Calcutta Business School

Faculty :Mrs. Devdasan - Anand Saraff

CONTENTS
 Introduction
 Geography

 Government
 Economy

 Development & Foreign Land

 Culture

 Random Facts
INTRODUCTION

 Capital: Riyadh
 Climate: Harsh, dry desert with great
temperature extremes (-12.0C to 50.0C)
 Population: 27.6 million including an estimated
5.5 million resident foreigners (July 2006 est.)
 Currency : Riyal
 Religions: Muslim 100%
GEOGRAPHY

 Arabian Peninsula - Largest Country

 Bordered by - Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar,

UAE, Oman and Yemen

 Landmass – primarily desert and semi-arid regions
 Arable land – less than 2 percent
GOVERNMENT

 Monarchy - Ruled by sons and grandsons of the first king,

Abd Al Aziz Al Saud
 Qur’an - constitution of the country
 Governed on basis of Sharia(Islamic Law)

 Council of Ministers - appointed by King

 Consists of a prime minister, the first prime minister and twenty
ministers
 Advises on general policy formulation and directing bureaucracy

 Elections – No recognized political parties or national

elections(only local elections)
ECONOMY

 Primary Source – Oil Industry

 Accounts for 75% of budget revenues and 90% of export earnings
 Comprises 45% of the GDP (private sector – 40%)
 Has about 24% of world’s proven petroleum resources

 Private Sector – Privatizing industries such as power and

telecom
 Diversification – launched a new city “King Abdullah Economic
City” on west coast
 Total investment exceeding $26.6 billion
 Includes petrochemical, pharmaceutical, tourism, finance and education and
research areas
DEVELOPMENT & FOREIGN LABOUR

 Growth – one of the few fast growing countries with a high per
capita income of $20,700 (2007)
 Economic Cities – plans to launch six cities like “King Abdullah
Economic City” by 2020
 Intended to diversify the economy and
 Increase the per capita income

 Labour Force – significant portion from foreign

countries (primarily South, South-East Asia)

 Skilled Force – Banking and service professionals seek work in
the kingdom
CULTURE

 Islam – two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina are located here
 Public practice/possession of non-Islamic religious materials not allowed
 Annual cultural festival

 Al Ardha – involving swords, it is the country’s national dance

 Dress – Strict adherence to hijab(Islamic principle of modesty)
 Loose and flowing garments well suited to the climate
 Women are required to wear an abaya or modest clothing in public

 Food – pork and alcohol strictly forbidden

 Khobz(unleavened bread) eaten with most meals
 Arabic tea is a famous custom for formal/informal meetings

 Film and Theatre – Public theatres and cinemas banned

 DVD’s though of Western movies are legal and widely available
RANDOM FACTS

 Welfare state – Oil exports have facilitated the

creation of a welfare state
 First-ever female minister was appointed in February
2009(department of women’s education)
 Women are banned from driving on public roads(may
be lifted soon)
 Rub’ al Khali is the largest sand desert in the world
 15 of the 19 suicide bombers of 9/11 were Saudis
THANK YOU