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Forbes ranks Saudi King Abdullah 8th most powerful person | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, delivers a statement on this week’s events in Egypt. (Saudi Press Agency)


File photograph of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz. (Saudi Press Agency)

File photograph of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz. (Saudi Press Agency)

Riyadh, Asharq Al-Awsat—The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, has been chosen by Forbes magazine as one of the top ten most powerful people in the world in 2013.

King Abdullah ranked eighth among 72 international figures, including presidents of state, kings and billionaires.

In justifying its ranking, Forbes referred to the position occupied by Saudi Arabia under the leadership of King Abdullah on the Arab, Islamic and International levels, as well as the economic significance it has worldwide.

According to Forbes, King Abdullah “holds the keys to Islam’s two holiest sites and the world’s second largest crude oil deposit of some 265 billion barrels, amounting to about 18% of global reserves. The Kingdom boasts a $727 billion GDP, putting it in the top 20 richest countries worldwide.”

The magazine’s annual ranking also highlighted the wide-ranging reforms the Saudi monarch has undertaken in his country.