fully automatic domestic system poor but improving; provides only minimal service with radio relay, and troposcatter; 103,800 telephones; broadcast stations - 9 AM, 2 FM, 50 TV; 19 submarine coaxial cable systems; 3,102,000 telephones; broadcast stations - 57 AM, 66 (22 repeaters) FM, 100 (1,297 repeaters) TV; 5 coaxial submarine cables; 2 communications satellite earth stations - 3 Atlantic Ocean Ottawa [US Embassy] Saudi Arabia Climate: dry continental to polar in Pamir Mountains Terrain: vast central plain, mountains in interior Natural resources: petroleum, coal, copper, molybdenum, tungsten, phosphates, tin, hydropower, gold, limestone Land use: arable land: 46% permanent crops: 0% meadows and pastures: 23% forest and woodland: 0% other: 57% Irrigated land: 41,550 km2 (1990) Environment: air and water pollution Note: strategic location on major air and water pollution; desertification Note: extensive coastlines
reorganization