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Compare Saudi Arabia (2008) - Indian Ocean (2002)

Compare Saudi Arabia (2008) z Indian Ocean (2002)

 Saudi Arabia (2008)Indian Ocean (2002)
 Saudi ArabiaIndian Ocean
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 -
Age structure 0-14 years: 38.2% (male 5,369,285/female 5,162,585)


15-64 years: 59.4% (male 9,316,694/female 7,089,370)


65 years and over: 2.4% (male 348,827/female 314,277) (2007 est.)
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Agriculture - products wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk -
Airports 213 (2007) -
Airports - with paved runways total: 77


over 3,047 m: 32


2,438 to 3,047 m: 15


1,524 to 2,437 m: 26


914 to 1,523 m: 2


under 914 m: 2 (2007)
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Airports - with unpaved runways total: 136


over 3,047 m: 1


2,438 to 3,047 m: 8


1,524 to 2,437 m: 73


914 to 1,523 m: 39


under 914 m: 15 (2007)
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Area total: 2,149,690 sq km


land: 2,149,690 sq km


water: 0 sq km
total: 68.556 million sq km


note: includes Andaman Sea, Arabian Sea, Bay of Bengal, Great Australian Bight, Gulf of Aden, Gulf of Oman, Mozambique Channel, Persian Gulf, Red Sea, Strait of Malacca, and other tributary water bodies
Area - comparative slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US about 5.5 times the size of the US
Background Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman AL SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. A male descendent of Ibn Saud, his son ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz, rules the country today as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide from February through April 2005 for half the members of 179 municipal councils. In December 2005, King ABDALLAH completed the process by appointing the remaining members of the advisory municipal councils. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds approximately 25% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing governmental concerns. The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceans (after the Pacific Ocean and Atlantic Ocean, but larger than the Southern Ocean and Arctic Ocean). Four critically important access waterways are the Suez Canal (Egypt), Bab el Mandeb (Djibouti-Yemen), Strait of Hormuz (Iran-Oman), and Strait of Malacca (Indonesia-Malaysia). The decision by the International Hydrographic Organization in the spring of 2000 to delimit a fifth ocean, the Southern Ocean, removed the portion of the Indian Ocean south of 60 degrees south.
Birth rate 29.1 births/1,000 population (2007 est.) -
Budget revenues: $193.7 billion


expenditures: $122.2 billion (2007 est.)
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Capital name: Riyadh


geographic coordinates: 24 38 N, 46 43 E


time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard Time)
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Climate harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes northeast monsoon (December to April), southwest monsoon (June to October); tropical cyclones occur during May/June and October/November in the northern Indian Ocean and January/February in the southern Indian Ocean
Coastline 2,640 km 66,526 km
Constitution governed according to Islamic law; the Basic Law that articulates the government's rights and responsibilities was promulgated by royal decree in 1992 -
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
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Death rate 2.55 deaths/1,000 population (2007 est.) -
Debt - external $52.89 billion (31 December 2007 est.) -
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission: Ambassador Ford FRAKER


embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh


mailing address: American Embassy, 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)
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Diplomatic representation in the US chief of mission: Ambassador Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR


chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037


telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800


FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113


consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York
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Disputes - international Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran some maritime disputes (see littoral states)
Economic aid - donor since 2002, Saudi Arabia has provided more than $480 million in budgetary support to the Palestinian Authority, supported Palestinian refugees through contributions to the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA), provided more than $250 million to Arab League funds for the Palestinians, and pledged $500 million in assistance over the next three years at the Donors Conference in Dec 2007; pledged $230 million to development in Afghanistan; pledged $1 billion in export guarantees and soft loans to Iraq; pledged $133 million in direct grant aid, $187 million in concessional loans, and $153 million in export credits for Pakistan earthquake relief; pledged a total of $1.59 billion to Lebanon in assistance and deposits to the Central Bank of Lebanon in 2006 and pledged an additional $1.1 billion in early 2007 -
Economic aid - recipient $26.29 million (2005) -
Economy - overview Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses more than 20% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. Roughly 5.5 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors. High oil prices have boosted growth, government revenues, and Saudi ownership of foreign assets, while enabling Riyadh to pay down domestic debt. The government is encouraging private sector growth - especially in power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemicals - to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil exports and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population, 40% of which are youths under 15 years old. Unemployment is high, and the large youth population generally lacks the education and technical skills the private sector needs. Riyadh has substantially boosted spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries. As part of its effort to attract foreign investment and diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia acceded to the WTO in December 2005 after many years of negotiations. The government has announced plans to establish six "economic cities" in different regions of the country to promote development and diversification. The Indian Ocean provides major sea routes connecting the Middle East, Africa, and East Asia with Europe and the Americas. It carries a particularly heavy traffic of petroleum and petroleum products from the oilfields of the Persian Gulf and Indonesia. Its fish are of great and growing importance to the bordering countries for domestic consumption and export. Fishing fleets from Russia, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan also exploit the Indian Ocean, mainly for shrimp and tuna. Large reserves of hydrocarbons are being tapped in the offshore areas of Saudi Arabia, Iran, India, and western Australia. An estimated 40% of the world's offshore oil production comes from the Indian Ocean. Beach sands rich in heavy minerals and offshore placer deposits are actively exploited by bordering countries, particularly India, South Africa, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, and Thailand.
Electricity - consumption 146.9 billion kWh (2005) -
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2005) -
Electricity - production 165.6 billion kWh (2005) -
Elevation extremes lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
lowest point: Java Trench -7,258 m


highest point: sea level 0 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 endangered marine species include the dugong, seals, turtles, and whales; oil pollution in the Arabian Sea, Persian Gulf, and Red Sea
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution


signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements
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Ethnic groups Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% -
Exchange rates Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.745 (2007), 3.745 (2006), 3.747 (2005), 3.75 (2004), 3.75 (2003) -
Executive branch chief of state: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half brother of the monarch, born 5 January 1928) note - the monarch is both the chief of state and head of government


head of government: King and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 1 August 2005)


cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; note - a new Allegiance Commission created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes that will play a role in selecting future Saudi kings, but the new system will not take effect until after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king
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Exports 8.9 million bbl/day (2007 est.) -
Exports - commodities petroleum and petroleum products 90% -
Exports - partners Japan 17.7%, US 15.8%, South Korea 9%, China 7.2%, Taiwan 4.6%, Singapore 4.4% (2006) -
Fiscal year calendar year -
Flag description green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (translated as "There is no god but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God") above a white horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932 -
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 3%


industry: 61.8%


services: 35.2% (2007 est.)
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GDP - real growth rate 4.7% (2007 est.) -
Geographic coordinates 25 00 N, 45 00 E 20 00 S, 80 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 major chokepoints include Bab el Mandeb, Strait of Hormuz, Strait of Malacca, southern access to the Suez Canal, and the Lombok Strait
Heliports 8 (2007) -
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA%


highest 10%: NA%
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Illicit drugs death penalty for traffickers; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement -
Imports 0 bbl/day (2004) -
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles -
Imports - partners US 12.2%, Germany 9.1%, China 7.9%, Japan 7.3%, UK 4.8%, Italy 4.8%, South Korea 4.1% (2006) -
Independence 23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom) -
Industrial production growth rate 0.2% (2007 est.) -
Industries crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction -
Infant mortality rate total: 12.41 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 14.24 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 10.48 deaths/1,000 live births (2007 est.)
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Inflation rate (consumer prices) 3.4% (2007 est.) -
International organization participation ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO -
Irrigated land 16,200 sq km (2003) -
Judicial branch Supreme Council of Justice -
Labor force 6.488 million


note: more than 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (2007 est.)
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Labor force - by occupation agriculture: 12%


industry: 25%


services: 63% (1999 est.)
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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
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Land use arable land: 1.67%


permanent crops: 0.09%


other: 98.24% (2005)
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Languages Arabic -
Legal system based on Shari'a law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction -
Legislative branch Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms); note - though the Council of Ministers announced in October 2003 its intent to introduce elections for half of the members of local and provincial assemblies and a third of the members of the national Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura, incrementally over a period of four to five years, to date no such elections have been held or announced -
Life expectancy at birth total population: 75.88 years


male: 73.85 years


female: 78.02 years (2007 est.)
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Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 78.8%


male: 84.7%


female: 70.8% (2003 est.)
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Location Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen body of water between Africa, the Southern Ocean, Asia, and Australia
Map references Middle East Political Map of the World
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 18 nm


continental shelf: not specified
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Merchant marine total: 59 ships (1000 GRT or over) 847,094 GRT/1,059,026 DWT


by type: cargo 5, chemical tanker 15, container 4, passenger/cargo 8, petroleum tanker 16, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 8


foreign-owned: 10 (Egypt 1, Greece 2, Kuwait 6, UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 63 (Bahamas 15, Comoros 1, Dominica 1, France 1, Liberia 24, Marshall Islands 4, Norway 3, Panama 14) (2007)
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Military branches Land Forces (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) -
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 10% (2005 est.) -
National holiday Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) -
Nationality noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
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Natural hazards frequent sand and dust storms occasional icebergs pose navigational hazard in southern reaches
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper oil and gas fields, fish, shrimp, sand and gravel aggregates, placer deposits, polymetallic nodules
Net migration rate -5.95 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2007 est.) -
Pipelines condensate 212 km; gas 1,880 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 4,521 km; refined products 1,148 km (2007) -
Political parties and leaders none -
Political pressure groups and leaders none -
Population 27,601,038


note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2007 est.)
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Population below poverty line NA% -
Population growth rate 2.06% (2007 est.) -
Ports and harbors - Chennai (Madras; India), Colombo (Sri Lanka), Durban (South Africa), Jakarta (Indonesia), Kolkata (Calcutta; India) Melbourne (Australia), Mumbai (Bombay; India), Richards Bay (South Africa)
Radio broadcast stations AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998) -
Railways total: 1,392 km


standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2006)
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Religions Muslim 100% -
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.314 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 1.11 male(s)/female


total population: 1.196 male(s)/female (2007 est.)
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Suffrage 21 years of age; male -
Telephone system general assessment: modern system


domestic: extensive microwave radio relay, coaxial cable, and fiber-optic cable systems; mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly


international: country code - 966; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region)
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Telephones - main lines in use 4.5 million (2006) -
Telephones - mobile cellular 19.663 million (2006) -
Television broadcast stations 117 (1997) -
Terrain mostly uninhabited, sandy desert surface dominated by counterclockwise gyre (broad, circular system of currents) in the southern Indian Ocean; unique reversal of surface currents in the northern Indian Ocean; low atmospheric pressure over southwest Asia from hot, rising, summer air results in the southwest monsoon and southwest-to-northeast winds and currents, while high pressure over northern Asia from cold, falling, winter air results in the northeast monsoon and northeast-to-southwest winds and currents; ocean floor is dominated by the Mid-Indian Ocean Ridge and subdivided by the Southeast Indian Ocean Ridge, Southwest Indian Ocean Ridge, and Ninetyeast Ridge
Total fertility rate 3.94 children born/woman (2007 est.) -
Unemployment rate 13% among Saudi males only (local bank estimate; some estimates range as high as 25%) (2004 est.) -
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