Saudi Arabia Facts:
GEOGRAPHY
Area 2,240,000 sq.km. The main portion of the Arabian Peninsula; almost entirely desert but containing 25% of the world's known oil reserves.
Population Ann.Gr. Density
2000 21,606,691 +3.43% 10 per sq. km.
2010 28,778,495 +2.80% 13 per sq. km.
2025 39,964,965 +1.87% 18 per sq. km.
Capital Riyadh 3.35 mill. Other major cities: Jiddah 2.1m; Mecca 920,000. Urbanites 80%.
PEOPLES
With the presence of such a large number of foreigners, all figures are estimates.
Arab 83.8%
Saudi Arab 72.9%.
Foreign Arab 10.9%. Egyptian 1.2m; Yemeni 500,000; Palestinian 300,000; Jordanian 200,000.
Asian 14.2%. Indian 1m; Pakistani 800,000; Filipino 600,000; Bangladeshi 200,000, Iranian 150,000; Sri Lankan 150,000.
African 1.4%. Nigerian, Sudanese, Somali.
Other 0.6%. American, British, French, Italian.
Literacy 62.8%. Official language Arabic. All languages 5.
ECONOMY
Enormous oil wealth produces two-thirds of government revenue and is used to improve services and communications, develop industries and finance Islamic expansion around the world. The combined effects of eighteen consecutive years of budget deficits, spectacular corruption of the large royal family and the heavy cost of the Gulf War (at least US$50 billion) have enforced a measure of austerity since 1990. A major economic overhaul is overdue. HDI 0.740; 78th/174. Income/person $7,150 (22.7% of USA).
POLITICS
Absolute monarchy and a semi-feudal state with administration, diplomacy and commerce tightly controlled by the large royal family. Since the Gulf War there has been pressure from democrats to liberalize the country and from hard-line Islamists to exert more control, resulting in some changes.
RELIGION
An Islamic state committed to the role of the custodian of Islam and its holiest sites. The majority of Saudis are Wahhabi Sunnis. Religions other than Islam are prohibited even for expatriate Christian gatherings. All non-Muslim figures are estimates. Persecution index 1st in world.
Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 92.83 20,057,491
Christian 4.54 980,944
non-Religious/other 1.40 302,494
Hindu 0.60 129,640
Buddhist/Chinese 0.42 90,748
Sikh 0.19 41,053
Baha'i 0.02 4,321
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000
Protestant 21 0.67 144
Independent 30 0.54 117
Anglican 1 0.01 2
Catholic 3 1.83 395
Orthodox 4 0.55 119
Marginal 4 0.14 30
Unaffiliated 0.80 173
Churches Cong. Members Affiliates
Catholic [3] 276,224 395,000
Protestant [20] 128 25,600 128,000
Orthodox [4] 83,217 119,000
Independent [30] 73,125 117,000
Marginal groups [4] 18,750 30,000
Other denoms [2] 8,200 18,000
Total Christians [63] 485,116 807,000
INTERNET LINKS
CIA World Factbook (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sa.html)
Country profile, with only very brief information on religion or society.
Brief, largely statistical information on geography, people, government, economy, and more.
Open Doors' Country Profile on Saudi Arabia (www.gospelcom.net/od/saudipro.htm)
An article with detailed information on persecution and the restrictions on Christians.
Some information also on politics, human rights in general, and the economy.
Other than the issue of persecution, not much information on religion in the country nor on the history
of Christianity there. Main source: a 1995 USA State Department report on human rights.
World Skip - Saudi Arabia (http://www.worldskip.com/region.asp?PartnerID=&RegionID=sa)
News, information, products and services from every nation on earth.
Saudi Arabia Information Resource (www.saudinf.com)
A series of articles with extensive information on the country. With links. An official site.
Area 2,240,000 sq.km. The main portion of the Arabian Peninsula; almost entirely desert but containing 25% of the world's known oil reserves.
Population Ann.Gr. Density
2000 21,606,691 +3.43% 10 per sq. km.
2010 28,778,495 +2.80% 13 per sq. km.
2025 39,964,965 +1.87% 18 per sq. km.
Capital Riyadh 3.35 mill. Other major cities: Jiddah 2.1m; Mecca 920,000. Urbanites 80%.
PEOPLES
With the presence of such a large number of foreigners, all figures are estimates.
Arab 83.8%
Saudi Arab 72.9%.
Foreign Arab 10.9%. Egyptian 1.2m; Yemeni 500,000; Palestinian 300,000; Jordanian 200,000.
Asian 14.2%. Indian 1m; Pakistani 800,000; Filipino 600,000; Bangladeshi 200,000, Iranian 150,000; Sri Lankan 150,000.
African 1.4%. Nigerian, Sudanese, Somali.
Other 0.6%. American, British, French, Italian.
Literacy 62.8%. Official language Arabic. All languages 5.
ECONOMY
Enormous oil wealth produces two-thirds of government revenue and is used to improve services and communications, develop industries and finance Islamic expansion around the world. The combined effects of eighteen consecutive years of budget deficits, spectacular corruption of the large royal family and the heavy cost of the Gulf War (at least US$50 billion) have enforced a measure of austerity since 1990. A major economic overhaul is overdue. HDI 0.740; 78th/174. Income/person $7,150 (22.7% of USA).
POLITICS
Absolute monarchy and a semi-feudal state with administration, diplomacy and commerce tightly controlled by the large royal family. Since the Gulf War there has been pressure from democrats to liberalize the country and from hard-line Islamists to exert more control, resulting in some changes.
RELIGION
An Islamic state committed to the role of the custodian of Islam and its holiest sites. The majority of Saudis are Wahhabi Sunnis. Religions other than Islam are prohibited even for expatriate Christian gatherings. All non-Muslim figures are estimates. Persecution index 1st in world.
Religions Population % Adherents
Muslim 92.83 20,057,491
Christian 4.54 980,944
non-Religious/other 1.40 302,494
Hindu 0.60 129,640
Buddhist/Chinese 0.42 90,748
Sikh 0.19 41,053
Baha'i 0.02 4,321
Christians Denom. Affil.% ,000
Protestant 21 0.67 144
Independent 30 0.54 117
Anglican 1 0.01 2
Catholic 3 1.83 395
Orthodox 4 0.55 119
Marginal 4 0.14 30
Unaffiliated 0.80 173
Churches Cong. Members Affiliates
Catholic [3] 276,224 395,000
Protestant [20] 128 25,600 128,000
Orthodox [4] 83,217 119,000
Independent [30] 73,125 117,000
Marginal groups [4] 18,750 30,000
Other denoms [2] 8,200 18,000
Total Christians [63] 485,116 807,000
INTERNET LINKS
CIA World Factbook (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/sa.html)
Country profile, with only very brief information on religion or society.
Brief, largely statistical information on geography, people, government, economy, and more.
Open Doors' Country Profile on Saudi Arabia (www.gospelcom.net/od/saudipro.htm)
An article with detailed information on persecution and the restrictions on Christians.
Some information also on politics, human rights in general, and the economy.
Other than the issue of persecution, not much information on religion in the country nor on the history
of Christianity there. Main source: a 1995 USA State Department report on human rights.
World Skip - Saudi Arabia (http://www.worldskip.com/region.asp?PartnerID=&RegionID=sa)
News, information, products and services from every nation on earth.
Saudi Arabia Information Resource (www.saudinf.com)
A series of articles with extensive information on the country. With links. An official site.
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