Saudi Arabia (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia)

http://www.humantruth.info/saudi_arabia.html

By Vexen Crabtree 2013

Saudi Arabia Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Status	Independent State
Social and Moral Index	106th best
Capital	Riyadh
Land Area	2 149 690km²₁
Location	Asia, The Middle East
Population	33.7m₂
Life Expectancy	76.94yrs (2017)₃
GNI	$46 112 (2017)₄
ISO3166-1 Codes	SA, SAU, 682₅
Internet Domain	.sa₆
Currency	Rial (SAR)₇
Telephone	+966₈

1. Overview

#bahrain #iraq #islam #kuwait #saudi_arabia #USA

“Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam's two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The king's official title is the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 by ABD AL-AZIZ bin Abd al-Rahman Al SAUD (Ibn Saud) after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian Peninsula. One of his male descendants rules the country today, as required by the country's 1992 Basic Law. King ABDALLAH bin Abd al-Aziz ascended to the throne in 2005. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. The continuing presence of foreign troops on Saudi soil after the liberation of Kuwait became a source of tension between the royal family and the public until all operational US troops left the country in 2003. Major terrorist attacks in May and November 2003 spurred a strong on-going campaign against domestic terrorism and extremism. King ABDALLAH has continued the cautious reform program begun when he was crown prince. The king instituted an interfaith dialogue initiative in 2008 to encourage religious tolerance on a global level; in 2009, he reshuffled the cabinet, which led to more moderates holding ministerial and judicial positions, and appointed the first female to the cabinet. The 2010-12 uprisings across Middle Eastern and North African countries sparked modest incidents in Saudi cities, predominantly by Shia demonstrators calling for the release of detainees and the withdrawal from Bahrain of the Gulf Cooperation Council's Peninsula Shield Force. Protests in general were met by a strong police presence, with some arrests, but not the level of bloodshed seen in protests elsewhere in the region. In response to the unrest, King ABDALLAH in February and March 2011 announced a series of benefits to Saudi citizens including funds to build affordable housing, salary increases for government workers, and unemployment entitlements. To promote increased political participation, the government held elections nationwide in September 2011 for half the members of 285 municipal councils. Also in September, the king announced that women will be allowed to run for and vote in future municipal elections - first held in 2005 - and serve as full members of the advisory Consultative Council. During 2012, Shia protests increased in violence, while peaceful Sunni protests expanded. The country remains a leading producer of oil and natural gas and holds more than 20% of the world's proven oil reserves. The government continues to pursue economic reform and diversification, particularly since Saudi Arabia's accession to the WTO in December 2005, and promotes foreign investment in the kingdom. A burgeoning population, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are ongoing governmental concerns.”
CIA's The World Factbook (2013)₉

“The birthplace and spiritual home of Islam, Saudi Arabia is as rich in attractions as it is in stirring symbolism. If you are not a Muslim pilgrim performing the hajj, or an expat working in the oil industry, Saudi Arabia is one of the most difficult places on earth to visit. For those travellers who do get in, rock-hewn Madain Saleh is the Arabian peninsula´s greatest archaeological treasure. Other wonders abound, from the echoes of TE Lawrence along the Hejaz Railway to the mudbrick ruins of Dir´aiyah. Jeddah, gateway to the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, has an enchanting old city made of coral, while the Red Sea coast has world-class diving without the crowds. Elsewhere, this is a land of astonishing natural beauty, particularly the plunging landscapes of the Asir Mountains in the Kingdom´s southwest.Best of all, there are few places left that can be said to represent the last frontier of tourism. Whether you´re an expat or a pilgrim, Saudi Arabia is one of them.”
"The World" by Lonely Planet (2014)₁₀

“[In 2017] King Salman removed Mohammed bin Nayef as interior minister and crown prince, and appointed his son, Mohammed bin Salman, as the new crown prince. Mohammed bin Salman also serves as minister of defense. The succession move followed the removal of the country´s notorious prosecution service from the Interior Ministry and its transformation into an agency reporting directly to the royal court.
In addition, in July [2017], King Salman removed the domestic intelligence agency and counterterrorism powers from the Interior Ministry and merged them into the newly created Presidency of State Security, which reports directly to the royal court. In September, the king decreed that women will be allowed to drive from June 2018, ending a long-standing ban.”
"World Report 2018" by Human Rights Watch (2018)₁₁

2. Saudi Arabia National and Social Development

#economics #human_development #wealth

UN HDI (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Value₁₂
1	Switzerland	0.962
2	Norway	0.961
3	Iceland	0.959
4	Hong Kong	0.952
5	Australia	0.951
	...
34	Poland	0.876
35	Bahrain	0.875
36	Lithuania	0.875
37	Saudi Arabia	0.875
38	Portugal	0.866
39	Latvia	0.863
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.72
q=191.

Gross National Income Per-Capita (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better PPP $₁₂
1	Liechtenstein	$146 830
2	Singapore	$90 919
3	Qatar	$87 134
4	Luxembourg	$84 649
5	Ireland	$76 169
	...
22	Finland	$49 452
23	Australia	$49 238
24	Canada	$46 808
25	Saudi Arabia	$46 112
26	France	$45 937
27	UK	$45 225
	Asia Avg	$22 215
	World Avg	$20 136
q=193.

Social & Moral Development Index₁₃_,₁₄
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₃_,₁₄
1	Taiwan	28.6
2	Norway	29.4
3	Denmark	31.2
4	Sweden	32.2
5	Finland	32.6
	...
103	Nicaragua	90.8
104	Tajikistan	90.8
105	Nepal	90.9
106	Saudi Arabia	91.4
107	Bahrain	91.5
108	Andorra	91.6
	Asia Avg	87.1
	World Avg	86.1
q=195.

The United Nations produces an annual Human Development Report which includes the Human Development Index. The factors taken into account include life expectancy, education and schooling and Gross National Income (GNI) amongst many others..

The Social and Moral Development Index concentrates on moral issues and human rights, violence, public health, equality, tolerance, freedom and effectiveness in climate change mitigation and environmentalism, and on some technological issues. A country scores higher for achieving well in those areas, and for sustaining that achievement in the long term. Those countries towards the top of this index can truly said to be setting good examples and leading humankind onwards into a bright, humane, and free future. See: Which are the Best Countries in the World? The Social and Moral Development Index.

3. Saudi Arabia's Demographics and Migration

#birth_control #demographics #health #immigration #life_expectancy #longevity #migration #overpopulation #population

Population:

Saudi Arabia's population is predicted to rise to 38.48 million by 2030. These millions of extra people will all need space to live, food to eat, energy to consume, and will increase the burden on the planet's resources. This country has a fertility rate of 2.67. The fertility rate is, in simple terms, the average amount of children that each woman has. The higher the figure, the quicker the population is growing, although, to calculate the rate you also need to take into account morbidity, i.e., the rate at which people die. If people live healthy and long lives and morbidity is low, then, 2.0 approximates to the replacement rate, which would keep the population stable. If all countries had such a fertility rate, population growth would end. The actual replacement rate in most developed countries is around 2.1.

Population (2018)₂
Pos.		Population₂
1	China	1.4b
2	India	1.4b
3	USA	327.1m
4	Indonesia	267.7m
5	Pakistan	212.2m
	...
38	Afghanistan	37.2m
39	Canada	37.1m
40	Morocco	36.0m
41	Saudi Arabia	33.7m
42	Uzbekistan	32.5m
43	Peru	32.0m
	World Avg	39.0m
q=195.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
46	USA	77.2
47	Estonia	77.1
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₅
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₅
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
108	Austria	1.35
109	Egypt	2.65
110	Singapore	1.35
111	Saudi Arabia	2.67
112	Portugal	1.31
113	Belize	2.70
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Old-Age Dependency Ratio (2016)₁₆
Pos.		Lower is better Per 100₁₆
1	Uganda	04.3
2	Mali	04.5
3	Chad	04.7
4	Burkina Faso	04.7
5	Sierra Leone	04.8
	...
63	Equatorial Guinea	09.4
64	Kiribati	09.5
65	Guatemala	09.5
66	Saudi Arabia	09.5
67	Haiti	09.6
68	Vanuatu	09.9
	World Avg	18.3
q=185.

Migration:

Immigrants (2017)₁₇
Pos.		%₁₇
1	UAE	88.4%
2	Kuwait	75.5%
3	Qatar	65.2%
4	Liechtenstein	65.1%
5	Monaco	54.9%
	...
9	Luxembourg	45.3%
10	Oman	44.7%
11	Hong Kong	39.1%
12	Saudi Arabia	37.0%
13	Jordan	33.3%
14	Nauru	32.7%
	World Avg	9.4%
q=195.

Emigrants (2010)₁₈
Pos.		%₁₈
1	Dominica	104.8%
2	Palestine	68.4%
3	Samoa	67.3%
4	Grenada	65.5%
5	St Kitts & Nevis	61.1%
	...
181	Ethiopia	0.7%
182	Tanzania	0.7%
183	Brazil	0.7%
184	Saudi Arabia	0.7%
185	Qatar	0.7%
186	Nigeria	0.6%
	World Avg	11.5%
q=192.

4. Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance

#equality #freedom #gender_equality #human_rights #morals #politics #prejudice #saudi_arabia #tolerance

Human Rights, Equality & Tolerance (2020)₁₉_,₂₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₁₉_,₂₀
1	Sweden	9.2
2	Norway	14.7
3	Denmark	14.7
4	Netherlands	15.8
5	New Zealand	17.5
	...
150	Ethiopia	116.9
151	Guinea-Bissau	117.3
152	Gambia	117.4
153	Saudi Arabia	117.6
154	Liberia	118.0
155	Qatar	119.3
	Asia Avg	99.8
	World Avg	87.7
q=199.

Saudi Arabia is amongst the worst places in the world at ensuring human rights and freedom, and it has severe cultural issues when it comes to tolerance and equality. Saudi Arabia does worse than average when it comes to its nominal commitment to Human Rights₂₁ and in speed of uptake of HR treaties₂₂. And finally, it falls into the worst 20 in its success in fighting anti-semitic prejudice₂₃, commentary in Human Rights Watch reports₂₄ (one of the worst in Asia), supporting personal, civil & economic freedoms₂₅, supporting press freedom₂₆, freethought₂₇ (amongst the highest in Asia) and in LGBT equality₂₈ (amongst the worst in Asia). There is no freedom of religion or belief in Saudi Arabia₂₉_,₃₀. Saudi Arabia's form of Wahhabi Islam makes the country fundamentally opposed to basic Human Rights and human rights campaigners are persecuted and imprisoned₁₁. The legal and social system systematically objectifies and subjugates women, although from 2017 there have been signs that things may get a little better, in some areas due to actions of King Salman, such as decreeing that from 2018 women can drive cars.₁₁; but years later, any meaningful change beyond that has not transpired₃₁.

For tables, charts and commentary, see:

Human Rights and Freedom in Saudi Arabia

5. Saudi Arabia's Health

#alcohol #birth_control #demographics #health #life_expectancy #longevity #obesity #overpopulation #parenting #population #Saudi_Arabia #smoking #vaccines

Compared to Asia (2020)₃₂_,₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₂_,₃₃
1	Hong Kong	18.3
2	Maldives	41.0
3	Singapore	42.6
4	Japan	51.0
5	S. Korea	51.3
	...
14	Bangladesh	66.8
15	Kuwait	67.1
16	Uzbekistan	68.4
17	Saudi Arabia	69.3
18	Qatar	70.6
19	Iran	75.5
20	UAE	75.8
	Asia Avg	80.1
q=50.

Health (2020)₃₂_,₃₃
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₃₂_,₃₃
1	Monaco	13.0
2	Hong Kong	18.3
3	Maldives	41.0
4	Singapore	42.6
5	Japan	51.0
	...
20	Kuwait	67.1
21	Italy	67.5
22	Uzbekistan	68.4
23	Saudi Arabia	69.3
24	Spain	69.6
25	Qatar	70.6
26	Portugal	72.3
	World Avg	93.5
q=196.

The countries with the best overall approach to public health, in terms of both public policy and individual lifestyle choices, are Monaco, Hong Kong and The Maldives₃₂. These countries are worth emulating. And, although often through no fault of the average citizen, the worst countries are The Marshall Islands, S. Sudan and Palau₃₂.

The data sets used to calculate points for each country are its average life expectancy, its alcohol consumption rate, its fertility rate, its smoking rate, its suicide rate, its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance, the prevalence of overweight adults, its adolescent birth rate and its immunizations take-up. The regions with the best average results per country are Scandinavia, Asia and The Mediterranean₃₂, whereas the worst are Micronesia, Australasia and Africa₃₂.

For more, see:

"Countries With the Healthiest Cultures and Health Policies" by Vexen Crabtree (2020).

Health:

Public health in Saudi Arabia is very good. Saudi Arabia comes in the best 20 for its alcohol consumption rate₃₄, its immunizations take-up₃₅ and in its food aid and health contributions and WHO compliance₃₆ (amongst the best in Asia). It does better than average in terms of its adolescent birth rate₃₇ and in its average life expectancy₁₂. But, things still need to improve in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia does worse than average when it comes to its fertility rate₁₅ and in its smoking rate₃₈. The number of overweight adults has increased by 14% over the last 40 years.

Life Expectancy (2021)₁₂
Pos.		Higher is better Years₁₂
1	Monaco	85.9
2	Hong Kong	85.5
3	Japan	84.8
4	Australia	84.5
5	Switzerland	84.0
	...
46	USA	77.2
47	Estonia	77.1
48	Costa Rica	77.0
49	Saudi Arabia	76.9
50	Albania	76.5
51	Poland	76.5
	Asia Avg	73.48
	World Avg	71.28
q=195.

Alcohol Consumption (2016)₃₄
Pos.		Lower is better Per Capita₃₄
1	Bangladesh	0.0
2	Kuwait	0.0
3	Libya	0.0
4	Mauritania	0.0
5	Somalia	0.0
6	Yemen	0.1
7	Afghanistan	0.2
8	Saudi Arabia	0.2
9	Syria	0.3
10	Pakistan	0.3
11	Kiribati	0.4
12	Iraq	0.4
	Asia Avg	3.9
	World Avg	6.2
q=189.

Fertility Rate (2013)₁₅
Pos.		2.0 is best₁₅
1	N. Korea	2.00
2	Brunei	1.99
3	St Vincent & Grenadines	2.01
4	France	1.99
5	Turkey	2.04
	...
108	Austria	1.35
109	Egypt	2.65
110	Singapore	1.35
111	Saudi Arabia	2.67
112	Portugal	1.31
113	Belize	2.70
	Asia Avg	2.46
	World Avg	2.81
q=180.

Smoking Rates (2014)₃₈
Pos.		Higher is worse₃₈
182	Montenegro	4 125
181	Belarus	3 831
180	Lebanon	3 023
179	Macedonia	2 732
178	Russia	2 690
	...
149	Italy	1 443
148	Poland	1 396
147	Netherlands	1 396
146	Saudi Arabia	1 395
145	Cuba	1 392
144	Georgia	1 378
	Asia Avg	1 035
	World Avg	819
q=182.

Food Aid, Health Contributions & WHO Compliance (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Sweden	1
2	Ireland	2
3	Denmark	3
4	UK	4
5	Norway	5
	...
12	Finland	12
13	Australia	13
14	UAE	14
15	Saudi Arabia	15
16	Belgium	16
17	New Zealand	17
	Asia Avg	64.4
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Overweight Adults (2016)₃₉
Pos.		Lower is better %₃₉
1	Vietnam	18.3
2	India	19.7
3	Bangladesh	20.0
4	Ethiopia	20.9
5	Nepal	21.0
	...
176	Lebanon	67.9
177	USA	67.9
178	Jordan	69.6
179	Saudi Arabia	69.7
180	Qatar	71.7
181	Kuwait	73.4
	Asia Avg	44.3
	World Avg	49.0
q=191.

Children's Health:

Adolescent Birth Rate (2015)₃₇
Pos.		Lower is better Per 1000₃₇
1	N. Korea	0.5
2	S. Korea	1.6
3	Switzerland	2.9
4	Hong Kong	3.2
5	Slovenia	3.8
	...
25	Belgium	8.2
26	Spain	8.4
27	Bosnia & Herzegovina	8.6
28	Saudi Arabia	8.8
29	France	8.9
30	Croatia	9.5
	Asia Avg	29.9
	World Avg	47.9
q=185.

Infant Immunizations 2011-2015 (2015)₃₅
Pos.		Higher is better Avg %₃₅
1	Hungary	99.0
2	China	99.0
3	Uzbekistan	98.9
4	Niue	98.8
5	Mongolia	98.7
	...
11	Bahrain	98.2
12	Iran	98.1
13	Finland	98.1
14	Saudi Arabia	98.0
15	Luxembourg	98.0
16	Oman	98.0
	Asia Avg	90.5
	World Avg	88.3
q=194.

6. Saudi Arabia's Modernity and Learning

#education #intelligence #it_security #modernity #politics #religion #religiosity #research #science #secularisation #technology #the_internet

Compared to Asia (2020)₂₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₀
1	Taiwan	10.0
2	Japan	21.9
3	S. Korea	24.0
4	Singapore	27.9
5	Israel	32.2
	...
10	Macau	50.8
11	Cyprus	54.0
12	UAE	56.0
13	Saudi Arabia	60.4
14	Uzbekistan	61.7
15	China	61.9
16	Kazakhstan	63.3
	Asia Avg	79.0
q=51.

Modernity and Learning (2020)₂₀
Pos.		Lower is better Avg Rank₂₀
1	Finland	8.4
2	Taiwan	10.0
3	Switzerland	15.1
4	Estonia	15.8
5	Denmark	16.0
	...
61	Bosnia & Herzegovina	58.1
62	Palau	59.3
63	Mexico	59.8
64	Saudi Arabia	60.4
65	Uzbekistan	61.7
66	China	61.9
67	Kazakhstan	63.3
	World Avg	83.2
q=205.

Modernity and Education:

Research and Development (2016)
Pos.		Higher is better % RDP PPP
1	S. Korea	4.29₄₀
2	Israel	4.11₄₀
3	Japan	3.58₄₀
4	Finland	3.17₄₀
5	Sweden	3.16₄₀
	...
111	Paraguay	0.09₄₁
112	Congo, DR	0.08₄₂
113	Indonesia	0.08₄₃
114	Saudi Arabia	0.07₄₂
115	Algeria	0.07₄₄
116	Cape Verde	0.07₄₅
	Asia Avg	0.75
	World Avg	0.84
q=126.

Secondary Education (2018)₄₆
Pos.		Higher is better₄₆
1	Luxembourg	100.0%
2	Estonia	100.0%
3	Austria	100.0%
4	Canada	100.0%
5	Finland	100.0%
	...
70	Samoa	74.5%
71	Trinidad & Tobago	73.4%
72	Philippines	73.2%
73	Saudi Arabia	72.8%
74	Andorra	72.3%
75	Panama	72.2%
	Asia Avg	66.0%
	World Avg	63.0%
q=169.

Length of Schooling (2021)₄₇
Pos.		Higher is better Years₄₇
1	Australia	21.1
2	New Zealand	20.3
3	Greece	20.0
4	Belgium	19.6
5	Sweden	19.4
	...
32	Italy	16.2
33	Czechia	16.2
34	Latvia	16.2
35	Saudi Arabia	16.1
36	Israel	16.1
37	Tonga	16.0
	Asia Avg	13.5
	World Avg	13.5
q=193.

Intellectual Endeavours (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Ukraine	1
2	Czechia	2
3	Hungary	3
4	Denmark	4
5	UK	5
	...
78	Colombia	78
79	Liberia	79
80	Kyrgyzstan	80
81	Saudi Arabia	81
82	Uganda	82
83	Mauritius	83
	Asia Avg	97.1
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Religiosity (2018)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
6	Germany	10
7	UK	10
8	Sweden	10
9	Japan	10
10	Finland	10
11	Latvia	11
12	France	11
	Asia Avg	55.8
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

IQ (2006)₄₉
Pos.		Higher is better₄₉
1	Hong Kong	108
2	Singapore	108
3	S. Korea	106
4	Japan	105
5	Taiwan	105
	...
83	Panama	84
84	Paraguay	84
85	Morocco	84
86	Saudi Arabia	84
87	Algeria	83
88	Libya	83
	Asia Avg	90.4
	World Avg	85.6
q=138.

Technology and Information:

“Saudi Arabia is as infamous as Pakistan for its deadly serious approach to blasphemy, against a backdrop of general religious intolerance and barbarism. For example in 2002 it was reported that Saudi Arabia's government began denying access to websites containing general religious content on Christianity, Islam, Paganism, Judaism and Hinduism₅₀. This, like other moves in the region, is designed to keep Muslim populations' access to information limited, so that they will remain steadfast in the "correct" form of Islam as judged by the authorities.”
"Blasphemy and Censorship: In Christianity and Islam: 4.1. Islam: Blasphemy and Censorship"
Vexen Crabtree (2012)

Internet Users (2016)₅₁
Pos.		Higher is better₅₁
1	Iceland	100%
2	Faroe Islands	99%
3	Norway	98%
4	Bermuda	97%
5	Andorra	97%
	...
68	Uruguay	65%
69	Antigua & Barbuda	65%
70	Greece	65%
71	Saudi Arabia	65%
72	French Polynesia	64%
73	Albania	63%
	Asia Avg	48.7%
	World Avg	48.1%
q=201.

Freedom On The Internet (2012)₅₂
Pos.		Lower is better₅₂
1	Estonia	10
2	USA	12
3	Germany	15
4	Australia	18
5	Hungary	19
	...
36	Pakistan	63
37	Belarus	69
38	Bahrain	71
39	Saudi Arabia	71
40	Vietnam	73
41	Ethiopia	75
	Asia Avg	56.6
	World Avg	46.7
q=47.

IT Security (2013)₅₃
Pos.		Lower is better₅₃
1	Ireland	0.11
2	Luxembourg	0.11
3	Belize	0.11
4	Hong Kong	0.12
5	Mexico	0.16
	...
38	Laos	0.86
39	Spain	0.88
40	Kuwait	0.93
41	Saudi Arabia	0.93
42	Malaysia	0.96
43	Canada	0.96
	Asia Avg	1.08
	World Avg	0.98
q=81.

IPv6 Uptake (2017)₅₄
Pos.		Higher is better Ratio₅₄
1	Belgium	55.4
2	Germany	41.8
3	Switzerland	35.1
4	USA	35.0
5	Greece	33.5
	...
27	Austria	7.5
28	Hungary	7.4
29	Guatemala	6.9
30	Saudi Arabia	6.8
31	Vietnam	5.9
32	Slovenia	5.4
	Asia Avg	2.11
	World Avg	3.82
q=176.

7. National Culture

#charity #corruption #happiness #morals #politics

World Giving Index (2013-2021)₅₅
Pos.		Lower is better₅₅
1	Myanmar (Burma)	2.7
2	New Zealand	4.0
3	USA	4.7
4	Australia	4.9
5	Indonesia	9.0
	...
54	Malawi	45.7
55	Ghana	45.9
56	Chile	47.1
57	Saudi Arabia	48.6
58	Costa Rica	49.0
59	Nepal	49.1
	Asia Avg	62.5
	World Avg	67.9
q=160.

Corruption (2022)₅₆
Pos.		Higher is better Points₅₆
1	Denmark	90.0
2	Finland	87.0
3	New Zealand	87.0
4	Norway	84.0
5	Singapore	83.0
	...
53	Greece	52.0
54	Rwanda	51.0
55	Malta	51.0
56	Saudi Arabia	51.0
57	Croatia	50.0
58	Mauritius	50.0
	Asia Avg	39.98
	World Avg	42.98
q=180.

Happiness (2018)₅₇
Pos.		Higher is better₅₇
1	Finland	7.6
2	Norway	7.6
3	Denmark	7.6
4	Iceland	7.5
5	Switzerland	7.5
	...
30	Guatemala	6.4
31	Uruguay	6.4
32	Qatar	6.4
33	Saudi Arabia	6.4
34	Singapore	6.3
35	Malaysia	6.3
	Asia Avg	5.29
	World Avg	5.38
q=156.

Creativity and Culture (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Belgium	1
2	Netherlands	2
3	Estonia	3
4	Switzerland	4
5	Sweden	5
	...
133	Timor-Leste (E. Timor)	133
134	Mali	134
135	Chad	135
136	Saudi Arabia	136
137	Congo, (Brazzaville)	137
138	Algeria	138
	Asia Avg	99.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Open Trading, Aid and Development (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Ireland	1
2	Denmark	2
3	Sweden	3
4	Netherlands	4
5	Switzerland	5
	...
82	Costa Rica	82
83	Kuwait	83
84	Belarus	84
85	Saudi Arabia	85
86	Azerbaijan	86
87	Uganda	87
	Asia Avg	86.3
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

8. Peace Versus Instability

#extremism #human_development #peace #politics #religious_violence #terrorism

Global Peace Index (2021)₅₈
Pos.		Lower is better₅₈
1	Iceland	1.10
2	New Zealand	1.25
3	Denmark	1.26
4	Portugal	1.27
5	Slovenia	1.32
	...
122	USA	2.34
123	S. Africa	2.34
124	Honduras	2.37
125	Saudi Arabia	2.38
126	Egypt	2.40
127	Philippines	2.42
	Asia Avg	2.22
	World Avg	2.08
q=163.

Peacekeeping and Security (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Samoa	1
2	S. Africa	2
3	Tunisia	3
4	Egypt	4
5	Nigeria	5
	...
138	Cape Verde	138
139	St Lucia	139
140	Kuwait	140
141	Saudi Arabia	141
142	St Vincent & Grenadines	142
143	Belize	143
	Asia Avg	76.0
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Refugees and UN Treaties (2017)₃₆
Pos.		Lower is better Rank₃₆
1	Austria	1
2	Germany	2
3	Netherlands	3
4	Sweden	4
5	Malta	5
	...
114	Morocco	114
115	Iraq	115
116	Dominica	116
117	Saudi Arabia	117
118	Lesotho	118
119	Oman	119
	Asia Avg	92.2
	World Avg	82.0
q=163.

Impact of Terrorism (2019)₅₉
Pos.		Lower is better Score₅₉
1	Togo	0.00
2	Mongolia	0.00
3	Swaziland	0.00
4	Equatorial Guinea	0.00
5	Cambodia	0.00
	...
118	Burundi	5.10
119	Palestine	5.18
120	Bangladesh	5.21
121	Saudi Arabia	5.24
122	Ethiopia	5.35
123	UK	5.41
	Asia Avg	3.60
	World Avg	2.78
q=150.

9. The Natural Environment

#biodiversity #climate_change #deforestation #over-exploitation #the_environment

Forest Area Change 1990-2015 (2015)₆₀
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₀
1	Iceland	+205.6
2	Bahrain	+144.4
3	Uruguay	+131.3
4	Kuwait	+81.2
5	Dominican Rep.	+79.5
	...
91	Kiribati	00.0
92	Andorra	00.0
93	Malta	00.0
94	Saudi Arabia	00.0
95	Grenada	00.0
96	Oman	00.0
	Asia Avg	+07.0
	World Avg	+02.8
q=184.

Environmental Performance (2018)₆₁
Pos.		Higher is better₆₁
1	Switzerland	87.4
2	France	84.0
3	Denmark	81.6
4	Malta	80.9
5	Sweden	80.5
	...
83	Mongolia	57.5
84	Serbia	57.5
85	Chile	57.5
86	Saudi Arabia	57.5
87	Ecuador	57.4
88	Algeria	57.2
	Asia Avg	54.5
	World Avg	56.4
q=180.

Energy to GDP Efficiency (2014)₆₂
Pos.		Higher is better₆₂
1	Hong Kong	26.32
2	Sri Lanka	20.00
3	Panama	17.86
4	Colombia	17.54
5	Ireland	17.54
	...
82	Nigeria	07.30
83	Georgia	07.25
84	Vietnam	07.14
85	Saudi Arabia	07.04
86	Honduras	06.80
87	Bulgaria	06.54
	Asia Avg	09.14
	World Avg	09.29
q=119.

Convention on Biological Diversity
Pos.		Earlier is better Signed
1	China	1993 Dec 29
2	Guinea	1993 Dec 29
3	Cook Islands	1993 Dec 29
4	Vanuatu	1993 Dec 29
5	Papua New Guinea	1993 Dec 29
	...
179	Liberia	2001 Feb 06
180	Malta	2001 Mar 29
181	Libya	2001 Oct 10
182	Saudi Arabia	2002 Jan 01
183	Serbia	2002 May 30
184	Kuwait	2002 Oct 31
	Asia Avg	1899 Dec 30
	World Avg	1899 Dec 30
q=197.

Rational Beliefs on the Environment (2011)₆₃
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₃
1	Argentina	78.3%
2	Greece	77.6%
3	Brazil	77.1%
4	Trinidad & Tobago	74.5%
5	Costa Rica	74.2%
	...
99	Ireland	27.9%
100	Israel	27.6%
101	Palestine	27.5%
102	Saudi Arabia	27.2%
103	Belgium	26.9%
104	Syria	26.6%
	Asia Avg	37.9%
	World Avg	39.9%
q=145.

10. Economic Inequality and Poverty

#health #inequality #life_expectancy

Inequality in Life Expectancy (2019)₆₄
Pos.		Higher is worse₆₄
184	Chad	40.90
183	Central African Rep.	40.10
182	Sierra Leone	39.00
181	Somalia	38.90
180	Nigeria	37.10
	...
56	Sri Lanka	7.00
55	Bahamas	6.80
54	Oman	6.70
53	Saudi Arabia	6.40
52	Romania	6.30
51	USA	6.30
	Asia Avg	11.80
	World Avg	14.59
q=184.

11. Religion and Beliefs

#atheism #belief #buddhism #christianity #god #hinduism #humanism #islam #judaism #religion #religiosity #saudi_arabia #secularisation

Religiosity (2018)₄₈
Pos.		Lower is better %₄₈
1	China	3
2	Estonia	6
3	Czechia	7
4	Switzerland	9
5	Denmark	9
6	Germany	10
7	UK	10
8	Sweden	10
9	Japan	10
10	Finland	10
11	Latvia	11
12	France	11
	World Avg	54.3
q=106.

Disbelief In God (2007)₆₅
Pos.		Higher is better %₆₅
1	Vietnam	81
2	Japan	65
3	Sweden	64
4	Czechia	61
5	Estonia	49
	...
120	Ivory Coast	0
121	Pakistan	0
122	Niger	0
123	Saudi Arabia	0
124	Rwanda	0
125	Cameroon	0
	World Avg	9.9
q=137.

Data from the Pew Forum, a professional polling outfit, states that in 2010 the religious makeup of this country was as follows in the table below₆₆:

Christian	4.4%
Muslim	93%
Hindu	1.1%
Buddhist	0.3%
Folk Religion	0.3%
Jew	0.1%
Unaffiliated	0.7%

The CIA World Factbook has slightly different data, and states simply: Muslim (official) 100%₆₇.

Freedom of Religion and Belief: Saudi Arabia's form of Wahhabi Islam (a kind of Sunni Islam) makes the country fundamentally opposed to Human Rights. Sociologists Grim & Finke place Saudi Arabia into the worst categories of religious freedom and persecution, along with just 13 other countries. In 1948 Saudi Arabia was one of just 8 countries that refused to sign the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, disagreeing that people had the right to choose their religion₆₈. Non-religious folk such as Humanists are in an impossible situation, and prosecutions can be made for 'promoting atheism' if they don't conceal themselves₃₁; other religions and Muslim minorities such as Twelver Shia and Ismailis are also persecuted₁₁.

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