Saudi Arabia
Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaAl Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
monarchyIndependence 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
Saudi Arabia as the 2004 edition of the CIA World Factbook published it: 128 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.
No fields match. Try a shorter word.
Introduction
1 fieldBackground
In 1902, ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al Saud captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. Today, the monarchy is ruled by a son of ABD AL-AZIZ, and the country's Basic Law stipulates that the throne shall remain in the hands of the aging sons and grandsons of the kingdom's founder. 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.
The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after Operation Desert Storm remained a source of tension between the royal family and the public until the US military's near-complete withdrawal to neighboring Qatar in 2003. The first major terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia in several years, which occurred in May and November 2003, prompted renewed efforts on the part of the Saudi government to counter domestic terrorism and extremism, which also coincided with a slight upsurge in media freedom and announcement of government plans to phase in partial political representation. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns.
Geography
Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
18 fieldsLand useshare of 1,960,582 sq km
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
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
19 fieldsPer 1,000 population(2004 est.)
Male · female
Age structure
- 0-14 years:
- 38.3% (male 5,039,578; female 4,845,937)
- 15-64 years:
- 59.3% (male 8,810,705; female 6,494,770)
- 65 years and over:
- 2.3% (male 327,047; female 277,901) (2004 est.)
Sex ratio
- at birth:
- 1.05 male(s)/female
- under 15 years:
- 1.04 male(s)/female
- 15-64 years:
- 1.36 male(s)/female
- 65 years and over:
- 1.18 male(s)/female
- total population:
- 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Government
Monarchy; King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995); King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995)
18 fieldsCountry 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
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 adult male citizens age 21 or older note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
Executive branch
- chief of state:
- King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982, but largely incapacitated since late 1995);
- Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 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, but largely incapacitated since late 1995);
- Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud since 13 June 1982, also Saudi Arabian National Guard Commander since 1963 and de facto ruler since early 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:
- note - in October 2003, Council of Ministers announced its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years;
- in November 2004, the Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs initiated voter registration for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
Legislative branch
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, 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 James Curtis OBERWETTER
- 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) 488-3989
- consulate(s) general:
- Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Flag description
- green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (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);
- design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932
Economy
This is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities.
45 fieldsGDP - composition by sector(2003 est.)
Trading partnersexports left, imports right
Electricity
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 (25% 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 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly five and a half million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company.
The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Priorities for government spending in the short term include additional funds for education and for the water and sewage systems. Economic reforms proceed cautiously because of deep-rooted political and social conservatism.
Labor force
6.43 million note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)
Industries
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Economic aid - donor
- pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon;
- since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians;
- pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan;
- pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq
Exchange rates
Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999)
Communications
8 fieldsTelephone system
- general assessment:
- modern system
- domestic:
- extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems
- international:
- country code - 966;
- 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)
Transportation
9 fieldsAirports by runway lengthpaved left, unpaved right
Networkskm
Pipelines
- condensate 212 km;
- gas 1,780 km;
- liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km;
- oil 5,068 km;
- refined products 1,162 km (2004)
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:
- 66 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 1,306,706 GRT/1,963,191 DWT
- by type:
- cargo 5, chemical tanker 11, container 4, livestock carrier 2, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 23, refrigerated cargo 4, roll on/roll off 10, short-sea/passenger 6
- foreign-owned:
- Egypt 3, Greece 4, Norway 2, Sudan 1, United Kingdom 3
- registered in other countries:
- 54 (2004 est.)
Military
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
7 fieldsMilitary branches
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Transnational Issues
3 fieldsDisputes - international
- nomadic groups on border region with Yemen resist demarcation of boundary;
- Yemen protests Saudi erection of a concrete-filled pipe as a security barrier in 2004 to stem illegal cross-border activities in sections of the boundary;
- Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran;
- because the treaties have not been made public, the exact alignment of the boundary with the UAE is still unknown and labeled approximate
Refugees and internally displaced persons
refugees (country of origin): 240,000 (Palestinian Territories) (2004)
Illicit drugs
- death penalty for traffickers;
- increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish;
- not a major money-laundering center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation
Cite this entry
Central Intelligence Agency. “Saudi Arabia.” The World Factbook 2004. Archived by The Factbook, thefactbook.org/saudi-arabia/2004.