Saudi Arabia (2001) | French Polynesia (2008) | |
![]() | ![]() | |
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 | none (overseas lands of France); there are no first-order administrative divisions as defined by the US Government, but there are five archipelagic divisions named Archipel des Marquises, Archipel des Tuamotu, Archipel des Tubuai, Iles du Vent, Iles Sous-le-Vent |
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.) |
0-14 years: 25.4% (male 36,223/female 34,677)
15-64 years: 68.2% (male 98,784/female 91,585) 65 years and over: 6.3% (male 8,933/female 8,761) (2007 est.) |
Agriculture - products | wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk | fish; coconuts, vanilla, vegetables, fruits, coffee; poultry, beef, dairy products |
Airports | 206 (2000 est.) | 54 (2007) |
Airports - with paved runways | total:
70 over 3,047 m: 31 2,438 to 3,047 m: 11 1,524 to 2,437 m: 23 914 to 1,523 m: 3 under 914 m: 2 (2000 est.) |
total: 37
over 3,047 m: 2 1,524 to 2,437 m: 5 914 to 1,523 m: 27 under 914 m: 3 (2007) |
Airports - with unpaved runways | total:
136 2,438 to 3,047 m: 5 1,524 to 2,437 m: 77 914 to 1,523 m: 39 under 914 m: 15 (2000 est.) |
total: 17
914 to 1,523 m: 9 under 914 m: 8 (2007) |
Area | total:
1,960,582 sq km land: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km |
total: 4,167 sq km (118 islands and atolls)
land: 3,660 sq km water: 507 sq km |
Area - comparative | slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US | slightly less than one-third the size of Connecticut |
Background | In 1902 Abdul 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. | The French annexed various Polynesian island groups during the 19th century. In September 1995, France stirred up widespread protests by resuming nuclear testing on the Mururoa atoll after a three-year moratorium. The tests were suspended in January 1996. In recent years, French Polynesia's autonomy has been considerably expanded. |
Birth rate | 37.34 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 16.41 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Budget | revenues:
$66 billion expenditures: $66 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.) |
revenues: $865 million
expenditures: $644.1 million (1999) |
Capital | Riyadh | name: Papeete
geographic coordinates: 17 32 S, 149 34 W time difference: UTC-10 (5 hours behind Washington, DC during Standard Time) |
Climate | harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature | tropical, but moderate |
Coastline | 2,640 km | 2,525 km |
Constitution | governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993 | 4 October 1958 (French Constitution) |
Country name | 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 |
conventional long form: Overseas Lands of French Polynesia
conventional short form: French Polynesia local long form: Pays d'outre-mer de la Polynesie Francaise local short form: Polynesie Francaise former: French Colony of Oceania |
Currency | Saudi riyal (SAR) | - |
Death rate | 5.94 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 4.61 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) |
Debt - external | $26.3 billion (2000 est.) | $NA |
Dependency status | - | overseas lands of France; overseas territory of France from 1946-2004 |
Diplomatic representation from the US | chief of mission:
Ambassador Wyche FOWLER, Jr. 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) |
none (overseas lands of France) |
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 |
none (overseas lands of France) |
Disputes - international | a final border resolution was agreed to with Qatar in March of 2001; location and status of boundary with UAE is not final, de facto boundary reflects a 1974 agreement; a June 2000 treaty delimited the boundary with Yemen, but final demarcation requires adjustments based on tribal considerations | none |
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 | - |
Economic aid - recipient | - | $579.8 million (2004) |
Economy - overview | 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, 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, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Saudi Arabia was a key player in the successful efforts of OPEC and other oil producing countries to raise the price of oil in 1999-2000 to its highest level since the Gulf war by reducing production. Riyadh expects to have a moderate budget deficit in 2001, 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. | Since 1962, when France stationed military personnel in the region, French Polynesia has changed from a subsistence agricultural economy to one in which a high proportion of the work force is either employed by the military or supports the tourist industry. With the halt of French nuclear testing in 1996, the military contribution to the economy fell sharply. Tourism accounts for about one-fourth of GDP and is a primary source of hard currency earnings. Other sources of income are pearl farming and deep-sea commercial fishing. The small manufacturing sector primarily processes agricultural products. The territory benefits substantially from development agreements with France aimed principally at creating new businesses and strengthening social services. |
Electricity - consumption | 111.6 billion kWh (1999) | 429.7 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - exports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - imports | 0 kWh (1999) | 0 kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production | 120 billion kWh (1999) | 462 million kWh (2005) |
Electricity - production by source | fossil fuel:
100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (1999) |
- |
Elevation extremes | lowest point:
Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m |
lowest point: Pacific Ocean 0 m
highest point: Mont Orohena 2,241 m |
Environment - current issues | 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 | NA |
Environment - international agreements | party to:
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 | Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% | Polynesian 78%, Chinese 12%, local French 6%, metropolitan French 4% |
Exchange rates | Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986) | Comptoirs Francais du Pacifique francs (XPF) per US dollar - NA (2007), 95.03 (2006), 95.89 (2005), 96.04 (2004), 105.66 (2003)
note: pegged at the rate of 119.25 XPF to the euro |
Executive branch | 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 |
chief of state: President Nicolas SARKOZY (since 16 May 2007), represented by High Commissioner of the Republic Anne BOQUET (since September 2005)
head of government: President of French Polynesia Oscar TEMARU (since 13 September 2007); note - President TEMARU resigned on 27 January 2008; President of the Territorial Assembly Antony GEROS (since 9 May 2004) cabinet: Council of Ministers; president submits a list of members of the Territorial Assembly for approval by them to serve as ministers elections: French president elected by popular vote for a five-year term; high commissioner appointed by the French president on the advice of the French Ministry of Interior; president of the territorial government and the president of the Territorial Assembly are elected by the members of the assembly for five-year terms (no term limits) |
Exports | $81.2 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | 0 bbl/day (2004) |
Exports - commodities | petroleum and petroleum products 90% | cultured pearls, coconut products, mother-of-pearl, vanilla, shark meat |
Exports - partners | Japan 18%, US 18%, France 4%, South Korea, Singapore, India (1999) | France 46.3%, Japan 20.8%, Niger 12.8%, US 12.5% (2006) |
Fiscal year | calendar year | calendar year |
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 | two narrow red horizontal bands encase a wide white band; centered on the white band is a disk with a blue and white wave pattern on the lower half and a gold and white ray pattern on the upper half; a stylized red, blue, and white ship rides on the wave pattern; the French flag is used for official occasions |
GDP | purchasing power parity - $232 billion (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - composition by sector | agriculture:
6% industry: 47% services: 47% (1998 est.) |
agriculture: 3.1%
industry: 19% services: 76.9% (2005) |
GDP - per capita | purchasing power parity - $10,500 (2000 est.) | - |
GDP - real growth rate | 4% (2000 est.) | 5.1% (2002) |
Geographic coordinates | 25 00 N, 45 00 E | 15 00 S, 140 00 W |
Geography - note | extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal | includes five archipelagoes (4 volcanic, 1 coral); Makatea in French Polynesia is one of the three great phosphate rock islands in the Pacific Ocean - the others are Banaba (Ocean Island) in Kiribati and Nauru |
Government - note | - | under certain acts of France, French Polynesia has acquired autonomy in all areas except those relating to police and justice, monetary policy, tertiary education, immigration, and defense and foreign affairs; the duties of its president are fashioned after those of the French prime minister |
Heliports | 5 (2000 est.) | 1 (2007) |
Highways | 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 and cocaine | - |
Imports | $30.1 billion (f.o.b., 2000) | 5,678 bbl/day (2004) |
Imports - commodities | machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles | fuels, foodstuffs, machinery and equipment |
Imports - partners | US 25%, Japan 10%, Germany 7%, Italy 5%, France, UK (1999) | France 52.7%, Singapore 14.9%, NZ 6.8%, US 6.6% (2006) |
Independence | 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom) | none (overseas lands of France) |
Industrial production growth rate | 1% (1997 est.) | NA% |
Industries | crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics | tourism, pearls, agricultural processing, handicrafts, phosphates |
Infant mortality rate | 51.25 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) | total: 7.84 deaths/1,000 live births
male: 9.01 deaths/1,000 live births female: 6.62 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.) |
Inflation rate (consumer prices) | 0.5% (2000) | 1.1% (2006 est.) |
International organization participation | 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, Inmarsat, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer) | FZ, ITUC, PIF (associate member), SPC, UPU, WMO |
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) | 42 (2001) | - |
Irrigated land | 4,350 sq km (1993 est.) | 10 sq km (2003) |
Judicial branch | Supreme Council of Justice | Court of Appeal or Cour d'Appel; Court of the First Instance or Tribunal de Premiere Instance; Court of Administrative Law or Tribunal Administratif |
Labor force | 7 million
note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.) |
65,930 (December 2005) |
Labor force - by occupation | agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.) | agriculture: 13%
industry: 19% services: 68% (2002) |
Land boundaries | total:
4,415 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 728 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km |
0 km |
Land use | arable land:
2% permanent crops: 0% permanent pastures: 56% forests and woodland: 1% other: 41% (1993 est.) |
arable land: 0.75%
permanent crops: 5.5% other: 93.75% (2005) |
Languages | Arabic | French 61.1% (official), Polynesian 31.4% (official), Asian languages 1.2%, other 0.3%, unspecified 6% (2002 census) |
Legal system | based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction | the laws of France, where applicable, apply |
Legislative branch | a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms) | unicameral Territorial Assembly or Assemblee Territoriale (57 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)
elections: last held 27 January 2008 (first round) and 10 February 2008 (second round) (next to be held NA 2013) election results: percent of vote by party - Our Home alliance 45.2%, Union for Democracy alliance 37.2%, Popular Rally (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) 17.2% other 0.5%; seats by party - Our Home alliance 27, Union for Democracy alliance 20, Popular Rally 10 note: one seat was elected to the French Senate on 27 September 1998 (next to be held in September 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - NA; two seats were elected to the French National Assembly on 9 June-16 June 2002 (next to be held in 2007); results - percent of vote by party - NA; seats by party - UMP/RPR 1, UMP 1 |
Life expectancy at birth | total population:
68.09 years male: 66.4 years female: 69.85 years (2001 est.) |
total population: 76.31 years
male: 73.88 years female: 78.86 years (2007 est.) |
Literacy | definition:
age 15 and over can read and write total population: 62.8% male: 71.5% female: 50.2% (1995 est.) |
definition: age 14 and over can read and write
total population: 98% male: 98% female: 98% (1977 est.) |
Location | Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen | Oceania, archipelagoes in the South Pacific Ocean about one-half of the way from South America to Australia |
Map references | Middle East | Oceania |
Maritime claims | contiguous zone:
18 NM continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM |
territorial sea: 12 nm
exclusive economic zone: 200 nm |
Merchant marine | total:
71 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,154,619 GRT/1,533,732 DWT ships by type: cargo 11, chemical tanker 8, container 5, liquefied gas 1, livestock carrier 3, passenger 1, petroleum tanker 18, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 13, short-sea passenger 8 (2000 est.) |
total: 13 ships (1000 GRT or over) 23,684 GRT/17,291 DWT
by type: cargo 4, passenger 2, passenger/cargo 5, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 1 registered in other countries: 2 (Wallis and Futuna 2) (2007) |
Military - note | - | defense is the responsibility of France |
Military branches | Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) | no regular military forces; Gendarmerie and National Police Force |
Military expenditures - dollar figure | $18.3 billion (FY00) | - |
Military expenditures - percent of GDP | 13% (FY00) | - |
Military manpower - availability | males age 15-49:
5,894,691 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - fit for military service | males age 15-49:
3,291,185 (2001 est.) |
- |
Military manpower - military age | 17 years of age | - |
Military manpower - reaching military age annually | males:
233,402 (2001 est.) |
- |
National holiday | Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) | Bastille Day, 14 July (1789) |
Nationality | noun:
Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian |
noun: French Polynesian(s)
adjective: French Polynesian |
Natural hazards | frequent sand and dust storms | occasional cyclonic storms in January |
Natural resources | petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper | timber, fish, cobalt, hydropower |
Net migration rate | 1.32 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) | 2.81 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 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 | none allowed | Alliance for a New Democracy or ADN [Nicole BOUTEAU and Philip SCHYLE](includes the parties The New Star and This Country is Yours); Independent Front for the Liberation of Polynesia (Tavini Huiraatira) [Oscar TEMARU]; New Fatherland Party (Ai'a Api) [Emile VERNAUDON]; Our Home alliance; People's Rally for the Republic of Polynesia or RPR (Tahoeraa Huiraatira) [Gaston FLOSSE]; Union for Democracy alliance or UPD [Oscar TEMARU] |
Political pressure groups and leaders | none | NA |
Population | 22,757,092
note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2001 est.) |
278,963 (July 2007 est.) |
Population below poverty line | NA% | NA% |
Population growth rate | 3.27% (2001 est.) | 1.461% (2007 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 | - |
Radio broadcast stations | AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) | AM 2, FM 14, shortwave 2 (1998) |
Radios | 6.25 million (1997) | - |
Railways | total:
1,390 km standard gauge: 1,390 km 1.435-m gauge (448 km double track) (1992) |
- |
Religions | Muslim 100% | Protestant 54%, Roman Catholic 30%, other 10%, no religion 6% |
Sex ratio | at birth:
1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.41 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.22 male(s)/female total population: 1.23 male(s)/female (2001 est.) |
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
under 15 years: 1.045 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.079 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.02 male(s)/female total population: 1.066 male(s)/female (2007 est.) |
Suffrage | none | 18 years of age; universal |
Telephone system | 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) |
general assessment: NA
domestic: NA international: country code - 689; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Pacific Ocean) |
Telephones - main lines in use | 3.1 million (1998) | 53,600 (2006) |
Telephones - mobile cellular | 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) |
152,000 (2006) |
Television broadcast stations | 117 (1997) | 7 (plus 17 repeaters) (1997) |
Terrain | mostly uninhabited, sandy desert | mixture of rugged high islands and low islands with reefs |
Total fertility rate | 6.25 children born/woman (2001 est.) | 1.98 children born/woman (2007 est.) |
Unemployment rate | NA% | 11.7% (2005) |
Waterways | none | - |