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Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government control over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia possesses 18% of the world's proven petroleum reserves, ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and played a leading role in OPEC for many years.〔("OPEC Decides Not To Increase Oil Production" ), Jeff Brady. NPR. 8 June 2011. Retrieved 19 August 2011〕 The petroleum sector accounts for almost all of Saudi government revenues,〔http://www.sama.gov.sa/sites/samaen/ReportsStatistics/ReportsStatisticsLib/5600_R_Annual_En_48_2013_02_19.pdf〕 and export earnings. Most workers, particularly in the private sector, are foreigners. == Economic overview == Saudi oil reserves are the second largest in the world, and Saudi Arabia is the world's leading oil exporter and second largest producer. Proven reserves, according to figures provided by the Saudi government, are estimated to be , about one-quarter of world oil reserves. Petroleum in Saudi Arabia is not only plentiful but under pressure and close to the earth's surface. This makes it far cheaper and thus far more profitable to extract than oil at many other fields.〔Tripp, ''Culture Shock'', 2003: p.113〕 The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 92.5% of Saudi budget revenues,〔 90% of export earnings, and 55% of GDP. Another 40% of GDP comes from the private sector. An estimated 7.5 (2013) million foreigners work legally in Saudi Arabia, playing a crucial role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. The government has encouraged private sector growth for many years to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil, and to increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. In recent decades the government has begun to permit private sector and foreign investor participation in sectors such as power generation and telecom, and acceded to the WTO. During much of the 2000s, high oil prices〔Tripp, ''Culture Shock'', 2009: p.vii〕 enabled the government to post budget surpluses, boost spending on job training and education, infrastructure development, and government salaries. More than 95% of all Saudi oil is produced on behalf of the Saudi Government by the parastatal giant Saudi Aramco, and the remaining 5% by similar parastatal companies as of 2002. With its absolute monarchy system of government, large state sector and supply of welfare benefits, the Saudi economy has been described as a bewildering (at least to outsiders) combination of a feudal fealty system and a more modern political patronage one. At every level in every sphere of activity, Saudis maneuver through life manipulating individual privileges, favors, obligations, and connections. By the same token, the government bureaucracy is a maze of overlapping or conflicting power center under the patronage of various royal princes with their own priorities and agendas to pursue and dependents to satisfy. The gross domestic product of Saudi Arabia fluctuates dramatically according to the price of oil (see below). (Market prices (estimated ) by the International Monetary Fund and other sources, with figures in millions of Saudi Arabian Riyals (SR)).). For purchasing power parity comparisons, the U.S. dollar is exchanged at 3.75 Saudi Arabian Riyals only. Mean wages were $14.74 per man-hour in 2009. Population from FAO (aqaustat ), (UN World Population Prospects: The 2010 Revision )) As of August 2009 it was reported that Saudi Arabia is the strongest Arab economy, according to World Bank. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Economy of Saudi Arabia」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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