Saudi Arabia

Internet Service Providers (ISPs)

42 (2001)

Internet country code

.sa

Internet users

570,000 (2001)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)

Radios

6.25 million (1997)

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)

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)

Television broadcast stations

117 (1997)

Televisions

5.1 million (1997)

Agriculture - products

wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk

Budget

revenues: $42 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)

Currency

Saudi riyal (SAR)

Currency code

SAR

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

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.

Electricity - consumption

114.86 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - exports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - imports

0 kWh (2000)

Electricity - production

123.5 billion kWh (2000)

Electricity - production by source

fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% other: 0% (2000) nuclear: 0%

Exchange rates

Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)

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)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)

GDP - composition by sector

agriculture: 7% industry: 48% services: 45% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita

purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)

GDP - real growth rate

1.6% (2001 est.)

Household income or consumption by percentage share

lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

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)

Industrial production growth rate

1% (1997 est.)

Industries

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics

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.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Unemployment rate

NA%

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

Climate

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Coastline

2,640 km

Elevation extremes

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

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 agreements

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Geography - note

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

Irrigated land

16,200 sq km (1998 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 1.72% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 98.22% (1998 est.)

Location

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

Map references

Middle East

Maritime claims

contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM

Natural hazards

frequent sand and dust storms

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Terrain

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

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

Capital

Riyadh

Constitution

governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993

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

Diplomatic representation from the US

chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. JORDAN 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)

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

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

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

Government type

monarchy

Independence

23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, 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)

Judicial branch

Supreme Council of Justice

Legal system

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

Legislative branch

a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)

National holiday

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Political parties and leaders

none allowed

Political pressure groups and leaders

none

Suffrage

none

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.

Military branches

Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)

Military expenditures - dollar figure

$18.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP

13% (FY00)

Military manpower - availability

males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service

males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.)

Military manpower - military age

17 years of age (2002 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually

males: 233,402 (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.)

Birth rate

37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Death rate

5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Ethnic groups

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate

0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - deaths

NA

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS

NA

Infant mortality rate

49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)

Languages

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 68.4 years female: 70.2 years (2002 est.) male: 66.7 years

Literacy

definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78% male: 84.2% female: 69.5% (2002 est.)

Nationality

noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Net migration rate

1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)

Population

23,513,330 note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)

Population growth rate

3.27% (2002 est.)

Religions

Muslim 100%

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.)

Total fertility rate

6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)

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, cocaine, and hashish

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: 2 3 under 914 m: 2 2 (2002) 1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 23

Airports - with unpaved runways

total: 138 2,438 to 3,047 m: 6 1,524 to 2,437 m: 79 under 914 m: 13 (2002) 914 to 1,523 m: 39

Heliports

5 (2002)

Highways

total: 146,524 km paved: 44,104 km unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)

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.)

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

Railways

total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724 km are double-tracked) (2001)

Waterways

none