25 00 N, 45 00 E

Map references:

Middle East

Area:

total: 2,149,690 sq km land: 2,149,690 sq km water: 0 sq km

Area - comparative:

slightly more than one-fifth the size of the US

Land boundaries:

total: 4,431 km border countries: Iraq 814 km, Jordan 744 km, Kuwait 222 km, Oman 676 km, Qatar 60 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,458 km

Coastline:

2,640 km

Maritime claims:

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

Climate:

harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes

Terrain:

mostly uninhabited, sandy desert

Elevation extremes:

lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m

Natural resources:

petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper

Land use:

arable land: 1.67% permanent crops: 0.09% other: 98.24% (2005)

Irrigated land:

16,200 sq km (2003)

Total renewable water resources:

2.4 cu km (1997)

Freshwater withdrawal (domestic/industrial/agricultural):

total: 17.32 cu km/yr (10%/1%/89%) per capita: 705 cu m/yr (2000)

Natural hazards:

frequent sand and dust storms

Environment - current issues:

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

Environment - international agreements:

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

Geography - note:

extensive coastlines on Persian Gulf and Red Sea provide great leverage on shipping (especially crude oil) through Persian Gulf and Suez Canal

People
Saudi Arabia

Population:

28,146,656 note: includes 5,576,076 non-nationals (July 2008 est.)

Age structure:

0-14 years: 38% (male 5,458,023/female 5,245,911) 15-64 years: 59.5% (male 9,470,353/female 7,284,696) 65 years and over: 2.4% (male 356,910/female 330,764) (2008 est.)

Median age:

total: 21.5 years male: 22.9 years female: 19.8 years (2008 est.)

Population growth rate:

1.954% (2008 est.)

Birth rate:

28.85 births/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Death rate:

2.49 deaths/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Net migration rate:

-6.82 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2008 est.)

Sex ratio:

at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female 15-64 years: 1.3 male(s)/female 65 years and over: 1.08 male(s)/female total population: 1.19 male(s)/female (2008 est.)

Infant mortality rate:

total: 11.94 deaths/1,000 live births male: 13.58 deaths/1,000 live births female: 10.23 deaths/1,000 live births (2008 est.)

Life expectancy at birth:

total population: 76.09 years male: 74.04 years female: 78.25 years (2008 est.)

Total fertility rate:

3.89 children born/woman (2008 est.)

HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate:

0.01% (2001 est.)

HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: