Country Information
Key Data

Region
Middle East

Area Total
1,960,582 km

Population
21,504,613 (July 2000 Estimate)

Area Land
1,960,582 km

Coastline
2,640 km

Climate
Harsh, dry desert with great extremes of temperature

Languages
Arabic

Currency
1 Saudi riyal (SR$) = 100 halalah

Holiday
Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Boundaries
Yemen
1,458 km

Iraq
814 km

Jordan
728 km

Oman
676 km

United Arab Emirates
457 km

Kuwait
222 km

Qatar
60 km

Ethnic Divisions
Arab 90 %
Afro-Asian 10 %

Religions
Muslim 100 %

Largest Cities City Population
Riyadh 2,500,000
Jeddah 1,800,000
Mecca 1,500,000
Medina 600,050

People
Saudi Arabia's population, totaling in excess of 21,000,000, includes about 6 million non-national residents.

History
Except for a few major cities and oases, the harsh climate historically prevented much settlement of the Arabian Peninsula.

Economy
Saudi Arabia is a well-to-do oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities.

Agriculture
The agriculture sector in Saudi Arabia contributes 6.0% of the GDP and employs an estimated 5.0% of the labor force.

Energy
Saudi Arabia is one of the world's largest energy net exporters.

Metals
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, achieved a diversity in its mineral industry in recent years through the development of copper and gold mining operations, and of cement, fertilizer, and steel manufacturing facilities.

Environment
Saudi Arabia is made up predominantly of desert.