Saud (since 13 June
1982); Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd
al-Aziz Al Saud (half-brother to the King, appointed heir to the
throne 13 June 1982)
cabinet:
Council of Ministers; mostly made up of the royal family appointed by
the king
Legislative branch:
a consultative council comprised of 60 members and a chairman who are
appointed by the King for a term of four years
Judicial branch:
Supreme Council of Justice
Political parties and leaders:
none allowed
Member of:
ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA,
IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT,
INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer),
OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNOSOM, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO,
WMO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission:
Ambassador BANDAR bin Sultan Abd al-Aziz Al Saud
chancery:
601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone:
(202) 342-3800
consulate(s) general:
Houston, Los Angeles, and New York
US diplomatic representation:
chief of mission:
(vacant); Charge d'Affaires C. David Welch
embassy:
Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
mailing address:
American Embassy, Unit 61307, Riyadh; International Mail: P. O. Box
94309, Riyadh 11693; or APO AE 09803-1307
telephone:
[966] (1) 488-3800
FAX:
[966] (1) 482-4364
consulate(s) general:
Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)
Flag:
green with large white Arabic script (that may be translated as There
is no God but God; Muhammad is the Messenger of God) above a white
horizontal saber (the tip points to the hoist side); green is the
traditional color of Islam
@Saudi Arabia, Economy
Overview:
The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 35%
of GDP, and almost all export earnings. Saudi Arabia has the largest
reserves of petroleum in the world, ranks as the largest exporter of
petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. For the 1990s the
government intends to bring its budget, which has been in deficit
since 1983, back into balance, and to encourage private economic
activity. Roughly four million foreign workers play an important role
in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and banking sectors. For
about a decade, Saudi Arabia's domestic and international outlays have
outstripped its income, and the government has cut its foreign
assistance and is be
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