Compare Saudi Arabia (2002) - Central African Republic (2005)

Compare Saudi Arabia (2002) z Central African Republic (2005)

	Saudi Arabia (2002)	Central African Republic (2005)

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	14 prefectures (prefectures, singular - prefecture), 2 economic prefectures* (prefectures economiques, singular - prefecture economique), and 1 commune; Bamingui-Bangoran, Bangui, Basse-Kotto, Haute-Kotto, Haut-Mbomou, Kemo, Lobaye, Mambere-Kadei, Mbomou, Nana-Grebizi, Nana-Mambere, Ombella-Mpoko, Ouaka, Ouham, Ouham-Pende, Sangha-Mbaere, Vakaga
Age structure	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.)	0-14 years: 42.5% (male 813,596/female 802,728) 15-64 years: 54% (male 1,010,696/female 1,041,903) 65 years and over: 3.4% (male 54,345/female 76,629) (2005 est.)
Agriculture - products	wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk	cotton, coffee, tobacco, manioc (tapioca), yams, millet, corn, bananas; timber
Airports	209 (2001)	50 (2004 est.)
Airports - with paved runways	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)	total: 3 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 2 (2004 est.)
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)	total: 47 2,438 to 3,047 m: 1 1,524 to 2,437 m: 10 914 to 1,523 m: 23 under 914 m: 13 (2004 est.)
Area	total: 1,960,582 sq km land: 1,960,582 sq km water: 0 sq km	total: 622,984 sq km land: 622,984 sq km water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative	slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US	slightly smaller than Texas
Background	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.	The former French colony of Ubangi-Shari became the Central African Republic upon independence in 1960. After three tumultuous decades of misrule - mostly by military governments - civilian rule was established in 1993 and lasted for one decade. President Ange-Felix PATASSE's civilian government was plagued by unrest, and in March 2003 he was deposed in a military coup led by General Francois BOZIZE, who has since established a transitional government. Though the government has the tacit support of civil society groups and the main parties, a wide field of affiliated and independent candidates will contest the municipal, legislative, and presidential elections scheduled for February 2005. The government still does not fully control the countryside, where pockets of lawlessness persist.
Birth rate	37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)	35.17 births/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Budget	revenues: $42 billion expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)	revenues: NA expenditures: NA, including capital expenditures of NA
Capital	Riyadh	Bangui
Climate	harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes	tropical; hot, dry winters; mild to hot, wet summers
Coastline	2,640 km	0 km (landlocked)
Constitution	governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993	passed by referendum 5 December 2004
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: Central African Republic conventional short form: none local long form: Republique Centrafricaine local short form: none former: Ubangi-Shari, Central African Empire abbreviation: CAR
Currency	Saudi riyal (SAR)	-
Death rate	5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)	20.27 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.)
Debt - external	$23.8 billion (2001 est.)	$881.4 million (2000 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US	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)	chief of mission: Charge d'Affaires James PANOS embassy: Avenue David Dacko, Bangui mailing address: B. P. 924, Bangui telephone: [236] 61 02 00 FAX: [236] 61 44 94 note: the embassy is currently operating with a minimal staff
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	chief of mission: Ambassador Emmanuel TOUABOY chancery: 1618 22nd Street NW, Washington, DC 20008 telephone: [1] (202) 483-7800 FAX: [1] (202) 332-9893
Disputes - international	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	about 30,000 refugees fleeing the 2002 civil conflict in the CAR still reside in southern Chad; periodic skirmishes over water and grazing rights among related pastoral populations along the border with southern Sudan persist
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	-	ODA $73 million; note - traditional budget subsidies from France (2000 est.)
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, 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.	Subsistence agriculture, together with forestry, remains the backbone of the economy of the Central African Republic (CAR), with more than 70% of the population living in outlying areas. The agricultural sector generates half of GDP. Timber has accounted for about 16% of export earnings and the diamond industry, for 54%. Important constraints to economic development include the CAR's landlocked position, a poor transportation system, a largely unskilled work force, and a legacy of misdirected macroeconomic policies. Factional fighting between the government and its opponents remains a drag on economic revitalization, with GDP growth at only 0.5% in 2004. Distribution of income is extraordinarily unequal. Grants from France and the international community can only partially meet humanitarian needs.
Electricity - consumption	114.86 billion kWh (2000)	98.58 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - exports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - imports	0 kWh (2000)	0 kWh (2002)
Electricity - production	123.5 billion kWh (2000)	106 million kWh (2002)
Electricity - production by source	fossil fuel: 100% hydro: 0% nuclear: 0% other: 0% (2000)	-
Elevation extremes	lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m	lowest point: Oubangui River 335 m highest point: Mont Ngaoui 1,420 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	tap water is not potable; poaching has diminished the country's reputation as one of the last great wildlife refuges; desertification; deforestation
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	party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 94 signed, but not ratified: Law of the Sea
Ethnic groups	Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%	Baya 33%, Banda 27%, Mandjia 13%, Sara 10%, Mboum 7%, M'Baka 4%, Yakoma 4%, other 2%
Exchange rates	Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)	Communaute Financiere Africaine francs (XAF) per US dollar - 528.29 (2004), 581.2 (2003), 696.99 (2002), 733.04 (2001), 711.98 (2000)
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 Francois BOZIZE (since 15 March 2003 coup) head of government: Prime Minister Elie DOTE (since 13 June 2005) note - Celestin GAOMBALET resigned 11 June 2005 cabinet: Council of Ministers elections: president elected to five year term with a two-term limit; next presidential elections scheduled for 10 April 2005; prime minister appointed by the political party with a parliamentary majority
Exports	$66.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)	NA
Exports - commodities	petroleum and petroleum products 90%	diamonds, timber, cotton, coffee, tobacco
Exports - partners	US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000)	Belgium 39.2%, Italy 8.6%, Spain 7.9%, US 6.2%, France 6.1%, Indonesia 5.8%, China 4.9% (2004)
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	four equal horizontal bands of blue (top), white, green, and yellow with a vertical red band in center; there is a yellow five-pointed star on the hoist side of the blue band
GDP	purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)	-
GDP - composition by sector	agriculture: 7% industry: 48% services: 45% (2000 est.)	agriculture: 55% industry: 20% services: 25% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita	purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)	purchasing power parity - $1,100 (2004 est.)
GDP - real growth rate	1.6% (2001 est.)	0.5% (2004 est.)
Geographic coordinates	25 00 N, 45 00 E	7 00 N, 21 00 E
Geography - note	extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal	landlocked; almost the precise center of Africa
Heliports	5 (2002)	-
Highways	total: 146,524 km paved: 44,104 km unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)	total: 23,810 km paved: 643 km unpaved: 23,167 km (1999 est.)
Household income or consumption by percentage share	lowest 10%: NA% highest 10%: NA%	lowest 10%: 0.7% highest 10%: 47.7% (1993)
Illicit drugs	death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish	-
Imports	$29.7 billion f.o.b. (2001)	NA
Imports - commodities	machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles	food, textiles, petroleum products, machinery, electrical equipment, motor vehicles, chemicals, pharmaceuticals
Imports - partners	US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000)	France 17.6%, US 16.3%, Cameroon 9.3%, Belgium 5% (2004)
Independence	23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)	13 August 1960 (from France)
Industrial production growth rate	1% (1997 est.)	3% (2002)
Industries	crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics	gold and diamond mining, logging, brewing, textiles, footwear, assembly of bicycles and motorcycles
Infant mortality rate	49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)	total: 91 deaths/1,000 live births male: 97.84 deaths/1,000 live births female: 83.96 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices)	1.7% (2001)	3.6% (2001 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, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO (observer)	ACCT, ACP, AfDB, AU, BDEAC, CEMAC, FAO, FZ, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, Interpol, IOC, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC (observer), OPCW (signatory), UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WCL, WCO, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)	42 (2001)	-
Irrigated land	16,200 sq km (1998 est.)	NA sq km
Judicial branch	Supreme Council of Justice	Supreme Court or Cour Supreme; Constitutional Court (3 judges appointed by the president, 3 by the president of the National Assembly, and 3 by fellow judges); Court of Appeal; Criminal Courts; Inferior Courts
Labor force	7 million note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)	NA
Labor force - by occupation	agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)	-
Land boundaries	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	total: 5,203 km border countries: Cameroon 797 km, Chad 1,197 km, Democratic Republic of the Congo 1,577 km, Republic of the Congo 467 km, Sudan 1,165 km
Land use	arable land: 1.72% permanent crops: 0.06% other: 98.22% (1998 est.)	arable land: 3.1% permanent crops: 0.14% other: 96.76% (2001)
Languages	Arabic	French (official), Sangho (lingua franca and national language), tribal languages
Legal system	based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction	based on French law
Legislative branch	a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)	unicameral National Assembly or Assemblee Nationale (109 seats; members are elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms elections: last held 22-23 November and 13 December 1998 (next to be held 13 March 2005) election results: percent of vote by party - MLPC 43%, RDC 18%, MDD 9%, FPP 6%, PSD 5%, ADP 4%, PUN 3%, FODEM 2%, PLD 2%, UPR 1%, FC 1%, independents 6%; seats by party - MLPC 47, RDC 20, MDD 8, FPP 7, PSD 6, ADP 5, PUN 3, FODEM 2, PLD 2, UPR 1, FC 1, independents 7
Life expectancy at birth	total population: 68.4 years male: 66.7 years female: 70.2 years (2002 est.)	total population: 43.39 years male: 43.27 years female: 43.52 years (2005 est.)
Literacy	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 78% male: 84.2% female: 69.5% (2002 est.)	definition: age 15 and over can read and write total population: 51% male: 63.3% female: 39.9% (2003 est.)
Location	Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen	Central Africa, north of Democratic Republic of the Congo
Map references	Middle East	Africa
Maritime claims	contiguous zone: 18 NM continental shelf: not specified territorial sea: 12 NM	none (landlocked)
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 branches	Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)	Central African Armed Forces (FACA): Ground Forces, Air Force; General Directorate of Gendarmerie Inspection (DGIG), Republican Guard (2004)
Military expenditures - dollar figure	$18.3 billion (FY00)	$15.5 million (2004)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP	13% (FY00)	1% (2004)
Military manpower - availability	males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)	-
Military manpower - fit for military service	males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.)	-
Military manpower - military age	17 years of age (2002 est.)	-
Military manpower - reaching military age annually	males: 233,402 (2002 est.)	-
National holiday	Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)	Republic Day, 1 December (1958)
Nationality	noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian	noun: Central African(s) adjective: Central African
Natural hazards	frequent sand and dust storms	hot, dry, dusty harmattan winds affect northern areas; floods are common
Natural resources	petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper	diamonds, uranium, timber, gold, oil, hydropower
Net migration rate	1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)	0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 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 Democracy and Progress or ADP [Jacques MBOLIEDAS]; Central African Democratic Assembly or RDC [Andre KOLINGBA]; Civic Forum or FC [Gen. Timothee MALENDOMA]; Democratic Forum for Modernity or FODEM [Charles MASSI]; Liberal Democratic Party or PLD [Nestor KOMBO-NAGUEMON]; Movement for Democracy and Development or MDD [David DACKO]; Movement for the Liberation of the Central African People or MLPC [the party of deposed president, Ange-Felix PATASSE]; Patriotic Front for Progress or FPP [Abel GOUMBA]; People's Union for the Republic or UPR [Pierre Sammy MAKFOY]; National Unity Party or PUN [Jean-Paul NGOUPANDE]; Social Democratic Party or PSD [Enoch LAKOUE]
Political pressure groups and leaders	none	NA
Population	23,513,330 note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)	3,799,897 note: estimates for this country explicitly take into account the effects of excess mortality due to AIDS; this can result in lower life expectancy, higher infant mortality and death rates, lower population and growth rates, and changes in the distribution of population by age and sex than would otherwise be expected (July 2005 est.)
Population below poverty line	NA%	NA (1993)
Population growth rate	3.27% (2002 est.)	1.49% (2005 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	Bangui, Nola, Salo, Nzinga
Radio broadcast stations	AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)	AM 1, FM 5, shortwave 1 (2002)
Radios	6.25 million (1997)	-
Railways	total: 1,392 km standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724 km are double-tracked) (2001)	-
Religions	Muslim 100%	indigenous beliefs 35%, Protestant 25%, Roman Catholic 25%, Muslim 15% note: animistic beliefs and practices strongly influence the Christian majority
Sex ratio	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.)	at birth: 1.03 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.01 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 0.97 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 0.71 male(s)/female total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
Suffrage	none	21 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: fair system domestic: network consists principally of microwave radio relay and low-capacity, low-powered radiotelephone communication international: country code - 236; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Atlantic Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use	3.1 million (1998)	9,000 (2002)
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)	13,000 (2003)
Television broadcast stations	117 (1997)	1 (2001)
Terrain	mostly uninhabited, sandy desert	vast, flat to rolling, monotonous plateau; scattered hills in northeast and southwest
Total fertility rate	6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)	4.5 children born/woman (2005 est.)
Unemployment rate	NA%	8% (23% for Bangui) (2001 est.)
Waterways	none	2,800 km (primarily on the Oubangui and Sangha rivers) (2004)

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