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Compare Saudi Arabia (2002) - Jordan (2003)

Compare Saudi Arabia (2002) z Jordan (2003)

 Saudi Arabia (2002)Jordan (2003)
 Saudi ArabiaJordan
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 12 governorates (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Ajlun, Al 'Aqabah, Al Balqa', Al Karak, Al Mafraq, 'Amman, At Tafilah, Az Zarqa', Irbid, Jarash, Ma'an, Madaba
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: 35.9% (male 1,001,174; female 959,157)


15-64 years: 60.5% (male 1,764,061; female 1,541,453)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 95,566; female 98,854) (2003 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk wheat, barley, citrus, tomatoes, melons, olives; sheep, goats, poultry
Airports 209 (2001) 17 (2002)
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: 15


over 3,047 m: 7


2,438 to 3,047 m: 6


914 to 1,523 m: 1


under 914 m: 1 (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)
total: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2002)
Area total: 1,960,582 sq km


land: 1,960,582 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 92,300 sq km


land: 91,971 sq km


water: 329 sq km
Area - comparative slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US slightly smaller than Indiana
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. For most of its history since independence from British administration in 1946, Jordan was ruled by King HUSSEIN (1953-99). A pragmatic ruler, he successfully navigated competing pressures from the major powers (US, USSR, and UK), various Arab states, Israel, and a large internal Palestinian population, through several wars and coup attempts. In 1989 he resumed parliamentary elections and gradually permitted political liberalization; in 1994 a formal peace treaty was signed with Israel. King ABDALLAH II - the eldest son of King HUSSEIN and Princess MUNA - assumed the throne following his father's death in February 1999. Since then, he has consolidated his power and established his domestic priorities, including an aggressive economic reform program. Jordan acceded to the World Trade Organization in January 2000, and signed free trade agreements with the United States in 2000, and with the European Free Trade Association in 2001.
Birth rate 37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.) 23.68 births/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Budget revenues: $42 billion


expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
revenues: $2.7 billion


expenditures: $3 billion, including capital expenditures of $614 million (2002 est.)
Capital Riyadh 'Amman
Climate harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes mostly arid desert; rainy season in west (November to April)
Coastline 2,640 km 26 km
Constitution governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law); the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was introduced in 1993 8 January 1952
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: Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan


conventional short form: Jordan


local long form: Al Mamlakah al Urduniyah al Hashimiyah


local short form: Al Urdun


former: Transjordan
Currency Saudi riyal (SAR) Jordanian dinar (JOD)
Death rate 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.) 2.62 deaths/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Debt - external $23.8 billion (2001 est.) $8.2 billion (2002 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: Ambassador Edward William GNEHM, Jr.


embassy: Abdoun, Amman


mailing address: P. O. Box 354, Amman 11118 Jordan; Unit 70200, Box 5, APO AE 09892-0200


telephone: [962] (6) 5920101


FAX: [962] (6) 5920121
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 Karim Tawfiq KAWAR


chancery: 3504 International Drive NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 966-2664


FAX: [1] (202) 966-3110
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 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; pledged $240 million to development in Afghanistan -
Economic aid - recipient - ODA, $553 million (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. Jordan is a small Arab country with inadequate supplies of water and other natural resources such as oil. Debt, poverty, and unemployment are fundamental problems, but King ABDALLAH since assuming the throne in 1999 has undertaken some broad economic reforms in a long-term effort to improve living standards. Amman in the past three years has worked closely with the IMF, practiced careful monetary policy, and made significant headway with privatization. The government also has liberalized the trade regime sufficiently to secure Jordan's membership in the WTrO (2000), a free trade accord with US (2000), and an association agreement with the EU (2001). These measures have helped improve productivity and have put Jordan on the foreign investment map. The US-led war in Iraq in 2003 dealt an economic blow to Jordan, which was dependent on Iraq for discounted oil. It remains unclear how Jordan will finance energy imports in the absence of such a deal. Other ongoing challenges include fiscal adjustment to reduce the budget deficit and broader investment incentives to promote job-creating ventures.
Electricity - consumption 114.86 billion kWh (2000) 6.86 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2000) 2 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2000) 267 million kWh (2001)
Electricity - production 123.5 billion kWh (2000) 7.091 billion kWh (2001)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
fossil fuel: 99.4%


hydro: 0.6%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2001)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
lowest point: Dead Sea -408 m


highest point: Jabal Ram 1,734 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 limited natural fresh water resources; deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification
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, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
Ethnic groups Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% Arab 98%, Circassian 1%, Armenian 1%
Exchange rates Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986) Jordanian dinars per US dollar - 0.71 (2002), 0.71 (2001), 0.71 (2000), 0.71 (1999), 0.71 (1998)
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: King ABDALLAH II (since 7 February 1999); Crown Prince HAMZAH (half brother of the monarch, born 29 March 1980)


head of government: Prime Minister Faisal al-FAYEZ (since 25 October 2003)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the prime minister in consultation with the monarch


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; prime minister appointed by the monarch
Exports $66.9 billion f.o.b. (2001) NA (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products 90% phosphates, fertilizers, potash, agricultural products, manufactures, pharmaceuticals
Exports - partners US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000) Iraq 20.1%, US 14.5%, India 8.1%, Saudi Arabia 5.4%, Israel 4.4% (2002)
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 three equal horizontal bands of black (top, the Abbassid Caliphate of Islam), white (the Ummayyad Caliphate of Islam), and green (the Fatimid Caliphate of Islam) with a red isosceles triangle (representing the Great Arab Revolt of 1916) based on the hoist side bearing a small white seven-pointed star symbolizing the seven verses of the opening Sura (Al-Fatiha) of the Holy Koran; the seven points on the star represent faith in One God, humanity, national spirit, humility, social justice, virtue, and aspirations
GDP purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $22.63 billion (2002 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 7%


industry: 48%


services: 45% (2000 est.)
agriculture: 3.7%


industry: 26%


services: 70.3% (2001 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.) purchasing power parity - $4,300 (2002 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 1.6% (2001 est.) 4.9% (2002 est.)
Geographic coordinates 25 00 N, 45 00 E 31 00 N, 36 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 strategic location at the head of the Gulf of Aqaba and as the Arab country that shares the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank
Heliports 5 (2002) 2 (2002)
Highways total: 146,524 km


paved: 44,104 km


unpaved: 102,420 km (1997 est.)
total: 7,245 km


paved: 7,245 km


unpaved: 0 km (2000)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
lowest 10%: 3.3%


highest 10%: 29.8% (1997)
Illicit drugs death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish -
Imports $29.7 billion f.o.b. (2001) NA (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles crude oil, machinery, transport equipment, food, live animals, manufactured goods
Imports - partners US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000) Iraq 13.4%, Germany 8.8%, US 8%, China 6%, France 4.2%, UK 4.1%, Italy 4.1% (2002)
Independence 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom) 25 May 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under British administration)
Industrial production growth rate 1% (1997 est.) 1% (2002 est.)
Industries crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics phosphate mining, pharmaceuticals, petroleum refining, cement, potash, light manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, tourism
Infant mortality rate 49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.) total: 18.86 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 22.51 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 14.98 deaths/1,000 live births (2003 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.7% (2001) 3.3% (2002 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) ABEDA, ACC, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, ESCWA, FAO, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MONUC, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OSCE (partner), PCA, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMISET, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNOMIG, UNRWA, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) 42 (2001) 5 (2000)
Irrigated land 16,200 sq km (1998 est.) 750 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Council of Justice Court of Cassation; Supreme Court (court of final appeal)
Labor force 7 million


note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
1.36 million (2002)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.) services 82.5%, industry 12.5%, agriculture 5% (2001 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: 1,635 km


border countries: Iraq 181 km, Israel 238 km, Saudi Arabia 744 km, Syria 375 km, West Bank 97 km
Land use arable land: 1.72%


permanent crops: 0.06%


other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
arable land: 2.87%


permanent crops: 1.52%


other: 95.61% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic Arabic (official), English widely understood among upper and middle classes
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 Islamic law and French codes; judicial review of legislative acts in a specially provided High Tribunal; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms) bicameral National Assembly or Majlis al-'Umma consists of the Senate, also called the House of Notables (Majlis al-Ayan) (40 seats; members appointed by the monarch from designated categories of public figures; members serve four-year terms) and the House of Representatives, also called the House of Deputies (Majlis al-Nuwaab) (110 seats; members elected by popular vote on the basis of proportional representation to serve four-year terms; note - six seats are reserved for women and are allocated by a special electoral panel if no women are elected)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 17 June 2003, next to be held NA 2007


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - independents and others 89.6%, Islamic Action Front 10.4%; seats by party - independents and others 92, Islamic Action Front 18 (note - one of the six quota seats was given to a female IAF candidate)


note: the House of Representatives has been convened and dissolved by the monarch several times since 1974; in November 1989, the first parliamentary elections in 22 years were held; political parties were not legalized until 1992; King Abdallah delayed the 2001 elections until 2003
Life expectancy at birth total population: 68.4 years


male: 66.7 years


female: 70.2 years (2002 est.)
total population: 77.88 years


male: 75.42 years


female: 80.5 years (2003 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: 91.3%


male: 95.9%


female: 86.3% (2003 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen Middle East, northwest of Saudi Arabia
Map references Middle East Middle East
Maritime claims contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: not specified


territorial sea: 12 NM
territorial sea: 3 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.)
total: 9 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 63,522 GRT/79,776 DWT


ships by type: cargo 3, container 1, refrigerated cargo 1, roll on/roll off 3, short-sea passenger 1


note: includes some foreign-owned ships registered here as a flag of convenience: Greece 6 (2002 est.)
Military branches Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) Jordanian Armed Forces (JAF) (Royal Jordanian Land Force, Royal Naval Force, Royal Jordanian Air Force, and Special Operations Command or SOCOM); note - Public Security Directorate normally falls under Ministry of Interior but comes under JAF in wartime or crisis situations
Military expenditures - dollar figure $18.3 billion (FY00) $757.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 13% (FY00) 8.6% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,577,136 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.) males age 15-49: 1,113,787 (2003 est.)
Military manpower - military age 17 years of age (2002 est.) 18 years of age (2003 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males: 233,402 (2002 est.) males: 58,840 (2003 est.)
National holiday Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) Independence Day, 25 May (1946)
Nationality noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
noun: Jordanian(s)


adjective: Jordanian
Natural hazards frequent sand and dust storms droughts; periodic earthquakes
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper phosphates, potash, shale oil
Net migration rate 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.) 6.78 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2003 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km (includes natural gas liquids 1,600 km) gas 10 km; oil 743 km (2003)
Political parties and leaders none allowed Al-Umma (Nation) Party [Ahmad al-HANANDEH, secretary general]; Arab Land Party [Dr. Muhammad al-'ORAN, secretary general]; Communist Party [Munir HAMARINAH, secretary general]; Constitutional Front [Mahdi al-TALL, secretary general]; Jordanian Democratic Popular Unity Party [Sa'id DHIYAB, secretary general]; Jordanian Progressive Party [Fawwaz al-ZUBI, secretary general]; Jordanian People's Democratic (Hashd) Party [Salim al-NAHHAS, secretary general]; Islamic Action Front [Hazma MANSOUR, secretary general]; National Action (Haqq) Party [Muhammad al-ZUBI, secretary general]; National Constitutional Party [Abdul Hadi MAJALI, secretary general]; (Arab) Socialist Ba'th Party [Taysif al-HIMSI, secretary general]; Pan-Arab (Democratic) Movement [Mahmud al-NUWAYHI, secretary general]
Political pressure groups and leaders none Anti-Normalization Committee [Ali Abu SUKKAR, president vice chairman]; Jordanian Bar Association [Saleh ARMOUTI, president]; Jordanian Press Association [Sayf al-SHARIF, president]; Muslim Brotherhood [Abd-al-Majid DHUNAYBAT, secretary general]
Population 23,513,330


note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
5,460,265 (July 2003 est.)
Population below poverty line NA% 30% (2001 est.)
Population growth rate 3.27% (2002 est.) 2.78% (2003 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 Al 'Aqabah
Radio broadcast stations AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (1999)
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)
total: 505 km


narrow gauge: 505 km 1.050-m gauge (2002)
Religions Muslim 100% Sunni Muslim 92%, Christian 6% (majority Greek Orthodox, but some Greek and Roman Catholics, Syrian Orthodox, Coptic Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox, and Protestant denominations), other 2% (several small Shi'a Muslim and Druze populations) (2001 est.)
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: 1.06 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.14 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.1 male(s)/female (2003 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: service has improved recently with the increased use of digital switching equipment, but better access to the telephone system is needed in the rural areas and easier access to pay telephones is needed by the urban public


domestic: microwave radio relay transmission and coaxial and fiber-optic cable are employed on trunk lines; considerable use of mobile cellular systems; Internet service is available


international: satellite earth stations - 3 Intelsat, 1 Arabsat, and 29 land and maritime Inmarsat terminals; fiber-optic cable to Saudi Arabia and microwave radio relay link with Egypt and Syria; connection to international submarine cable FLAG (Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe); participant in MEDARABTEL; international links total about 4,000
Telephones - main lines in use 3.1 million (1998) 403,000 (1997)
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)
11,500 (1995)
Television broadcast stations 117 (1997) 20 (plus 96 repeaters) (1995)
Terrain mostly uninhabited, sandy desert mostly desert plateau in east, highland area in west; Great Rift Valley separates East and West Banks of the Jordan River
Total fertility rate 6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.) 3 children born/woman (2003 est.)
Unemployment rate NA% 16% official rate; actual rate is 25%-30% (2001 est.)
Waterways none none
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