View Intelligence Dossier Back to 2016 CSV Excel Print All Years

Communications

Broadcast media [time series]

broadcast media are state-controlled; state-run TV operates 4 networks; Saudi Arabia is a major market for pan-Arab satellite TV broadcasters; state-run radio operates several networks; multiple international broadcasters are available (2007)

Internet country code [time series]

.sa

Internet users [time series]

total: 19.32 million | percent of population: 69.6% (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 35

Telecommunication systems (Telephone system) [time series]

general assessment: modern system including a combination of extensive microwave radio relays, coaxial cables, and fiber-optic cables | domestic: mobile-cellular subscribership has been increasing rapidly | international: country code - 966; landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG) and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks providing connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and US; microwave radio relay to Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Yemen, and Sudan; coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan; satellite earth stations - 5 Intelsat (3 Atlantic Ocean and 2 Indian Ocean), 1 Arabsat, and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2015)

Telephones - fixed lines [time series]

total subscriptions: 3,746,906 | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 14 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 42

Telephones - mobile cellular [time series]

total: 52.796 million | subscriptions per 100 inhabitants: 190 (July 2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29

Economy

Agricultural products (Agriculture - products) [time series]

wheat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk

Budget [time series]

revenues: $164.2 billion | expenditures: $260.8 billion (2015 est.)

Budget surplus (+) or deficit (-) [time series]

-14.8% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 212

Central bank discount rate [time series]

2.5% (31 December 2008) | country comparison to the world: 108

Commercial bank prime lending rate [time series]

6.9% (31 December 2015 est.) | 6.7% (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Current account balance [time series]

-$41.48 billion (2015 est.) | $73.76 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 193

Debt - external [time series]

$169.8 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $166.1 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 36

Gini Index coefficient - distribution of family income (Distribution of family income - Gini index) [time series]

45.9 (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 37

Economic overview (Economy - overview) [time series]

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. It possesses about 16% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 87% of budget revenues, 42% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. | Saudi Arabia is encouraging the growth of the private sector in order to diversify its economy and to employ more Saudi nationals. Over 6 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, particularly in the oil and service sectors; at the same time, however, Riyadh is struggling to reduce unemployment among its own nationals. Saudi officials are particularly focused on employing its large youth population, which generally lacks the education and technical skills the private sector needs. | In 2015, the Kingdom incurred a budget deficit estimated at 13% of GDP, and it faces a deficit of $87 billion in 2016, which will be financed by bond sales and drawing down reserves. Although the Kingdom can finance high deficits for several years by drawing down its considerable foreign assets or by borrowing, it has announced plans to cut capital spending in 2016. Some of these plans to cut deficits include introducing a value-added tax and reducing subsidies on electricity, water, and petroleum products. In January 2016, Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced that Saudi Arabia intends to list shares of its state-owned petroleum company, ARAMCO - another move to increase revenue and outside investment. The government has also looked at privatization and diversification of the economy more closely in the wake of a diminished oil market. Historically, Saudi Arabia has focused diversification efforts on power generation, telecommunications, natural gas exploration, and petrochemical sectors. More recently, the government has approached investors about expanding the role of the private sector in the healthcare, education and tourism industries. While Saudi Arabia has emphasized their goals of diversification for some time, current low oil prices may force the government to make more drastic changes ahead of their long-run timeline.

Exchange rates [time series]

Saudi riyals (SAR) per US dollar - | 3.75 (2015 est.) | 3.75 (2014 est.) | 3.75 (2013 est.) | 3.75 (2012 est.) | 3.75 (2011 est.)

Exports [time series]

$202.3 billion (2015 est.) | $342.5 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Exports - commodities [time series]

petroleum and petroleum products 90% (2012 est.)

Exports - partners [time series]

China 13.2%, Japan 10.9%, US 9.6%, India 9.6%, South Korea 8.5% (2015)

Fiscal year [time series]

calendar year

GDP (official exchange rate) [time series]

$653.2 billion (2015 est.)

Real GDP (purchasing power parity) (GDP (purchasing power parity)) [time series]

$1.683 trillion (2015 est.) | $1.628 trillion (2014 est.) | $1.571 trillion (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 15

GDP - composition, by end use [time series]

GDP - composition, by sector of origin [time series]

agriculture: 2.3% | industry: 46% | services: 51.8% (2015 est.)

Real GDP per capita (GDP - per capita (PPP)) [time series]

$53,600 (2015 est.) | $52,900 (2014 est.) | $52,400 (2013 est.) | note: data are in 2015 US dollars | country comparison to the world: 21

Real GDP growth rate (GDP - real growth rate) [time series]

3.4% (2015 est.) | 3.6% (2014 est.) | 2.7% (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 82

Gross national saving [time series]

26.4% of GDP (2015 est.) | 38.3% of GDP (2014 est.) | 44.4% of GDP (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 45

Household income or consumption by percentage share [time series]

lowest 10%: NA% | highest 10%: NA%

Imports [time series]

$155 billion (2015 est.) | $158.5 billion (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 27

Imports - commodities [time series]

machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles

Imports - partners [time series]

China 13.9%, US 12.7%, Germany 7.1%, South Korea 6.1%, India 4.5%, Japan 4.4%, UK 4.3% (2015)

Industrial production growth rate [time series]

4% (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 54

Industries [time series]

crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction

Inflation rate (consumer prices) [time series]

2.2% (2015 est.) | 2.7% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 126

Labor force [time series]

11.67 million | note: about 80% of the labor force is non-national (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 50

Labor force - by occupation [time series]

agriculture: 6.7% | industry: 21.4% | services: 71.9% (2005 est.)

Market value of publicly traded shares [time series]

$373.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $338.9 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | $353.4 billion (31 December 2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 22

Population below poverty line [time series]

NA%

Public debt [time series]

15% of GDP (2015 est.) | 9.2% of GDP (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 164

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold [time series]

$616.4 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $732.4 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 4

Stock of broad money [time series]

$513.3 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $461.2 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 23

Stock of direct foreign investment - abroad [time series]

$37.98 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $32.46 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Stock of direct foreign investment - at home [time series]

$250.7 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $242.6 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 24

Stock of domestic credit [time series]

$134.1 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $13.35 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 47

Stock of narrow money [time series]

$305.5 billion (31 December 2015 est.) | $304.8 billion (31 December 2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 15

Taxes and other revenues [time series]

25.1% of GDP (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Unemployment rate [time series]

11.4% (2015 est.) | 11.6% (2014 est.) | note: data are for Saudi males only (local bank estimates; some estimates are as high as 25%) | country comparison to the world: 129

Energy

Carbon dioxide emissions (Carbon dioxide emissions from consumption of energy) [time series]

594 million Mt (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Crude oil - exports [time series]

7.416 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 1

Crude oil - imports [time series]

0 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 119

Crude oil - production [time series]

10.05 million bbl/day (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 2

Crude oil - proved reserves [time series]

269 billion bbl (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 2

Electricity - consumption [time series]

272 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity - exports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 189

Electricity - from fossil fuels [time series]

99.9% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 38

Electricity - from hydroelectric plants [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 196

Electricity - from nuclear fuels [time series]

0% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 174

Electricity - from other renewable sources [time series]

0.1% of total installed capacity (2012 est.) | country comparison to the world: 120

Electricity - imports [time series]

0 kWh (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 195

Electricity - installed generating capacity [time series]

66 million kW (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Electricity - production [time series]

293 billion kWh (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 17

Electricity access [time series]

population without electricity: 200,000 | electrification - total population: 98% | electrification - urban areas: 99% | electrification - rural areas: 93% (2013)

Natural gas - consumption [time series]

102.4 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 8

Natural gas - exports [time series]

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 172

Natural gas - imports [time series]

0 cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 127

Natural gas - production [time series]

102.4 billion cu m (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 9

Natural gas - proved reserves [time series]

8.489 trillion cu m (1 January 2016 es) | country comparison to the world: 6

Refined petroleum products - consumption [time series]

3.141 million bbl/day (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 7

Refined petroleum products - exports [time series]

1.45 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 6

Refined petroleum products - imports [time series]

497,000 bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 21

Refined petroleum products - production [time series]

1.884 million bbl/day (2013 est.) | country comparison to the world: 10

Geography

Area [time series]

total: 2,149,690 sq km | land: 2,149,690 sq km | water: 0 sq km | country comparison to the world: 13

Area - comparative [time series]

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Climate [time series]

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Coastline [time series]

2,640 km

Elevation [time series]

mean elevation: 665 m | elevation extremes: lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m | highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Environment - current issues [time series]

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

International environmental agreements (Environment - international agreements) [time series]

party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Climate Change-Kyoto Protocol, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Ship Pollution | signed, but not ratified: none of the selected agreements

Geographic coordinates [time series]

25 00 N, 45 00 E

Geography - note [time series]

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world without a river; extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through the Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

Irrigated land [time series]

16,200 sq km (2012)

Land boundaries [time series]

total: 4,272 km | border countries (7): Iraq 811 km, Jordan 731 km, Kuwait 221 km, Oman 658 km, Qatar 87 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,307 km

Land use [time series]

agricultural land: 80.7% | arable land 1.5%; permanent crops 0.1%; permanent pasture 79.1% | forest: 0.5% | other: 18.8% (2011 est.)

Location [time series]

Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen

Map references [time series]

Middle East

Maritime claims [time series]

territorial sea: 12 nm | contiguous zone: 18 nm | continental shelf: not specified

Natural hazards [time series]

frequent sand and dust storms | volcanism: despite many volcanic formations, there has been little activity in the past few centuries; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar

Natural resources [time series]

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Population distribution (Population - distribution) [time series]

historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since petroleum was discovered in the 1930s; most of the economic activities - and with it the country's population - is concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east, through Riyadh in the interior, to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea

Terrain [time series]

mostly sandy desert

Government

Administrative divisions [time series]

13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al Madinah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh), Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jazan, Makkah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk

Capital [time series]

name: Riyadh | geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E | time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time)

Citizenship [time series]

citizenship by birth: no | citizenship by descent only: the father must be a citizen of Saudi Arabia; a child born out of wedlock in Saudi Arabia to a Saudi mother and unknown father | dual citizenship recognized: no | residency requirement for naturalization: 5 years

Constitution [time series]

1 March 1992 - Basic Law of Government, issued by royal decree, serves as the constitutional framework and is based on the Qur'an and the life and tradition of the Prophet Muhammad

Country name [time series]

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 | etymology: named after the ruling dynasty of the country, the House of Saud; the name "Arabia" can be traced back many centuries B.C., the ancient Egyptians referred to the region as "Ar Rabi"

Diplomatic representation from the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador Joseph William WESTPHAL (since 26 March 2014) | embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh | mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693 | telephone: [966] (11) 488-3800 | FAX: [966] (11) 488-7360 | consulate(s) general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Diplomatic representation in the US [time series]

chief of mission: Ambassador ABDALLAH bin Faysal bin Turki bin Abdallah Al Saud (since 28 January 2016) | chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 | telephone: [1] (202) 342-3800 | FAX: [1] (202) 944-3113 | consulate(s) general: Houston, Los Angeles, New York

Executive branch [time series]

chief of state: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 30 August 1959); Deputy Crown Prince and Second Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985); note - the monarch is both chief of state and head of government | head of government: King and Prime Minister SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (since 23 January 2015); Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN NAYIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 30 August 1959); Crown Prince and Second Deputy Prime Minister MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud (born 31 August 1985) | cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the monarch every 4 years and includes many royal family members | elections/appointments: none; the monarchy is hereditary; note - an Allegiance Council created by royal decree in October 2006 established a committee of Saudi princes to a role in selecting future Saudi kings

Flag (Flag description) [time series]

green, a traditional color in Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed in large white Arabic script (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); design dates to the early twentieth century and is closely associated with the Al Saud family which established the kingdom in 1932; the flag is manufactured with differing obverse and reverse sides so that the Shahada reads - and the sword points - correctly from right to left on both sides | note: the only national flag to display an inscription as its principal design; one of only three national flags that differ on their obverse and reverse sides - the others are Moldova and Paraguay

Government type [time series]

absolute monarchy

Independence [time series]

23 September 1932 (unification of the kingdom)

International law organization participation [time series]

has not submitted an ICJ jurisdiction declaration; non-party state to the ICCt

International organization participation [time series]

ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, CAEU, CP, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC (national committees), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU, WCO, WFTU (NGOs), WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO

Judicial branch [time series]

highest court(s): High Court (consists of the court chief and organized into circuits with 3-judge panels except the criminal circuit, which has a 5-judge panel for cases involving major punishments) | judge selection and term of office: High Court chief and chiefs of the High Court Circuits appointed by royal decree following the recommendation of the Supreme Judiciary Council, a 10-member body of high-level judges and other judicial heads; new judges and assistant judges serve 1- and 2- year probations, respectively, before permanent assignment | subordinate courts: Court of Appeals; Specialized Criminal Court, first-degree courts composed of general, criminal, personal status, and commercial courts; Labor Court; a hierarchy of administrative courts

Legal system [time series]

Islamic (sharia) legal system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; note - several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees

Legislative branch [time series]

description: unicameral Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura (150 seats; members appointed by the monarch to serve 4-year terms); note - in early 2013, the monarch granted women 30 seats on the Council

National anthem(s) (National anthem) [time series]

name: "Aash Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King) | lyrics/music: Ibrahim KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB | note: music adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984

National holiday [time series]

Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

National symbol(s) [time series]

palm tree surmounting two crossed swords; national colors: green, white

Political parties (Political parties and leaders) [time series]

none

Political parties (Political pressure groups and leaders) [time series]

other: gas companies; religious groups

Suffrage [time series]

21 years of age; male; male and female for municipal elections

Introduction

Background [time series]

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. 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. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong ongoing campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. | From 2005 to 2015, King ABDALLAH incrementally modernized the Kingdom. Driven by personal ideology and political pragmatism, he introduced a series of social and economic initiatives, including expanding employment and social opportunities for women, attracting foreign investment, increasing the role of the private sector in the economy, and discouraging businesses from hiring foreign workers. Saudi Arabia saw protests during the 2011 Arab Spring among Shia Muslims in the Eastern Province, who protested primarily against the detention of political prisoners, endemic discrimination, and Bahraini and Saudi Government actions in Bahrain. Riyadh took a cautious but firm approach by arresting some protesters but releasing most of them quickly and by using its state-sponsored clerics to counter political and Islamist activism. In addition, protests were met by a strong police presence, with some arrests, but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. | The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis went to the polls to elect municipal councilors. In December 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal council elections, with 21 women winning seats. King SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud ascended to the throne in 2015 and placed the first next-generation prince, MUHAMMAD BIN NAIF bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, in the line of succession as Crown Prince. He designated his son, MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud, as the Deputy Crown Prince. In March 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition of 10 countries in a military campaign to restore the government of Yemen, which had been ousted by Huthi forces allied with former president ALI ABDULLAH al-Salih. The war in Yemen has led to civilian casualties and shortages of basic supplies, which has drawn considerable international criticism. In December 2015, Deputy Crown Prince MUHAMMAD BIN SALMAN announced Saudi Arabia would lead a 34-nation Islamic Coalition to fight terrorism. In January 2016, Saudi Arabia executed 47 people on charges of terrorism, including Shia Muslim cleric NIMR al-Nimr. Iranian protesters overran Saudi diplomatic facilities in Iran to protest al-NIMR’s execution and the Saudi government responded by cutting off diplomatic ties with Iran.

Military and Security

Military and security forces (Military branches) [time series]

Ministry of Defense: Royal Saudi Land Forces, Royal Saudi Naval Forces (includes Marine Forces and Special Forces), Royal Saudi Air Force (Al-Quwwat al-Jawwiya al-Malakiya as-Sa'udiya), Royal Saudi Air Defense Forces, Royal Saudi Strategic Rocket Forces, Ministry of the National Guard (SANG) (2015)

Military expenditures [time series]

Military service age and obligation [time series]

17 is the legal minimum age for voluntary military service; no conscription (2012)

People and Society

Age structure [time series]

0-14 years: 26.56% (male 3,835,472/female 3,644,041) | 15-24 years: 18.85% (male 2,843,422/female 2,465,027) | 25-54 years: 46.4% (male 7,401,654/female 5,663,769) | 55-64 years: 4.86% (male 747,307/female 620,100) | 65 years and over: 3.34% (male 478,244/female 461,237) (2016 est.)

Birth rate [time series]

18.4 births/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 94

Contraceptive prevalence rate [time series]

23.8% (2007)

Death rate [time series]

3.3 deaths/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 220

Dependency ratios [time series]

total dependency ratio: 45.9% | youth dependency ratio: 41.7% | elderly dependency ratio: 4.2% | potential support ratio: 24% (2015 est.)

Drinking water source [time series]

Education expenditure (Education expenditures) [time series]

5.1% of GDP (2008) | country comparison to the world: 68

Ethnic groups [time series]

Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate [time series]

HIV/AIDS - deaths [time series]

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS [time series]

Health expenditure (Health expenditures) [time series]

4.7% of GDP (2014) | country comparison to the world: 178

Hospital bed density [time series]

2.1 beds/1,000 population (2012)

Infant mortality rate [time series]

total: 13.6 deaths/1,000 live births | male: 15.6 deaths/1,000 live births | female: 11.5 deaths/1,000 live births (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 108

Languages [time series]

Arabic (official)

Life expectancy at birth [time series]

total population: 75.3 years | male: 73.2 years | female: 77.4 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Literacy [time series]

definition: age 15 and over can read and write | total population: 94.7% | male: 97% | female: 91.1% (2015 est.)

Major urban areas - population [time series]

RIYADH (capital) 6.195 million; Jeddah 4.076 million; Mecca 1.771 million; Medina 1.28 million; Ad Dammam 1.064 million (2015)

Maternal mortality ratio (Maternal mortality rate) [time series]

12 deaths/100,000 live births (2015 est.) | country comparison to the world: 133

Median age [time series]

total: 27.2 years | male: 27.9 years | female: 26.2 years (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 144

Nationality [time series]

noun: Saudi(s) | adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian

Net migration rate [time series]

-0.5 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 130

Obesity - adult prevalence rate [time series]

33.7% (2014) | country comparison to the world: 19

Physician density (Physicians density) [time series]

2.49 physicians/1,000 population (2012)

Population [time series]

28,160,273 (July 2016 est.) | note: immigrants make up more than 30% of the total population, according to UN data (2015) | country comparison to the world: 47

Population distribution [time series]

Population growth rate [time series]

1.46% (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 80

Religions [time series]

Muslim (official; citizens are 85-90% Sunni and 10-15% Shia), other (includes Eastern Orthodox, Protestant, Roman Catholic, Jewish, Hindu, Buddhist, and Sikh) (2012 est.) | note: despite having a large expatriate community of various faiths (more than 30% of the population), most forms of public religious expression inconsistent with the government-sanctioned interpretation of Sunni Islam are restricted; non-Muslims are not allowed to have Saudi citizenship and non-Muslim places of worship are not permitted (2013)

Sanitation facility access [time series]

School life expectancy (primary to tertiary education) [time series]

total: 16 years | male: 17 years | female: 15 years (2014)

Sex ratio [time series]

Total fertility rate [time series]

2.11 children born/woman (2016 est.) | country comparison to the world: 105

Youth unemployment rate (ages 15-24) (Unemployment, youth ages 15-24) [time series]

total: 30.4% | male: 21.4% | female: 57.9% (2014 est.) | country comparison to the world: 29

Urbanization [time series]

urban population: 83.1% of total population (2015) | rate of urbanization: 2.1% annual rate of change (2010-15 est.)

Transnational Issues

Disputes - international [time series]

Saudi Arabia has reinforced its concrete-filled security barrier along sections of the now fully demarcated border with Yemen to stem illegal cross-border activities; Kuwait and Saudi Arabia continue discussions on a maritime boundary with Iran; Saudi Arabia claims Egyptian-administered islands of Tiran and Sanafir

Illicit drugs [time series]

regularly enforces the death penalty for drug traffickers, with foreigners being convicted and executed disproportionately; improving anti-money-laundering legislation and enforcement

Refugees and internally displaced persons [time series]

refugees (country of origin): 30,000 (Yemen) (2016) | stateless persons: 70,000 (2015); note - thousands of biduns (stateless Arabs) are descendants of nomadic tribes who were not officially registered when national borders were established, while others migrated to Saudi Arabia in search of jobs; some have temporary identification cards that must be renewed every five years, but their rights remain restricted; most Palestinians have only legal resident status; some naturalized Yemenis were made stateless after being stripped of their passports when Yemen backed Iraq in its invasion of Kuwait in 1990; Saudi women cannot pass their citizenship on to their children, so if they marry a non-national, their children risk statelessness

Trafficking in persons [time series]

current situation: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for men and women subjected to forced labor and, to a lesser extent, forced prostitution; men and women from South and East Asia, the Middle East, and Africa who voluntarily travel to Saudi Arabia as domestic servants or low-skilled laborers subsequently face conditions of involuntary servitude, including nonpayment and withholding of passports; some migrant workers are forced to work indefinitely beyond the term of their contract because their employers will not grant them a required exit visa; female domestic workers are particularly vulnerable because of their isolation in private homes; women, primarily from Asian and African countries, are believed to be forced into prostitution in Saudi Arabia, while other foreign women were reportedly kidnapped and forced into prostitution after running away from abusive employers; children from South Asia, East Africa, and Yemen are subjected to forced labor as beggars and street vendors in Saudi Arabia, facilitated by criminal gangs | tier rating: Tier 2 Watch List - Saudi Arabia does not fully comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking; however, it is making significant efforts to do so; government officials and high-level religious leaders demonstrated greater political will to combat trafficking and publically acknowledged the problem – specifically forced labor; the government reported increased numbers of prosecutions and convictions of trafficking offenders; however, it did not proactively investigate and prosecute employers for potential labor trafficking crimes following their withholding of workers’ wages and passports, which are illegal; authorities did not systematically use formal criteria to proactively identify victims, resulting in some unidentified victims being arrested, detained, deported, and sometimes prosecuted; more victims were identified and referred to protective services in 2014 than the previous year, but victims of sex trafficking and male trafficking victims were not provided with shelter and remained vulnerable to punishment (2015)

Transportation

Airports [time series]

214 (2013) | country comparison to the world: 26

Airports - with paved runways [time series]

total: 82 | over 3,047 m: 33 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 16 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 27 | 914 to 1,523 m: 2 | under 914 m: 4 (2013)

Airports - with unpaved runways [time series]

total: 132 | 2,438 to 3,047 m: 7 | 1,524 to 2,437 m: 72 | 914 to 1,523 m: 37 | under 914 m: 16 (2013)

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix [time series]

HZ (2016)

Heliports [time series]

10 (2013)

Merchant marine [time series]

total: 72 | by type: cargo 1, chemical tanker 25, container 4, liquefied gas 2, passenger/cargo 10, petroleum tanker 20, refrigerated cargo 3, roll on/roll off 7 | foreign-owned: 15 (Egypt 1, Greece 4, Kuwait 4, UAE 6) | registered in other countries: 55 (Bahamas 16, Dominica 2, Liberia 20, Malta 2, Norway 3, Panama 11, Tanzania 1) (2010) | country comparison to the world: 61

National air transport system [time series]

number of registered air carriers: 12 | inventory of registered aircraft operated by air carriers: 214 | annual passenger traffic on registered air carriers: 32,778,827 | annual freight traffic on registered air carriers: 1,783.086 million mt-km (2015)

Pipelines [time series]

condensate 209 km; gas 2,940 km; liquid petroleum gas 1,183 km; oil 5,117 km; refined products 1,151 km (2013)

Ports (Ports and terminals) [time series]

major seaport(s): Ad Dammam, Al Jubayl, Jeddah, Yanbu al Bahr | container port(s) (TEUs): Ad Dammam (1,492,315), Jeddah (4,010,448)

Railways [time series]

total: 1,378 km | standard gauge: 1,378 km 1.435-m gauge (with branch lines and sidings) (2014) | country comparison to the world: 80

Roadways [time series]

total: 221,372 km | paved: 47,529 km (includes 3,891 km of expressways) | unpaved: 173,843 km (2006) | country comparison to the world: 22