Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen Area: total: 2 million sq km land: 2 million sq km water: 0 sq km Climate: harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes Terrain: mostly uninhabited, sandy desert Capital: Riyadh Administrative divisions: 13 provinces (mintaqat); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern Province), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk Population: 22.67 million (2004 est.) Ethnic groups: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10% Nationality: noun: Saudi(s) adjective: Saudi or Saudi Arabian Languages: Arabic Religions: Muslim 100% Literacy: 78.8%

Government type: monarchy Executive branch: • chief of state: King and Prime Minister Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (lbn Saud) (since August 2005) • head of government: King and Prime Minister Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (lbn Saud) (since August 2005) • cabinet: Council of Ministers is appointed by the monarch and includes many royal family members Saudi Arabia: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932) ACD Member: ACD Member since 2005 Prime Mover (PM) on Working Group: None Co-Prime Mover on Working Group: None Saudi Arabia government official web site : www.saudinf.com

Currency (code): Saudi riyal (SAR) GDP: 939.59 SR billion (2004 est.) GDP per capita: $11,067 (2004 est.) Exports - commodities: petroleum and petroleum products Exports - partners: US , Japan , South Korea , India, China , Singapore Imports - commodities: machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles, textiles Imports - partners: US , Japan , Germany , China , UK, South Korea Agriculture - products: weat, barley, tomatoes, melons, dates, citrus; mutton, chickens, eggs, milk Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic so soda), cement, construction, fertilizer, plastics, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair Source: The World Fact Book 2005 (www.cia.gov)/"The Saudi Economy in Figures: 1424/1425 AH (2004)", Ministry of Economy and Planning, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia