ation, aquifer depletion, and an economy
largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all ongoing
governmental concerns.

Geography
Saudi Arabia

Location:

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

Geographic coordinates:

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.)

Me