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Saudi
Main Page
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Government
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Country name:
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conventional long form: Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia
conventional short form: Saudi
Arabia
local long form: Al
Mamlakah al Arabiyah as Suudiyah
local short form: Al
Arabiyah as Suudiyah
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Government type:
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monarchy
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Capital:
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name: Riyadh
geographic coordinates: 24
38 N, 46 43 E
time difference: UTC+3
(8 hours ahead of Washington, DC during Standard
Time)
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Administrative divisions:
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13 provinces (mintaqat,
singular - mintaqah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash
Shamaliyah (Northern Border), Al Jawf, Al
Madinah (Medina), Al Qasim, Ar Riyad (Riyadh),
Ash Sharqiyah (Eastern), 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan,
Makkah (Mecca), Najran, Tabuk
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Independence:
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23 September 1932
(unification of the kingdom)
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National holiday:
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Unification of the Kingdom,
23 September (1932)
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Constitution:
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governed according to Islamic
law; the Basic Law that articulates the
government's rights and responsibilities was
promulgated by royal decree in 1992
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Legal system:
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based on sharia law, several
secular codes have been introduced; commercial
disputes handled by special committees; has not
accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
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Suffrage:
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21 years of age; male
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Executive branch:
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chief of state: King
and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 1 August 2005); Heir Apparent Crown
Prince SULTAN bin Abd al- Aziz Al Saud (half
brother of the monarch); note - the monarch is
both the chief of state and head of government
head of government: King
and Prime Minister ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz Al
Saud (since 1 August 2005); Deputy Prime
Minister SULTAN bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud; Second
Deputy Prime Minister NAYIF bin Abd Al-Aziz Al
Saud
cabinet: Council
of Ministers appointed by the monarch every four
years and includes many royal family members
elections: none;
the monarchy is hereditary; note - an Allegiance
Commission created by royal decree in October
2006 established a committee of Saudi princes
that will play a role in selecting future Saudi
kings, but the system will not take effect until
after Crown Prince Sultan becomes king
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Legislative branch:
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Consultative Council or
Majlis al-Shura (150 members and a chairman
appointed by the monarch to serve four-year
terms); note - though the Council of Ministers
announced in October 2003 its intent to
introduce elections for a third of the Majlis
al-Shura incrementally over a period of four to
five years, to date no such elections have been
held or announced
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Judicial branch:
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Supreme Council of Justice
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Political parties and
leaders:
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none
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Political pressure groups
and leaders:
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Ansar Al Marah (supports
women's rights)
other: gas
companies; religious groups
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International organization
participation:
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ABEDA, AfDB (nonregional
member), AFESD, AMF, BIS, FAO, G-20, G-77, GCC,
IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC,
IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, IMSO, Interpol, IOC,
IOM (observer), IPU, ISO, ITSO, ITU, LAS, MIGA,
NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA,
UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UNWTO, UPU,
WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTO
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Diplomatic representation
in the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador
Adil al-Ahmad al-JUBAYR
chancery: 601
New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037
telephone: [1]
(202) 342-3800
FAX: [1]
(202) 944-3113
consulate(s) general: Houston,
Los Angeles, New York
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Diplomatic representation
from the US:
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chief of mission: Ambassador
James B. SMITH
embassy: Collector
Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh
mailing address: American
Embassy, Unit 61307, APO AE 09803-1307;
International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh
11693
telephone: [966]
(1) 488-3800
FAX: [966]
(1) 488-7360
consulate(s) general: Dhahran,
Jiddah (Jeddah)
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Flag description:
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green, a traditional color in
Islamic flags, with the Shahada or Muslim creed
in large white Arabic script (translated as
"There is no god but God; Muhammad is the
Messenger of God") above a white horizontal
saber (the tip points to the hoist side); design
dates to the early twentieth century and is
closely associated with the Al Saud family which
established the kingdom in 1932; the flag is
manufactured with differing obverse and reverse
sides so that the Shahada reads - and the sword
points - correctly from right to left on both
sides
note: one
of only three national flags that differ on
their obverse and reverse sides - the others are
Moldova and Paraguay
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National anthem:
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name: "Aash
Al Maleek" (Long Live Our Beloved King)
lyrics/music: Ibrahim
KHAFAJI/Abdul Rahman al-KHATEEB
note: music
adopted 1947, lyrics adopted 1984
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