World Context: Saudi Arabia

Source and mapping status

This page maps the site registry entry “Saudi Arabia” to the supplied dataset entity “Saudi Arabia.” Mapping status: exact-name. The source is a frozen 2025 snapshot; dates embedded in individual fields remain controlling.

• Source entity count: 1.
• Selected public fields present: 19.
• Independent corroboration in this page: none.

Place and environment

Location: Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen Area: total : 2,149,690 sq km; land: 2,149,690 sq km; water: 0 sq km Climate: harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes Terrain: mostly sandy desert Natural hazards: frequent sand and dust storms; volcanism: little activity in the past few centuries, despite many volcanic formations; volcanoes include Harrat Rahat, Harrat Khaybar, Harrat Lunayyir, and Jabal Yar Environmental issues: desertification; depletion of underground water resources; limited freshwater resources; coastal pollution from oil spills; air pollution; waste management

Population, settlement, and language context

Population: total: 36,544,431 (2024 est.); male: 20,700,838; female: 15,843,593 Population distribution: historically a population that was mostly nomadic or semi-nomadic, the Saudi population has become more settled since oil was discovered in the 1930s; most of the country's population is now concentrated in a wide area across the middle of the peninsula, from Ad Dammam in the east through Riyadh in the interior to Mecca-Medina in the west near the Red Sea Urbanization: urban population: 85% of total population (2023); rate of urbanization: 1.69% annual rate of change (2020-25 est.) Languages: Arabic (official)

Public and legal context

Capital: name: Riyadh; geographic coordinates: 24 39 N, 46 42 E; time difference: UTC+3 (8 hours ahead of Washington, DC, during Standard Time); etymology: the name derives from the Arabic word riyadh , meaning "gardens;" the city was built around a small oasis Government type: absolute monarchy Legal system: Islamic (sharia) system with some elements of Egyptian, French, and customary law; commercial disputes handled by special committees

Economy and connectivity context

Economic overview: high-income, oil-based Middle Eastern economy; OPEC founding member; Vision 2030 strategy prioritizing economic diversification, increased private sector involvement, and projects funded by sovereign wealth fund and foreign investment; young labor force; falling but significant poverty rate despite lack of official statistics Industries: crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics, metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction Electricity access: electrification - total population: 100% (2022 est.) Internet users: percent of population: 100% (2023 est.) Airports: 90 (2025) Ports: total ports: 16 (2024); large: 0; medium: 1; small: 7; very small: 8; ports with oil terminals: 10; key ports: Dammam, Duba, Jiddah, Jizan, Ju Aymah Oil Terminal, Ras Tannurah, Ras Al Khafji, Ras Al Mishab

Interpretation and freshness boundary

Use these fields to ask better questions about material conditions, access, distance, public administration, and information availability. Do not use them to infer intelligence capability, government intent, personal loyalty, protected traits, or a permanent national character. Reverify any time-sensitive claim before publication or comparison.