Saudi Arabia

§1. Saudi Arabia Introduction

Background:
  In 1902 Abdul 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.

§2. Saudi Arabia Geography

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 kmē
  land: 1,960,582 kmē
  water: 0 kmē

Area - comparative:
  slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:
  total: 4,415 km border countries: 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:
  contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: not specified
  territorial sea: 12 NM

Climate:
  harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

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: 2%
  permanent crops: 0%
  permanent pastures: 56%
  forests and woodland: 1%
  other: 41% (1993 est.)

Irrigated land:
  4,350 kmē (1993 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 agreements:
  party to: Climate 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

§3. Saudi Arabia People

Population:
  22,757,092
  note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2001 est.)

Age structure:
  0-14 years: 42.52% (male 4,932,465; female 4,743,908)
  15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,290,840; female 5,179,393)
  65 years and over: 2.68% (male 334,981; female 275,505) (2001 est.)

Population growth rate:
  3.27% (2001 est.)

Birth rate:
  37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Death rate:
  5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Net migration rate:
  1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.)

Sex ratio:
  at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
  under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
  15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female
  65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female
  total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2001 est.)

Infant mortality rate:
  51.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:
  total population: 68.09 years male: 66.4 years
  female: 69.85 years (2001 est.)

Total fertility rate:
  6.25 children born/woman (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:
  0.01% (1999 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS:
  NA

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: 62.8%
  male: 71.5%
  female: 50.2% (1995 est.)

§4. Saudi Arabia Government

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
  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
  elections: none; the monarch is hereditary

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 leaders:
  none

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, Inmarsat,
  Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW,
  OPEC, 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
  telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800
  consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York

Diplomatic representation from the US:
  chief of mission: Ambassador Wyche FOWLER, Jr. 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

§5. Saudi Arabia Economy

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, 40% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings.
  About 35% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5 million foreign
  workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the
  oil and service sectors. Saudi Arabia was a key player in the successful
  efforts of OPEC and other oil producing countries to raise the price of oil
  in 1999-2000 to its highest level since the Gulf war by reducing
  production. Riyadh expects to have a moderate budget deficit in 2001, 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 - $232 billion (2000 est.)

GDP - real growth rate:
  4% (2000 est.)

GDP - per capita:
  purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2000 est.)

GDP - composition by sector:
  agriculture: 6% industry: 47%
  services: 47% (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line:
  NA%

Household income or consumption by percentage share:
  lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%

Inflation rate (consumer prices):
  0.5% (2000)

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: $66 billion
  expenditures: $66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000
    est.)

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

Industrial production growth rate:
  1% (1997 est.)

Electricity - production:
  120 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - production by source:
  fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0%
  nuclear: 0%
  other: 0% (1999)

Electricity - consumption:
  111.6 billion kWh (1999)

Electricity - exports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Electricity - imports:
  0 kWh (1999)

Agriculture - products:
  wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs,
  milk

Exports:
  $81.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Exports - commodities:
  petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Exports - partners:
  Japan 18%, US 18%, France 4%, South Korea, Singapore, India (1999)

Imports:
  $30.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000)

Imports - commodities:
  machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles

Imports - partners:
  US 25%, Japan 10%, Germany 7%, Italy 5%, France, UK (1999)

Debt - external:
  $26.3 billion (2000 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

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

§6. Saudi Arabia Communications

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:
  400,000 (2001)

§7. Saudi Arabia Transportation

Railways:
  total: 1,390 km
  standard gauge: 1,390 km 1.435-m gauge (448 km double track) (1992)

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 1,154,619 GRT/1,533,732 DWT
  ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 8, container 5, liquefied gas 1,
    livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo
    3, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 8 (2000 est.)

Airports:
  206 (2000 est.)

Airports - with paved runways:
  total: 70 over 3,047 m: 31
  2,438 to 3,047 m: 11
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 23
  914 to 1,523 m: 3
  under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.)

Airports - with unpaved runways:
  total: 136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5
  1,524 to 2,437 m: 77
  914 to 1,523 m: 39
  under 914 m: 15 (2000 est.)

Heliports:
  5 (2000 est.)

§8. Saudi Arabia Military

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

Military manpower - availability:
  males age 15-49: 5,894,691 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - fit for military service:
  males age 15-49: 3,291,185 (2001 est.)

Military manpower - reaching military age annually:
  males: 233,402 (2001 est.)

Military expenditures - dollar figure:
  $18.3 billion (FY00)

Military expenditures - percent of GDP:
  13% (FY00)

§9. Saudi Arabia Transnational Issues

Disputes - international:
  a final border resolution was agreed to with Qatar in March of 2001;
  location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, de facto boundary
  reflects a 1974 agreement; a June 2000 treaty delimited the boundary with
  Yemen, but final demarcation requires adjustments based on tribal
  considerations

Illicit drugs:
  death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine
