Saudi Arabia

Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaAl Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah

monarchyIndependence 23 September 1932 (unification)

Saudi Arabia as the 1999 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 106 fields, one of 36 editions from 1990 to 2025.

field in that editiontext changed from the edition beforenot in that editionthe open editionEach field below ends in its editions, 1990 to 2025. Point at a year above to follow it down.

CapitalRiyadh

Position25 00 N, 45 00 E

Area1,960,582 sq km

LocationMiddle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red

Populationas each edition published it

21.5 million July 1999 est. · 17.12m in 1990

Population growth% a year

3.39% 1999 est. · 3.3% in 1993

Median ageyears

Not in this edition 18.8 yrs in 2003

Life expectancyyears at birth

70.55 years 1999 est. · 67.32 yrs in 1993

Fertility ratechildren per woman

6.34 children per woman 1999 est. · 6.8 in 1990

Infant mortalitydeaths per 1,000 live births

38.8 deaths per 1,000 live births 1999 est. · 71 in 1990

GDP per capitaeach edition's own dollars

$9,000 1998 est. · $6,500 in 1993

GDP real growth% a year

-10.8% 1998 est. · 3.6% in 1993

Geography

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

18 fields

Land useshare of 1,960,582 sq km

arable land 2%permanent crops 0%permanent pastures 56%forests and woodland 1%other 41% (1993 est.)irrigated 4,350 sq km (1993 est.)

Area

1,960,582sq km

land: 1,960,582 sq kmwater: 0 sq kmslightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Coastline

2,640km

contiguous zone: 18 nmcontinental shelf: not specifiedterritorial sea: 12 nm

Highest point

3,133m

Jabal Sawda'lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m

Land boundaries

4,415km

border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Location

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

Climate

harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Natural resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

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

People

15 fields

Population

21,504,613

(July 1999 est.)note: includes 5,321,938 non-nationals (July 1999 est.)growth rate: 3.39% (1999 est.)

Per 1,000 population(1999 est.)

Birth

37.38Death

4.86Net migration

1.4

Male · female

TotalMale · femaleLife expectancy years (1999 est.)70.55

68.67 · 72.53

TotalMale · femaleLiteracy (1995 est.)62.8%

71.5% · 50.2%

MaleFemaleLiteracy definition: age 15 and over can read and write

Age structure

0-14 years:: 43% (male 4,705,724; female 4,543,918)
15-64 years:: 54% (male 6,925,020; female 4,783,570)
65 years and over:: 3% (male 291,449; female 254,932) (1999 est.)

Sex ratio

at birth:: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years:: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years:: 1.45 male(s)/female
65 years and over:: 1.14 male(s)/female
total population:: 1.24 male(s)/female (1999 est.)

Infant mortality rate

38.8 deaths/1,000 live births (1999 est.)

Nationality

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

Government

Monarchy; King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982)

18 fields

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

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

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

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)

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 (applicant)

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

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
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

This is a well-to-do oil-based economy with | strong government controls over major economic activities.

31 fields

GDP per capita, PPP

$9,000

purchasing power parity? · (1998 est.)

Real growth rate

-10.8%

(1998 est.)industrial production growth: 1% (1997 est.)

Inflation, consumer prices

-0.2%

(1998 est.)

Labor force

7million

note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)

GDP--composition by sector(1996)

agriculture 6%industry 53%services 41% (1996)

Trading partnersexports left, imports right

15%

23%

18%

Japan

17%

11%

South Korea

Singapore

Germany

Italy

India

Exports $59.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)Imports $26.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)(1997 est.)

Budget

Revenues

$32.3 billionExpenditures

$44 billion

expenditures including capital expenditures of $NA (1999 budget est.)

Electricity

fossil fuel 100%hydro 0% · nuclear 0% · other 0%

Electricity production

95 billion (1996)Electricity consumption

95 billion (1996)

Economy--overview

This is a well-to-do 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 total), 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 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The Saudi economy was severely hit by the large decline in world oil prices in 1998. GDP fell by nearly 11%;

the budget deficit rose to $12.3 billion; and the current account recorded a $13 billion deficit--the first in three years. The government announced plans to implement large spending cuts in 1999 because of weak oil prices and will continue to call on greater private sector involvement in the economy. Shortages of water and rapid population growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.

GDP

purchasing power parity--$186 billion (1998 est.)

Population below poverty line

NA%

Labor force--by occupation

government 40%, industry, construction, and oil 25%, services 30%, agriculture 5%

Unemployment rate

NA%

Industries

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, two small steel-rolling mills, construction, fertilizer, plastics

Agriculture--products

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

Exports

$59.7 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Exports--commodities

petroleum and petroleum products 90%

Imports

$26.2 billion (f.o.b., 1997)

Imports--commodities

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles

Debt--external

$NA

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

1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalah

Exchange rates

Saudi riyals (SR) per US$1--3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)

Fiscal year

calendar year

Communications

6 fields

Fixed lines

1.46 million

(1993)

Telephone system

modern system

domestic:: extensive microwave radio relay and coaxial 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 13, shortwave 0

Radios

5 million (1993 est.)

Television broadcast stations

117 (1997)

Televisions

4.5 million (1993 est.)

Transportation

9 fields

Merchant marine, 73 ships by typeone square, one ship · (1998 est.)

bulk 1cargo 13chemical tanker 7container 5liquefied gas tanker 1livestock carrier 4oil tanker 17passenger 1refrigerated cargo 4roll-on/roll-off cargo 12short-sea passenger 8

Airports by runway lengthpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 30 2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 3

Airports by runway lengthunpaved only

under 914 m

over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 78 914 to 1,523 m: 38

Networkskm

Highways

162,000Railways

1,390

Highways: paved: 69,174 km · unpaved: 92,826 km (1996 est.) · Railways: standard gauge: 1,390 km 1.435-m gauge (448 km double track) (1992)

Railways

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

Highways

total:: 162,000 km
paved:: 69,174 km
unpaved:: 92,826 km (1996 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

Airports

205 (1998 est.)

Heliports

4 (1998 est.)

Military

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

7 fields

Military expenditures--percent of GDP

12%

(1997 est.)

Transnational Issues

2 fields

Disputes--international

large section of boundary with Yemen not defined;
location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, de facto boundary reflects 1974 agreement;
Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia;
in 1996, agreed with Qatar to demarcate border per 1992 accord;
that process is ongoing

Illicit drugs

death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine

Central Intelligence Agency. “Saudi Arabia.” The World Factbook 1999. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/saudi-arabia/1999.

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