Saudi Arabia is located on the Arabian Peninsula in southwestern Asia and is a famous "oil kingdom" with the world's largest oil reserves and production, making it one of the wealthiest countries in the world. Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer of desalinated seawater and also the world's largest importer of barley
01. National Overview
Currency: Saudi Riyal (currency code: SAR, currency symbol S.R.)
Country code: SAU
Official language: Arabic language
International telephone area code:+966
Company name suffix: LTD
Exclusive domain suffix:. sa
Population: 33.55 million (2019)
Per capita GDP: 21764 US dollars (2019)
Time difference: Saudi Arabia is 5 hours behind China
Road driving direction: Keep to the right
02. Main websites
Search engine: www.google.com.sa (1st place)
News and Information: http://www.adslgate.com (23rd place)
Video website: http://www.youtube.com (2nd place)
E-commerce platform: http://www.souq.com (19th place)
portal site: http://www.yahoo.com (8th place)
Note: The above rankings are the views of domestic websites
03. Social media platforms
Facebook (4th place)
Twitter (7th place)
LinkedIn (16th place)
Instagram (18th place)
Note: The above rankings are the views of domestic websites
04. Communication tools
Facebook Messenger
Yolo
05. Network Tools
Saudi Arabian Enterprise Information Query Tool: http://www.info-clipper.com/en/company/search/saudi-arabia.sa.html
Saudi Arabian currency exchange rate trend query: http://www.xe.com/currencycharts/
Saudi Arabia import tariff information inquiry: www.customs.gov.sa/en/customsTariffSearch
06. Major exhibitions
Foodex Saudi: held annually in Jeddah in November, this exhibition is the largest food specific exhibition in Saudi Arabia and the only international exhibition dedicated to the food and beverage industry. The main products exhibited are food and agricultural products, processed agricultural products, grains, and animal by-products
Saudi Build: held annually in Riyadh in October, this exhibition is the only construction trade show in Saudi Arabia approved by UFI, the global exhibition industry association. Exhibitions recognized as "UFI accredited events" are proof of high quality, high exhibitor and visitor satisfaction. The main products exhibited are sanitary ware, doors and windows and accessories, door and window electromechanical and door control systems, etc
Automechanika Riyadh: held every two years in February in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The exhibited products mainly include repair, maintenance, parts, tires, batteries, and electronics and systems
Saudi Agriculture Exhibition: held annually in Riyadh in October, this exhibition is a large-scale professional exhibition in the field of agriculture and agricultural food in the Middle East. The exhibited products mainly include tractors, harvesters, transplanters, micro cultivators, etc
Global Health Exhibition in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: held annually in September in Riyadh, the exhibition mainly features medical clothing and washing technology, nutritional catering equipment, and medical furniture
Saudi Plastic, Rubber, Printing, Packaging, and Chemical Exhibition (Saudi): held every two years in Jeddah in January, this exhibition has developed into the largest UFI certified plastic and packaging professional exhibition in Saudi Arabia. The exhibited products mainly include electronic appliances, automotive and motorcycle accessories, lighting fixtures, and new energy
07. Major ports
Jeddah Port: Located in the central part of the west coast, on the east side of the Red Sea, it is the largest container port in Saudi Arabia
Dammam Port: Located on the northeast coast of Saudi Arabia, it is the largest port in eastern Saudi Arabia
Gizan Port: Located on the southeast side of the Red Sea, it is one of the main ports in western Saudi Arabia
08. Market Characteristics
Saudi Arabia is a true 'kingdom of oil', with the world's largest oil reserves and production, making it one of the wealthiest countries in the world
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest producer of desalinated seawater, accounting for approximately 21% of the world's total desalination capacity
Saudi Arabia is the world's largest importer of barley, with an average annual import of approximately 6 million tons
Saudi Arabia has a relatively low self-sufficiency rate in grain production and relies heavily on imports to meet demand
Saudi Arabia has a well-developed financial system and a relatively developed tourism industry
Economic development focuses on industry, and the petroleum and petrochemical industries are the lifeline of the national economy and the main source of the economy
Saudi Arabia has a strong dependence on oil and is deeply affected by fluctuations in oil prices
09. Visiting and Visiting
Checklist of important items before travel: http://www.ijinge.cn/checklist-before-international-business-trip/
Weather inquiry: http://www.guowaitianqi.com/sa.html
Security precautions: Saudi Arabia has a relatively good public security situation. Due to its simple and prosperous people, as well as strict punishment for civil and criminal offenses under religious laws, Saudi Arabia generally has fewer criminal cases
Visa processing: Saudi Arabia implements a strict visa system, and some visa approval procedures are complex and time-consuming. Saudi Arabia currently has its Embassy in China, Consulate General in Guangzhou, and Consulate General in Hong Kong, which handle visa applications within their jurisdiction
Flight selection: Saudi Arabia's civil aviation system is relatively developed, with existing routes covering major countries around the world. There are no direct flights between the capitals of China and Saudi Arabia. You can choose to take an Emirates Airlines flight from Beijing, transit through Dubai, and head to Riyadh. In addition, Saudi Airlines has launched direct flights from Guangzhou to Riyadh (every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Saturday) and direct flights from Guangzhou to Jeddah (every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday)
Entry precautions: It is strictly prohibited to bring alcoholic beverages or pork into the country. Once the goods are confiscated and destroyed, the carrier will be arrested and fined heavily
Car Rental: Car rental services in Saudi Arabia are highly developed, with rental companies located at major city airports and city centers. You can also travel by car, but you need to carry your travel documents with you, be familiar with the local situation, and pay attention to traffic safety. Main car rental company website: http://www.budget-arabia.com . Chinese driver's license cannot be used in Saudi Arabia. It needs to be notarized by a domestic notary office and authenticated by the Saudi Embassy in China before it can be replaced with a local driver's license in Saudi Arabia
Public buses: Saudi Arabia is a country on wheels, and due to high national income and relatively low oil prices, almost every household has a private car. Therefore, the construction of Saudi Arabia's public transportation system is relatively lagging behind, and the coverage of urban bus routes is low
Hotel reservation: http://www.booking.com
Plug requirements: British standard interface, standard voltage 220V
The website of the Chinese Embassy in Saudi Arabia is www.chinaembassy.org.sa/chn/, and the embassy's emergency contact number is+966-11-4832126
10. Communication topics
Date palm: Date palm has a long history of cultivation in the Arab region, almost covering all Arab countries, and has a very sweet taste
Saudi diamonds: Saudi diamonds are the best-selling jewelry in Saudi Arabia, with affordable prices but a wide variety of styles. Saudi diamonds account for 79% of the jewelry market share
Black Tea: Saudis have a habit of having two meals a day, and they have a special fondness for black tea. They add half or even half a cup of white sugar and a few fresh mint leaves to each cup of black tea
The Rubhali Desert: The Rubhali Desert covers the entire southern region of Saudi Arabia and most of the territories of Oman, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen, with an area of approximately 650000 square kilometers. It is also known as the "Arabian Desert"
Coffee: The taste of Arabic coffee is completely different from that of European and American coffee, with a strong and rich flavor mixed with the aroma of roasted coffee beans and spicy cardamom powder
11. Major holidays
September 23rd: National Day
First day of October in the Gregorian calendar: Eid al Fitr
December 10th in the Gregorian calendar: Eid al Adha
12. Government agencies
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Foreign Affairs: www.my.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia Customs: www.customs. gov.sa
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Finance: www.mof.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Commerce: https://mci.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Interior: www.moi.gov.sa
Saudi Arabia Ministry of Tourism: https://mt.gov.sa
13. Trade Policy
The Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment is responsible for formulating and implementing trade policies, registering businesses, and conducting multilateral and bilateral consultations with other countries and international economic and trade organizations; Saudi Customs is responsible for customs clearance management of imported and exported goods
According to the Saudi Commercial Agency Regulations and Implementation Rules, foreign businesses can only sell goods in Saudi Arabia through agents or distributors
Saudi Arabia requires that goods related to public safety must undergo mandatory certification before entering the Saudi market. These products are divided into 5 categories, including toys, electrical and electronic devices, cars, chemicals, and other goods
In Saudi Arabia, the sale of consumer goods is one of the business areas that is not open to foreign investors
Arab League members who have signed trade promotion agreements can enjoy preferential tariffs, while Arab countries that have signed bilateral economic and trade agreements can enjoy more favorable tariffs
14. Joined trade agreements/organizations
Gulf Cooperation Council
Arab League
The Organization of Islamic Cooperation
The Group of Twenty (G20)
Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries
15. Precautions for exporting to the country
Customs clearance documents: bill of lading, packing list, invoice, CO certificate of origin, processed according to customer requirements
If the product requires an additional manual, Saudi Arabia only allows it to be presented in English or Arabic
Goods, products, or packaging entering Saudi Arabia must have the words' Made in China 'printed on them in a non removable manner on the packaging or product, and cannot use ordinary stickers or stickers
All handheld power tools or household items must have instruction manuals in Arabic
16. Credit rating and risk level
S&P: BB+(50/100), stable outlook
Moody's: Ba3 (40/100), positive outlook
Fitch: BB+(50/100), stable outlook
Rating Description: The national credit score ranges from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating higher national credit. The national risk outlook is divided into three levels: "positive", "stable", and "negative" ("positive" indicates that the country's risk level may relatively decrease in the next year, "stable" indicates that the country's risk level may remain stable in the next year, and "negative" indicates that the country's risk level may relatively increase in the next year)
17. The country's import commodity tax policy
In Saudi Arabia, importing goods requires calculating and paying import taxes based on the value of the goods (i.e. CIF)
Saudi Arabia's tariff rates range from 0% to 50%, with an average tariff rate of 4.58%. Certain goods are exempt from tariffs, such as books, laptops, and other electronic products
Saudi Arabia does not impose value-added tax on imported goods
There is no threshold for import taxes in Saudi Arabia, and tariffs are levied regardless of the value of imported goods
18. Religious beliefs and cultural customs
Saudi Arabia has Islam as its state religion, with the majority of Muslims being Sunni Wahhabis
Saudi Arabia prohibits engaging in religious activities other than Islam in public places
Saudi Arabia likes to entertain guests with coffee and black tea. When drinking coffee, they use small cups and pour small amounts each time until the guest gently shakes the cup to indicate that they no longer want to drink
Shaking hands or picking up and dropping off items and food must be done with the right hand, and the left hand is considered unclean
Saudis usually shake hands with guests, and veneers and hugs are mainly used between relatives, friends, lovers, and old acquaintances
Saudi Arabia has a strong religious atmosphere, and all goods and behaviors that violate Islamic beliefs and rules are strictly prohibited
Women are generally required to wear long robes when going out, and it is not mandatory to wear headscarves. Men are not allowed to expose their chests and backs, and are generally not allowed to enter public places wearing shorts. Without permission, it is strictly forbidden to aim at women for photos
