People of various cultures have lived in the peninsula over a span of more than 5,000 years. The Dilmun culture, along the Persian Gulf coast, was contemporaneous with the Sumerians and ancient Egyptians, and most of the empires of the ancient world traded with the states of the peninsula. Except for a few major cities and oases, the harsh climate historically prevented much settlement of the Arabian Peninsula. Dilmun (sometimes transliterated Telmun) is associated with ancient sites on the islands of Bahrain in the Persian Gulf. ... It has been suggested that Persian Gulf States be merged into this article or section. ... Sumer (or Šumer, Sumerian ki-en-gir[1], Egyptian Sanhar[2]) was one of the early civilizations of the Ancient Near East, located in the southern part of Mesopotamia (southeastern Iraq) from the time of the earliest records in the mid 4th millennium BC until the rise of Babylonia in... Oasis in the Libyan part of the Sahara In geography, an oasis is an isolated area of vegetation in a desert, typically surrounding a spring or similar water source. ... The Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: شبه الجزيرة العربية, or جزيرة العرب) is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ...

The rise of Islam in the 620s AD, and the subsequent religious importance of the Arabian cities of Mecca (Makkah) and Medina (two of the holiest places in Islam), have given the rulers of this territory significant influence beyond the peninsula. Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ... Centuries: 6th century 7th century 8th century Decades: 570s - 580s - 590s - 600s - 610s - 620s - 630s - 640s - 650s - 660s - 670s Years: 620 621 622 623 624 625 626 627 628 629 Events: 622 - Hegira - Muhammad and his followers withdraw from Mecca to Medina - starting year of the Muslim Era. ... Dionysius Exiguus invented Anno Domini years to date Easter. ... Mecca IPA: or Makkah IPA: (in full: Makkah al-Mukarramah IPA: ; Arabic: ‎, Turkish: Mekke) is the capital city of Saudi Arabias Makkah province, in the historic Hejaz region. ... Medina (Arabic: ‎ IPA: or المدينة IPA: ; also transliterated into English as Madinah) is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. ...

First Saudi State (1744 - 1824)

The First Saudi State was established in the year 1744 (1157 A.H.) when leader Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abd al Wahhab settled in Diriyah and Prince Mohammed Ibn Saud agreed to support and espouse his cause, with a view to cleansing the Islamic faith from distortions. The House of Saud with other allies rose to become the dominant state in Arabia controlling most of the Najd, but not either coast. // Events The third French and Indian War, known as King Georges War, breaks out at Port Royal, Nova Scotia The First Saudi State founded by Mohammed Ibn Saud Prague occupied by Prussian armies Ongoing events War of the Austrian Succession (1740-1748) Births January 10 - Thomas Mifflin, fifth President... Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab (b. ... Diriyah (also Ad-Diriyah or Ad-Dariyah) is a town in Saudi Arabia located outside of Riyadh in Ar Riyad Province. ... Muhammad bin Saud (d. ... The House of Saud ( translit: ) is the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ... Najd or Nejd (Arabic: Naǧd) is a region in central Saudi Arabia and the location of the nations capital, Riyadh. ...

This Saudi state lasted for about seventy-five years.

Concerned at the growing power of the Saudis the Ottoman Sultan instructed Mohammed Ali Pasha to reconquer the area. Ali sent his son Ibrahim Pasha who was successful in routing the Saudi (Wahhabi) forces in 1817. Motto: دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem: Ottoman imperial anthem At the height of its power (1680) Capital Söğüt (1299-1326) Bursa (1326-1365) Edirne (1365-1453) Constantinople (Istanbul) (1453-1922) Language(s) Ottoman Turkish Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 Osman I  - 1918–1922 Mehmed VI... See Mehemet Ali (Turkey) for the Turkish foreign minister and regent. ... Ibrahim Pasha (Arabic: ابراهيم باشا) ‎ (1789 – 10 November 1848), a 19th century general of Egypt. ... 1817 was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ...

It would only be a few years before the Sauds would return to power, forming the Second Saudi State. The second state existed before the creation of Saudi Arabia and lasted from 1824 to 1899. ...

Rulers of the first Saudi state:

• Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud 1726–1765 (1139–1179 H)
• Imam Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Ibn Saud 1765–1803 (1179–1218 H)
• Imam Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz Ibn Mohammed Ibn Saud (Saud Al Kabeer) 1803–1814 (1218–1233 H)
• Imam Abdullah bin Saud 1814–1818

Muhammad bin Saud (d. ... Events George Friderich Handel becomes a British subject. ... 1765 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad bin Saud was the second ruler of the First Saudi State and son of Muhammad bin Saud. ... 1765 was a common year starting on Tuesday (see link for calendar). ... 1803 was a common year starting on Saturday (see link for calendar). ... Saud bin Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad al Saud ruled the First Saudi State from the death of his father Abdul Aziz in 1803 until his own death in 1814. ... Abdullah bin Saud succeeded his father Saud bin Abdul Aziz bin Muhammad al Saud in 1814 and ruled until 1818. ...

Second Saudi State (1824 - 1891)

After a rebuilding period following the ending of the First Saudi State, the House of Saud returned to power in the Second Saudi State in 1824. The state lasted until 1891 when it succumbed to the Al Rashid dynasty of Ha'il. In 1902 Ibn Saud reconquered Riyadh, the first of a series of conquests leading to the creation of the modern nation state of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The First Saudi State was established in the year 1744 (1157 H.) when the Wahhabi leader Sheikh Mohammed ibn Abd al Wahhab settled in Diriyah and Prince Mohammed Ibn Saud agreed to support and espouse his cause, with a view to cleansing the Islamic faith from distortions. ... The House of Saud ( translit: ) is the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ... 1824 was a leap year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... 1891 (MDCCCXCI) was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... The Rashidi were a historic house of the Arabian Peninsula they were the most formidable enemies of the House of Saud. ... Hail (Arabic: ) is an oasis town in northwestern Saudi Arabia and the capital of the Hail Province. ... 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... `Abd al-`Azīz as-Sa`ūd ( 1880 - November 9, 1953) (Arabic:عبدالعزيز آل سعود) was the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. ... Riyadh (Arabic: ‎ ar-Riyāḍ) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... This article may contain original research or unverified claims. ... 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will take you to a full 1932 calendar). ...

The rulers of the second state:

• Amir Mushari ibn Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz 1819 - 1819
• Amir Turki ibn Abdallah ibn Muhammad (first time) 1819 - 1820
• Amir Turki ibn Abdallah ibn Muhammad (second time) 1824 - 1834
• Amir Mushari ibn Abd al-Rahman ibn Mushari 1834 - 1834
• Amir Faisal ibn Turki ibn Abdallah (first time) 1834 - 1838
• Amir Khalid ibn Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz 1838 - 1841
• Amir Abdallah ibn Thunayyan ibn Ibrahim 1841 - 1843
• Amir Faisal ibn Turki (second time) 1843 - 1865
• Amir Abdallah ibn Faisal ibn Turki (first time) 1865 - 1871
• Amir Saud ibn Faisal ibn Turki 1871 - 1871 (first time)
• Amir Abdallah ibn Faisal ibn Turki (second time) 1871 - 1873
• Amir Saud ibn Faisal ibn Turki (second time) 1873 - 1875
• Amir Abd al-Rahman ibn Faisal ibn Turki (first time) 1875 - 1876
• Amir Abdallah ibn Faisal ibn Turki (third time) 1876 - 1889
• Amir Abd al-Rahman ibn Faisal ibn Turki (second time) 1889 - 1891

Turki ibn Abdullah (ترکی بن عبدللہ) was the founder of the Second Saudi State and ruled the area of Najd during the period from 1821-1834 following occupation by the Ottoman Empire. ... Turki ibn Abdullah (ترکی بن عبدللہ) was the founder of the Second Saudi State and ruled the area of Najd during the period from 1821-1834 following occupation by the Ottoman Empire. ... Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah al-Saud (Arabic: فيصل بن تركي بن عبد الله آل سعود) (d. ... Faisal bin Turki bin Abdullah al-Saud (Arabic: فيصل بن تركي بن عبد الله آل سعود) (d. ... Saud ibn Faisal was the second son of the seventh Imam of the Saudi state, Faisal ibn Turki, who ruled from 1834 to 1838, and 1843 to 1865. ... Saud ibn Faisal was the second son of the seventh Imam of the Saudi state, Faisal ibn Turki, who ruled from 1834 to 1838, and 1843 to 1865. ... Abdul Rahman bin Faisal (1850-1928) was the youngest son of Faisal bin Turki and father of King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, who founded the modern nation of Saudi Arabia. ... Abdul Rahman bin Faisal (1850-1928) was the youngest son of Faisal bin Turki and father of King Abdul Aziz al-Saud, who founded the modern nation of Saudi Arabia. ...

Third Saudi State (1891 - present)

The Third Saudi state was founded by the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud). Saudi Logo This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Saudi Logo This is a copyrighted and/or trademarked logo. ... Ibn Saud Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman ibn Faisal Al Saud (1880 - November 9, 1953), also known by several abbreviated forms of this name, or simply as Ibn Saud was first monarch of Saudi Arabia. ...

In 1902 Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud captured Riyadh, the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival Al-Rashid family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued Al-Hasa, the rest of Nejd, and the Hijaz between 1913 and 1926. On January 8, 1926 Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud became the King of Hijaz. On January 29, 1927 he took the title King of Nejd (his previous Nejdi title was Sultan). By the Treaty of Jedda, signed on May 20, 1927, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm (then known as the Kingdom of Hijaz and Nejd). In 1932, these regions were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The discovery of oil on March 3, 1938 transformed the country. 1902 (MCMII) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar). ... Riyadh (Arabic: ‎ ar-Riyāḍ) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... The Rashidi were a historic house of the Arabian Peninsula they were the most formidable enemies of the House of Saud. ... Ash Sharqiyah, known as Eastern Province is the largest province of Saudi Arabia, located in the east of the country on the coasts of the Persian Gulf, and has borders with Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen. ... Najd (Nejd) is a region in central Saudi Arabia and the location of the nations capital, Riyadh. ... Hejaz (also Hijaz, Hedjaz) is a region in the northwest of present-day Saudi Arabia; its main city is Jeddah, but it is probably better-known for the holy city of Mecca. ... 1913 (MCMXIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... January 8 is the 8th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1926 (MCMXXVI) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar). ... January 29 is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... There have been two treaties known as the Treaty of Jedda, after the Saudi Arabian city Jeddah (also known as Jedda, Jiddah, etc. ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ... Places where monarchies maintain rule appear in blue. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Sarnia, Ontario Ignacy Łukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... March 3 is the 62nd day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (63rd in leap years). ... 1938 (MCMXXXVIII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar). ...

Boundaries

Approximate image showing the land exchanged between Jordan and Saudi Arabia.

Boundaries with Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait were established by a series of treaties negotiated in the 1920s, with two "neutral zones" created, one with Iraq and the other with Kuwait. In 1965 there was an exchange of territories between Saudi Arabia and Jordan in which Jordan gave up a relatively large area of inland desert in return for a small piece of sea-shore near Aqaba. The Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone was administratively partitioned in 1971, with each state continuing to share the petroleum resources of the former zone equally. Tentative agreement on the partition of the Saudi-Iraqi neutral zone was reached in 1981, and partition was finalized in 1983. The country's southern boundary with Yemen was partially defined by the 1934 Treaty of Taif, which ended a brief border war between the two states. A June 2000 treaty further delineated portions of the boundary with Yemen. The location and status of Saudi Arabia's boundary with the United Arab Emirates is not final; a de facto boundary reflects a 1974 agreement. The border between Saudi Arabia and Qatar was resolved in March 2001. The border with Oman also is not demarcated. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1145x1288, 46 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): History of Saudi Arabia History of Jordan User:Eshcorp/contributions/images ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1145x1288, 46 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): History of Saudi Arabia History of Jordan User:Eshcorp/contributions/images ... The 1920s was a decade sometimes referred to as the Jazz Age or the Roaring Twenties, usually applied to America. ... This article is about the fictional Star Trek neutral zone. ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... The Saudi-Kuwaiti neutral zone, also known as the Divided Zone, is an area of 5,770 km² between the borders of Saudi Arabia and Kuwait that was left undefined when the border was established by the Uqair Convention of December 2, 1922. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... The Iraq-Saudi Arabia Neutral Zone The Saudi-Iraqi neutral zone was an area on the border between Saudi Arabia and Iraq, established by a treaty negotiated in the 1920s defining the borders between them. ... 1981 (MCMLXXXI) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1983 (MCMLXXXIII) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1934 (MCMXXXIV) was a common year starting on Monday (link will take you to calendar). ... 2000 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December This is a timeline for events in June, 2000. ... 1974 (MCMLXXIV) was a common year starting on Tuesday. ... March 2001 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December March 3 - A U.S. Air Force Materials Command C-23 Sherpa transport crashes during stormy weather in the U.S. state of Georgia, killing 21. ...

Politics

King Abdul Aziz died in 1953 and was succeeded by his eldest son, Saud, who reigned for 11 years. In 1964, Saud was forced to abdicate in favour of his half-brother, Faisal, who had served as Foreign Minister. Because of fiscal difficulties, King Saud had been persuaded in 1958 to delegate direct conduct of Saudi Government affairs to Faisal as Prime Minister; Saud briefly regained control of the government in 1960-62. In October 1962, Faisal outlined a broad reform program, stressing economic development. Proclaimed King in 1964 by senior royal family members and religious leaders, Faisal also continued to serve as Prime Minister. This practice has been followed by subsequent kings. 1953 (MCMLIII) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Saud bin Abdul Aziz (January 12, 1902 - February 23, 1969) was King of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to November 2, 1964. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1962 (MCMLXII) was a common year starting on Monday (the link is to a full 1962 calendar). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

The mid-1960s saw external pressures generated by Saudi-Egyptian differences over Yemen. When civil war broke out in 1962 between Yemeni royalists and republicans, Egyptian forces entered Yemen to support the new republican government, while Saudi Arabia backed the royalists. Tensions subsided only after 1967, when Egypt withdrew its troops from Yemen. The 1960s decade refers to the years from January 1, 1960 to December 31, 1969, inclusive. ...

Saudi forces did not participate in the Six-Day (Arab-Israeli) War of June 1967, but the government later provided annual subsidies to Egypt, Jordan, and Syria to support their economies. During the 1973 Arab-Israeli war, Saudi Arabia participated in the Arab oil boycott of the United States and Netherlands. A member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), Saudi Arabia had joined other member countries in moderate oil price increases beginning in 1971. After the 1973 war, the price of oil rose substantially, dramatically increasing Saudi Arabia's wealth and political influence. Combatants Israel Egypt Syria Jordan Iraq Commanders Yitzhak Rabin, Moshe Dayan, Uzi Narkiss, Israel Tal, Mordechai Hod, Ariel Sharon Abdel Hakim Amer, Abdul Munim Riad, Zaid ibn Shaker, Hafez al-Assad Strength 264,000 (incl. ... 1967 (MCMLXVII) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar (the link is to a full 1967 calendar). ... Combatants Israel Egypt Syria Jordan Iraq Commanders Moshe Dayan David Elazar Ariel Sharon Shmuel Gonen Benjamin Peled Israel Tal Rehavam Zeevi Aharon Yariv Yitzhak Hofi Rafael Eitan Abraham Adan Yanush Ben Gal Saad El Shazly Ahmad Ismail Ali Hosni Mubarak Mohammed Aly Fahmy Anwar Sadat Abdel Ghani el-Gammasy Abdul... At the height of the crisis in the United States, drivers of vehicles with odd numbered license plates were allowed to purchase gasoline only on odd-numbered days of the month, while drivers with even-numbers were limited to even-numbered days. ... The Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) is made up of Algeria, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Venezuela; since 1965, its international headquarters have been in Vienna, Austria. ... 1971 (MCMLXXI) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1971 calendar). ... 1973 (MCMLXXIII) was a common year starting on Monday. ...

In 1975, King Faisal was assassinated by a nephew, who was executed after an extensive investigation concluded that he acted alone. Faisal was succeeded by his half-brother Khalid as King and Prime Minister; their half-brother Prince Fahd was named Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister. King Khalid empowered Crown Prince Fahd to oversee many aspects of the government's international and domestic affairs. Economic development continued rapidly under King Khalid, and the kingdom assumed a more influential role in regional politics and international economic and financial matters. assassin, see Assassin (disambiguation) Jack Ruby assassinated Lee Harvey Oswald in a very public manner. ... Khalid bin Abdul Aziz (Arabic: خالد بن عبد العزيز ; b. ... King Fahad bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: ‎, b. ...

King Fahd period

In June 1982, King Khalid died, and Fahd became King and Prime Minister in a smooth transition. Another half-brother, Prince Abdullah, Commander of the Saudi National Guard, was named Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister. King Fahd's brother, Prince Sultan, the Minister of Defense and Aviation, became Second Deputy Prime Minister. Under King Fahd, the Saudi economy adjusted to sharply lower oil revenues resulting from declining global oil prices. Saudi Arabia supported neutral shipping in the Gulf during periods of the Iran-Iraq war and aided Iraq's war-strained economy. King Fahd played a major part in bringing about the August 1988 cease-fire between Iraq and Iran and in organizing and strengthening the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), a group of six Persian Gulf states dedicated to fostering regional economic cooperation and peaceful development. 1982 (MCMLXXXII) was a common year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: عبد الله بن عبد العزيز آل سعود, born 1924) [1] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ... Combatants Iran Iraq Commanders Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini Abolhassan Banisadr Ali Shamkhani Mostafa Chamran† Saddam Hussein Ali Hassan al-Majid Strength 305,000 soldiers 500,000 Passdaran and Baseej militia 1,000 tanks 1,000 armored vehicles 3,000 artillery pieces 65 aircraft 720 helicopters[1] 190,000 soldiers 4,500... 1988 (MCMLXXXVIII) was a leap year starting on Friday of the Gregorian calendar. ... An armistice is the effective end of a war, when the warring parties agree to stop fighting. ... ... It has been suggested that Persian Gulf States be merged into this article or section. ...

Gulf War

Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf, Jr. and President Bush Sr. visit U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia on Thanksgiving Day, 1990.

In August 1990, Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait. Iraqi troops began massing on the border of Kuwait and some feared that they were about to invade Saudi Arabia. King Fahd allowed American and Coalition soldiers to be stationed in Saudi Arabia to counter the Iraqi threat. Many Muslims were angered by this move, because it allowed foreign armies to be stationed in their holiest land. George H.W. Bush riding in an armored jeep with General Schwarzkopf in Saudi Arabia, November 22, 1990 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... George H.W. Bush riding in an armored jeep with General Schwarzkopf in Saudi Arabia, November 22, 1990 File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Herbert Norman Schwarzkopf Jr. ... This article is about the year. ... Saddam Hussein Abd al-Majidida al-Tikriti (Arabic: ‎ [1]; born April 28, 1937[2]), was the President of Iraq from July 16, 1979 until April 9, 2003, when he was deposed during the United States-led 2003 invasion of Iraq. ...

King Fahd played a key role before and during the 1991 Gulf War: Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. King Fahd's action also consolidated the coalition of forces against Iraq and helped define the tone of the operation as a multilateral effort to re-establish the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait. Acting as a rallying point and personal spokesman for the coalition, King Fahd helped bring together his nation's GCC allies, Western allies, and Arab allies, as well as non-aligned nations from Africa and the emerging democracies of eastern Europe. He used his influence as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques to persuade other Arab and Islamic nations to join the coalition. 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants UN Coalition Republic of Iraq Commanders Norman Schwarzkopf Saddam Hussein Strength 660,000 360,000 Casualties 378 dead, 1,000 wounded 25,000 dead, 75,000 wounded The Gulf War ( 2 August 1990 – 28 February 1991 ) was a conflict between Iraq and a coalition force of approximately 30 nations... Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques is a title given to the King of Saudi Arabia. ... The Arabs (Arabic: عرب) are a heterogeneous ethnic group who are predominantly speakers of the Arabic language, mainly found throughout the Middle East and North Africa. ... Islam (Arabic:  ) is a monotheistic religion based upon the Quran, its principal scripture, whose followers, known as Muslims (مسلم), believe God (Arabic: الله ) sent through revelations to Muhammad. ...

During the Gulf War, Iraq fired Scud missiles into Saudi Arabia and even penetrated its northern border. These attacks were repelled, and Iraqi forces were expelled from Kuwait. American forces as well as some multinational contingents continued to occupy bases in the kingdom. Polish missile wz. ...

Terrorism

Building #131 after the Khobar Towers bombing, the second major terrorist attack against Western troops in Saudi Arabia, 1996

Also see: Terrorist attacks in Saudi Arabia

The stationing of Western troops angered many Muslims, and led radicals to declare a religious war against the United States. One of these was Osama bin Laden, a wealthy Saudi expelled in 1991 after he voiced opposition to the monarchy, and a key ally of the United States in the early Soviet war in Afghanistan. Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... The Insurgency in Saudi Arabia is an armed conflict in Saudi Arabia between radical Sunni Muslim fighters, believed to be associated with al-Qaeda, against the Saudi monarchy. ... Osama bin Muhammad bin Awad bin Laden (Arabic: ‎; born March 10, 1957 [1]), most commonly known as Osama bin Laden is a militant Islamist and one of the founders of al-Qaeda. ... 1991 (MCMXCI) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Combatants Soviet Union Democratic Republic of Afghanistan Afghan Mujahideen rebels supported by nations such as: United States, Pakistan, Iran, China, Saudi Arabia, United Kingdom Commanders Soviet forces only Boris Gromov Pavel Grachev Valentin Varennikov Jalaluddin Haqqani Abdul Haq Gulbuddin Hekmatyar Mohammed Younas Khalis Ismail Khan Ahmed Shah Massoud Sibghatullah Mojadeddi...

The foreign military presence caused militants to orchestrate attacks inside Saudi Arabia. In November 1995, a Saudi National Guard base was bombed, killing seven people. In June 1996, a truck bomb killed 19 American servicemen at the Khobar towers in Al-Khobar. These bombings caused the monarchy to focus on militancy inside their own kingdom, yet they denied there was much of a problem. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Saudi Arabian National Guard or SANG (aka White Army) is one of five branches or services of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces/military. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ... A car bomb is a bomb that is placed in a car or truck and is intended to be exploded while there. ... Building #131 after the explosion Khobar Towers is part of an housing complex in the city of Khobar, Saudi Arabia near the national oil company (Saudi Aramco) headquarters of Dhahran. ... al-Khobar is a large city located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ...

After the September 11, 2001 attacks, it became known that 15 of the 19 suspected hijackers were Saudi. Saudi Arabia became the focus of worldwide attention once again, as it was questioned whether the government was indeed cracking down on radicals. The Saudi government pledged their support to the War on Terror, and vowed to try to eliminate militant elements. A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... The war on terrorism or war on terror (abbreviated in U.S. policy circles as GWOT for Global War on Terror) is an effort by the governments of the United States and its principal allies to destroy groups deemed to be terrorist (primarily radical Islamist organizations such as al-Qaeda...

However, in May 2003, an insurgency in Saudi Arabia began, believed to be conducted by al-Qaeda affiliates. This consisted mainly of attacks on foreigners in an attempt to expel them from the country and hurt the Saudi government. While the number of attacks dropped significantly in 2005, they exposed the vulnerability of the country. 2003 : January - February - March - April - May - June - July - August - September - October - November - December - → A timeline of events in the news for May, 2003. ... The Insurgency in Saudi Arabia is an armed conflict in Saudi Arabia between radical Sunni Muslim fighters, believed to be associated with al-Qaeda, against the Saudi monarchy. ... For the American magazine, see Foreign Policy. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Concern was also voiced over the large numbers of Saudis fighting American soldiers in Iraq following the 2003 invasion. It was suspected that these fighters, many of them young, had become radicalized in Saudi mosques and were travelling to Syria and then into Iraq. Combatants Coalition Forces: United States United Kingdom Poland Australia South Korea Romania Spain Portugal Italy others. ... The Masjid al-Haram in Mecca as it exists today A mosque is a place of worship for followers of the Islamic faith. ...

Death of Fahd

King Fahd suffered a stroke in November 1995, and died in July 2005. He was succeeded by his brother Crown Prince Abdullah, who had handled most of the day-to-day operations of the government. 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: عبد الله بن عبد العزيز آل سعود, born 1924) [1] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ...

Oil hub

Headquarters of Aramco in Dhahran, the Saudi national oil company

With the largest proven oil reserves in the world, structurally high oil prices due to increasing demand from the emerging Industrial giants such as China and India, the destruction of the neighbouring Iraqi military, and sound economic policies, Saudi Arabia is on track to become one of the leading nations of the Middle East. Image File history File links AramcoCoreArea. ... Image File history File links AramcoCoreArea. ... A map showing countries commonly considered to be part of the Middle East The Middle East is a region comprising the lands around the southern and eastern parts of the Mediterranean Sea, a territory that extends from the eastern Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. ...

Saudi Arabia is increasing investments in infrastructure, science and technology and thus helping further boost economic growth.

See also

• Saudi Arabia