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Compare Reunion (2003) - Saudi Arabia (2002)

Compare Reunion (2003) z Saudi Arabia (2002)

 Reunion (2003)Saudi Arabia (2002)
 ReunionSaudi Arabia
Administrative divisions none (overseas department of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are 4 arrondissements, 24 communes, and 47 cantons 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: 31.3% (male 121,119; female 115,501)


15-64 years: 62.8% (male 233,607; female 240,502)


65 years and over: 5.9% (male 18,036; female 26,406) (2003 est.)
0-14 years: 42.4% (male 5,086,541; female 4,883,942)


15-64 years: 54.8% (male 7,493,304; female 5,396,985)


65 years and over: 2.8% (male 362,780; female 289,778) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products sugarcane, vanilla, tobacco, tropical fruits, vegetables, corn wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports 2 (2002) 209 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 2


2,438 to 3,047 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 1 (2002)
total: 71 70


over 3,047 m: 31 31


2,438 to 3,047 m: 12 11


1,524 to 2,437 m: 24 23


914 to 1,523 m: 2 3


under 914 m: 2 2 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways - total: 138


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


1,524 to 2,437 m: 79


914 to 1,523 m: 39


under 914 m: 13 (2002)
Area total: 2,517 sq km


land: 2,507 sq km


water: 10 sq km
total: 1,960,582 sq km


land: 1,960,582 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly smaller than Rhode Island slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Background The Portuguese discovered the uninhabited island in 1513. From the 17th to the 19th centuries, French immigration, supplemented by influxes of Africans, Chinese, Malays, and Malabar Indians, gave the island its ethnic mix. The opening of the Suez Canal in 1869 cost the island its importance as a stopover on the East Indies trade route. In 1902 Abd al-Aziz Ibn SAUD captured Riyadh and set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. 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. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.
Birth rate 20.17 births/1,000 population (2003 est.) 37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $1.26 billion


expenditures: $2.62 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (1998)
revenues: $42 billion


expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital Saint-Denis Riyadh
Climate tropical, but temperature moderates with elevation; cool and dry from May to November, hot and rainy from November to April harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Coastline 207 km 2,640 km
Constitution 28 September 1958 (French Constitution) 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: Department of Reunion


conventional short form: Reunion


local long form: none


local short form: Ile de la Reunion


former: Bourbon Island
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 euro (EUR) Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate 5.49 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.) 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $NA $23.8 billion (2001 est.)
Dependency status overseas department of France -
Diplomatic representation from the US none (overseas department of France) chief of mission: Ambassador Robert W. JORDAN


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) 488-7360


consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Diplomatic representation in the US none (overseas department of France) 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 demarcation of delimited boundary with Yemen involves nomadic tribal affiliations; because details of 1974 and 1977 treaties have not been made public, the exact location of the Saudi Arabia-UAE boundary is unknown and status is considered de facto
Economic aid - donor - pledged $100 million in 1993 to fund reconstruction of Lebanon; since 1993, Saudi Arabia has committed $208 million for assistance to the Palestinians; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan
Economic aid - recipient $NA; note - substantial annual subsidies from France -
Economy - overview The economy has traditionally been based on agriculture, but services now dominate. Sugarcane has been the primary crop for more than a century, and in some years it accounts for 85% of exports. The government has been pushing the development of a tourist industry to relieve high unemployment, which amounts to one-third of the labor force. The gap in Reunion between the well-off and the poor is extraordinary and accounts for the persistent social tensions. The white and Indian communities are substantially better off than other segments of the population, often approaching European standards, whereas minority groups suffer the poverty and unemployment typical of the poorer nations of the African continent. The outbreak of severe rioting in February 1991 illustrates the seriousness of socioeconomic tensions. The economic well-being of Reunion depends heavily on continued financial assistance from France. 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 (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, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Riyadh expects to have a budget deficit in 2002, in part because of increased spending for education and other social programs. The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population growth will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
Electricity - consumption 1.005 billion kWh (2001) 114.86 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2001) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 1.08 billion kWh (2001) 123.5 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 55.5%


hydro: 44.5%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Indian Ocean 0 m


highest point: Piton des Neiges 3,069 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, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups French, African, Malagasy, Chinese, Pakistani, Indian Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates euros per US dollar - 1.06 1.0626 (2002), 1.1175 (2001), 1.0854 (2000), 0.9386 (1999); French francs per US dollar - 5.8995 (1998) Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)
Executive branch chief of state: President Jacques CHIRAC of France (since 17 May 1995), represented by Prefect Gonthier FRIEDERICI (since NA)


head of government: President of the General Council Jean-Luc POUDROUX (since NA March 1998) and President of the Regional Council Paul VERGES (since NA March 1993)


cabinet: NA


elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; prefect appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of the Interior; the presidents of the General and Regional Councils are elected by the members of those councils
chief of state: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 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); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the monarch, heir to the throne since 13 June 1982, regent from 1 January to 22 February 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: none; the monarch is hereditary
Exports NA (2001) $66.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities sugar 63%, rum and molasses 4%, perfume essences 2%, lobster 3%, (1993) petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners France 74%, Japan 6%, Comoros 4% (2000) US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description the flag of France is used 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
GDP purchasing power parity - $4.174 billion (1999 est.) purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 8%


industry: 19%


services: 73% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 7%


industry: 48%


services: 45% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $5,600 (2002 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 2.5% (2002 est.) 1.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 21 06 S, 55 36 E 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note this mountainous, volcanic island has an active volcano, Piton de la Fournaise; there is a tropical cyclone center at Saint-Denis, which is the monitoring station for the whole of the Indian Ocean extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports - 5 (2002)
Highways total: 2,724 km


paved: 1,300 km (including 73 km of four-lane road)


unpaved: 1,424 km (1994)
total: 146,524 km


paved: 44,104 km


unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)
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
Imports NA (2001) $29.7 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities manufactured goods, food, beverages, tobacco, machinery and transportation equipment, raw materials, and petroleum products machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners France 64%, Bahrain 3%, Germany 3%, Italy 3% (2000) US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000)
Independence none (overseas department of France) 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 1% (1997 est.)
Industries sugar, rum, cigarettes, handicraft items, flower oil extraction crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate total: 8.13 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 8.89 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 7.34 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) NA% 1.7% (2001)
International organization participation FZ, InOC, WFTU ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, BIS, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 1 (2000) 42 (2001)
Irrigated land 120 sq km (1998 est.) 16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Court of Appeals or Cour d'Appel Supreme Council of Justice
Labor force 309,900 (2000) 7 million


note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 13%, industry 12%, services 75% (2000) 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: 13.2%


permanent crops: 2%


other: 84.8% (1998 est.)
arable land: 1.72%


permanent crops: 0.06%


other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
Languages French (official), Creole widely used Arabic
Legal system French law based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral General Council (49 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms) and a unicameral Regional Council (45 seats; members are elected by direct, popular vote to serve six-year terms)


elections: General Council - last held 15 and 22 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004); Regional Council - last held 15 March 1998 (next to be held NA 2004)


election results: General Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - various right-wing candidates 13, PCR 10, PS 10, UDF 8, RPR 6, other left-wing candidates 2; Regional Council - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - PCR 19, UDF 9, RPR 8, various right-wing candidates 4, various left-wing candidates 5


note: Reunion elects three representatives to the French Senate; elections last held NA 2001 (next to be held NA 2006); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - NA; Reunion also elects five deputies to the French National Assembly; elections last held 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held NA 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA%; seats by party - UMP-RPR 1, UMP 1, PCR 1
a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth total population: 73.43 years


male: 70.03 years


female: 77 years (2003 est.)
total population: 68.4 years


male: 66.7 years


female: 70.2 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 88.9%


male: 87%


female: 90.8% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 78%


male: 84.2%


female: 69.5% (2002 est.)
Location Southern Africa, island in the Indian Ocean, east of Madagascar Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references World Middle East
Maritime claims exclusive economic zone: 200 NM


territorial sea: 12 NM
contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: not specified


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine - total: 71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,071,315 GRT/1,412,125 DWT


ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 10, container 4, livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 11, short-sea passenger 8


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Egypt 3, Finland 1, Greece 3, Kuwait 1, Sudan 1, United Arab Emirates 1, United Kingdom 3 (2002 est.)
Military - note defense is the responsibility of France -
Military branches no regular indigenous military forces; French forces (including Army, Navy, Air Force, and Gendarmerie) Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure - $18.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP - 13% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 198,341 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 101,116 (2003 est.) males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 18 years of age (2003 est.) 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 6,795 (2003 est.) males: 233,402 (2002 est.)
National holiday Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality noun: Reunionese (singular and plural)


adjective: Reunionese
noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards periodic, devastating cyclones (December to April); Piton de la Fournaise on the southeastern coast is an active volcano frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources fish, arable land, hydropower petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.) 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines - crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km)
Political parties and leaders Communist Party of Reunion or PCR [Paul VERGES]; Rally for the Republic or RPR [Andre Maurice PIHOUEE]; Socialist Party or PS [Jean-Claude FRUTEAU]; Union for French Democracy or UDF [Gilbert GERARD] none allowed
Political pressure groups and leaders NA none
Population 755,171 (July 2003 est.) 23,513,330


note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% NA%
Population growth rate 1.47% (2003 est.) 3.27% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Le Port, Pointe des Galets 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 55, shortwave 0 (2001) AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios - 6.25 million (1997)
Railways 0 km total: 1,392 km


standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724 km are double-tracked) (2001)
Religions Roman Catholic 86%, Hindu, Muslim, Buddhist (1995) Muslim 100%
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.68 male(s)/female


total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2003 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.39 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.25 male(s)/female


total population: 1.22 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 18 years of age; universal none
Telephone system general assessment: adequate system; principal center is Saint-Denis


domestic: modern open-wire and microwave radio relay network


international: radiotelephone communication to Comoros, France, Madagascar; new microwave route to Mauritius; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
general assessment: modern system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems


international: 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 268,500 (1999) 3.1 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular 197,000 (September 2000) 1 million


note: in 1998, the government contracted for the installation of 575,000 additional Group Speciale Mobile (GSM) cellular telephone lines over 15 months to raise the total number of subscribers to more than one million; Riyadh planned to further expand the GSM system in 1999 by adding an additional one million lines (1998)
Television broadcast stations 35 (plus 18 low-power repeaters) (2001) 117 (1997)
Terrain mostly rugged and mountainous; fertile lowlands along coast mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate 2.53 children born/woman (2003 est.) 6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 36% (1999 est.) NA%
Waterways none none
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