Saudi Arabia: Health & Education

ALPHABETICAL

SEARCH
Case sensitive
CONTENT

	INDEX

	ATLAS

Saudi Arabia: Health & Education

CONTENT

INTRODUCTION
1. Political situation
2. Economy
3. Health & Education
4. Religions & Peoples
5. History

HEALTH

Life expectancy: Women 70.2 years, men 66.7 years
Infant mortality rate: 5.0%
Fertility rate: 6.2 children/woman

EDUCATION

Literacy rate: Women 70%, men 84%
Universities: 7
Students: 0.9%

Medical care is free for all citizens, but health facilities in rural areas are limited.

Education is free, but not compulsory. There are about 9,000 elementary schools and 4,600 intermediate and secondary schools. There were in 1996/7 about 3,8 million pupils, with 290,000 teachers (13 pupils/teacher).

Saudi Arabia has several higher institutions, including one higher institute for girls. The foremost of the universities are King Saud University of Riyadh, founded 1957; the Islamic University of Madina, founded in 1961; King Abdul Aziz University of Jedda, founded in 1967; the Islamic University of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud of Riyadh which attained university status in 1974; King Feisal University of Ad Dammam, founded in 1975; and Ummu l-Qura University of Mecca, founded in 1979.

There are about 165,000 students at the universities and colleges, while there are 16,000 teacher students, and 36,000 students attending technical and vocational studies. About 130,000 students are enrolled annually, but a good number are studying abroad.