Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) - Saudi Arabia (2007)

Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2002) z Saudi Arabia (2007)

	Northern Mariana Islands (2002)	Saudi Arabia (2007)

Administrative divisions	none (commonwealth in political union with the US); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are four municipalities at the second order; Northern Islands, Rota, Saipan, Tinian	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: 23.4% (male 9,208; female 8,902) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,041; female 30,781) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 690; female 689) (2002 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	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle	wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports	6 (2001)	213 (2007)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	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: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	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: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian	total: 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	2.5 times the size of Washington, DC	slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Background	Under US administration as part of the UN Trust Territory of the Pacific, the people of the Northern Mariana Islands decided in the 1970s not to seek independence but instead to forge closer links with the US. Negotiations for territorial status began in 1972. A covenant to establish a commonwealth in political union with the US was approved in 1975. A new government and constitution went into effect in 1978.	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	20.29 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	29.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Budget	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 2001/02 est.)	revenues: $174.8 billion expenditures: $104.1 billion (2006 est.)
Capital	Saipan	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; moderated by northeast trade winds, little seasonal temperature variation; dry season December to June, rainy season July to October	harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Coastline	1,482 km	2,640 km
Constitution	Covenant Agreement effective 4 November 1986 and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands effective 1 January 1978	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: Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands conventional short form: Northern Mariana Islands former: Mariana Islands District (Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands)	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
Currency	US dollar (USD)	-
Death rate	2.42 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	2.55 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$46.6 billion (2006 est.)
Dependency status	commonwealth in political union with the US; federal funds to the Commonwealth administered by the US Department of the Interior, Office of Insular Affairs	-
Diplomatic representation from the US	-	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	-	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	extensive funding from US	-
Economy - overview	The economy benefits substantially from financial assistance from the US. The rate of funding has declined as locally generated government revenues have grown. The key tourist industry employs about 50% of the work force and accounts for roughly one-fourth of GDP. Japanese tourists predominate. Annual tourist entries have exceeded one-half million in recent years, but financial difficulties in Japan have caused a temporary slowdown. The agricultural sector is made up of cattle ranches and small farms producing coconuts, breadfruit, tomatoes, and melons. Garment production is by far the most important industry with employment of 17,500 mostly Chinese workers and sizable shipments to the US under duty and quota exemptions.	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	NA kWh	146.9 billion kWh (2005)
Electricity - exports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - imports	-	0 kWh (2005)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	165.6 billion kWh (2005)
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m highest point: unnamed location on Agrihan 965 m	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Environment - current issues	contamination of groundwater on Saipan may contribute to disease; clean-up of landfill; protection of endangered species conflicts with development	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	Chamorro, Carolinians and other Micronesians, Caucasian, Japanese, Chinese, Filipino, Korean	Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates	the US dollar is used	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: President George W. BUSH of the US (since 20 January 2001); Vice President Richard B. CHENEY (since 20 January 2001) head of government: Governor Juan N. BABAUTA (since NA January 2002); Lieutenant Governor Diego T. BENEVENTE (since NA January 2002) cabinet: NA elections: US president and vice president elected on the same ticket for four-year terms; governor and lieutenant governor elected on the same ticket by popular vote for four-year terms; election last held NA November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2005) election results: Juan N. BABAUTA elected governor in a four-way race; percent of vote - Juan N. BABAUTA (Republican Party) 49%	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	$NA	8.554 million bbl/day (2004)
Exports - commodities	garments	petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners	US	Japan 17.7%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9%, China 7.2%, Taiwan 4.6%, Singapore 4.4% (2006)
Fiscal year	1 October - 30 September	calendar year
Flag description	blue, with a white, five-pointed star superimposed on the gray silhouette of a latte stone (a traditional foundation stone used in building) in the center, surrounded by a wreath	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	purchasing power parity - $900 million note: GDP numbers reflect US spending (2000 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 3% industry: 63.6% services: 33.4% (2006 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)	-
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	4.3% (2006 est.)
Geographic coordinates	15 12 N, 145 45 E	25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note	strategic location in the North Pacific Ocean	extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports	1 (2002)	8 (2007)
Highways	total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)	-
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%
Illicit drugs	-	death penalty for traffickers; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement
Imports	$NA	0 bbl/day (2004)
Imports - commodities	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners	US, Japan	US 12.3%, Germany 8.6%, China 8%, Japan 7.3%, UK 4.9%, Italy 4.8%, South Korea 4.1% (2006)
Independence	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)	23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	1.9% (2006 est.)
Industries	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts	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	5.61 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 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)	1.2% (1997 est.)	2.2% (2006 est.)
International organization participation	ESCAP (associate), Interpol (subbureau), SPC	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
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2001)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	16,200 sq km (2003)
Judicial branch	Commonwealth Supreme Court; Superior Court; Federal District Court	Supreme Council of Justice
Labor force	6,006 total indigenous labor force; 2,699 unemployed; 28,717 foreign workers (1995)	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	NA	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: 15.22% permanent crops: 6.52% other: 78.26% (1998 est.)	arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005)
Languages	English, Chamorro, Carolinian note: 86% of population speaks a language other than English at home	Arabic
Legal system	based on US system, except for customs, wages, immigration laws, and taxation	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	bicameral Legislature consists of the Senate (9 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve four-year staggered terms) and the House of Representatives (18 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve two-year terms) elections: Senate - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003); House of Representatives - last held 5 November 2001 (next to be held NA November 2003) election results: Senate - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 4, Democratic Party 3, Reform Party 1, independent 1; House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - Republican Party 16, Democratic Party 1, Covenant Party 1 note: the Northern Mariana Islands does not have a nonvoting delegate in the US Congress; instead, it has an elected official or "resident representative" located in Washington, DC; seats by party - Republican Party 1 (Pedro A. TENORIO)	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: 75.95 years male: 72.85 years female: 79.23 years (2002 est.)	total population: 75.88 years male: 73.85 years female: 78.02 years (2007 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 97% male: 97% female: 96% (1980 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78.8% male: 84.7% female: 70.8% (2003 est.)
Location	Oceania, islands in the North Pacific Ocean, about three-quarters of the way from Hawaii to the Philippines	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references	Oceania	Middle East
Maritime claims	exclusive economic zone: 200 NM territorial sea: 12 NM	territorial sea: 12 nm contiguous zone: 18 nm continental shelf: not specified
Merchant marine	none (2002 est.)	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 US	-
Military branches	-	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	Commonwealth Day, 8 January (1978)	Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality	noun: NA adjective: NA	noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards	active volcanoes on Pagan and Agrihan; typhoons (especially August to November)	frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources	arable land, fish	petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate	17.02 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 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	Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none
Population	77,311 (July 2002 est.)	27,601,038 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA%
Population growth rate	3.49% (2002 est.)	2.06% (2007 est.)
Ports and harbors	Saipan, Tinian	-
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios	NA	-
Railways	0 km	total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2006)
Religions	Christian (Roman Catholic majority, although traditional beliefs and taboos may still be found)	Muslim 100%
Sex ratio	at birth: 1.06 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.03 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.88 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1 male(s)/female total population: 0.92 male(s)/female (2002 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; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	21 years of age; male
Telephone system	general assessment: NA domestic: NA international: satellite earth stations - 2 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean)	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	21,000 (1996)	4.5 million (2006)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,200 (1995)	19.663 million (2006)
Television broadcast stations	1 (on Saipan and one station planned for Rota; in addition, two cable services on Saipan provide varied programming from satellite networks) (1997)	117 (1997)
Terrain	southern islands are limestone with level terraces and fringing coral reefs; northern islands are volcanic	mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate	1.76 children born/woman (2002 est.)	3.94 children born/woman (2007 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.)
Waterways	none	-

Sitemap: Compare countries listing (map site) | Country listing (map site)
Links: Add to favorites | Information about this website | Stats | Polityka prywatnosci
This page was generated in ##czas## s. Size this page: ##rozmiar_strony## kB.