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Compare Aruba (2008) - Saudi Arabia (2007)
Compare Aruba (2008) z Saudi Arabia (2007)
| Aruba (2008) | Saudi Arabia (2007) | |
 |  | |
| Administrative divisions | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 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 |
| Age structure | 0-14 years: 19.7% (male 9,943/female 9,761)
15-64 years: 70.2% (male 33,553/female 36,661) 65 years and over: 10.1% (male 4,046/female 6,054) (2007 est.) |
0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,369,285/female 5,162,585)
15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,316,694/female 7,089,370) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 348,827/female 314,277) (2007 est.) |
| Agriculture - products | aloes; livestock; fish | wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk |
| Airports | 1 (2007) | 213 (2007) |
| Airports - with paved runways | total: 1
2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 (2007) |
total: 77
over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 15 1,524 to 2,437 m: 26 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2007) |
| Airports - with unpaved runways | - | total: 136
over 3,047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 8 1,524 to 2,437 m: 73 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 15 (2007) |
| Area | total: 193 sq km
land: 193 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 2,149,690 sq km
land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km |
| Area - comparative | slightly larger than Washington, DC | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US |
| Background | Discovered and claimed for Spain in 1499, Aruba was acquired by the Dutch in 1636. The island's economy has been dominated by three main industries. A 19th century gold rush was followed by prosperity brought on by the opening in 1924 of an oil refinery. The last decades of the 20th century saw a boom in the tourism industry. Aruba seceded from the Netherlands Antilles in 1986 and became a separate, autonomous member of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Movement toward full independence was halted at Aruba's request in 1990. | Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. 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 the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. |
| Birth rate | 12.83 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 29.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Budget | revenues: $507.9 million
expenditures: $577.9 million (2005 est.) |
revenues: $174.8 billion
expenditures: $104.1 billion (2006 est.) |
| Capital | name: Oranjestad
geographic coordinates: 12 31 N, 70 02 W time difference: UTC-4 (1 hour ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
name: Riyadh
geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
| Climate | tropical marine; little seasonal temperature variation | harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes |
| Coastline | 68.5 km | 2,640 km |
| Constitution | 1 January 1986 | governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992 |
| Country name | conventional long form: none
conventional short form: Aruba |
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 |
| Death rate | 7.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) | 2.55 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Debt - external | $478.6 million (2005 est.) | $46.6 billion (2006 est.) |
| Dependency status | member country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands; full autonomy in internal affairs obtained in 1986 upon separation from the Netherlands Antilles; Dutch Government responsible for defense and foreign affairs | - |
| Diplomatic representation from the US | the US does not have an embassy in Aruba; the Consul General to Netherlands Antilles is accredited to Aruba | chief of mission: Ambassador Ford FRAKER
embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-7360 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah) |
| Diplomatic representation in the US | none (represented by the Kingdom of the Netherlands); note - Mr. Henry BAARH, Minister Plenipotentiary for Aruba at the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR
chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York |
| Disputes - international | none | Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran |
| Economic aid - donor | - | since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief; pledged a total of $1.59 billion to Lebanon in assistance and deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an additional $1.1 billion in early 2007 |
| Economic aid - recipient | $11.3 million (2004) | - |
| Economy - overview | Tourism is the mainstay of the small, open Aruban economy, with offshore banking and oil refining and storage also important. The rapid growth of the tourism sector over the last decade has resulted in a substantial expansion of other activities. Over 1.5 million tourists per year visit Aruba, with 75% of those from the US. Construction continues to boom, with hotel capacity five times the 1985 level. In addition, the country's oil refinery reopened in 1993, providing a major source of employment, foreign exchange earnings, and growth. Tourist arrivals have rebounded strongly following a dip after the 11 September 2001 attacks. The island experiences only a brief low season, and hotel occupancy in 2004 averaged 80%, compared to 68% throughout the rest of the Caribbean. The government has made cutting the budget and trade deficits a high priority. | Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses 25% of the world's proven petroleum 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 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. The government is encouraging private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. The government is promoting private sector and foreign participation in the power generation, telecom, natural gas, and petrochemical industries. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of negotiations. With high oil revenues enabling the government to post large budget surpluses, Riyadh has substantially boosted spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries. The government has announced plans to establish six "economic cities" in different regions of the country to promote development and diversification. |
| Electricity - consumption | 716.1 million kWh (2005) | 146.9 billion kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (2005) | 0 kWh (2005) |
| Electricity - production | 770 million kWh (2005) | 165.6 billion kWh (2005) |
| Elevation extremes | lowest point: Caribbean Sea 0 m
highest point: Mount Jamanota 188 m |
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m |
| Environment - current issues | NA | 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: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution
signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements |
| Ethnic groups | mixed white/Caribbean Amerindian 80%, other 20% | Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% |
| Exchange rates | Aruban guilders/florins per US dollar - NA (2007), 1.79 (2006), 1.79 (2005), 1.79 (2004), 1.79 (2003) | Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75 (2003), 3.75 (2002) |
| Executive branch | chief of state: Queen BEATRIX of the Netherlands (since 30 April 1980); represented by Governor General Fredis REFUNJOL (since 11 May 2004)
head of government: Prime Minister Nelson O. ODUBER (since 30 October 2001) cabinet: Council of Ministers elected by the Staten elections: the monarch is hereditary; governor general appointed for a six-year term by the monarch; prime minister and deputy prime minister elected by the Staten for four-year terms; election last held in 2005 (next to be held by 2009) election results: Nelson O. ODUBER elected prime minister; percent of legislative vote - NA |
chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005) cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king |
| Exports | 230,600 bbl/day (2004) | 8.554 million bbl/day (2004) |
| Exports - commodities | live animals and animal products, art and collectibles, machinery and electrical equipment, transport equipment | petroleum and petroleum products 90% |
| Exports - partners | Netherlands 27.7%, Panama 25.5%, Colombia 12.8%, Venezuela 11.1%, US 9.4%, Netherlands Antilles 7.1% (2006) | Japan 17.7%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9%, China 7.2%, Taiwan 4.6%, Singapore 4.4% (2006) |
| Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
| Flag description | blue, with two narrow, horizontal, yellow stripes across the lower portion and a red, four-pointed star outlined in white in the upper hoist-side corner | 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 |
| GDP - composition by sector | agriculture: 0.4%
industry: 33.3% services: 66.3% (2002 est.) |
agriculture: 3%
industry: 63.6% services: 33.4% (2006 est.) |
| GDP - real growth rate | 2.4% (2005 est.) | 4.3% (2006 est.) |
| Geographic coordinates | 12 30 N, 69 58 W | 25 00 N, 45 00 E |
| Geography - note | a flat, riverless island renowned for its white sand beaches; its tropical climate is moderated by constant trade winds from the Atlantic Ocean; the temperature is almost constant at about 27 degrees Celsius (81 degrees Fahrenheit) | extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal |
| Heliports | - | 8 (2007) |
| Household income or consumption by percentage share | lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
lowest 10%: NA%
highest 10%: NA% |
| Illicit drugs | transit point for US- and Europe-bound narcotics with some accompanying money-laundering activity; relatively high percentage of population consumes cocaine | death penalty for traffickers; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement |
| Imports | 235,000 bbl/day (2004) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
| Imports - commodities | machinery and electrical equipment, crude oil for refining and reexport, chemicals; foodstuffs | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles |
| Imports - partners | US 53.6%, Netherlands 12.9%, UK 3.6% (2006) | US 12.3%, Germany 8.6%, China 8%, Japan 7.3%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.8%, South Korea 4.1% (2006) |
| Independence | none (part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands) | 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) |
| Industrial production growth rate | NA% | 1.9% (2006 est.) |
| Industries | tourism, transshipment facilities, oil refining | crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction |
| Infant mortality rate | total: 14.75 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 19.59 deaths/1,000 live births female: 9.81 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
total: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 14.24 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
| Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 3.4% (2005) | 2.2% (2006 est.) |
| International organization participation | Caricom (observer), ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITUC, UNESCO (associate), UNWTO (associate), UPU, WCL, WMO | ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO |
| Irrigated land | 0.01 sq km (1998 est.) | 16,200 sq km (2003) |
| Judicial branch | Common Court of Justice of Aruba (judges are appointed by the monarch) | Supreme Council of Justice |
| Labor force | 41,500 (2004 est.) | 6.311 million
note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2006 est.) |
| Labor force - by occupation | agriculture: NA%
industry: NA% services: NA% note: most employment is in wholesale and retail trade and repair, followed by hotels and restaurants; oil refining |
agriculture: 12%
industry: 25% services: 63% (1999 est.) |
| Land boundaries | 0 km | total: 4,431 km
border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
| Land use | arable land: 10.53%
permanent crops: 0% other: 89.47% (2005) |
arable land: 1.67%
permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005) |
| Languages | Papiamento (a Spanish-Portuguese-Dutch-English dialect) 66.3%, Spanish 12.6%, English (widely spoken) 7.7%, Dutch (official) 5.8%, other 2.2%, unspecified or unknown 5.3% (2000 census) | Arabic |
| Legal system | based on Dutch civil law system, with some English common law influence | based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction |
| Legislative branch | unicameral Legislature or Staten (21 seats; members elected by direct popular vote to serve four-year terms)
elections: last held 23 September 2005 (next to be held in 2009) election results: percent of vote by party - MEP 43%, AVP 32%, MPA 7%, RED 7%, PDR 6%, OLA 4%, PPA 2%; seats by party - MEP 11, AVP 8, MPA 1, RED 1 |
Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 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, to date no such elections have been held or announced |
| Life expectancy at birth | total population: 74.83 years
male: 71.8 years female: 77.91 years (2007 est.) |
total population: 75.88 years
male: 73.85 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.) |
| Literacy | definition: NA
total population: 97.3% male: 97.5% female: 97.1% (2000 census) |
definition: age 15 and over can read and write
total population: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.) |
| Location | Caribbean, island in the Caribbean Sea, north of Venezuela | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen |
| Map references | Central America and the Caribbean | Middle East |
| Maritime claims | territorial sea: 12 nm | territorial sea: 12 nm
contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified |
| Merchant marine | - | total: 59 ships (1000 GRT or over) 847,094 GRT/1,059,026 DWT
by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8 foreign-owned: 10 (Egypt 1, Greece 2, Kuwait 6, UAE 1) registered in other countries: 63 (Bahamas 15, Comoros 1, Dominica 1, France 1, Liberia 24, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 3, Panama 14) (2007) |
| Military - note | defense is the responsibility of the Kingdom of the Netherlands | - |
| Military branches | no regular indigenous military forces; the Netherlands maintains a detachment of marines, a frigate, and an amphibious combat detachment in the neighboring Netherlands Antilles (2005) | Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) |
| Military expenditures - percent of GDP | - | 10% (2005 est.) |
| National holiday | Flag Day, 18 March (1976) | Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) |
| Nationality | noun: Aruban(s)
adjective: Aruban; Dutch |
noun: Saudi(s)
adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian |
| Natural hazards | lies outside the Caribbean hurricane belt | frequent sand and dust storms |
| Natural resources | NEGL; white sandy beaches | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper |
| Net migration rate | 10 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) | -5.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
| Pipelines | - | condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 4,531 km; refined products 1,150 km (2006) |
| Political parties and leaders | Aliansa/Aruban Social Movement or MSA [Robert WEVER]; Aruban Liberal Organization or OLA [Glenbert CROES]; Aruban Patriotic Movement or MPA [Monica ARENDS-KOCK]; Aruban Patriotic Party or PPA [Benny NISBET]; Aruban People's Party or AVP [Mike EMAN]; People's Electoral Movement Party or MEP [Nelson O. ODUBER]; Real Democracy or PDR [Andin BIKKER]; RED [Rudy LAMPE]; Workers Political Platform or PTT [Gregorio WOLFF] | none |
| Political pressure groups and leaders | NA | none |
| Population | 100,018
note: estimate based on a revision of the base population, fertility, and mortality numbers, as well as a revision of 1985-1999 migration estimates from outmigration to inmigration, which is assumed to continue into the future; the new results are consistent with the 2000 census (July 2007 est.) |
27,601,038
note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2007 est.) |
| Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
| Population growth rate | 1.522% (2007 est.) | 2.06% (2007 est.) |
| Radio broadcast stations | AM 2, FM 16, shortwave 0 (2004) | AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) |
| Railways | - | total: 1,392 km
standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2006) |
| Religions | Roman Catholic 82%, Protestant 8%, other (includes Hindu, Muslim, Confucian, Jewish) 10% | Muslim 100% |
| Sex ratio | at birth: 1.02 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.019 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.915 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.668 male(s)/female total population: 0.906 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.314 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female total population: 1.196 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
| Suffrage | 18 years of age; universal | 21 years of age; male |
| Telephone system | general assessment: modern fully automatic telecommunications system
domestic: increased competition through privatization; 3 wireless service providers are now licensed international: country code - 297; landing site for the PAN-AM submarine telecommunications cable system that extends from the US Virgin Islands through Aruba to Venezuela, Colombia, Panama, and the west coast of South America; extensive interisland microwave radio relay links (2007) |
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) |
| Telephones - main lines in use | 38,300 (2005) | 4.5 million (2006) |
| Telephones - mobile cellular | 108,200 (2005) | 19.663 million (2006) |
| Television broadcast stations | 1 (1997) | 117 (1997) |
| Terrain | flat with a few hills; scant vegetation | mostly uninhabited, sandy desert |
| Total fertility rate | 1.85 children born/woman (2007 est.) | 3.94 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
| Unemployment rate | 6.9% (2005 est.) | 13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.) |
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