
Military manpower - military age: 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - availability: males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002
est.)
Military manpower - fit for military males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002
service: est.)
Military manpower - reaching military males: 233,402 (2002 est.)
age annually:
Military expenditures - dollar $18.3 billion (FY00)
figure:
Military expenditures - percent of 13% (FY00)
GDP:
Transnational Issues Saudi Arabia
---------------------------------
Disputes - international: demarcation of delimited boundary
with Yemen involves nomadic tribal
affiliations; because details of
1974 and 1977 treaties have not been
made public, the exact location of
the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is
unknown and status is considered de
facto
Illicit drugs: death penalty for traffickers;
increasing consumption of heroin and
cocaine