IF YOU WERE to look around the globe for a country that is the antithesis of Ireland, Saudi Arabia might just top the list. A land of sand and oil where the dominant religion is Islam, alcohol is forbidden and sausages are a no-no, the country’s rainfall amounts to just one or two heavy showers a year. And then, of course, there’s its wealth.
With a quarter of the world’s oil reserves, it’s no surprise Saudi Arabia, with a population of 28 million, is among the top 20 economies in the world. Ranked the world’s 12th biggest exporter and 22nd biggest importer, the country’s gross domestic product is $577 billion (€458 billion).
What’s really impressive, however, is how much Saudi Arabia will spend on domestic projects in the next decade: $140 billion on physical infrastructure, $67 billion on half a million housing units and $11 billion on education. What seems just as surprising is that the country’s business community has extended a hand to Irish companies to get involved.
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