oe quick guide: saudi arabia
TRANSCRIPT
[Type the author name] United States Army
6/1/2012
OE Quick Guide: Saudi Arabia
July 2012
TRADOC G-2 Intelligence Support Activity (TRISA)
Complex Operational Environment and Threat Integration Directorate (CTID)
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Introduction
Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country bordered by the Red Sea, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Persian Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirate, Oman, and Yemen. On 23 September 1932, after a 30-year campaign, Abd al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman al-Saud united the Arab tribes of the Arabian Peninsula to form the modern state of Saudi Arabia. Since its establishment, a descendent of al-Saud has ruled the monarchy, formally named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia wields considerable political, religious, and economic power by virtue of its sizable petroleum reserves and its status as the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the cradle of Islam. A strong ally of the U.S., Saudi Arabia has adversarial neighbors, and is a critical resource supplier as well.
Political Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Centers of Political Power: King Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud has ruled the Kingdom since his
coronation on 1 August 2005. Abdallah serves as both the king and prime minister and is also
the head of state and government. Abdallah is assisted by Deputy Prime Minister Nayif bin Abd
al-Aziz al-Saud. Every four years, the prime minister appoints members of the Saudi Cabinet,
formally named the Council of Ministers. Most ministers are royal family members. The
country’s legislative branch is named the Consultative Council or Majlis al-Shura. The prime
minister also appoints the 150 members of the shura and its chairman to four year terms. In
October 2003, the Council of Ministers declared that it intended to hold elections for one third
of the ministerial seats. When the first elections took place on 10 February 2005, only about
25% of potential voters cast ballots. This may have indicated voter dissatisfaction with the
progress of reforms, disenfranchisement, or simply that people were satisfied and felt no need
to vote. In October 2006 the king decreed that an Allegiance Commission would be established
consisting of a committee of Saudi princes to participate in the selection of future Saudi kings
instead of the traditional hereditary method, but this new system of selection was not to take
effect until after Crown Prince Sultan was crowned king. Sultan died in 2011, and the Allegiance
Commission named Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz as the new Crown Prince, who died 16 June 2012.
Type of Government: Saudi Arabia is a monarchy. Based on its 1992 Basic Law, the king must be
a male descendant of Abd al-Aziz bin Abd al-Rahman al-Saud, the first king of Saudi Arabia.
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Key Governmental Leaders: King Abdallah has reformed the monarchy since taking power. He
reorganized his cabinet in 2009 and appointed more moderates to ministerial and judicial
positions. Abdallah also appointed the first female to a cabinet-level position. He stepped up his
efforts during the “Arab Spring” uprisings across the Middle East between 2010 and 2011. Most
incidents in the kingdom during this period were protests by the Shia minority calling for the
release of Shia dissidents. The kingdom responded by deploying a strong police presence to
control protesters. In March 2011, Abdallah announced several standard of living improvements
including salary increases, unemployment benefits, and better access to affordable housing for
Saudi citizens. In September 2011, the kingdom held elections for the first time for 285
municipal council member seats. During that same month, Abdallah decreed that women would
be allowed to run for office and vote. In 2012, the kingdom’s top leaders were:
o King: Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud
o Crown Prince: Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud
o Prime Minister: Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud
o Deputy Prime Minister: Nayif bin Abd al-Aziz al-Saud
o Ambassador to the United States: Adil al-Ahmad al-Jubayr
Government Effectiveness and Legitimacy: The Saudi Monarchy is considered legitimate by the
Saudi populace, yet minority Shia protests and clashes in the kingdom in 2009, 2010, and 2011,
and regional public unrest, prompted increased attention to the reform movement. Liberal,
moderate, and conservative unofficial political groups presented the king with advisory petitions
containing suggested reforms. The issue is that many of these same reforms have previously
been suggested and were ignored. Pubic confrontations with the kingdom’s security forces may
occur in the future if these reforms are again ignored, as all public demonstrations are illegal.
Domestic Political Issues: The most pressing political issues in the kingdom are the continued
war on terror and minority Shia unrest. Al-Qaeda in the Arab Peninsula (AQAP) continues to
subvert the government and conduct attacks against the nation’s oil industry. Protests and
clashes between the kingdom’s security forces and the minority Saudi Shia population have
highlighted the sectarian tensions that persist. A number of Shia activists and even a Shia cleric
were arrested and several Shia mosques were closed between 2009 and 2011.
Attitude toward the U.S.: The Saudi Monarchy views the U.S. as a key strategic ally and was the
largest U.S. trading partner in the Middle East as of 2010.
Political Parties: No formal political parties are officially recognized by the monarchy.
Other Domestic Influential Groups: Ansar al Marah is an activist group that supports and
petitions for women’s rights in the kingdom and strives to place women in key council member
and ministry-level political positions.
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International Organizations and NGOs: In December 2007, the Consultative Council presented
the king with a draft law governing associations and foundations that would for the first time
establish an official policy to allow nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) to legally operate in
the kingdom. The law currently awaits the approval and adoption of the king. Some of the key
international organizations of which the kingdom is either a member or an observer are:
o G-20
o G-77
o Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)
o United Nations (UN)
o Interpol
o International Monetary Fund (IMF)
o Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC)
o World Trade Organization (WTO)
o World Health Organization (WHO)
Military Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Military Forces: Based on 2010 estimates, the Saudi Ministry of Defense commands a total of
about 233,500 troops, when counting both active duty soldiers and active national guardsmen.
The major military branches under the Ministry of Defense include the Royal Saudi Land Forces
(RSLF), Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF), Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF), Royal Saudi Air Defense
Force (RSADF), Royal Saudi Strategic Rocket Forces (RSSRF), Saudi Arabian National Guard
(SANG), Saudi Royal Guard Brigade (SRB), and Saudi Emergency Force (SEF).
o Military Service Age and Obligation:
No conscription
Eligible to serve at 18 years of age
o Manpower Available for Military Service: (2010 estimate)
Total, 16-49: 15,246,507
Males, 16-49: 8,644,522
Females, 16-49: 6,601,985
o Personnel: (2010 and 2012 estimates, differing source data shown for comparison)
RSLF/SRB: Approximately 75,000 (not including SANG)
Corps headquarters: 1 (no division headquarters)
Armored brigades: 4
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Mechanized infantry brigades: 5
Airborne brigade: 1
Artillery brigade: 1
Royal Guard Brigade/Regiment: 1
Aviation Command: 1
RSAF, RSADF, and RSSRF: 34,000-36,000
RSNF: 13,500-15,500
SANG: 75,000 to 100,000
Equipment and weapons table:
ARMY
Armored Equipment in Service
Artillery Systems in Service Anti-Tank Weapons in Service
M1A2 Main Battle Tank 373 203mm M-115 Howitzer, towed
Unk TOW/TOW-2A 950
M-60A3 Main Battle Tank 450 155mm M109A 1/2 Howitzer, self-propelled
110 M-47 Dragon Anti-Tank Guided Missile
1,000
AMX-30 Main Battle Tank (Active)
290 (storage)
155mm GCT Howitzer, self-propelled
51 HOT Antitank Guided Missile Systems, crew served
Unk
Panhard M3 Armored Personnel Carrier
150 155mm M101/102 Howitzer, towed
Unk 112mm APILAS Light Antitank Weapon
200
M-2A2 Bradley with 25mm Cannon Turret and twin TOW Launcher
400 155mm M-198 Howitzer, towed
26 106mm M40A1 Recoilless Rifle
40
M113/A1 Armored Personnel Carrier and BMP-3
1,700 155mm FH-70 Howitzer, towed
38 84mm Carl Gustav Recoilless Rifle
300
Oto Melera VCC-1 with TOW (upgraded M113)
224 155mm M-114 Howitzer, towed
50 90mm M67 Rocket Launchers
100
Fuchs-2 Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical Warfare Vehicle
36 ASTROS II Multiple Rocket Launcher
60
Piranhas VCC-1 (upgraded M113; many with TOW)
499 81mm Mortar, mounted 70
LAV-AG 130 M-30, 4.2 inch Mortar, mounted
150
AML-60, Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
110 81mm and 107mm Mortar, towed
180
AML-90, Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle
190 120mm Mortar, towed 48
AMX-10P 570 107mm M106 A1/A2 150
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M88 Armored Recovery Vehicle
92 M548 Ammunition Carrier 36
M578 Armored Recovery Vehicle
60 M992 Field Artillery Ammunition supply Vehicle
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AIR FORCE
Fixed Wing Aircraft in Service
Rotary Wing Aircraft in Service
Air Defense Weapons in Service
Eurofighter Typhoon 24 AH-64A Apache 12 FIM-92A Stinger 500
F-15S Eagle, Multirole 70 AH-64D Apache Longbow (Purchased)
70 FIM-43 Redeye 500
F-15 C Eagle, Interceptor/Air Defense
60 AS-532 Super Puma 12 Crotale (Shahine self propelled firing/acquisition units)
73/36
F-15D Eagle, Interceptor/Air Defense
22 AS-332 6 Crotale (Shahine shilter mounted firing/acquisition units)
19/10
Tornado IDS, Ground Attack/Strike
69 AS-565 Maritime, Anti-Submarine
15 Mistrals 500
E-3A Sentry, Airborne Early Warning and Control
5 UH-60 Black Hawk 20 DCA Self propelled anti-aircraft gun
53
Tornado IDS, Reconnaissance/Surveillance
11 CS406 Scout, combat, transport, and support
15 40mm M-42, anti-aircraft gun
10
RE-3A/B Electronic Intelligence
2 S-70A-1 Sikorsky Black Hawk Transport
12 20mm M-163 Vulcan, anti-aircraft gun
92
SA-365N Medical Evacuation
6 40mm Bofors L-60/70, anti-aircraft gun
150
UL-60 Black Hawk Medical Evacuation
10 SA-16 (Gimlet, Kolomna KBN Igla)
Unknown
AH-64A Apache 12 35mm Oerlikon, towed anti-aircraft gun
128
90mm M-117, towed anti-aircraft gun
15
AM/FPS-117 Radar 17
SAM Batteries 33
Hellfire Missile 179
Hellfire II Missile Unknown
Modernized Targeting Acquisition and Designation System/Pilot Night Vision Sensor
12
AN/APG-78 Firs Control Radar
12
M299 Hellfire Longbow 28
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Government Paramilitary Forces: The kingdom has approximately 500 armed special security
forces, 10,500 armed Border Guards, and 4,500 armed Coast Guardsmen.
Non-State Paramilitary Forces: Various militia and armed factions are active on the Arabian
Peninsula, including Gama’a al-Islamiya, Yemeni Islamic Jihad, Aden-Abyan Islamic Army (AAIA),
Ansar al-Sharia, Liwa al-Tawhid, and al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). The most
dangerous to the monarchy is AQAP. Al-Qaeda has stated that it intends to overthrow the
monarchy, saying it is corrupt and no longer should serve as the steward of the two holiest sites
in Islam: Mecca and Medina.
Nonmilitary Armed Combatants: There are approximately 6,000,000 privately owned firearms in
Saudi Arabia. This is a concern, as there is an active Shia dissident movement that regularly
conducts illegal protests and demonstrations, and these firearms could easily be put to use by
this movement. Many clashes have occurred with government security forces, yet none have
involved firearms to date.
o Additionally, the kingdom perceives the instability along its southern border in Yemen as
a serious threat to its national security. Armed but not necessarily paramilitary groups
are present in Yemen that may cause threats to Saudi Arabia. These include the Houthis,
a Zaydi Shia group in northern Yemen, and numerous tribal groups led by sheikhs.
o AQAP leadership is frequently evolving. Many AQAP leaders have been killed but there
appears to be no shortage of leadership, with new leaders appearing frequently. Abdul
Malik al Houthi leads the Houthi.
Military Functions:
Missile Launchers
Infrared Jammer 12
Radar Jammer 12
Improved Countermeasures Dispenser
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NAVY
Vessels in Service Al Riyadh Class Frigate, Lafayette F-3000S(French)
3 Al Sadiq Class Patrol Craft (U.S.)
9 Boraida Class Oiler (French)
2
Al Medina Class Frigate, F-2000S (French)
4 Al Jawf Sandown Class Single Role Minehunter (U.K.)
3 Halter type Patrol Craft-Coastal
17
Al Badr Class Corvette, PCG-1 (U.S.)
4 Addiyah (MSC 322) Minesweeper
4 Simonneau Type 51 Patrol Craft-Coastal
39
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o Mission Command: King Abdallah serves as the Commander in Chief. Crown Prince Abd
al-Rahman bin Abdul Aziz serves as the Minister of Defense and Aviation (MoDA). Prince
Tired bin Abdullah bin Abdul al Aziz al Saud serves as Chairman of the SANG. Prince
Nayef bin Abdul al Aziz al Saud serves as the Minister of Interior. Note that all of the
kingdom’s top military leaders are blood relatives.
The MoDA focuses its force development on external threats posed from Iraq,
Iran, and Yemen. It views the Shia Crescent (Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Iran) as a
real threat as well. The MoDA remains concerned with the Iranian nuclear
threat as well as the conventional missile and asymmetric threat it poses.
Regional insurgent and terrorist groups are also persistent threats.
o Maneuver: The kingdom’s concept of defense is to first use diplomacy and aid in the
region to secure the nation. It relies on its allies such as the U.S. and Britain to deter its
enemies. Internally it has created an overlapping array of security forces beginning at its
borders, including counterterrorism forces. It focuses its military forces on airpower and
land-based air defense that is centered on the upper Gulf region and the border with
Yemen. The kingdom is developing naval fleets in the Gulf and Red Sea. The MoDA has
stationed military units, including its 11 maneuver brigades, in cities backed by air fields
at critical border crossings. The kingdom’s air power supports strategic mobility and
compensates for a lack of ground forces. Non government armed groups such as AQAP
are limited to light infantry capabilities. Details as to the number of personnel available
to specific threat groups are unavailable.
o INFOWAR (Information Warfare): The kingdom’s Communications and Information
Technology Commission (CITC) regularly blocks Web sites regarded as subversive or
offensive to Islam. In 2007, the king enacted a cyber crime law that made all hacking
related activities illegal and punishable in Saudi criminal courts. Saudi Arabia continues
to purchase and upgrade its Reconnaissance and Surveillance (R&S) and command,
control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C4I) systems in earnest and has
both ground and airborne assets that have the capability to conduct electronic
warfare/signals intelligence (EW/SIGINT) operations.
o RISTA (Reconnaissance, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Target Acquisition): Prince Mugrin
Bin Abdul al Aziz al Saud serves as the President/Director of General Intelligence. Prince
Bandar bin Sultan Bin Abdul al Aziz al Saud serves as the Chairman of the National
Security Council. Prince Nayef bin Abdul al Aziz al Saud, of the MoI, controls the General
Security Services, which are the internal intelligence services of the kingdom. Nayef’s
son serves as his deputy.
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The government’s intelligence apparatus is used for counterintelligence,
counter espionage, internal security, and also for gathering intelligence
on external threats to the kingdom. Its main purpose is to protect the
monarchy. Much of Saudi Arabia’s R&S is focused on internal security.
The government spent massive amounts of money on developing its
R&S capabilities, especially in the airborne EW/SIGINT platforms and air
defense arena, such as target identification, acquisition, and tracking
radar. The RSADF maintains extensive C4I systems, and becomes
subordinate to the RSAF in time of war.
The extent of non state actors’ R&S capabilities is unknown but terrorist
and opposition groups demonstrate the ability to effectively target
government forces.
o Fire Support: The army has one artillery brigade with nearly 900 artillery weapons,
mostly towed guns and mortars; some have modern fire control systems, artillery
radars, and other support equipment. Non-state actors are not known to have fire
support capability other than mortars.
o Logistics: The kingdom’s military has an adequate level of logistical support, including
transport aircraft. Non-state actors have limited logistics capabilities and the extent of
these capabilities is unknown. Houthi rebels along the kingdom’s southern border may
receive limited logistical support from Iran in the form of weapons.
Economic Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s economy is oil-based, accounting for 45% of GDP and 80% of government revenue, and the kingdom holds more than 20% of the world’s proven oil reserves. The kingdom maintains strong government control over all major economic activities and is host to over six million foreign workers, mainly in the oil and service industries.
Gross Domestic Product (purchasing power parity): $676.7 billion (2011)
Gross Domestic Product (per capita): $24,000 (2011)
Unemployment Rate: estimated at 10.8% as of 2010
Inflation: estimated at 5% in 2011
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Participation in Global Financial System: Saudi Arabia is engaged in multilateral and bilateral
trade with other countries. In 2010, Saudi Arabia’s major export partners were:
o Japan 14.3%
o China 13.1%
o U.S. 13.0%
o South Korea 8.8%
o India 8.3%
o Singapore 4.5%
In 2010, Saudi Arabia’s most significant imports were from:
o U.S. 12.4%
o China 11.1%
o Germany 7.1%
o Japan 6.9%
o France 6.1%
o India 4.7%
o South Korea 4.2%
Economic Activity Based on Labor Force Participation: 2011 share of GDP:
o Industrial sector at 67.6% (Labor force: 21.4%)
o Service industry 30.4% (Labor force: 71.9%)
o Agriculture 2.1% (Labor force 6.7%)
Economic Diversity: The kingdom relies on oil extraction and oil production/refining, as well as
the service industry, and small-scale agriculture.
Banking and Finance: The Central Bank of Saudi Arabia is an independent body with the
objective of conducting monetary policy to control inflation, stabilize the exchange rate of the
Riyal (the national currency), and promote investment and economic growth. In 2011, the
country’s commercial banks’ average lending rate was 7.2%. The kingdom had a $205.9 billion
stock of narrow money and a $335.7 billion stock of broad money as of 31 December 2011.
Illegal Economic Activity: Political and economic instability contributes to a number of illegal
economic activities.
o Black Market: Terrorism activities and insurgency in Saudi Arabia and in neighboring
Yemen provide an ideal environment for black market activity, especially arms and fuel
smuggling.
o Militant Groups/Gangs/ Organized Crime: Terror and insurgent groups engage in
organized criminal activities including human trafficking as well as weapons trafficking.
o Trafficking: Saudi Arabia is a destination country for men, women, and children
subjected to forced labor and forced prostitution. The kingdom does not fully comply
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with the minimum standards to control trafficking. Saudi Arabian law calls for the death
penalty to drug-traffickers and is improving anti-money laundering laws and
enforcement.
o Kidnapping: Terrorist and insurgent groups have kidnapped Saudi Arabian citizens and
foreigners for ransom in the country on numerous occasions.
Social Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Population: Estimated at 26,534,504 (includes 6 million foreign workers) in July 2012
Population Growth Rate: Estimated at 1.523% in 2012
Literacy Rate:
o 78.8% of Saudis above the age of 15 can read and write
o Male literacy rate 84.7%
o Female literacy rate 70.8%
Population Movement: The net migration rate for 2012 is estimated at -0.64 migrants/1,000.
Population Distribution: A majority of the population, 82%, resided in urban areas as of 2010.
Demographic Mix:
o Under age 14: 29.4%
Male 51.2%
Female 48.8%
o Age 15-64 :67.6%
Male 54.5%
Female 45.5%
o 65 years and over: 3%
Social Volatility: Little volatility exists in the kingdom. Limited animosity is present between the
minority Shia and majority Sunni populations, yet government security forces regularly crack
down on demonstrations and protests. The overall population growth rate remains stable at
2.26 children per woman in 2012 and poverty is very low, so little competition for resources
exists.
o Education Level: Saudi Arabians attend school on average until age 13 (females) or 14
(males)
Ethnic Diversity: About 90% of the Saudi population is Arab with 10% Afro-Asian.
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Religious Diversity: Sunni Islam is the dominant religion with a small Shia minority. Even smaller
populations of other minority religions exist, such as Christianity, Buddhism, and Hinduism, but
these are mainly found in the foreign worker populations.
Common Languages: Arabic is the official language.
Criminal Activities: The level of criminal activity is low. Terrorists such as AQAP and violence
from Yemeni insurgent groups operating south of the border pose the greatest threats.
Human Rights: Human rights conditions are poor in the kingdom. Freedoms of speech,
gathering, movement, and religion are suppressed. King Abdullah has yet to follow through on
specific reform promises. Most reforms to date have been only symbolic gestures related to the
rights of women. Security forces regularly suppress or fail to protect the rights of nine million
Saudi females, six million foreign workers, and some two million Shia minorities. Each year
thousands receive unfair trials or are subject to arbitrary detention.
Centers of Social Power: The monarchy maintains a tight grip on power and on the RSLFs by
ensuring that only blood relatives hold positions of power in the kingdom.
Dress: The majority of the Arab population wears traditional Arabic clothing.
Social Tensions: Tension exists between the Sunni majority and the Shia minority. Some tensions
exist between the foreign worker population and the Saudi citizenry. Workers tend to live within
a lower standard of living.
Major Diseases:
o Diarrheal diseases
o Hepatitis
o Malaria
o Schistosomiasis
o Cutaneous Leishmaniasis
o Polio
o Measles
o Meningitis
o Typhoid
o HIV prevalence rate estimated at 0.01% in 2001 (most recent figure available)
o Brucellosis
o Influenza H1N1 and H5N1
Hospitals: The hospital and health services remain poor, with over 500 people for every hospital
bed and less than 1 doctor per 1,000 citizens in the country as of 2008. The kingdom ranks 139th
in the world for medical care. Most Saudis have access to limited medical care.
Cultural Do and Don’t List: Women are not allowed to associate with men who are not related to
them. Shoes are not worn into a house or mosque. The left hand is considered dirty and not
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proper for handling food or greeting. Foreign women must wear head coverings and long coats
in public.
Taboos: It is a taboo to use words that refer to private body parts, to blaspheme, to discuss
politics, to proselytize for minority religions, and to speak the first names of female family
members in the presence of a stranger.
Information Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Internet Service Providers: The kingdom is home to 147,202 providers as of 2011 and is ranked
77th in the world for Internet service availability. Over 9.8 million Internet users were registered
in 2009; a number ranking the kingdom 30th in the world for the most number of users. The
Internet country code is “.sa.”
Flow of Information across the Information Environment: The monarchy, through the Ministry
of Information, maintains tight controls on all official sources of information, including
broadcast, Internet, and print media through direct ownership, censorship, or subsidies. Word
of mouth is a more traditional means of conveying information.
Newspapers: Most newspapers are privately owned, yet the state provides subsidies to
influence content and regularly censors undesirable information. Some of the most popular are:
Al Bilad, Al Eqtisadiah, Al Jazirah, Al Medina, Al Nadwa, Al Riyadeyyah, Al Riyadh, Al Watan, Al
Yaum, and Okaz. Several popular English language papers are: Al Hayat, Arab News, Asharq al
Awsat, and the Saudi Gazette.
TV Stations: There are four national, state-run television stations. The law does not permit
private broadcasting in the kingdom, but Saudi Arabia is a major market for pan-Arab satellite
TV broadcasting (2007).
Radio Stations: The monarchy operates a number of radio stations available in all major cities.
Internet Access: Nearly one third of the population had Internet access in 2009.
Telecommunications:
o Landlines: 4.166 million
o Mobile network: 51.546 million
Postal Service: Saudi Arabia has a postal network serving both urban and rural areas.
INFOWAR
o Electronic Warfare: The RSLF’s electronic warfare capabilities are developing quickly.
The kingdom’s military has airborne and ground platforms that conduct EW and SIGINT
operations, mostly connected with air defense and targeting.
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o Computer Attack: The kingdom’s CITC maintains a tight control on Web sites it deems
unsafe, and prosecutes Internet crimes. The government’s cyber attack capabilities are
unknown. AQAP likely has the ability to conduct cyber attacks.
o Information Attack: The government’s information attack capabilities are unknown.
AQAP likely has the ability to conduct information attacks.
o Deception: The RSLF are capable of conducting deception operations, but they lack
sophistication.
o Physical Destruction: The RSLF are capable of conducting synchronized kinetic
operations and information operations. AQAP is adept at synchronizing kinetic and
information operations and claims attacks very shortly after they occur.
o Protection and Security Measures: Security forces conduct constant surveillance of
perceived threats to the government and take extensive force protection measures to
protect the royal family, troops, strategic industrial facilities, and installations.
Intelligence:
o HUMINT (Human Intelligence): It is presumed that Saudi Arabia and AQAP conduct
human intelligence operations but details are not available. Other actors in the kingdom
would likely emphasize HUMINT collection as they lack capability in other intelligence
disciplines, with the exception of OSINT.
o OSINT (Open Source Intelligence): Security forces monitor open source information for
potential intelligence and regularly censor undesirable information. AQAP and other
groups are presumed to exploit OSINT.
o SIGINT (Signals Intelligence): The kingdom continues to upgrade its C4I capabilities and
invest in EW and communications intelligence (COMINT) airborne and ground platforms.
The air force and air defense forces maintain the most technically advanced C4I and
SIGINT assets in the kingdom.
o IMINT (Imagery Intelligence): The kingdom has access to a number of satellites and can
commercially contract to support its various IMINT collection requirements. Non-state
actors do not possess IMINT collection assets, but they may utilize publicly available
resources such as Google Earth.
o MASINT (Measures and Signals Intelligence): Saudi Arabia’s MASINT capabilities are
developing. Non-state actors do not possess MASINT collection platforms.
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Infrastructure Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Town Construction Pattern: Modern planned towns, such as the al-Malaz neighborhood outside
of Riyadh, are built around a gridiron plan with a hierarchy of roads and Western-style
rectangular blocks with square home lots averaging 25m x 25m in diameter. Most major streets
are 30 meters in width, and secondary roads are 20 meters wide with minor streets about 10
meters in width. Planned towns are home to about 60 persons per hectare. Older towns are
generally centered around a mosque or the local water source.
Residential Construction: Traditional Arab homes contain two entrances and a number of
bedrooms, gathering rooms, a garden, and a kitchen that surround an open courtyard. The
courtyard’s view of the sky is significant as it symbolizes the owner’s “private piece of the sky.”
The courtyard is the key element of the traditional home. Homes are characterized by open
spaces. There are separate paths and gathering areas throughout the home for men.
Construction Materials: Historically, in the central regions, builders preferred adobe clay and
adobe brick. In the western region, builders used stone and red brick. On the west coast, homes
were made using Red Sea coral. Modern Saudi Arabia is home to the largest construction
industry in the Middle East. Construction materials vary widely, but most involve different types
of concrete, steel, imported wood, and even copper. In urban areas, most buildings are made
from concrete, brick, and steel frame construction. In rural areas and in the desert, houses are
built from stamped clay and sun-dried mud bricks. Natural stone is used for residential
construction where available. Some nomadic tribes still live in tents.
Urban Zones: Most of the kingdom’s population is concentrated in the capital of Riyadh (4.725
million), the cities of Mecca (1.484 million) and Medina (1.104 million), and port cities such as
Jeddah (3.234 million).
Major Cities:
o Riyadh (capital)
o Mecca
o Medina
o Duba
o Yanbu al Bahr
o Jeddah Islamic Port
o Jizan
o Ras al Khafji
o Al Jabayl
o Ad Dammam
Roads: Due to the harsh desert climate with frequent, damaging sandstorms, the road network
of the kingdom is difficult to maintain. The total national road network is about 221,372km
(137,554 miles) with only 47,529km (29,533 miles) paved. The nation’s expressways account for
3,891km (2,418 miles) of paved road, of which most are concrete or asphalt. The remaining
roads are unpaved, most consisting of one lane. Rural roads are predominantly dirt or sand.
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Railroads: Saudi Arabia has two major rail lines. The largest is the 354-mile line that runs
between Riyadh and Dammam. A second, shorter line runs between Riyadh and Hofuf. The
monarch has plans for a high speed rail line between Jeddah-Mecca- Medina, a new rail line
between Jeddah-Dammam, and a third line to connect its northern mineral/metal mines with
Riyadh.
Airports:
o Paved runways total: 81
over 3,047 meters: 33
2,438 to 3,047 meters: 15
1,524 to 2,437 meters: 27
914 to 1,523 meters: 4 (2010)
o Unpaved runways total: 136
over 3,047 meters: 0
2,438 to 3,047 meters: 8
1,524 to 2,437 meters: 71
914 to 1,523 meters: 41
under 914 meters: 16 (2010)
Telecommunication Architecture: Saudi Arabia’s telephone landlines connect about 4.166
million people, while its mobile network serves about 51.564 million customer accounts (nearly
two cell phones per person). The national network consists of microwave radio relay, cable,
GSM and CDMA mobile-cellular telephone systems. The international telephone code is 966. It is
a landing point for the international submarine cable Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG)
and for both the SEA-ME-WE-3 and SEA-ME-WE-4 submarine cable networks providing
connectivity to Asia, Middle East, Europe, and the U.S. The kingdom has microwave radio relay
to most of its neighboring nations and to Sudan. It has coaxial cable to Kuwait and Jordan. The
kingdom has seven satellite earth stations: 5 Intelsat (2 Indian Ocean and 3 Atlantic Ocean); 1
Arabsat and 1 Inmarsat (Indian Ocean region) (2008).
Utilities: In urban areas, 97% of the population enjoys access to improved drinking water; most
sources are provided by desalinization plants of the Saline Water Conversion Corporation of the
National Water Company. In rural areas, only 63% of the population has access to clean water.
The majority of the population has access to improved sanitation facilities.
o The kingdom’s power grid, managed by the Saudi Electric Company (SEC), is well
developed and serves its population quite adequately with an electrical generation
capacity of 194.4billion kWh, compared to its consumption rate of 174.5 billion kWh.
Saudi Arabia’s power grid development is ranked 20th in the world (U.S. is ranked 2nd,
behind China). Most residents of urban centers and developed rural towns are
connected to the grid, and the SEC has a long-term plan of expansion to support
growing consumer demand.
Key Industries: Oil production is Saudi Arabia’s key industry, contributing about 45% to the
country’s GDP and 80% of government revenue; 90% of which is export revenue. Additional
industry includes:
o Petrochemical
o Industrial gases
o Sodium hydroxide
o Cement
o Ammonia
o Fertilizer
o Plastics
o Metals
o Commercial ship repair
o Commercial aircraft repair
o Construction
o Wheat
Environmental Concerns: Desertification and shortages of water are the most pressing of the
kingdom’s environmental and economic needs. Analysts predict that the kingdom must invest
nearly $300 billion to meet the population’s water needs in the next 15 years. To meet these
needs, the monarch is investing in desalinization plants on the eastern and western borders.
Water pollution remains a significant problem due to the kingdom’s extensive petroleum fields.
Ports:
o Duba
o Yanbu al Bahr
o Jeddah Islamic Port
o Jizan
o Ras al Khafji
o Al Jabayl
o Ad Dammam
Agriculture: Saudi Arabia’s sovereign territory consists of less than 1.67% arable land. Most
Saudi farmers raise some poultry and livestock, typically chickens, goats, sheep, or cattle. With
little land available for agriculture, the kingdom is forced to import much of its food. The most
common crops are:
o Wheat
o Barley
o Tomatoes
o Melons
o Dates
o Citrus
o Eggs
o Milk
o Mutton
o Chickens
Pollution: The kingdom’s waterways and coasts located near oil fields are polluted and often
suffer from oil spills, marine dumping, and damage from industrial chemical run-off.
Physical Environment Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
Boundaries: The kingdom is bordered clockwise by the Red Sea, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Persian
Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirate, Oman, and Yemen. There are islands on the east and
west coast. Geographic coordinates: latitude 25 00 N and longitude 45 00 E.
Border Disputes: Saudi Arabia and Yemen have disputed their border for decades. There are on-
and-off clashes along the border between Sunnis and Shiites.
Bodies of water: Major bodies of water surrounding the kingdom include:
o Persian Gulf
o Red Sea
Terrain: The vast majority of Saudi Arabia is dominated by sandy desert and spotted with dunes.
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Climate: The kingdom is predominantly very hot and dry throughout the year but humid along
the eastern and western coasts.
Rivers: Saudi Arabia contains no permanent rivers.
Natural Disasters: The kingdom experiences frequent, severe sand and dust storms, flooding,
and a limited exposure to volcanic activities.
Natural Resources: Saudi Arabia has large deposits of oil and gas along the eastern coast near
Bahrain.
Time Variable Manifestations in Saudi Arabia
View of Time: The Saudi culture is unconcerned with adherence to strict time schedules. In the
urban areas, people are more likely to understand the Western emphasis on time.
Work Day Length: Work day hours vary by profession and can average between 40 to 48 hours
total per week. The official work week is Saturday through Thursday.
Key Holidays: Only two official holidays are celebrated in the kingdom: Eid al Fitr (End of
Ramadan) and Eid al Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). The government has allowed limited
celebration of Ashura. This is a Shia celebration marking the martyrdom of Husayn, grandson of
Mohammed, at the Battle of Karbala. Hence, the Sunni Saudi Arabia’s reluctance in allowing the
celebration. o The official and unofficial holidays in 2013 are—
24 Jan Mawlid un Nabi (Birth of the Prophet Muhammad) (Unofficial)
8-10 Aug Eid al-Fitr 23 Sep Independence Day (Unofficial) 15-17 Oct Eid al-Adha 5 Nov El Hijra (Islamic New Year) (Unofficial) 14 Nov Ashura (Unofficial)
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19 UNCLASSIFIED
References
Al-Said, Dr. Faad A. M., “The patter of structural transformation of the Saudi Contemporary Neighborhood: The case of Al-Malaz, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,” 39th ISoCaRP Congress 2003, King Fahd Univeristy of Petroleum and Minerals, 2003, 1-9.
BBC Monitoring, “Saudi Arabia Profile,” British Broadcasting Company, 14 June 2012. Blanchard, Christopher M., “Saudi Arabia: Background and U.S. Relations,” RL33533, Congressional Research
Service, 10 March 2011, Summary. Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs, “Background Note: Saudi Arabia,” U.S. Department of State, 30 December 2011, 4-
6. Cordesman, Anthony H. and Aram Nerguizian, “The Gulf Military Balance in 2010,” Center for Strategic and
International Studies, 22 April 2010, 15. Cordesman, Anthony H. and Khalid R. Al-Rodhan, “The Gulf Military Forces in an Era of Asymmetric War Yemen,"
Center for Strategic and International Studies, 28 June 2006, 22-23; Cordesman, Anthony H., “Saudi Arabia: National Security in a Troubled Region,” (Washington, DC: Praeger Security
International, 3 September 2009, 123-170. Cordesman, Anthony H., “Saudi National Security and the Saudi-U.S. Strategic Partnership: Part II The Conventional
Military Balance,” working draft, Center for Strategic and International Studies, 29 April 2010, 36-65, 230-232.
“Country Profile: Saudi Arabia,” Federal Research Division, Library of Congress, September 2006, 4. El-Shorbagy, Dr. Abdel-Moniem, “Traditional Islamic-Arab Houst: Vocabulary and Syntax,” International Journal of
Civil and Environmental Engineering, IJCEE-IJENS, Volume 10, Number 4, 2010, 15-20. Federal Research Division, “Country Profile: Saudi Arabia,” Library of Congress, September 2006. Global Security, “Royal Saudi Naval Forces (RSNF),” 29 December 2011. “Global Trends in NGO Law, Survey of Arab NGO Laws,” The International Center for Not-for-Profit Law, Volume 1,
Issue 4, March 2010. Hill, Ginny, "Reforming Yemen’s military," Yemen Times, 16 April 2012. Karp, Aaron, “Completing the Count: Civilian firearms. Small Arms Survey 2007: Guns and the City,” (Cambridge:
Cambridge University Press: 27 August 2008), 67. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, “Architecture: About Saudi Arabia,” Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington,
D.C., 2012. Military Aviation Press, “Aviation Order of Battle-Saudi Arabia,” 2011. Regional Office for the Eastern Mediterranean, “Country Cooperation Strategy for WHO and Saudi Arabia 2006-
2011,” World Health Organization, 2011, 17. Royal Saudi Naval Forces, Education, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2012. "Transnational Threats Update," Center for Strategic and International Studies, October 2005, 1. Traveler’s Health, “Health Information for Travelers to Saudi Arabia,” Centers for Disease Control, 2012. United Nations International Children's Emergency Fund, “Saudi Arabia, Statistics,” United Nations, 2010. Utano, Paolo, Marie-Claude Erian, Vicky Brouillard, and Jean-Francois Croft, “Saudi Arabia: Infrastructure &
Environment,” Export Development Canada, September 2011. “World Armies, Saudi Arabia,” IHS Jane’s: Defense & Security Intelligence & Analysis, 26 January 2012. The World Factbook, "Middle East: Saudi Arabia," CIA, 26 April 2012. World Report 2011, “Saudi Arabia,” Human Rights Watch, 2011.
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