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OUTLOOK AND DIRECTIONappropriate policies to ensure that the workforce is educated and trained. The large share of theworking-age population and favorable employment prospects should continue to boost percapita GDP significantly, which in turn indicates the substantial opportunities for consumptiondrivendemand and growth.Exhibit 17: Population pyramid (estimated)Saudi Arabia: 201080+75-7970-74Male65-69Female60-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-145-90-42.5 2 0 1 5 2 0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.5 10 15 20 25Population (in mn)MaleSaudi Arabia: 203080+75-7970-7465-6960-6455-5950-5445-4940-4435-3930-3425-2920-2415-1910-145-90-4Female2 5 2.0 1 5 2 0 0.5 0.0 0 0 0 5 1.0 1.5 2 0 2 5Population (in mn)Source EIU, Central Department of Statistics and Information of Saudi ArabiaRecent developments suggest that the Government’s efforts to boost employment have startedto yield results — the absolute number of economically active people has increased, while theunemployment rate has come down.Exhibit 18: Labor force and unemploymentLabor force (millions)6 56 36.15 95.75 55 35.11412108642Unemployment rate (%)4 91999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007Labor forceUnemployment rate - totalUnemployment rate - SaudiUnemployment rate - non-Saudi0Source: EIUWTO accession hasencouraged foreign investmentand created investmentopportunities in many sectorsKSA joined the WTO on 11 Dec 05, after more than a decade of negotiations. The SaudiGovernment has taken a number of important steps to align various policies with WTOregulations. To accelerate liberalization further, KSA Government launched the 10 x 10 mission(to position KSA among the top 10 of the world's most competitive nations by 2010 in 2005).The Kingdom has opened up a wide range of sectors to foreign investment. These includebanking, insurance, wholesale, retail and franchise distribution services, telecommunicationsservices, and the IT sector. The WTO accession is an important anchor to the broader reform,which led to the World Bank recognizing the Kingdom as one of the world's top ten reformers in2006-07. KSA is currently ranked 16th in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business 2009 index.JUNE 2009SAUDI ARABIA FACTBOOK20