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Compare Syria (2001) - Saudi Arabia (2002)

Compare Syria (2001) z Saudi Arabia (2002)

 Syria (2001)Saudi Arabia (2002)
 SyriaSaudi Arabia
Administrative divisions 14 provinces (muhafazat, singular - muhafazah); Al Hasakah, Al Ladhiqiyah, Al Qunaytirah, Ar Raqqah, As Suwayda', Dar'a, Dayr az Zawr, Dimashq, Halab, Hamah, Hims, Idlib, Rif Dimashq, Tartus 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:
39.92% (male 3,440,060; female 3,238,576)

15-64 years:
56.87% (male 4,868,816; female 4,644,870)

65 years and over:
3.21% (male 261,036; female 275,450) (2001 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 wheat, barley, cotton, lentils, chickpeas, olives, sugar beets; beef, mutton, eggs, poultry, milk wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk
Airports 100 (2000 est.) 209 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total:
24

over 3,047 m:
5

2,438 to 3,047 m:
16

914 to 1,523 m:
1

under 914 m:
2 (2000 est.)
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:
76

1,524 to 2,437 m:
2

914 to 1,523 m:
11

under 914 m:
63 (2000 est.)
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:
185,180 sq km

land:
184,050 sq km

water:
1,130 sq km

note:
includes 1,295 sq km of Israeli-occupied territory
total: 1,960,582 sq km


land: 1,960,582 sq km


water: 0 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than North Dakota slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US
Background Following the breakup of the Ottoman Empire during World War I, Syria was administered by the French until independence in 1946. In the 1967 Arab-Israeli War, Syria lost the Golan Heights to Israel. Since 1976, Syrian troops have been stationed in Lebanon, ostensibly in a peacekeeping capacity. In recent years, Syria and Israel have held occasional peace talks over the return of the Golan Heights. 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 30.64 births/1,000 population (2001 est.) 37.25 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues:
$2.25 billion

expenditures:
$5.4 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2000 est.)
revenues: $42 billion


expenditures: $54 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (2002 est.)
Capital Damascus Riyadh
Climate mostly desert; hot, dry, sunny summers (June to August) and mild, rainy winters (December to February) along coast; cold weather with snow or sleet periodically hitting Damascus harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
Coastline 193 km 2,640 km
Constitution 13 March 1973 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:
Syrian Arab Republic

conventional short form:
Syria

local long form:
Al Jumhuriyah al Arabiyah as Suriyah

local short form:
Suriyah

former:
United Arab Republic (with Egypt)
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 Syrian pound (SYP) Saudi riyal (SAR)
Death rate 5.21 deaths/1,000 population (2001 est.) 5.86 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $22 billion (2000 est.) $23.8 billion (2001 est.)
Diplomatic representation from the US chief of mission:
Ambassador Ryan C. CROCKER

embassy:
Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street, No. 2, Damascus

mailing address:
P. O. Box 29, Damascus

telephone:
[963] (11) 333-2814

FAX:
[963] (11) 224-7938
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 chief of mission:
Ambassador Rustum al-ZU'BI

chancery:
2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008

telephone:
[1] (202) 232-6313

FAX:
[1] (202) 234-9548
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 Golan Heights is Israeli occupied; dispute with upstream riparian Turkey over Turkish water development plans for the Tigris and Euphrates rivers; Syrian troops in northern, central, and eastern Lebanon since October 1976 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 $199 million (1997 est.) -
Economy - overview Syria's predominantly statist economy is on a shaky footing because of Damascus's failure to implement extensive economic reform. The dominant agricultural sector remains underdeveloped, with roughly 80% of agricultural land still dependent on rain-fed sources. Although Syria has sufficient water supplies in the aggregate at normal levels of precipitation, the great distance between major water supplies and population centers poses serious distribution problems. The water problem is exacerbated by rapid population growth, industrial expansion, and increased water pollution. Private investment is critical to the modernization of the agricultural, energy, and export sectors. Oil production is leveling off, and the efforts of the nonoil sector to penetrate international markets have fallen short. Syria's inadequate infrastructure, outmoded technological base, and weak educational system make it vulnerable to future shocks and hamper competition with neighbors such as Jordan and Israel. The government recognizes the need to open the economy to additional domestic and foreign investment. 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 16.684 billion kWh (1999) 114.86 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (1999) 0 kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 17.94 billion kWh (1999) 123.5 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source fossil fuel:
57.64%

hydro:
42.36%

nuclear:
0%

other:
0% (1999)
fossil fuel: 100%


hydro: 0%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point:
unnamed location near Lake Tiberias -200 m

highest point:
Mount Hermon 2,814 m
lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m


highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
Environment - current issues deforestation; overgrazing; soil erosion; desertification; water pollution from dumping of raw sewage and wastes from petroleum refining; inadequate supplies of potable water 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, Hazardous Wastes, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution, Wetlands

signed, but not ratified:
Environmental Modification
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 Arab 90.3%, Kurds, Armenians, and other 9.7% Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Exchange rates Syrian pounds per US dollar - 46 (2000), 46 (1998), 41.9 (January 1997) Saudi riyals per US dollar - 3.7450 (fixed rate since June 1986)
Executive branch chief of state:
President Bashar al-ASAD (since 17 July 2000); Vice Presidents Abd al-Halim ibn Said KHADDAM (since 11 March 1984) and Muhammad Zuhayr MASHARIQA (since 11 March 1984)

head of government:
Prime Minister Muhammad Mustafa MIRU (since 13 March 2000), Deputy Prime Ministers Lt. Gen. Mustafa TALAS (since 11 March 1984), Khalid RA'D (since 13 March 2000), Muhammad NAJI 'UTRI (since 13 March 2000)

cabinet:
Council of Ministers appointed by the president

elections:
president elected by popular vote for a seven-year term; referendum/election last held 10 July 2000 - after the death of President Hafez al-ASAD, father of Bashar al-ASAD - (next to be held NA 2007); vice presidents appointed by the president; prime minister and deputy prime ministers appointed by the president

election results:
Bashar al-ASAD elected president; percent of vote - Bashar al-ASAD 97.29%

note:
Hafiz al-ASAD died 10 June 2000; 20 June 2000 the Ba'th Party nominated Bashar al-ASAD for president and presented his name to the People's Council 25 June 2000
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 $4.8 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $66.9 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Exports - commodities petroleum 65%, textiles 10%, manufactured goods 10%, fruits and vegetables 7%, raw cotton 5%, live sheep 2%, phosphates 1% (1998 est.) petroleum and petroleum products 90%
Exports - partners Germany 21%, Italy 12%, France 10%, Saudi Arabia 9%, Turkey 8% (1999 est.) US 17.4%, Japan 17.3%, South Korea 11.7%, Singapore 5.3%, India (2000)
Fiscal year calendar year calendar year
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black, with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band, and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a heraldic eagle centered in the white band 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 - $50.9 billion (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $241 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture:
29%

industry:
22%

services:
49% (1997)
agriculture: 7%


industry: 48%


services: 45% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $3,100 (2000 est.) purchasing power parity - $10,600 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 3.5% (2000 est.) 1.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 35 00 N, 38 00 E 25 00 N, 45 00 E
Geography - note there are 42 Israeli settlements and civilian land use sites in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights (August 1999 est.) extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal
Heliports 2 (2000 est.) 5 (2002)
Highways total:
41,451 km

paved:
9,575 km (including 877 km of expressways)

unpaved:
31,876 km (1997)
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 a transit point for opiates and hashish bound for regional and Western markets death penalty for traffickers; increasing consumption of heroin, cocaine, and hashish
Imports $3.5 billion (f.o.b., 2000 est.) $29.7 billion f.o.b. (2001)
Imports - commodities machinery and equipment 23%, foodstuffs/animals 20%, metal and metal products 15%, textiles 10%, chemicals 10% (1998 est.) machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
Imports - partners France 11%, Italy 8%, Germany 7%, Turkey 5%, China 4% (1999 est.) US 21.1%, Japan 9.4%, Germany 7.4%, UK 7.3% (2000)
Independence 17 April 1946 (from League of Nations mandate under French administration) 23 September 1932 (Unification of the Kingdom)
Industrial production growth rate NA% 1% (1997 est.)
Industries petroleum, textiles, food processing, beverages, tobacco, phosphate rock mining crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics
Infant mortality rate 33.8 deaths/1,000 live births (2001 est.) 49.59 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 1.5% (2000 est.) 1.7% (2001)
International organization participation ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF, CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO, WToO 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 9,060 sq km (1993 est.) 16,200 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Constitutional Court (justices are appointed for four-year terms by the president); High Judicial Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts Supreme Council of Justice
Labor force 4.7 million (1998 est.) 7 million


note: 35% of the population in the 15-64 age group is non-national (July 1998 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 40%, industry 20%, services 40% (1996 est.) agriculture 12%, industry 25%, services 63% (1999 est.)
Land boundaries total:
2,253 km

border countries:
Iraq 605 km, Israel 76 km, Jordan 375 km, Lebanon 375 km, Turkey 822 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:
28%

permanent crops:
4%

permanent pastures:
43%

forests and woodland:
3%

other:
22% (1993 est.)
arable land: 1.72%


permanent crops: 0.06%


other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
Languages Arabic (official); Kurdish, Armenian, Aramaic, Circassian widely understood; French, English somewhat understood Arabic
Legal system based on Islamic law and civil law system; special religious courts; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction 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 People's Council or Majlis al-shaab (250 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)

elections:
last held 30 November-1 December 1998 (next to be held NA 2002)

election results:
percent of vote by party - NPF 67%, non-NPF 33%; seats by party - NPF 167, independents 83; note - the constitution guarantees that the Ba'th Party (part of the NPF alliance) receive one-half of the seats
a consultative council (90 members and a chairman appointed by the monarch for four-year terms)
Life expectancy at birth total population:
68.77 years

male:
67.63 years

female:
69.98 years (2001 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:
70.8%

male:
85.7%

female:
55.8% (1997 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 78%


male: 84.2%


female: 69.5% (2002 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, between Lebanon and Turkey Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen
Map references Middle East Middle East
Maritime claims contiguous zone:
41 NM

territorial sea:
35 NM
contiguous zone: 18 NM


continental shelf: not specified


territorial sea: 12 NM
Merchant marine total:
133 ships (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 425,392 GRT/612,097 DWT

ships by type:
bulk 11, cargo 117, livestock carrier 4, roll on/roll off 1 (2000 est.)
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 Syrian Arab Army, Syrian Arab Navy, Syrian Arab Air Force, Syrian Arab Air Defense Forces, Police and Security Force Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
Military expenditures - dollar figure $921 million (FY00 est.); note - based on official budget data that may understate actual spending $18.3 billion (FY00)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 5.9% (FY98) 13% (FY00)
Military manpower - availability males age 15-49:
4,384,528 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 6,007,635 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service males age 15-49:
2,448,630 (2001 est.)
males age 15-49: 3,359,849 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age 19 years of age 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually males:
200,859 (2001 est.)
males: 233,402 (2002 est.)
National holiday Independence Day, 17 April (1946) Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)
Nationality noun:
Syrian(s)

adjective:
Syrian
noun: Saudi(s)


adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian
Natural hazards dust storms, sandstorms frequent sand and dust storms
Natural resources petroleum, phosphates, chrome and manganese ores, asphalt, iron ore, rock salt, marble, gypsum, hydropower petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
Net migration rate 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2001 est.) 1.28 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines crude oil 1,304 km; petroleum products 515 km 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 National Progressive Front or NPF (includes the Ba'th Party, ASU, Arab Socialist Party, Socialist Unionist Democratic Party, ASP, SCP) [President Bashar al-ASAD]; Arab Socialist Renaissance (Ba'th) Party (governing party) [Bashar al-ASAD, secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National Progressive Front after the death of Hafiz al-ASAD on 10 June 2000]; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement or ASU [Sami SOUFAN]; Arab Socialist Party [Abd al-Ghani KANNUT]; Socialist Unionist Democratic Party [Ahmad al-ASAD]; Syrian Arab Socialist Party or ASP [Safwan KOUDSI]; Syrian Communist Party or SCP [Yusuf FAYSAL] none allowed
Political pressure groups and leaders conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood (operates in exile in Jordan and Yemen); non-Ba'th parties have little effective political influence none
Population 16,728,808

note:
in addition, there are about 38,200 people living in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights - 18,200 Arabs (16,500 Druze and 1,700 Alawites) and about 20,000 Israeli settlers (July 2001 est.)
23,513,330


note: includes 5,360,526 non-nationals (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 15%-25% NA%
Population growth rate 2.54% (2001 est.) 3.27% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Baniyas, Jablah, Latakia, Tartus 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 14, FM 2, shortwave 1 (1998) AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2 (1998)
Radios 4.15 million (1997) 6.25 million (1997)
Railways total:
2,750 km

standard gauge:
2,423 km 1.435-m gauge

narrow gauge:
327 km 1.050-m gauge

note:
rail link between Syria and Iraq replaced in 2000 (2000)
total: 1,392 km


standard gauge: 1,392 km 1.435-m gauge (724 km are double-tracked) (2001)
Religions Sunni Muslim 74%, Alawite, Druze, and other Muslim sects 16%, Christian (various sects) 10%, Jewish (tiny communities in Damascus, Al Qamishli, and Aleppo) Muslim 100%
Sex ratio at birth:
1.06 male(s)/female

under 15 years:
1.06 male(s)/female

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

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

total population:
1.05 male(s)/female (2001 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:
fair system currently undergoing significant improvement and digital upgrades, including fiber-optic technology

domestic:
coaxial cable and microwave radio relay network

international:
satellite earth stations - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean) and 1 Intersputnik (Atlantic Ocean region); 1 submarine cable; coaxial cable and microwave radio relay to Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey; participant in Medarabtel
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 1.313 million (1997) 3.1 million (1998)
Telephones - mobile cellular NA 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 44 (plus 17 repeaters) (1995) 117 (1997)
Terrain primarily semiarid and desert plateau; narrow coastal plain; mountains in west mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
Total fertility rate 3.95 children born/woman (2001 est.) 6.21 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 20% (2000 est.) NA%
Waterways 870 km (minimal economic importance) none
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