Saudi Arabia, monarchy of the Middle East, occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula, and bordered on the north by Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait; on the east by the Persian Gulf and Qatar; on the south-east by the United Arab Emirates and Oman; on the south by the Republic of Yemen and on the west by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Boundaries in the south-east and south are not precisely defined. Saudi Arabia has an area of about 2,240,000 sq km (864,869 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Riyadh.
Population
18,426,000
(1996 official estimate)
Population Density
8 people/sq km
(21 people/sq mi)
(1996 estimate)
Urban/Rural Breakdown
80% Urban
20% Rural
Largest Cities
Riyadh2,500,000
Jiddah1,800,000
Mecca1,500,000
Medina600,050
(1994 estimates)
Ethnic Groups
90% Saudi Arab
10% Other
including Africans, Pakistanis, and other Asians
Languages
National Language
Arabic
Religions
99%Islam
mainly Sunni
1%Other
including Christianity
Time and Date in Riyadh
| Saudi Arabia :
Geographic coordinates
|
25 00 N, 45 00 E
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Population growth rate
|
3.27%
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Birth rate
|
37.34 births/1,000 population
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Death rate
|
5.94 deaths/1,000 population
|
| Saudi Arabia :
People living with HIV/AIDS
|
N/A
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Independence
|
23 September 1932
|
| Saudi Arabia :
National holiday
|
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Constitution
|
1993
|
| Saudi Arabia :
GDP
|
purchasing power parity - $232 billion
|
| Saudi Arabia :
GDP - per capita
|
purchasing power parity - $10,500
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Electricity - consumption
|
111.6 billion kWh
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Exports
|
$81.2 billion petroleum and petroleum products
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Imports
|
$30.1 billion machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Telephones
|
3.1 million
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Mobile cellular
|
1 million
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Radio broadcast stations
|
AM 43, FM 31, shortwave 2
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Radios
|
6.25 million
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Television broadcast stations
|
117
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Televisions
|
5.1 million
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Internet country code
|
.sa
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Internet Service Providers (ISPs)
|
42
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Internet users
|
400,000
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Railways
|
1,390 km
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Highways
|
146,524 km
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Waterways
|
N/A
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Pipelines
|
crude oil 6,400 km; petroleum products 150 km; natural gas 2,200 km
|
| Saudi Arabia :
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
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Merchant marine
|
71 ships
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Airports
|
206
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Heliports
|
N/A
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Military branches
|
Land Force (Army), Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary)
|
| Saudi Arabia :
Military expenditures
|
$18.3 billion
|
