JEDDAH: The number of nationals working in the retail sector has risen to 260,000 and 48 percent of them are women, according to data issued by the General Authority for Statistics.
Around 44,000 Saudis joined the sales sector between the end of the first quarter of 2017 and the end of 2018’s third quarter, representing an increase of around 20 percent.
A labor market bulletin said the total number of sales staff in the Kingdom was 537,281, of which 48.4 percent were Saudis. The remaining workers were foreigners.
The bulletin also said that the number of Saudi women in sales was 125,505 by the end of 2018’s third quarter, giving them a 48 percent market share of the national workforce in this sector.
The total number of male Saudis in sales increased by 15 percent to 134,692 by the end of the third quarter of 2018, from 116,589 at the end of the first quarter of 2017.
Earlier this year, the Ministry of Labor and Social Development announced it would be providing Saudis with job opportunities in an attempt to reduce unemployment, especially in sales roles, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Saudi women now occupy nearly half of retail jobs, says report
Saudi women now occupy nearly half of retail jobs, says report
- The total number of male Saudis in sales increased by 15 percent to 134,692 by the end of the third quarter of 2018, from 116,589 at the end of the first quarter of 2017
Report: Low light pollution in Northern Borders is ideal for astronomers
- Region has a vast desert horizon and few tall buildings
- Rare meteorological event recently in Northern Borders
RIYADH: The Kingdom’s Northern Borders, characterized by significantly lower levels of light pollution, is a prime destination for astronomical observation, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Friday.
The SPA quoted from a recent report from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite which is circling in space.
The VIIRS is a whiskbroom scanner radiometer that collects imagery and radiometric measurements of land, atmosphere, cryosphere, and oceans in the visible and infrared bands of the electromagnetic spectrum.
This lower level of light pollution, according to the VIIRS, is found in the open areas surrounding Turaif, east of Rafha, and west of the city of Arar.
The Bortle Scale, which measures night-sky brightness, shows readings allowing the Milky Way to be seen with the naked eye on clear nights.
“The vast desert horizon and the scarcity of tall buildings contribute to improved astronomical observation conditions by minimizing ambient light and enhancing viewing quality,” the SPA reported.
“This allows celestial phenomena, such as meteor showers and planetary conjunctions, to be observed with greater precision.”
The report added: “Due to these factors, the region is an ideal destination for amateur astrophotographers and astrophysicists seeking a dark, expansive sky that enables them to observe celestial objects with greater clarity.”
Recently a striking astronomical and optical phenomenon was observed in the Northern Borders, as light pillars appeared in the sky, drawing the attention of locals and enthusiasts of natural phenomena.
A light pillar is an optical phenomenon that occurs in the atmosphere as a vertical column extending above or below its source. This effect is caused by the reflection of light on tiny ice crystals suspended in clouds or the air.
Abouazza El-Mhamdi, an associate professor in the physics and astronomy department at King Saud University, told Arab News at that it was a “rare meteorological event — the vibrant light pillars that illuminated the night sky, was crucial for astronomy and astro tourism in the region.”
“Although these pillars are common in Arctic climates like Canada or Russia, their appearance in the Northern Border region is a remarkable anomaly, highlighting the unique and intense winter conditions affecting the Kingdom’s northern reaches,” said El-Mhamdi.
