Saudi Arabia

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Saudi Arabia

General Information
Geography
Government
Economy
Population
Health
Communications and media
Chronology


GENERAL INFORMATION

National name Al-Mamlaka al-'Arabiyya as-Sa'udiyya/Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Area 2,200,518 sq km/849,620 sq mi Capital Riyadh Language Arabic (official), English Religion Sunni Muslim 85%; there is a Shiite minority Time difference GMT +3 Major holidays 23 September; variable: Eid-ul-Adha (7 days), end of Ramadan (4 days)


GEOGRAPHY

Major towns/cities Jiddah, Mecca, Medina, Ta'if, Dammam, Hofuf, Tabuk, Buraida Major ports Jiddah, Dammam, Jubail, Jizan, Yanbu Physical features desert, sloping to the Gulf from a height of 2,750 m/9,000 ft in the west Airports 25 commercial airports, including three major international airports; total passengers carried: 13.8 million (2003 est) Railways total length: 1,390 km/864 mi; total passenger journeys: 790,400 (2001) Roads total road network: 152,044 km/94,476 mi, of which 29.9% paved (2000 est); passenger cars: 349.1 per 1,000 people (1998 est)


GOVERNMENT

Head of state and government King Abdulla from 2005 Political system absolutist Abdulla from 2005 Political executive absolute Administrative divisions 13 provinces Political parties none Death penalty retained and used for ordinary crimes Armed forces 199,500; plus paramilitary forces of 15,500 (2006 est) Conscription military service is voluntary Defence spend (% GDP) 8.4 (2005 est) Education spend (% GDP) 6.8 (2002 est) Health spend (% GDP) 2.5 (2004)


ECONOMY

Currency riyal GDP (US$) 309.8 billion (2005 est) Real GDP growth (% change on previous year) 5.8 (2006 est) GNI (US$) 289.2 billion (2005 est) GNI per capita (PPP) (US$) 14,740 (2005 est) Consumer price inflation 1% (2006 est) Unemployment 15% (2005 est) Labour force 4.7% agriculture, 20% industry, 75.3% services (2003) Foreign debt (US$) 40.6 billion (2005 est) Major trading partners USA, Japan, Germany, South Korea, UK, China Resources petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, limestone, gypsum, marble, clay, salt, gold, uranium, copper, fish Industries petroleum and petroleum products, urea and ammonia fertilizers, steel, plastics, cement Exports crude and refined petroleum, petrochemicals, wheat. Principal market: USA 17% (2005) Imports machinery and transport equipment, foodstuffs, beverages, tobacco, chemicals and chemical products, base metals and metal manufactures, textiles and clothing. Principal source: USA 13.2% (2005) Arable land 1.7% (2006 est) Agricultural products wheat, barley, sorghum, millet, tomatoes, dates, watermelons, grapes; livestock (chiefly poultry) and dairy products


POPULATION

Population 25,192,700 (2006 est) Population growth rate 2.4% (2005–10) Population density (per sq km) 11 (2006 est) Urban population (% of total) 89 (2005 est) Age distribution (% of total population) 0–14 37%, 15–59 58%, 60+ 5% (2005 est) Ethnic groups predominantly Arab; 10% Afro-Asian; over 25% non-nationals Life expectancy 71 (men); 75 (women) (2005–10) Child mortality rate (under 5, per 1,000 live births) 27 (2004) Education (compulsory years) 6 Literacy rate 84% (men); 70% (women) (2004 est)


HEALTH

Physicians (per 10,000 people) 14 (2004 est) Hospital beds (per 1,000 people) 2.3 (2002 est) Access to drinking-water source (% of total population) 97 (urban) (2002)


COMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA

Landline telephones (per 100 people) 15.5 (2005 est) Mobile phone subscribers (per 100 people) 54.1 (2005 est) Radios (per 1,000 people) 326 (2001 est) TV sets (per 1,000 people) 275 (2004 est) Personal computer users (per 100 people) 35.4 (2005 est) Internet users (per 100 people) 6.6 (2005 est)


CHRONOLOGY

622 Muhammad began to unite Arabs in Muslim faith. 7th–8th centuries Muslim Empire expanded, ultimately stretching from India to Spain, with Arabia itself being relegated to a subordinate part. 12th century Decline of Muslim Empire; Arabia grew isolated and internal divisions multiplied. 13th century Mameluke sultans of Egypt became nominal overlords of Hejaz in western Arabia. 1517 Hejaz became a nominal part of the Ottoman Empire after the Turks conquered Egypt. 18th century Al Saud family united tribes of Nejd in central Arabia in support of the Wahhabi religious movement. c.1830 The Al Saud established Riyadh as the Wahhabi capital. c.1870 Turks took effective control of Hejaz and also Hasa on the Gulf. late 19th century Rival Wahhabi dynasty of Ibn Rashid became leaders of Nejd. 1902 Ibn Saud organized Bedouin revolt and regained Riyadh. 1913 Ibn Saud completed the reconquest of Hasa from Turks. 1915 Britain recognized Ibn Saud as emir of Nejd and Hasa. 1916–18 British-backed revolt, under aegis of Sharif Hussein of Mecca, expelled Turks from Arabia. 1919–25 Ibn Saud fought and defeated Sharif Hussein and took control of Hejaz. 1926 Proclamation of Ibn Saud as king of Hejaz and Nejd. 1932 Hejaz and Nejd renamed the United Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. 1933 Saudi Arabia allowed US-owned Standard Oil Company to prospect for oil, which was discovered in Hasa in 1938. 1939–45 Although officially neutral in World War II, Saudi Arabia received subsidies from USA and Britain. 1940s Commercial exploitation of oil began, bringing great prosperity. 1987 Rioting by Iranian pilgrims caused 400 deaths in Mecca and breach in diplomatic relations with Iran. 1990 Iraqi troops invaded Kuwait and massed on Saudi Arabian border, prompting King Fahd to call for assistance from US and UK forces. 1991 Saudi Arabia fought on Allied side against Iraq in Gulf War. 1992 Under international pressure to move towards democracy, King Fahd formed ‘consultative council’ to assist in government of kingdom. 2003 Residential compounds in Riyadh attacked by suicide bombers linked to al-Qaeda international Islamic terrorist network; over 50 people killed. More than 270 arrested when police broke up unprecedented rally in Riyadh calling for political reform. King later granted wider powers to Consultative Council (majlis al-shura); he allowed it to propose legislation without his permission 2004 Stampede at Hajj pilgrimage; 251 people died. Numerous attacks and car bombs: attack at petrochemical site killed five foreigners; attack at oil company compound killed 22; attacks attributed to groups linked to al-Qaeda. Filmed beheading of abducted US engineer caused revulsion in USA. Shortly afterwards, security forces killed local al-Qaeda leader; limited decrease in militant activity. 2005 Country's first nationwide elections held. Women could not participate in poll. King Fahd died; succeeded by former crown prince, Abdullah. After 12 years of negotiations, Saudi Arabia admitted to World Trade Organization (WTO). 2006 In Mecca, 336 Hajj pilgrims killed in crush during stone-throwing ritual; more than 70 pilgrims killed when hostel in city collapsed. Six men, allegedly linked to al-Qaeda, killed in shootout with police in Riyadh; one in series of incidents involving Islamic militants. 2007 Four French tourists killed in suspected terrorist attack near Madain Saleh ruins. Police arrested 172 terror suspects, including some trained for suicide missions. Religious police banned from detaining suspects after criticism for overly aggressive tactics, and for deaths in custody.


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