| Location: |
Middle East, bordering the Arabian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen |
| Map references: |
Middle East |
| Area: |
total: 1,960,582 sq km
land: 1,960,582 sq km
water: 0 sq km |
| Natural resources: |
petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper |
| Population: |
22,757,092
note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
| Age structure: |
0-14 years: 42.52% (male 4,932,465; female 4,743,908)
15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,290,840; female 5,179,393)
65 years and over: 2.68% (male 334,981; female 275,505) (2001 est.) |
| Birth rate: |
37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) |
| Ethnic groups: |
Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% |
| Country name: |
conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi Arabia |
| Government type: |
monarchy |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| Economy - overview: |
This is an oil-based economy. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% 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, 40% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 35% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy. |
| Agriculture - products: |
wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk |
| Currency: |
Saudi riyal (SAR) |
| Exchange rates: |
Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed-rate since June 1986) |
| Fiscal year: |
calendar year |
| Railways: |
total: 1,390 km
standard gauge: 1,390 km 1.435-m gauge (448 km double track) (1992) |
| Highways: |
total: 146,524 km
paved: 44,104 km
unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.) |
| 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 |
| Airports: |
206 (2000 est.) |
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