| Basic data | |
| Capital | Riyadh |
| Population | 35 million |
| Language | Arabic |
| Religion | Islam |
| State system | Monarchy |
| Head of State | His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud |
| Head of government | His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud |
| Currency name | Saudi Riyal (SAR) |
| Travel | |
| Time shift | +2 hours (+1 hour during summer time) |
| Economy | 2021 |
| Nominal GDP (billion USD) | 833.24 |
| Economic growth (%) | 3.2 |
| Inflation (%) | 3.1 |
| Unemployment (%) | 11 |
Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy headed by His Royal Highness King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The legislative process is represented by a consultative assembly called the Shoura. The economy is built largely on oil production, but the government is seeking to diversify it through the Vision 2030 strategy, which represents a comprehensive economic and social transformation of the country. With whole new industries being built in the private sector and astronomical spending on government megaprojects, Saudi Arabia represents a very promising and interesting market for a wide range of goods and services. Obstacles to trade are primarily the difference in business and social culture, which can create challenges in orientation in the requirements for imports or business. However, businesses that overcome these challenges and succeed in the market can expect interesting opportunities. The current development of oil prices on world markets, together with the gradual growth of the non-oil sector, give a good outlook for the coming years. In the medium term, the ongoing reform of the legal environment will improve the legal certainty of foreign investors and facilitate their operation in the country.
Practical telephone numbers (emergency services, police, firemen, information lines, etc.)
Practical phone numbers:
- police: 999
- traffic accidents: 993
- ambulance: 997
- firefighters: 998
- road safety: 996
- international phone calls: 900
- weather forecast: 966
- electricity failures: 933
- waste disorders: (1) 4461177
- water supply failures: (1) 4763333
- train connections: (1) 4489678
- air connections: (1) 2221700
International code from the Czech Republic +966
area codes of the largest cities ( more information in AJ )
- Abha 17
- Dammam 13
- Dhahran 13
- Ghat 16
- Jeddah (Jeddah) 12
- Jubail (Jubail) 13
- Khobar 12
- Medina (Madinah) 14
- Mecca (Makkah) 17
- Qassim 13
- Riyadh (Riyadh) 11
- Shuqayq 13
- Taif 12
- Yanbu (Yanbu) 14
Important web links and contacts
Statistical overviews:
- www.sama.gov.sa Saudi Central Bank
- https://www.stats.gov.sa/ Saudi Statistical Authority
Important addresses:
- www.my.gov.sa portal of Saudi ministries and other public institutions
- www.misa.gov.sa Ministry of Investment
- www.fsc.org.sa Federation of Saudi Chambers of Commerce
- www.reexpo.com fair exhibition center in Riyadh
The most important Internet sources of information:
- www.mzv.cz/riyadh website of the Embassy of the Czech Republic in Riyadh
- www.sauditourism.sa and visitsaudi.com travel information to Saudi Arabia
- www.customs.gov.sa Saudi Customs
- www.saso.org.sa Saudi Technical Standardization Authority
- www.chamber. sa Chamber of Commerce in Riyadh
- www.jcci.org.sa Jeddah Chamber of Commerce
- www.chamber.org.sa Dammam Chamber of Commerce
- www.arabnews.com Saudi Arab News
Various International:
- www.gcc-sg.org Arab Gulf Organization
- www.isdb.org development bank of islamic countries
- www.meed.com English economic weekly for the Middle East
