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Fact File on Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Official Name: Al-Mamlaka al-Arabiya as-Saudiya (The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)
Area: 2,250,000 square kilometers (868,730 square miles)
Physical Features: Deserts, Plateaux, Mountains
Highest Point: Jabal Sawda
Population: 20.8 million (2000): Saudi citizens 74.8%; 25.2% non-Saudi residents
Language: Arabic
Religion: Islam
Flag: Green Banner of Islam, The Saudi flag features white lettering on a green background. The Arabic text bearing inscription reads: "There is no God but God; and Muhammad is his Messenger". Below the letters, also in white, is a sword. The sword was added in 1906.
Anthem: "Sarei Lil Majd Walaya"
Public Holidays: In accordance with Wahhabi theology, Eid al Fitr and Eid al Adha are Saudi Arabia's only national holidays. Both holidays are dependent on the Islamic lunar calendar, and thus the dates of celebration vary from year to year.
Capital: Riyadh (population in 2000: 4.7 million)
Head of State and Prime Minister: King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Highest Court: Supreme Council of Justice
Administrative Regions: Al-Baha, Al-Jouf, Asir, Eastern, Hail, Jizan, Madinah, Makkah, Najran, Northern Border, Qasim, Riyadh, Tabouk
Administrative Divisions: A royal decree put forth in 1993 divided the kingdom into 13 provinces: Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), Asir, Hail, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, and Tabuk. A royal decree issued in 1994 subdivided the 13 provinces into 103 governorates.
Major Cities in Saudi Arabia: Population estimates for 2006 show continued growth for Saudi Arabia’s major urban areas: Jiddah (2.9 million), Mecca (1.6 million), Ad Dammam/Khobar/Dhahran (1.6 million), and Medina (854,500). Mecca and Medina have religious significance that far outweighs their respective populations.
Currency and Exchange Rate: Saudi Arabia’s currency, the riyal (SAR), is pegged to the U.S. dollar. Therefore, the rate in terms of U.S. value remains stable: SAR3.75=US$1.
Labor: Sufficient employment is a significant problem in Saudi Arabia. The unemployment rate estimates vary from 13 percent to 25 percent, and the economy remains dependent on the skills and expertise provided by the 6 million foreign nationals residing in the country. Current estimates place the workforce in Saudi Arabia at 6.76 million, with foreign workers constituting nearly one-third of that total. Resolution No. 50, passed in 1995, required that the workforce of any company with more than 20 employees be at least 5 percent Saudi. This requirement was raised to 10 percent in 1999. Additionally, in 2001 the Saudi government prohibited the awarding of contracts to companies not complying with Saudiization and stipulated that foreign workers applying to change jobs would be charged a fee.
Saudi Arabia does not have a minimum wage, but most workers earn a wage adequate to meet their family’s basic needs. Overtime must be paid for hours worked beyond the federally mandated 48-hour workweek. The government prohibits the formation of labor unions and collective bargaining, although it has begun to allow the establishment in larger companies of “labor committees,” whose members must be approved by the Ministry of Labor and Social Affairs.
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Imports into Saudi Arabia: Increasing demands for consumer goods in Saudi Arabia have driven up overall imports in the kingdom, a trend that is expected to continue for the foreseeable future. The total value of imported goods in 2006 is expected to increase from the estimated total of US$51 billion in 2005. The largest categories of imported goods are machinery and vehicles, which make up about 50 percent of all imports, as well as appliances, electrical equipment, sound and television apparatus, aircraft, and cars. The United States continues to be Saudi Arabia’s leading source of imports (13 percent in 2005). Imports from the United States include military equipment, machinery, foodstuffs, and transport equipment. European countries, including Germany, France, and Britain, are other leading suppliers.
Exports from Saudi Arabia: Nearly 90 percent of Saudi exports are related to oil. Petrochemicals, plastics, construction materials (cement especially), and agricultural products make up the remainder of Saudi exports. Export earnings (mainly from oil and petroleum products) totaled an estimated US$175 billion in 2005. The value of exports is expected to increase in 2006, as increased production likely will offset any reduction in the price of oil. The United States and Japan receive the largest share of Saudi exported commodities?about 17 and 14 percent, respectively, of the 2005 total. Other primary destinations include South Korea, China, Singapore, and Taiwan.
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