245 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
245 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
|
SAUDI ARABIA
|
|||
|
|
GEOGRAPHY
|
|||
|
|
Total area: 2,149,690 km2; land area: 2,149,690 km2
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Comparative area: slightly less than one-fourth the size of US
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Land boundaries: 4,410 km total; Iraq 488 km, Iraq-Saudi Arabia
|
|||
|
|
Neutral Zone 198 km, Jordan 742 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar
|
|||
|
|
40 km, UAE 586 km, Yemen 1,458 km
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Coastline: 2,510 km
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Maritime claims:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Contiguous zone: 18 nm;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Continental shelf: not specific;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Territorial sea: 12 nm
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Disputes: no defined boundaries with Yemen and UAE;
|
|||
|
|
shares Neutral Zone with Iraq--in December 1981, Iraq and Saudi Arabia
|
|||
|
|
signed a boundary agreement that divides the zone between them, but the
|
|||
|
|
agreement must be ratified before it becomes effective; Kuwaiti
|
|||
|
|
ownership of Qaruh and Umm al Maradim Islands is disputed by
|
|||
|
|
Saudi Arabia
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Climate: harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Natural resources: crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Land use: arable land 1%; permanent crops NEGL%; meadows and
|
|||
|
|
pastures 39%; forest and woodland 1%; other 59%; includes irrigated
|
|||
|
|
NEGL%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Environment: no perennial rivers or permanent water bodies;
|
|||
|
|
developing extensive coastal seawater desalination facilities;
|
|||
|
|
desertification
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Note: extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide
|
|||
|
|
great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf
|
|||
|
|
and Suez Canal
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
PEOPLE
|
|||
|
|
Population: 17,869,558 (July 1991), growth rate 4.2% (1991);
|
|||
|
|
note--the population figure is based on growth since the last official
|
|||
|
|
Saudi census of 1974 that reported a total of 7 million persons and
|
|||
|
|
included foreign workers; estimates from other sources may be 15-30%
|
|||
|
|
lower
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Birth rate: 37 births/1,000 population (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Death rate: 6 deaths/1,000 population (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Net migration rate: 12 migrants/1,000 population (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Infant mortality rate: 69 deaths/1,000 live births (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Life expectancy at birth: 65 years male, 68 years female (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Total fertility rate: 6.7 children born/woman (1991)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Nationality: noun--Saudi(s); adjective--Saudi or Saudi Arabian
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ethnic divisions: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Religion: Muslim 100%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Language: Arabic
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Literacy: 62% (male 73%, female 48%) age 15 and over can
|
|||
|
|
read and write (1990 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Labor force: 4,200,000; about 60% are foreign workers; government
|
|||
|
|
34%, industry and oil 28%, services 22%, and agriculture 16%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Organized labor: trade unions are illegal
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
GOVERNMENT
|
|||
|
|
Long-form name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Type: monarchy
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Capital: Riyadh
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Administrative divisions: 14 emirates (imarat,
|
|||
|
|
singular--imarah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah,
|
|||
|
|
Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Al Qurayyat, Ar Riyad, Ash
|
|||
|
|
Sharqiyah, Asir, Hail, Jizan, Makkah, Najran,
|
|||
|
|
Tabuk
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Independence: 23 September 1932 (unification)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Constitution: none; governed according to Sharia (Islamic law)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Legal system: based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been
|
|||
|
|
introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not
|
|||
|
|
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Executive branch: monarch and prime minister, crown prince and
|
|||
|
|
deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Legislative branch: none
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Leaders:
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Chief of State and Head of Government--King and Prime Minister
|
|||
|
|
FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982);
|
|||
|
|
Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
|
|||
|
|
Saud (half-brother to the King, appointed heir to the throne 13 June
|
|||
|
|
1982)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Suffrage: none
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Elections: none
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Communists: negligible
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19,
|
|||
|
|
G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO,
|
|||
|
|
INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM,
|
|||
|
|
OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU,
|
|||
|
|
WHO, WIPO, WMO
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Diplomatic representation: Ambassador BANDAR Bin Sultan; Chancery
|
|||
|
|
at 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington DC 20037; telephone (202)
|
|||
|
|
342-3800; there are Saudi Arabian Consulates General in Houston, Los
|
|||
|
|
Angeles, and New York;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
US--Ambassador Charles W. FREEMAN, Jr.; Embassy at Collector Road
|
|||
|
|
M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh (mailing address is P. O. Box 9041, Riyadh
|
|||
|
|
11143, or APO New York 09038); telephone 966 (1) 488-3800; there are US
|
|||
|
|
Consulates General in Dhahran and 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
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
ECONOMY
|
|||
|
|
Overview: The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 70% of
|
|||
|
|
budget revenues, 33% of GDP, and almost all export earnings. Saudi Arabia
|
|||
|
|
has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world, ranks as the largest
|
|||
|
|
exporter of petroleum, plays a leading role in OPEC, and invests
|
|||
|
|
substantial amounts abroad.
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
GDP: $79 billion, per capita $4,800; real growth rate 0.5%
|
|||
|
|
(1989 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Inflation rate (consumer prices): 0% (1990 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Unemployment rate: 0% (1989 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Budget: revenues $31.5 billion; expenditures $38.2 billion,
|
|||
|
|
including capital expenditures of $6.9 billion (1990)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Exports: $30.7 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
commodities--petroleum and petroleum products 85%;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
partners--US 22%, Japan 20%, Singapore 7%, France 5%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Imports: $20.0 billion (f.o.b., 1990 est.);
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
commodities--manufactured goods, transportation equipment,
|
|||
|
|
construction materials, processed food products;
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
partners--UK 17%, US 15%, Japan 12%, FRG 6%
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
External debt: $18.9 billion (December 1989 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Industrial production: growth rate - 1.1% (1989 est.); accounts for
|
|||
|
|
37% of GDP, including petroleum
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Electricity: 25,205,000 kW capacity; 50,500 million kWh produced,
|
|||
|
|
2,950 kWh per capita (1990)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic
|
|||
|
|
petrochemicals, cement, small steel-rolling mill, construction,
|
|||
|
|
fertilizer, plastic
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Agriculture: accounts for about 10% of GDP, 16% of labor force;
|
|||
|
|
fastest growing economic sector; subsidized by government;
|
|||
|
|
products--wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus fruit, mutton,
|
|||
|
|
chickens, eggs, milk; approaching self-sufficiency in food
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Economic aid: donor--pledged $64.7 billion in bilateral aid
|
|||
|
|
(1979-89)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Currency: Saudi riyal (plural--riyals); 1 Saudi riyal (SR) = 100
|
|||
|
|
halalas
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Exchange rates: Saudi riyals (SR) per US$1--3.7450 (fixed rate
|
|||
|
|
since late 1986), 3.7033 (1986), 3.6221 (1985)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Fiscal year: calendar year
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
COMMUNICATIONS
|
|||
|
|
Railroads: 886 km 1.435-meter standard gauge
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Highways: 74,000 km total; 35,000 km bituminous, 39,000 km gravel
|
|||
|
|
and improved earth
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Pipelines: 6,400 km crude oil; 150 km refined products; 2,200 km
|
|||
|
|
natural gas, includes 1,600 km of natural gas liquids
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Ports: Jiddah, Ad Dammam, Ras Tanura, Jizan, Al Jubayl,
|
|||
|
|
Yanbu al Bahr, Yanbu al Sinaiyah
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Merchant marine: 84 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,492,174
|
|||
|
|
GRT/2,436,635 DWT; includes 1 passenger, 6 short-sea passenger,
|
|||
|
|
14 cargo, 12 roll-on/roll-off cargo, 3 container, 6 refrigerated cargo, 5
|
|||
|
|
livestock carrier, 26 petroleum, oils, and lubricants (POL) tanker, 8
|
|||
|
|
chemical tanker, 1 liquefied gas, 1 specialized tanker, 1 bulk
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Civil air: 182 major transport aircraft available
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Airports: 207 total, 188 usable; 69 with permanent-surface runways;
|
|||
|
|
13 with runways over 3,659 m; 38 with runways 2,440-3,659 m; 103 with
|
|||
|
|
runways 1,220-2,439 m
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Telecommunications: good system with extensive microwave and
|
|||
|
|
coaxial cable systems; 1,624,000 telephones; stations--21 AM, 16 FM,
|
|||
|
|
97 TV; radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and
|
|||
|
|
Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait; submarine cable to Djibouti and Egypt;
|
|||
|
|
earth stations--3 Atlantic Ocean INTELSAT, 2 Indian Ocean INTELSAT,
|
|||
|
|
1 ARABSAT, 1 INMARSAT, 1 ARABSAT
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
DEFENSE FORCES
|
|||
|
|
Branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National
|
|||
|
|
Guard, Coast Guard, Frontier Force, Special Security Force, Public
|
|||
|
|
Security Force
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Manpower availability: males 15-49, 6,663,217; 3,724,610 fit for
|
|||
|
|
military service; 165,167 reach military age (17) annually
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
Defense expenditures: $13.9 billion, 16.9% of GDP (1990 est.)
|
|||
|
|
|
|||
|
|
|