1998 Edition
CIA World Factbook 1998 (Internet Archive)
Geography
Area
total: 1,960,582 sq km land: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area-comparative
slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Climate
harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
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: 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
4,350 sq km (1993 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: 2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 56% forests and woodland: 1% other: 41% (1993 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
People and Society
Age structure
0-14 years: 43% (male 4,547,971; female 4,398,628) 15-64 years: 55% (male 6,738,820; female 4,591,477) 65 years and over: 2% (male 268,136; female 240,923) (July 1998 est.)
Birth rate
37.63 births/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Death rate
5.02 deaths/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Ethnic groups
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Infant mortality rate
41.34 deaths/1,000 live births (1998 est.)
Languages
Arabic
Life expectancy at birth
total population: 70.03 years male: 68.19 years female: 71.96 years (1998 est.)
Literacy
definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.8% male: 71.5% female: 50.2% (1995 est.)
Nationality
noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Net migration rate
1.44 migrant(s)/1,000 population (1998 est.)
Population
20,785,955 (July 1998 est.) note: includes 5,244,058 non-nationals (July 1998 est.)
Population growth rate
3.41% (1998 est.)
Religions
Muslim 100%
Sex ratio
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.46 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female (1998 est.)
Total fertility rate
6.38 children born/woman (1998 est.)
Government
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
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
Data code
SA
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 king, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note-the king 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 king, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 1996); note-the king is both the chief of state and head of government cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the king and includes many royal family members elections: none; the king is an absolute monarch
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
Government type
monarchy
Independence
23 September 1932 (unification)
International organization participation
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS (pending member), 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, 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 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
Judicial branch
Supreme Council of Justice Political parties and leaders: none allowed
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 king for four-year terms)
National capital
Riyadh
National holiday
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Suffrage
none
Economy
Agriculture-products
wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Budget
revenues: $47.5 billion expenditures: $52.3 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998 est.)
Currency
1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100 halalah
Debt-external
$NA
Economic aid
donor: pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon
Economy-overview
This is a well-to-do oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. About 35% 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 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Helped by production above its OPEC quota, Saudi Arabia continued to bring its finances closer into balance in 1997, recording a $1.6 billion budget deficit and a $200 million current account surplus. For 1998, the country looks to its policies of maintaining moderate fiscal reforms, restraining public spending, and encouraging nonoil exports. Shortages of water and rapid population growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
Electricity-capacity
20.9 million kW (1995)
Electricity-consumption per capita
3,470 kWh (1995)
Electricity-production
65 billion kWh (1995)
Exchange rates
Saudi riyals (SR) per US$1-3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)
Exports
total value: $56.7 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90% partners: Japan 17%, US 15%, South Korea 10%, Singapore 8%, France 5% (1996 est.)
Fiscal year
calendar year Communications
GDP
purchasing power parity-$206.5 billion (1997 est.)
GDP-composition by sector
agriculture: 6% industry: 46% services: 48% (1996)
GDP-per capita
purchasing power parity-$10,300 (1997 est.)
GDP-real growth rate
4% (1997 est.)
Imports
total value: $25.4 billion (f.o.b., 1996) commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles partners: US 22%, UK 12%, Japan 9%, Germany 8%, Italy 5%, France 4% (1996 est.)
Industrial production growth rate
16% (1996 est.)
Industries
crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, two small steel-rolling mills, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Inflation rate-consumer price index
0% (1997 est.)
Labor force
7 million by occupation: government 40%, industry, construction, and oil 25%, services 30%, agriculture 5% note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 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.)
Unemployment rate
NA%
Transportation
Airports
202 (1997 est.) Airports-with paved runways: total: 70 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 under 914 m: 2 (1997 est.) Airports-with unpaved runways: total: 132 over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 77 914 to 1,523 m: 36 under 914 m: 13 (1997 est.)
Heliports
4 (1997 est.)
Highways
total: 162,000 km paved: 69,174 km unpaved: 92,826 km (1996 est.)
Merchant marine
total: 76 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,009,059 GRT/1,329,377 DWT ships by type: bulk 1, cargo 13, chemical tanker 6, container 3, liquefied gas tanker 1, livestock carrier 5, oil tanker 22, passenger 1, refrigerated cargo 4, roll-on/roll-off cargo 12, short-sea passenger 8 (1997 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, 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)
Military and Security
Military branches
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Coast Guard, Frontier Forces, Public Security Force, Ministry of Interior Forces
Military expenditures-dollar figure
$18.1 billion (1997 est.)
Military expenditures-percent of GDP
12% (1997 est.)
Military manpower-availability
males age 15-49: 5,595,295 (1998 est.) Military manpower-fit for military service: males: 3,112,733 (1998 est.)
Military manpower-military age
18 years of age
Military manpower-reaching military age annually
males: 186,574 (1998 est.)
Transnational Issues
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