Saudi Arabia

Branches

Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Frontier Forces, Public Security Force

Defense expenditures

exchange rate conversion - $12.1 billion, 8.5% of GDP (1996)

Manpower availability

males age 15-49: 5,405,828 males fit for military service: 3,005,900 males reach military age (18) annually: 165,010 (1996 est.)

Radio broadcast stations

AM 43, FM 13, shortwave 0

Radios

5 million (1993 est.)

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)

Telephones

1.46 million (1993)

Television broadcast stations

80

Televisions

4.5 million (1993 est.) Defense

Agriculture

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

Budget

revenues: $35.1 billion expenditures: $40 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1996 est.)

Currency

1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalah

Economic aid

donor: pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon

Economic overview

This is a well-to-do oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Economic (as well as political) ties with the US are especially strong. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 35% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. 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. For the 1990s the government intends to bring its budget, which has been in deficit since 1983, back into balance, and to encourage private economic activity. Roughly four million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and banking sectors. For over a decade, Saudi Arabia's domestic and international outlays have outstripped its income, and the government has cut its foreign assistance and is beginning to rein in domestic programs. For 1996, the country looks to its policies of maintaining moderate fiscal reforms, restraining public spending, and encouraging non-oil exports.

Electricity

capacity: 17,550,000 kW production: 46 billion kWh consumption per capita: 2,430 kWh (1993)

Exchange rates

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

Exports

$41.7 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90% partners: US 17%, Japan 17%, South Korea 8%, Singapore 7%, France 5% (1994)

External debt

$18.9 billion (December 1989 est., includes short-term trade credits)

Fiscal year

calendar year

GDP

purchasing power parity - $189.3 billion (1995 est.)

GDP composition by sector

agriculture: 9% industry: 50% services: 41% (1994 est.)

GDP per capita

$10,100 (1995 est.)

GDP real growth rate

0% (1995 est.)

Illicit drugs

death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin and cocaine

Imports

$21.3 billion (f.o.b., 1994 est.) commodities: machinery and equipment, chemicals, foodstuffs, motor vehicles, textiles partners: US 21%, Japan 12%, UK 8%, Germany 8%, Italy 5% (1994)

Industrial production growth rate

17% (1994 est.)

Industries

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

Inflation rate (consumer prices)

5% (1995 est.)

Labor force

6 million-7 million by occupation: government 40%, industry, construction, and oil 25%, services 30%, agriculture 5%

Unemployment rate

6.5% (1992 est.)

Area

total area: 1,960,582 sq km land area: 1,960,582 sq km comparative area: slightly less than one-fourth the size of the US

Climate

harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Coastline

2,640 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 natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms international agreements: party to - Climate Change, Hazardous Wastes, Ozone Layer Protection; signed, but not ratified - Law of the Sea

Geographic coordinates

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Geographic note

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

International disputes

large section of boundary with Yemen not defined; location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, defacto boundary reflects 1974 agreement; Kuwaiti ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim islands is disputed by Saudi Arabia; 1965 boundary with Qatar, renegotiated and revised in 1992, but not official depiction

Irrigated land

4,350 sq km (1989 est.)

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

Land use

arable land: 1% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 39% forest and woodland: 1% other: 59%

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 resources

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Terrain

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Administrative divisions

13 provinces (mintaqah, singular - mintaqat); Al Bahah, Al Hudud Ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Hail, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

Capital

Riyadh

Constitution

none; governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law)

Data code

SA

Diplomatic representation in US

chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan 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

Executive branch

chief of state and head of government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982) is an absolute monarch; Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the king, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996) cabinet: Council of Ministers is dominated by royal family members appointed by the king

FAX

[966] (1) 488-7360 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag

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

Independence

23 September 1932 (unification)

International organization participation

ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (applicant)

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 composed of 60 members and a chairman who are appointed by the king for a term of four years

Name of country

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

National holiday

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Political parties and leaders

none allowed

Suffrage

none

Type of government

monarchy

US diplomatic representation

chief of mission: Ambassador Raymond E. MABUS, 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

Age structure

0-14 years: 43% (male 4,228,660; female 4,103,622) 15-64 years: 55% (male 6,393,384; female 4,240,535) 65 years and over: 2% (male 227,789; female 215,068) (July 1996 est.)

Birth rate

38.32 births/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Death rate

5.36 deaths/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Ethnic divisions

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Infant mortality rate

46.4 deaths/1,000 live births (1996 est.)

Languages

Arabic

Life expectancy at birth

total population: 69 years male: 67.25 years female: 70.84 years (1996 est.)

Literacy

age 15 and over can read and write (1995 est.) total population: 62.8% male: 71.5% female: 50.2%

Nationality

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

Net migration rate

1.55 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1996 est.)

Population

19,409,058 (July 1996 est.)

Population growth rate

3.45% (1996 est.)

Religions

Muslim 100%

Sex ratio

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.51 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.06 male(s)/female all ages: 1.27 male(s)/female (1996 est.)

Total fertility rate

6.45 children born/woman (1996 est.)

Airports

total: 175 with paved runways over 3 047 m: 30 with paved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 11 with paved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 22 with paved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 4 with paved runways under 914 m: 13 with unpaved runways over 3 047 m: 1 with unpaved runways 2 438 to 3 047 m: 4 with unpaved runways 1 524 to 2 437 m: 66 with unpaved runways 914 to 1 523 m: 24 (1995 est.)

Heliports

4 (1995 est.)

Highways

total: 151,532 km paved: 60,613 km unpaved: 90,919 km (1992 est.)

Merchant marine

total: 76 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 944,946 GRT/1,322,167 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 13, chemical tanker 5, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 4, oil tanker 22, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 13, short-sea passenger 9 (1995 est.)

Pipelines

crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km)

Ports

Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Al Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Yanbu' al Sinaiyah

Railways

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