Background: 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.

Geographic coordinates: 25 00 N 45 00 E

Map reference: Middle East

Area
Total: 1,960,582 km²
Land: 1,960,582 km²
Water: 0 km²
Comparative: slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries
Total: 4,431 km
Border countries: (7) Iraq 814 km; , Jordan 744 km; , Kuwait 222 km; , Oman 676 km; , Qatar 60 km; , UAE 457 km; , Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline: 2,640 km

Maritime claims
Territorial sea: 12 nm
Contiguous zone: 18 nm
Continental shelf: not specified

Climate: harsh dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain: mostly uninhabited sandy desert

Elevation
Extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
Extremes highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources: petroleum natural gas iron ore gold copper

Land use
Arable land: 1.67%
Permanent crops: 0.09%
Other: 98.24% (2001)

Irrigated land: 16,200 km² (1998 est.)

Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms

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

Population
Note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)
Growth rate: 2.44% (2004 est.)
Below poverty line: NA

Nationality
Noun: Saudi
Adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Ethnic groups: Arab 90% Afro-Asian 10%

Languages: Arabic

Religions: Muslim 100%

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.)

Median age
Total: 21.2 years
Male: 22.8 years
Female: 19.1 years (2004 est.)

Population growth rate: 2.44% (2004 est.)

Birth rate: 29.74 births/1000 population (2004 est.)

Death rate: 2.66 deaths/1000 population (2004 est.)

Net migration rate: -2.71 migrant(s)/1000 population (2004 est.)

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
International agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection
International agreements signed but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male/female
15-64 years: 1.36 male/female
65 years and over: 1.18 male/female
Total population: 1.22 male/female (2004 est.)

Infant mortality rate
Total: 13.7 deaths/1000 live births
Male: 15.72 deaths/1000 live births
Female: 11.58 deaths/1000 live births (2004 est.)

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 75.23 years
Male: 73.26 years
Female: 77.3 years (2004 est.)

Total fertility rate: 4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)

Hivaids
Adult prevalence rate: 0.01% (2001 est.)
People living with hivaids: NA
Deaths: NA

Literacy
Definition: age 15 and over can read and write
Total population: 78.8%
Male: 84.7%
Female: 70.8% (2003 est.)

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

Government type: monarchy

Capital: Riyadh

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

Independence: 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

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

Suffrage
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)

Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice

Political parties and leaders: none

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
In the us chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20,037
In the us telephone: [1] (202) 342-3,800
In the us consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
From the us chief of mission: Ambassador James Curtis OBERWETTER
From the us embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
From the us mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61,307, APO AE 9,803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94,309, Riyadh 11,693
From the us telephone: [966] (1) 488-3,800
From the us fax: [966] (1) 488-3,989
From the us consulates 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 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.

Real gdp growth rate: 5.3% (2003 est.)

Real gdp per capita: purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.)

Gdp composition by sector of origin
Agriculture: 4.7%
Industry: 58.8%
Services: 36.5% (2003 est.)

Agriculture products: wheat barley tomatoes melons dates citrus; mutton chickens eggs milk

Industries: crude oil production petroleum refining basic petrochemicals cement construction fertilizer plastics

Industrial production growth rate: 7.7% (2003 est.)

Labor force
Note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)
By occupation agriculture: 12%
By occupation industry: 25%
By occupation services: 63% (1999 est.)

Unemployment rate: 25% (2003)

Population below poverty line: NA

Household income or consumption by percentage share
Lowest 10: NA
Highest 10: NA

Budget
Revenues: $78.77 billion
Expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)

Public debt: 94.6% of GDP (2003)

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices: 0.5% (2003 est.)

Current account balance: $22.27 billion (2003)

Exports: $86.53 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Partners: US 20.6% Japan 15.4% South Korea 9.8% China 5.5% Taiwan 4.5% Singapore 4.1% (2003)

Imports: $30.38 billion f.o.b. (2003 est.)
Commodities: machinery and equipment foodstuffs chemicals motor vehicles textiles
Partners: US 9.4% Japan 7.7% Germany 7.3% UK 6.2% China 4.4% France 4.1% (2003)

Debt external: $39.16 billion (2003)

Exchange rates: Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2003) 3.745 (2002) 3.745 (2001) 3.745 (2000) 3.745 (1999)

Electricity
Production: 122.4 billion kWh (2001)
Consumption: 113.8 billion kWh (2001)
Exports: 0 kWh (2001)
Imports: 0 kWh (2001)

Natural gas
Production: 53.69 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Consumption: 53.69 billion m³ (2001 est.)
Exports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Imports: 0 m³ (2001 est.)
Proven reserves: 6.339 trillion m³ (1 January 2002)

Telephones
Main lines in use: 3,502,600 (2003)
Mobile cellular: 7,238,200 (2003)

Telephone 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)

Internet
Country code: .sa
Hosts: 15,931 (2004)
Users: 1.5 million (2003)

Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $18 billion (2002)
Percent of gdp: 10% (2002)

Airports: 204 (2003 est.)
With paved runways total: 72
With paved runways over 3047 m: 32
With paved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 13
With paved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 23
With paved runways 914 to 1523 m: 2
With paved runways under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
With unpaved runways total: 129
With unpaved runways over 3047 m: 1
With unpaved runways 2438 to 3047 m: 5
With unpaved runways 15-24 to 2437 m: 72
With unpaved runways 914 to 1523 m: 39
With unpaved runways under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)

Heliports: 5 (2003 est.)

Pipelines: condensate 212 km; gas 1780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1162 km (2004)

Railways
Total: 1,392 km
Standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2003)

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.)

Disputes 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