About Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is one of the most developed countries in the Middle East. However, it can be difficult to adjust when moving to a new country. To help you better understand Saudi Arabia we have provide some general information about the country.

Official Name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Capital: Riyadh is the capital of Saudi Arabia, and is also the largest city in the country.

Location: Located in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia is located between the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia shares land borders with Yemen, Oman, the U.A.E., Kuwait, Iraq, and Jordan. Saudi Arabia is located at the centre of the Arabian peninsula..

Size: Saudi Arabia has a total size of 2,149,690 Sq Km, making it the largest country in the entire Middle East.

Climate: Normal climate conditions in Saudi Arabia are exemplified by high temperatures and extremely low precipitation. Temperatures can reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius during the summer months. There is a very realistic danger of heat stroke and dehydration throughout the Kingdom.

Population: The total population of Saudi Arabia is approximately 27,600,000. Of this there are an estimated 5.5 million foreign nationals living in the country. This means that Saudi Arabia has one of the largest proportional expatriate populations of any country in the world.

Life expectancy at birth: The total life expectancy at birth for Saudi Arabia is 75.88 years of age.

Prevalence of HIV/AIDS: Approximately 0.01% of the total Saudi population is infected with HIV/Aids. There are no current figures for the total number of people living with the virus, but the infection rate is low.

Major illnesses: Saudi Arabia experiences frequent outbreaks of a number of deadly diseases. These include; Malaria, Hepatitis A and B, Rabies, and Typhoid. There have also been cases of Rift Valley fever in some isolated parts of the country. It is recommended that you are vaccinated against these diseases before entering the country.

Ethnic Groups: There are two main indigenous ethnic groups in Saudi Arabia, these are; Arab – 90% and Afro Asian – 10%. There are a number of international expatriate communities in the country; however these nationalities are not counted in the official census.

Languages: The official and predominantly spoken language is Arabic.

Religion: The official religion of Saudi Arabia is Islam. 100% of local nationals practice Islam and it is against the law to practice any other religion outside of the privacy of your home.

Government: Saudi Arabia is a Monarchy based on Islamic law.

Head of State: The head of state and head of government is King and Prime Minister Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud. The King has ultimate authority in the country and the power to make law.

Military: Saudi Arabia has no conscription and the age that an individual can join the country's armed forces is 18.

Economy: Saudi Arabia’s strong economy is based on the large oil deposits that can be found in the country. With roughly 25% of the world's natural petroleum reserves, Saudi Arabia is the largest exporter of oil in the world and a leader of the OPEC nations. Oil exportation accounts for almost 75% of all Saudi Arabia’s annual income, and is behind the increased investment and development that the country is currently experiencing. In an effort to diversify income and move away from an oil dependent economy, Saudi Arabia has placed increased effort in attracting overseas companies and corporations through the promotion of the private sector.

GDP: The Saudi per capital GDP is roughly USD $13,600, with a purchasing power parity of USD $366.2 billion.

For more information about Saudi Arabia and the international health insurance plans that we can offer for the country, or to receive a free quote, please contact us today.

 

For more information about Saudi Arabia expat insurance, the international health insurance plans that we can offer in Saudi Arabia, or to receive a free quote, please contact one of our expert advisers today.

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