Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2003) - Saudi Arabia (2004)

Compare Northern Mariana Islands (2003) z Saudi Arabia (2004)

	Northern Mariana Islands (2003)	Saudi Arabia (2004)

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: 23.3% (male 9,483; female 9,168) 15-64 years: 74.8% (male 27,839; female 32,041) 65 years and over: 1.8% (male 748; female 727) (2003 est.)	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.)
Agriculture - products	coconuts, fruits, vegetables; cattle	wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports	6 (2002)	204 (2003 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2002)	total: 72 over 3,047 m: 32 2,438 to 3,047 m: 13 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 2 under 914 m: 2 (2004 est.)
Airports - with unpaved runways	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 under 914 m: 2 (2002)	total: 129 over 3047 m: 1 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 12 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 477 sq km land: 477 sq km water: 0 sq km note: includes 14 islands including Saipan, Rota, and Tinian	total: 1,960,582 sq km land: 1,960,582 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.	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.
Birth rate	19.97 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)	29.74 births/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Budget	revenues: $193 million expenditures: $223 million, including capital expenditures of NA (FY 01/02 est.)	revenues: $78.77 billion expenditures: $66.76 billion, including capital expenditures of NA (2003 est.)
Capital	Saipan	Riyadh
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 Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993
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)	Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate	2.44 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)	2.66 deaths/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Debt - external	$NA	$39.16 billion (2003)
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 James Curtis OBERWETTER embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy Riyadh, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: [966] (1) 488-3989 consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Diplomatic representation in the US	-	chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
Disputes - international	none	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
Economic aid - donor	-	pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 2000, Saudi Arabia has committed $307 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq
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.	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.
Electricity - consumption	NA kWh	113.8 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh	0 kWh (2001)
Electricity - production	NA kWh	122.4 billion kWh (2001)
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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection 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 (2003), 3.745 (2002), 3.745 (2001), 3.745 (2000), 3.745 (1999)
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 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
Exports	$NA	7.92 million bbl/day (2003)
Exports - commodities	garments	petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners	US (2000)	US 20.6%, Japan 15.4%, South Korea 9.8%, China 5.5%, Taiwan 4.5%, Singapore 4.1% (2003)
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: $900 million $900 million GDP estimate includes US subsidy (2000 est.)	purchasing power parity - $287.8 billion (2003 est.)
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: NA% industry: NA% services: NA%	agriculture: 4.7% industry: 58.8% services: 36.5% (2003 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $12,500 (2000 est.)	purchasing power parity - $11,800 (2003 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	NA%	5.3% (2003 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)	5 (2003 est.)
Highways	total: 362 km paved: NA km unpaved: NA km (1991)	total: 151,470 km paved: 45,592 km unpaved: 105,878 km (1999)
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; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish; not a major money-laundering center, improving anti-money-laundering legislation
Imports	$NA	0 bbl/day (2003)
Imports - commodities	food, construction equipment and materials, petroleum products	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners	US, Japan (2000)	US 9.4%, Japan 7.7%, Germany 7.3%, UK 6.2%, China 4.4%, France 4.1% (2003)
Independence	none (commonwealth in political union with the US)	23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate	NA%	7.7% (2003 est.)
Industries	tourism, construction, garments, handicrafts	crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate	total: 5.52 deaths/1,000 live births male: 6.6 deaths/1,000 live births female: 4.37 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)	total: 13.7 deaths/1,000 live births male: 15.72 deaths/1,000 live births female: 11.58 deaths/1,000 live births (2004 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.2% (1997 est.)	0.5% (2003 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, 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)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	1 (2001)	-
Irrigated land	NA sq km	16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
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	6.43 million note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2003)
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% (2001)
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 Islamic 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 1 November 2003 (next to be held NA November 2005) 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 - Covenant Party 9, Republican Party 7, Democratic Party 1, independent 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 (120 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 76.16 years male: 73.06 years female: 79.44 years (2003 est.)	total population: 75.23 years male: 73.26 years female: 77.3 years (2004 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: 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.)
Military - note	defense is the responsibility of the US	-
Military branches	-	Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	-	$18 billion (2002)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	-	10% (2002)
Military manpower - availability	-	males age 15-49: 8,240,714 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service	-	males age 15-49: 4,725,514 (2004 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	-	males: 246,343 (2004 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	16.11 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)	-2.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2004 est.)
Pipelines	-	condensate 212 km; gas 1,780 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,191 km; oil 5,068 km; refined products 1,162 km (2004)
Political parties and leaders	Democratic Party [Dr. Carlos S. CAMACHO]; Republican Party [Benigno R. FITIAL]	none
Political pressure groups and leaders	NA	none
Population	80,006 (July 2003 est.)	25,795,938 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2004 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA
Population growth rate	3.37% (2003 est.)	2.44% (2004 est.)
Ports and harbors	Saipan, Tinian	Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Rabigh, Ra's al Khafji, Mishab, Ras Tanura, Yanbu' al Bahr, Madinat Yanbu' al Sinaiyah
Radio broadcast stations	AM 2, FM 3, shortwave 1 (1998)	AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Railways	0 km	total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2003)
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: 0.87 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.03 male(s)/female total population: 0.91 male(s)/female (2003 est.)	at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.36 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.18 male(s)/female total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2004 est.)
Suffrage	18 years of age; universal; indigenous inhabitants are US citizens but do not vote in US presidential elections	none adult male citizens age 21 or older note: voter registration began in November 2004 for partial municipal council elections scheduled nationwide for February through April 2005
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)	3,502,600 (2003)
Telephones - mobile cellular	1,200 (1995)	7,238,200 (2003)
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	1.75 children born/woman (2003 est.)	4.11 children born/woman (2004 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	25% (2003)
Waterways	none	-

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