Islamic countries

Islamic countries

KINGDOM OF SAUDI-ARABIA
AL-MAMLAKAH AL-’ARABIA AS-SA’UDIYA

General Information

Total Land Area:	2,149,690 km²
Land boundaries:	4,415 km
Coastline:	2,640 km
Capital:	Riyadh
Other Large Cities:	Jeddah, Makkah (Mecca), Madina
Official Language:	Arabic
National Currency Unit:	Saudi Riyal (SAR)
National Day:	September 23

Location and Geography

Saudi Arabia is located in the Middle East. It occupies most of the Arabian Peninsula and is bordered by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait in the North, Oman and Yemen in the South, Bahrain, Qatar, UAE and the Gulf in the East, and the Red Sea in the West. The topography varies from vast stretches of sand to rugged mountain ranges. The vast uninhabited zone, al-Rub’al-Khali, is the largest mass of sand in the world. A narrow chain of mountains rises in the East of the plain. The area called Asir receives some rainfall and has terraced farms and green forests. Two large oases, Qatif and Hofuf, support substantial agricultural production. The climate is dry and hot. The highest temperatures in the world are recorded in Saudi Arabia during summers. Winters are mild with little rainfall.

Demography

Population:	23.37 million (2002)
Crude Birth Rate:	31 per thousand people (2002)
Crude Death Rate:	4 per thousand people (2002)
Infant Mortality Rate:	20 per thousand (2002)
Life Expectancy:	Male: 69 years, Female: 75 years (2002)
Urban Population:	87.0 percent (2002)
Adult Literacy:	77.10 percent (2001)

Economy

In addition to vast oil reserves, Saudi Arabia possesses large deposits of ores and minerals, including bauxite, copper, gold, iron, lead, silver, marble and clay. The economy is based on the petrochemical industry. Saudi Arabia is the largest petroleum producer among OPEC members and the world’s leading oil exporter. New petrochemical industries such as paints, fertilisers, and plastics have been developed. The main agricultural products are wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus fruits, mutton and dairy products.

GDP at Current Market Prices:	191061 million US$ (2002)
Per Capita GDP:	8175 US$ (2002)
Share of Sectors in GDP:	5.0% Agriculture, 51.0% Industry, 44.0% Services, (2002)
Total Exports:	72561 million US$ (2002)
Total Imports:	32334 million US$ (2002)
Major Exports Items:	Petroleum and petroleum products, metal products, chemical products and derivatives, plastics, basic metals and products
Major Imports Items:	Machinery and equipment, transportation equipment, foodstuffs, spare parts, textiles and chemical products
Major Trading Partners:	US, Japan, South Korea, India and Singapore