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Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia
 
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Capital: Riyadh
Area size: 2149690 sq. km Slightly larger than Mexico
Time zone: GMT +3
Currency: Saudi riyal
Area code: (+) 966
Driving: Right
Climate description: Harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes.
 

People
Standard of living
Economy & aid
Health
Disasters, conflict & migration
Language
Arabic, with dialect varations. Languages of other communities, particularly foreign workers, include Farsi and Urdu.
Source: New Internationalist World Guide

Population
2007 24.4 million U.N. Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA) Population Division (2006)
2006 24.0 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2005 23.6 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2004 23.0 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2003 22.5 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2002 21.9 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2001 21.4 million U.N. DESA (2006)
2000 20.8 million U.N. DESA (2006)

Future population estimates
39.7 million (2050)
Source: U.N. DESA (2006)

Ethnic groups
Saudis are mainly of Arab origin. In recent years there has been large-scale immigration of Iranians, Pakistanis and Palestinians into Saudi Arabia.
Source: NI World Guide

Religion
Islam; Sunni Wahhabism (official) 95 percent, Shia 3 percent. There is a small Christian minority.
Source: NI World Guide

Percentage urban population
2007 81.4 percent U.N. DESA - World Urbanisation Prospects 2005
2006 81.2 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2005 81.0 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2004 80.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2003 80.5 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2002 80.3 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2001 80.1 percent U.N. DESA (2005)
2000 79.8 percent U.N. DESA (2005)

Year women granted right to vote
No data available
Where two figures are shown, the first refers to a partial recognition of the right to vote and the second to the year women received the right to vote on a universal and equal basis.

Net percentage of girls enrolled in primary education
No data available (2006)

Percentage of population under 15
2005 34.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 37.8 percent U.N. Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report 2006
2003 38.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 39.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 39.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 42.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002


Average life expectancy
2005 72.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 72.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 71.8 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 72.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 71.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 71.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - male
2005 70.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 70.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 70.1 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 71.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 70.7 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 70.5 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Life expectancy - female
2005 74.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 74.2 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 73.9 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 73.6 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 73.3 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 73.0 years UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Infant mortality
2006 21 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 21 per 1,000 live births U.N. Children's Fund (UNICEF) - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 21 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 22 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 23 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 23 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 24 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Child mortality - deaths before the age of five
2006 25 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
2005 26 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
2004 27 per 1,000 live births UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
2003 26 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 28 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 29 per 1,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Births attended by skilled personnel
1997-2005 No data available percent
1996-2004 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1995-2003 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 91 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Maternal mortality
2005 18 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2000 23 per 100,000 live births UNDP - Human Development Report 2006

Human development index (HDI rank)
2005 61 UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 76 UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 77 UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 77 UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 73 UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 71 UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Percentage of children under weight for age (under age 5)
2000-2006 14 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2008
1996-2005 14 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2007
1996-2004 14 percent UNICEF - State of the World's Children 2006
1995-2003 14 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
1995-2002 14 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1995-2001 14 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
1995-2000 No data available percent

Percentage of undernourished population
2002-2004 average 4 percent U.N. Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) 2006
2001-2003average 4 percent FAO 2006

Food intake falls below the minimum requirement.
Population with access to improved water
2004 No data available percent
2002 No data available percent
2000 95 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Population with access to improved sanitation
2004 No data available percent
2002 No data available percent
2000 100 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004

Literacy - average
2004 79.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 79.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 77.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 77.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 76.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - male
2004 87.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 87.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 94.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 83.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 83.1 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Literacy - female
2004 69.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 69.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2002 69.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2001 68.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003
2000 66.9 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2002

Landlines telephones
2006 157 per 1,000 people International Telecommunication Union (ITU) 2007
2005 156 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 154 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 150 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 146 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 146 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 138 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Cellular telephone subscribers
2006 781 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 576 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 383 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 310 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 221 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 115 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 64 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Internet users
2006 187 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2005 122 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2004 99 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2003 77 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2002 62 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2001 45 per 1,000 people ITU 2007
2000 21 per 1,000 people ITU 2007

Transparency International corruption ranking (1=least corrupt, 179=most corrupt)
2007 79 (joint) Transparency International 2007
2006 70 (joint) Transparency International
2005 70 (joint) Transparency International
2004 71 (joint) Transparency International
2003 46 (joint) Transparency International
2002 Not ranked Transparency International
2001 Not ranked
2000 Not ranked

Signatory of International Convention on the Prevention and Punishment for the crime of Genocide
Yes (1948)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment
Yes (1984)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

Signatory of the Convention on the Rights of the Child
Yes (1989)
Source: UNDP - Human Development Report

International humanitarian aid flows
Access the Financial Tracking Service, a global real-time database which records all reported humanitarian aid - including that for NGOs, the Red Cross/Crescent Movement, bilateral aid, in-kind aid and private donations - searchable by country.
Source: Financial Tracking Service, ReliefWeb

Percentage of population living on less than US$1 a day
No data available percent

GNI per capita, Atlas method
2006 13980  current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 12540 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 10810 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 9400 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 8560 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 8480 current US$ WorldBankDataProfileTables2008
2000 8140 current US$ World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

The purpose of the Atlas conversion factor is to reduce the impact of exchange rate fluctuations in a cross-country comparison of national incomes. The Atlas conversion factor for any year is the average of a country’s exchange rate (or alternative conversion factor) for that year and its exchange rates for the two preceding years.
GDP
2006 349.1 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2005 315.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2004 250.3 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2003 214.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2002 188.6 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2001 183.0 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008
2000 188.4 current US$ billions World Bank Data Profile Tables 2008

Annual GDP growth
2005 6.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 5.3 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 7.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 0.1 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 0.5 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 4.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Annual inflation
2005 16 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2004 10.8 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2003 5.7 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2002 2.9 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2001 -3.4 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007
2000 11.6 percent World Bank Data Profile Tables 2007

Share of income or consumption (poorest 10 percent)
No data available

Share of income or consumption (richest 10 percent)
No data available

Physicians
2000-2004 137 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
1990-2004 137 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
1990-2003 153 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
1990-2002 153 per 100,000 people UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage HIV+ (adults aged 15-49)
No data available percent

Malaria
Risk from P. falciparum throughout the year in most of the southern region except the high altitude areas of Asir province and in certain rural areas of the western region. No risk in Mecca or Medina cities. Chloroquine resistant P.falciparum reported.
Source: WHO

TB cases
2006 44 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2005 43 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2004 42 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2003 43 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2002 44 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2001 46 per 100,000 people WHO 2008
2000 47 per 100,000 people WHO 2008

Chronology of natural disasters
Access EM-DAT, a database of natural disasters from 1900 to the present - death tolls and numbers of affected people - searchable by country.
Source: Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters, Catholic University of Louvain, Belgium

Number of refugees originating here
2006 617 Office of the U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR)
2005 151 UNHCR
2004 214 UNHCR
2003 236 UNHCR
2002 109 UNHCR
2001 35 UNHCR
2000 77 UNHCR

Number of refugees residing here
2006 240772 UNHCR
2005 240701 UNHCR
2004 240552 UNHCR
2003 240835 UNHCR
2002 245290 UNHCR
2001 245268 UNHCR
2000 5309 UNHCR

Number of internally displaced people\Estimate
No data available

Landmine casualties per year
2004 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2005
2003 0 Landmine Monitor Report 2004

Casualty figures may include both civilians and military personnel injured or killed by landmines and unexploded ordnance.
Signatory to landmine convention?
No
Source: Landmine Monitor Report

Percentage of GDP spent on military
2005 8.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2004 8.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2003 8.7 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005

Percentage of GDP spent on education
2002-2005 6.8 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2002-2004 No data available percent
1998-2000 9.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003

Percentage of GDP spent on health
2004 2.5 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2007/2008
2003-2004 3.0 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2006
2002 3.3 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2005
2001 3.4 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2004
2000 4.2 percent UNDP - Human Development Report 2003


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