Saudi Arabia--Government
CIA FactbookThe World Factbook 1993: Saudi Arabia Government Names: conventional long form: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia conventional short form: Saudi Arabia local long form: Al Mamlakah al 'Arabiyah as Su'udiyah local short form: Al 'Arabiyah as Su'udiyah

Digraph: SA

Type: monarchy

Capital: Riyadh

Administrative divisions: 14 emirates (imarat, singular - imarah); Al Bahah, Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah, Al Jawf, Al Madinah, Al Qasim, Al Qurayyat, Ar Riyad, Ash Sharqiyah, 'Asir, Ha'il, Jizan, Makkah, Najran, Tabuk

Independence: 23 September 1932 (unification)

Constitution: none; governed according to Shari'a (Islamic law)

Legal system: based on Islamic law, several secular codes have been introduced; commercial disputes handled by special committees; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

National holiday: Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)

Political parties and leaders: none allowed

Suffrage: none

Elections: none

Executive branch: monarch and prime minister, crown prince and deputy prime minister, Council of Ministers

Legislative branch: none

Judicial branch: Supreme Council of Justice

Leaders:

Chief of State and Head of Government: King and Prime Minister FAHD bin 'Abd al-'Aziz Al Sa'ud (since 13 June 1982); Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister 'ABDALLAH bin 'Abd al-'Aziz Al Sa'ud (half-brother to the King, appointed heir to the throne 13 June 1982)

Member of: ABEDA, AfDB, AFESD, AL, AMF, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-19, G-77, GCC, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INMARSAT, INTELSAT, INTERPOL, IOC, ISO, ITU, LORCS, NAM, OAPEC, OAS (observer), OIC, OPEC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO

Diplomatic representation in US: chief of mission: Ambassador BANDAR Bin Sultan chancery: 601 New Hampshire Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037 telephone: (202) 342-3800 consulates general: Houston, Los Angeles, and New York US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: (vacant); Charge d'Affaires C. David Welch embassy: Collector Road M, Diplomatic Quarter, Riyadh mailing address: American Embassy, Unit 61307, Riyadh; International Mail: P. O. Box 94309, Riyadh 11693; or APO AE 09803-1307 telephone: [966] (1) 488-3800 FAX: Telex 406866 consulates general: Dhahran, Jiddah (Jeddah)

Flag: green with large white Arabic script (that may be 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); green is the traditional color of Islam