Running head: The Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A country study
Alan
A. Jones
U.S. Army-Baylor University
Graduate Program
In
Health and Business Administration
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A country study
Introduction
The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has played a prominent role
on the world scene for over seventy five years. As the homeland of the prophet Mohammad, Saudi
Arabia is vital to the world’s Muslim
population. In addition to its link with Islam, Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading producer of
oil and home to fifteen of the nineteen terrorist who flew commercial airliners
into the Trade Towers and the Pentagon on September 11,
2001. This paper will provide an overview of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Geography
Saudi Arabia is located in the Middle
East and is located in the CENTCOM Area of Responsibility. The
country of Saudi Arabia occupies
eighty percent of the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia borders the United Arab Emirates, Oman,
Yemen, Jordan, Iraq,
Kuwait, and Qatar. The
country is 856,355 square miles. The Kingdom’s climate is dry and hot with
great extremes of temperature. The capital Riyadh, which is in the center-east of the
country, has an average temperature of 108°F in July and 57°F in January. In
contrast, Jeddah on the western coast has an average temperature of 88°F in
July and 73°F in January. The terrain is mostly uninhabited with a great sandy
desert in the southwest named the Rub' al Khali. Although the country is almost
entirely desert with little plant or animal life, the coastal area of the Red Sea has extensive coral reefs which are rich in
marine life. There are no permanent rivers and lakes in Saudi Arabia (Wikipedia, 2006).
Oil
Oil was discovered
in Bahrain
in 1932. Heavy exploration soon followed throughout the Arabian Peninsula with
the discovery of the Ghawar and
Safaniya oil fields in Saudi
Arabia. These enormous deposits of oil were created over millions of years as a
result of the Earth’s shifting tectonic plates. Saudi Arabia
claims to be in possession of 260.1 billion barrels of oil reserves, about 24%
of the world's proven total petroleum reserves. It ranks as the largest
exporter of petroleum and plays a leading role in the Organization of the
Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) (Wikipedia, 2006).
Water
In
the absence of permanent rivers or bodies of water, rainfall, groundwater,
desalinated seawater, and very scarce surface water must supply the country's
needs. In eastern Arabia and in the Jabal
Tuwayq, artesian wells and springs are plentiful. In Al Ahsa a number of large,
deep pools are constantly replenished by artesian springs as a result of
underground water from the eastern watershed of the Jabal Tuwayq. In Najd and the great deserts, watering places are rare and
the water’s quality is poor. Modern technology has located and increased the
availability of much of the underground water. Geologists have determined that
very deep aquifers lie in many areas of northern and eastern Arabia and that
the Wasia, the largest aquifer in Saudi Arabia,
contains more water than the Persian Gulf (The
Ministry of Agriculture, 2006).
In
addition to its underground water sources, Saudi Arabia uses desalination. In
fact, Saudi Arabia
is the world leader in desalination. In
1994 Saudi Arabia
produced 714,218,000 gallons of desalinated water per day. The water is pumped
to its capital and the religious cities of Mecca
and Medina, as
well as pumped to sites used for agriculture (The Saudi Arabia Information
Resource, 2006).
History
The peninsula has
been populated for more than 5,000 years. The Dilmun culture, along the Persian Gulf coast, was contemporaneous with the
Sumerians and ancient Egyptians, and most of the empires of the ancient world
traded with the states of the peninsula. Except for a few major cities and
oases, the harsh climate historically prevented much settlement of the Arabian Peninsula.
In 620, the
beginnings of Islam were started by Mohammad. Soon after, the Arabian
Peninsula became a more prominent location.
The modern Saudi state
was founded by the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud.
In 1932, after decades of fighting
several tribes were unified to create the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
The discovery of oil on March 3, 1938 transformed the country (Wikipedia,
2006).
Demographics
Saudi Arabia's 2005 population is estimated to
be about 26.5 million; including about 5.5 million resident foreigners from India, Pakistan,
Bangladesh, Indonesia, and the Philippines. Until the 1960s, most
of the population was nomadic or semi nomadic; due to rapid economic and urban
growth, more than 95% of the population is now settled. Some cities and oases
have densities of more than 2,600 people per square mile. The cultural
environment in Saudi Arabia
is highly conservative; the country adheres to a strict interpretation of
Islamic religious law (Shari'a). Most Saudis are ethnically Arab and speak
Arabic. The country is almost 79% literate, but there exist a significant
difference between the literacy rates of men and women. Approximately 85% or
Saudi males are literate, but the Saudi females have a literacy rate of just 71%
(CIA World Factbook, 2006).
Politics
and Government
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. The monarchy
traces its lineage to King Abd Al Aziz Al Saud. The Qur'an is the constitution
of the country and Islamic law, Shari'a, is enforced. The State’s ideology is
called Wahhabism. Wahhabism is derived from a 17th century Muslim
cleric who preached a very strict interpretation of the Koran. Wahhabism was
embraced by the country’s founder, Kind Saud. The executive cabinet is
comprised of members of the royal family (CIA World Factbook, 2006).
Religion
The role of Islam
is second to none in everyday Saudi Arabian life. In fact, the cities of Medina and Mecca
give the Kingdom as much legitimacy as their oil resource. Saudi Arabia claims to be 100% Muslim, but that is because no
other religion is recognized. The country is approximately 90% Sunni and 10%
Shi’a. Muslim clerics play an integral role in Saudi life and are responsible
for enforcing much of the law. The role
of women in Saudi Arabia
is one of subservience. Women are not allowed to drive, travel alone, or do
many of the everyday things women in western societies are able to do. The
Saudi’s forbid any non-Muslim religious articles including; Bibles, a Rosaries,
a Crosses, or even the Star of David. In fact, Jews are forbidden from entering
the country. Non-Muslims are forbidden from entering Mecca
or Medina which
are a destination outlined in the five pillars of Islam, the Hajj. The fifth
pillar of Islam, the Hajj, attracts millions of Muslim tourist each year (CIA
World Factbook, 2006; Wikipedia, 2006; The Saudi Arabia Information Resource,
2006)
Economy
Saudi Arabia is
an oil-based economy. Saudi
Arabia ranks first in the world for proven
reserves of petroleum, ranks first as the largest exporter of petroleum, and
plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of
budget revenues, 40% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. Although oil prices
are expected to remain relatively high, Saudi Arabia expects to have a budget
deficit in order to pay for its social programs. The government is expected to
continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence
on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population.
Many experts say that Saudi oil will peak this century. The economic future of Saudi Arabia
will present a major challenge as the population increases and the rich oil
fields are depleted towards the mid to late part of this century (Wikipedia,
2006; CIA World Factbook, 2006).
Index
of Economic Freedom
The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ranks 62nd in
the world on the Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom. With an
overall score of 2.84, Saudi
Arabia a mostly free economy; but the amount
of government intervention and the country’s banking and finance policies
present a challenge to economic opportunities and private development (The
Heritage Foundation, 2006).
Trade
and Economic Aid
Saudi Arabia
enjoys a favorable trade balance. In 2005, the Saudi’s exported $165 billion
and imported $44.9 billion of goods. Among its major trading partners are the United States, Japan,
Germany, South Korea, and China. While oil is the primary
export, Saudi Arabia
imports much of its agriculture and technology (CIA World Factbook, 2006).
Saudi Arabia’s
oil wealth has allowed it to support its agendas and Islamic support around the
world. Saudi Arabia has
pledged $100 million to the reconstruction of Lebanon,
$307 million in support and assistance to the Palestinians, $240 million to Afghanistan, and $1 billion in pledged loans to Iraq. In
addition to these economic packages, wealthy private donations have ranged from
funding Madras
around the world to funding terror cells around the world (CIA World Factbook,
2006; 9-11 Commission, 2003).
Health
Care
Health
Care System
According to the World Health
Organization (WHO), the Saudi Arabian health care system is ranked 26th
in the world. Comparatively, the United States is ranked 37th.
The country has a unique health care structure. Health care is provided by the
government, but it is not supported by taxes. In fact, individual citizens are
not taxed in Saudi Arabia.
The government is able to use its oil revenues to provide health care. As with
other State funded health care programs there still exists private insurance.
Citizens with private insurance are able to gain faster access and have more
choice. In addition to providing free health care to its citizens, Saudi Arabia
provides free health care for Muslim pilgrims during the Hajj (WHO, 2006; The
Saudi Arabia Information Resource, 2006)
Health
Indicators and Disease
Life
Expectancy in Saudi Arabia
is 71 years. The life expectancy may be attributed to the unusually difficult
life on the Arabian Peninsula. The unique
lifestyle may further explain why females’ life expectancy is 6 years more than
males. Additional health indicators include; child mortality - 26.5 per 1000,
adult mortality – 157.5 per 1000, death rate – 2.62 per 1000 (WHO, 2006).
Meningitis
is listed six times in Saudi
Arabia’s top ten most deadly disease
outbreaks. The millions of pilgrims who flock to Saudi Arabia each Hajj explain why
the disease is so prevalent. In fact, the Meningococcal vaccine along with a
polio vaccination is required for entrance into the country. The U.S. State Department also recommends
that citizens traveling to Saudi
Arabia receive vaccines for; Hepatitis A,
Hepatitis B, Malaria, Rabies, and Typhoid (WHO, 2006; CDC, 2006).
Armed
Forces
The Saudi military
has 6 branches: Army, Navy, Air Force, Air Defense Force, National Guard and
the Ministry of Interior Forces. The minimum age to join is 17 and is composed
of all males. The Saudi’s currently spend $18 billion a year on their military
or 10% of their GDP. With an unemployment rate of almost 25%, the government
uses the military to employ many of its citizens who would otherwise find
themselves without a job (CIA World Factbook, 2006; Wikipedia, 2006).
Threats
The
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia faces a myriad of threats. The
Ba'athist regime in Iraq was
one of Saudi Arabia’s
largest threats until the 2003 U.S.
led invasion toppled it. In fact, the Saudi’s had requested immediate U.S. military assistance following Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait on August 2, 1990. Minor
threats include; Yemenis herdsmen crossing the border and Iran with its
unstable leadership. Ironically, Saudi Arabia’s
largest threat emerged with the fall of the Ba'athist regime in Iraq. The
threat of homegrown terrorist and anti-government groups poses the greatest
military threat to Saudi
Arabia. Although there is a lot of
anti-Western rhetoric, Saudi Arabia
is very dependent on the United
States for its security needs. The country’s
oil exports through the shipping lanes of the Persian Gulf
are protected by the U.S. Fifth Fleet. In addition, Saudi Arabia is the largest
purchaser of American armaments with over $1.1 billion in 2005 (Wikipedia,
2006).
Telecommunications
Saudi Arabia
has top telecommunications technology, but in 2002 only about 12% of the
population had land lines. The percentage citizens using cellular phones in
2002 was about 22%. The country has 117 broadcast stations for the countries
5.5 million viewers. In 2005, the country had 22 internet service providers
which support the ever increasing internet users in the country (CIA World
Factbook, 2006).
Transportation
The
transportation assets in Saudi
Arabia are some of the poorest in the
region. The country has approximately 1,400 km of rail, but interestingly none
of the rails cross their border or joins with bordering nations’ rails. The
country has 46,000 km of paved roads, but they are in poorer condition than
there oil – producing peers. Saudi
Arabia does have 71 paved airports and a
national carrier: Saudi Arabian Airlines (Wikipedia, 2006).
Conclusion
Saudi Arabia is
a very unique country and will be very interesting to follow over the next
fifty years. Saudi Arabia
is a country of contradictions. A major ally of the United
States, its population does not embrace America’s
culture or values. Although the country provides social services to it people,
its citizens do not have a voice in their government. And finally Saudi Arabia relies heavily on its oil, but with
unemployment rates of 25% and the finite supply of oil Saudi Arabia is facing a fierce
challenge for its future.
References
Central
Intelligence Agency. (2006). The World Factbook 2006 – Saudi Arabia. [on-line]. Available:
http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sa.html
Centers for
Disease Control. (2006). Saudi
Arabia. [on-line]. Available: http://www.cdc.gov/travel/hajj.htm
The Heritage
Foundation. (2006). Saudi
Arabia. [on-line]. Available: http://www.heritage.org/research/features/index/countries.cfm
The Ministry of
Agriculture. (2006). Saudi
Arabia. [on-line]. Available: http://www.agrwat.gov.sa/
The Saudi Arabia
Information Resource. (2006). [on-line]. Available:
http://www.saudinf.com/main/f42.htm
United States. (2004). The 9/11
Commission Report. [on-line]. Available: http://911.gnu-designs.com/TOC.html
World
Health Organization. (2006). [on-line]. Available: http://www.who.int/countries/sau/en/
Wikipedia.
(2006). Saudi Arabia.
[on-line]. Available: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia
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United States of America vs
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Source
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Year
|
United States
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Saudi Arabia
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Geography (sq.km)
|
1
|
2006
|
9.63M
|
1.96M
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Demographics
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Population
|
1
|
2005
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295.7M
|
26.4M
|
|
|
Age
Structure:
|
1
|
2005
|
|
|
|
|
0-14 yrs
|
1
|
|
20.6
|
38.2
|
|
|
15-64 yrs
|
1
|
|
67
|
59.4
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|
|
65+ yrs
|
1
|
|
12.4
|
2.4
|
|
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Population
density /sq.km.
|
10
|
2005
|
30
|
9
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|
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|
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Health
Status
|
|
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Population
growth rate
|
1
|
2005
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0.92%
|
2.31%
|
|
|
Birth
rate
|
1
|
2005
|
14.1/1000
|
29.56/1000
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|
|
Death
rate
|
1
|
2005
|
8.2/1000
|
2.62/1000
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|
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Net
migration rate
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1
|
2005
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3.3/1000
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(3.85)/1000
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|
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Infant
mortality rate
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1
|
2005
|
6.5/1000
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4.56/1000
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|
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Life
expectancy at birth (yrs)
|
1
|
2005
|
77.7
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77.6
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|
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Total
fertility born/woman
|
1
|
2005
|
2.08
|
4.05
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|
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HIV/AIDS
Prevalence Rate
|
1
|
2004
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0.60%
|
1.00%
|
|
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Literacy
(age 15 read & write)
|
1
|
1997
|
97%
|
79%
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|
|
UN Human
Devlpmt Index
|
2
|
2002/2003
|
0.93
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0.77
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Quality
of Life Indicators
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|
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Physicians/10,000
|
3
|
2002
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25.6
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12.1
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|
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Human
Poverty Index
|
2
|
2002
|
15.8
|
16.9
|
|
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Immunization
cover measles %
|
2
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1995-97
|
91
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not
available
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|
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Access
drinkable water (urban) %
|
3
|
|
99
|
not
available
|
|
|
Access
excretal disposal (urban) %
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3
|
|
85
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not
available
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Costs
& Financing
|
|
|
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Index
Economic Freedom (rank)
|
6
|
2005
|
9
|
62
|
|
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Health
expenses
|
3
|
2003
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$1.7T
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$15.6B
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|
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Health
expenses/GNP
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3
|
2003
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15.30%
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4.60%
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Economy
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GDP
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1
|
2005
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$12.37T
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$340.5B
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GDP real
growth rate
|
8
|
2005
|
3.50%
|
6.40%
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Real
GDP/capita
|
1
|
2005
|
$41,800
|
$12,900
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|
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Inflation
(cons prices) rate
|
1
|
2005
|
3.20%
|
0.60%
|
|
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Stock
Market change (DJI)
|
|
2005
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-0.10%
|
|
|
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Unemployment
rate
|
1
|
2005
|
5.10%
|
5.70%
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|
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|
|
|
|
|
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Armed
Forces
|
|
|
|
|
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Defense
expenditures
|
1
|
2005
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$400.0B
|
$18B
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|
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Defense
expenditures/GDP
|
1
|
2005
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3.70%
|
10.00%
|
|
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Personnel
end strength act
|
9
|
2005/2004
|
1.39M
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124500*
|
|
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Personnel
end strength res
|
9
|
2004
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1.16M
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100000*
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*Library
of Congress - country profile
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Politics
& Elections
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Type of Government
|
1
|
2004
|
Federal Republic
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Monarchy
|
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Government
|
1
|
2004
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50 states
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13
provinces
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|
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Executive
Br
|
1
|
2004
|
president
|
King
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|
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Legislative
Br
|
1
|
2004
|
bicameral
|
unicameral
|
|
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Elections
|
1
|
2004
|
4 yrs
(2004)
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4 yrs
(2005) *hold no real power
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Notes:
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CIA
WorldFactBook
|
1
|
|
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|
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UNDP
Human Develop Index
|
2
|
|
|
|
|
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PAHO
country health profile
|
3
|
|
|
|
|
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World
Bank
|
4
|
|
|
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Inter-American
Development Bank
|
5
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StockholmIntPeaceResIns
(SIPRI)
|
6
|
|
|
|
|
|
Index
Economic Freedom
|
7
|
|
|
|
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International
Monetary Fund
|
8
|
|
|
|
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Military
Balance
|
9
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Wikipedia
|
10
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