NationMaster - Encyclopedia: Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Saʻūdiyya) is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south, with the Persian Gulf to its northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 27.5 million, and its size is approximately 2,150,000 square km (830,000 square miles) Image File history File links Flag_of_Saudi_Arabia. ... Image File history File links Coat_of_arms_of_Saudi_Arabia. ... State and military flag and ensign (obverse). ... Saudi coat of arms The Saudi Arabian coat of arms includes two swords and a palm tree which represents the Saudi main tree. ... For other uses, see Motto (disambiguation). ... White flag featuring the Shahada text as used by the Taliban. ... A national anthem is a generally patriotic musical composition that is evoking and eulogising the history, traditions and struggles of its people, recognised either by a countrys government as the official national song, or by convention through use by the people. ... Al Salam Al Malaki (The Royal Salut) (Arabic: â€Ž) is the national anthem of Saudi Arabia. ... Image File history File links LocationSaudiArabia. ... Not to be confused with capitol. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Riyadh (Arabic: â€Ž ar-RiyÄá¸) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... An official language is a language that is given a unique legal status in the countries, states, and other territories. ... â€œArabicâ€ redirects here. ... A demonym or gentilic is a word that denotes the members of a people or the inhabitants of a place. ... Forms of government Part of the Politics series Politics Portal This box: Absolute monarchy is a monarchical form of government where the monarch has the power to rule his or her land or country and its citizens freely, with no laws or legally-organized direct opposition in force. ... The King of Saudi Arabia is Saudi Arabias head of state and monarch. ... The custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: , born August 1, 1924) [2] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ... A Crown Prince or Crown Princess is the heir or heiress apparent to the throne in a royal or imperial monarchy. ... Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud (Arabic: ) (born January 5, 1928 in Riyadh) is the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, and First Deputy Prime Minister. ... People of various cultures have lived in the peninsula over a span of more than 5,000 years. ... 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) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 266th day of the year (267th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1932 (MCMXXXII) was a leap year starting on Friday (the link will display full 1932 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the physical quantity. ... To help compare orders of magnitude of different surface areas here is a list of areas between 1 million kmÂ² and 10 million kmÂ². See also areas of other orders of magnitude. ... This is a list of the countries of the world sorted by area. ... A square mile is an English unit of area equal to that of a square with sides each 1 statute mile (â‰ˆ1,609 m) in length. ... Impact from a water drop causes an upward rebound jet surrounded by circular capillary waves. ... A percentage is a way of expressing a proportion, a ratio or a fraction as a whole number, by using 100 as the denominator. ... This is a list of countries ordered according to population. ... Population density per square kilometre by country, 2006 Population density map of the world in 1994. ... Population density by country, 2006 List of countries and dependencies by population density in inhabitants/kmÂ². The list includes sovereign states and self-governing dependent territories that are recognized by the United Nations. ... Gross domestic product (by purchasing power parity) in 2006 The purchasing power parity (PPP) theory was developed by Gustav Cassel in 1920. ... There are three lists of countries of the world sorted by their gross domestic product (GDP) (the value of all final goods and services produced within a nation in a given year). ... Per capita is a Latin phrase meaning for each head. ... Map of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita for the year 2006. ... World map indicating Human Development Index (2006). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Coloured world map indicating Human Development Index (2006) (colour-blind compliant map) This is a list of countries by Human Development Index as included in the United Nations Development Programmes Human Development Report 2006, compiled on the basis of 2004 data. ... ISO 4217 Code SAR User(s) Saudi Arabia Inflation 1. ... ISO 4217 is the international standard describing three letter codes (also known as the currency code) to define the names of currencies established by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). ... Timezone and TimeZone redirect here. ... â€œUTCâ€ redirects here. ... Though DST is common in Europe and North America, most of the worlds people do not use it. ... â€œUTCâ€ redirects here. ... A country code top-level domain (ccTLD) is a top-level domain used and reserved for a country or a dependent territory. ... .sa is the Internet country code top-level domain ( ccTLD) of Saudi Arabia. ... A telephone number is a sequence of decimal digits (0-9) that is used for identifying a destination telephone line in a telephone network. ... â€œArabicâ€ redirects here. ... The Arabian Peninsula Emirets towers in United Arab Emirates; the eastern part of Arabian Penisula The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: Ø´Ø¨Ù‡ Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ø²ÙŠØ±Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ÙŠØ©, or Ø¬Ø²ÙŠØ±Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨) is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ...

The Kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of The Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam. In English, it is most commonly referred to as Saudi Arabia (pronounced /ˈsɒdɪ/ or /ˈsaudɪ əˈɹeɪ̯bɪə/). The Kingdom was founded by Abdul-Aziz bin Saud, whose efforts began in 1902 when he captured the Al-Saud’s ancestral home of Riyadh, and culminated in 1932 with the proclamation, and recognition of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ...

Saudi Arabia is the world's leading petroleum exporter and petroleum exports fuel the Saudi economy.^[2] Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports and nearly 75 percent of government revenues, facilitating the creation of a welfare state,^[3]^[4] which the government has found it difficult to fund during periods of low oil prices.^[5] Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Åukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Åukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Economy - overview: Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. ... The Welfare State of the United Kingdom was prefigured in the William Beveridge Report in 1942, which identified five Giant Evils in society: squalor, ignorance, want, idleness and disease. ...

History

Main article: History of Saudi Arabia

[[Image:Azizfdr.jpg|left|other Arabian families for control on the peninsula. The Saudi state was founded by the late King [[Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia|Abdul Astands today has an ancient history, the emergence of the Saudi dynasty began in central Arabia in 1744. That ye, Nejd ziz Al-Saud]] (known internationally as Abdul Aziz bin Saud). ar, Muhammad bin Saud, the ruler of the town of Ad-Dir'iyyah near Riyadh, joined forces with a cleric, Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. This alliance formed in the 18th century remains the basis of Saudi Arabian dynastic rule today. Over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers c1913 and 1926. On 8 January 1926 Abdul Aziz bin Saud became the King of Hejaz. On [thumb|250px|The founder of modern Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz, converses with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on board a ship returning ontended with Treaty of Jedda]], signed on 20 May 1927, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm, then known as the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz. In 1932, the principal regions of Al-Hasa, Qatif In 1902 at the age of only 22, Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud re-captured Riyadh, the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival Al-Rashid family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued Al-Hasa, Al-Qatif, the rest of Nejd, and Hejaz between from the Yalta Conference in 1945.]] Although the region in which the country Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and [29 January]] 1927 he took the title King of Nejd (his previous Nejdi title was Sultan). By the [[and Hejaz were unified to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. People of various cultures have lived in the peninsula over a span of more than 5,000 years. ... Al Khazneh (Arabic for Treasury), Petra the Nabataean capital Ancient Arabia reffers to the pre-historic region which today consists of the modern-day states of the Arabian peninsula as well as the modern-day countries of Jordan, Israel, Syria, Lebanon and southern & western Iraq. ... Muhammad bin Saud (d. ... Diriyah (also Ad-Diriyah or Ad-Dariyah) is a town in Saudi Arabia located outside of Riyadh in Ar Riyad Province. ... Riyadh (Arabic: â€Ž ar-RiyÄá¸) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab at-Tamimi (1703AD â€“ 1792AD) (Arabic:Ù…ØÙ…Ø¯ Ø¨Ù† Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯ Ø§Ù„ÙˆÙ‡Ø§Ø¨ Ø§Ù„ØªÙ…ÙŠÙ…ÙŠ) was an Arab theologian born in Najd, in present-day Saudi Arabia and an influential scholar among modern Salafis; it is from him that the term Wahhabism is derived. ... 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) of the Gregorian calendar. ... `Abd al-`AzÄ«z as-Sa`Å«d ( 1880 - November 9, 1953) (Arabic:Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø²ÙŠØ² Ø¢Ù„ Ø³Ø¹ÙˆØ¯) was the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. ... Franklin Delano Roosevelt (January 30, 1882–April 12, 1945), 32nd President of the United States, the longest-serving holder of the office and the only man to be elected President more than twice, was one of the central figures of 20th century history. ... is the 140th day of the year (141st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Riyadh (Arabic: â€Ž ar-RiyÄá¸) 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. ... Qatif (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù‚Ø·ÙŠÙ al-QaTiif) is a historic coastal city and oasis located on the western shore of the Arabian/Persian Gulf in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, some 13km north of the port city of Dammam and southwest of major oil port Ras Tanura. ... Najd (Nejd) is a region in central Saudi Arabia and the location of the nations capital, Riyadh. ... Map with the region outlined in red and the 1923 Kingdom in green â€œHedjazâ€ redirects here. ... The Big Three at the Yalta Conference, Winston Churchill, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Joseph Stalin. ... â€œOttomanâ€ redirects here. ... Year 1927 (MCMXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Abdul Aziz's military and political successes were Saudi Arabia became a founding member of the Arab League and joined the United Nations. Headquarters Cairo, Egypt1 Official languages Arabic Membership 22 Arab states 2 observer states Leaders - Secretary General Amr Moussa (since 2001) - Council of the Arab League Sudan - Speaker of the Arab Parliament Nabih Berri Establishment - Alexandria Protocol March 22, 1945 Area - Total 13,953,041 (Western Sahara Included) = 13,687,041... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

Prior to his death in 1953 Abdul Aziz, aware of the difficulties facing ment programmes, which were delayed due to the onset of the Second World War in 1939, began in earnest in 1946 and by 1949 production was in full swing. Oil has provided Saudi Arabia wio dealnot mirrored economically until vast reserves of oil were discovered in March 1938. Develop an isolationist Internationally Abdul Aziz initially chose to followother regional absolute rulers reliant on extended family networks, attempted to regulate the succession. He took steps th Saud succeeded to the throne on his father's death in 1953. However, by the early 1960s the Kingdom was in jeopardy due to Saud's economic mismanagement and failure teconomic prosperity and a great deal of leverage in the international community. to provide that his eldest living son, Saud, would become king but that he would be required to work closely with his more financially and diplomatically astute brother, Faisal. policy. He refused to allow Saudi Arabia to join the League of Nations, and he chose to leave his kingdom on only three occasions from 1916 until his death in 1953. One of those occasions was the meeting with President Roosevelt pictured above. Eventually Abdul Aziz acceded to the realities of world politics and in 1945 effectively with a regional challenge from Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. As a consequence Saud was deposed in favour of Faisal in 1964. Combatants Allied powers: China France Great Britain Soviet Union United States and others Axis powers: Germany Italy Japan and others Commanders Chiang Kai-shek Charles de Gaulle Winston Churchill Joseph Stalin Franklin Roosevelt Adolf Hitler Benito Mussolini Hideki TÅjÅ Casualties Military dead: 17,000,000 Civilian dead: 33,000... Pumpjack pumping an oil well near Lubbock, Texas Ignacy Åukasiewicz - inventor of the refining of kerosene from crude oil. ... Saud bin Abdul Aziz (January 12, 1902 - February 23, 1969) was King of Saudi Arabia from 1953 to November 2, 1964. ... Faisal ibn Abdelaziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia (1324-1395 AH) (1903 or 1906â€”March 25, 1975) (Arabic: ÙÙŠØµÙ„ Ø¨Ù† Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø²ÙŠØ² Ø¢Ù„ Ø³Ø¹ÙˆØ¯) was King of Saudi Arabia from 1964 to 1975. ... The League of Nations was an international organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference in 1919â€“1920. ... The President of the Arab Republic of Egypt is the elected Head of State of Egypt. ... Gamal Abdel Nasser (Arabic: - ; Masri: Ø¬Ù…Ø§Ù„ Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯ Ø§Ù„Ù†Ø§ØµØ± - also transliterated as Jamal Abd al-Naser, Jamal Abd an-Nasser and other variants; January 15, 1918 â€“ September 28, 1970) was the President of Egypt from 1954 until his death in 1970. ...

Intra-family rivalry was one of the factors that led to the assassination of Faisal by his nephew, Prince Faisal bin Musa'id, in 1975. He was succeeded by King Khalid until 1982 and then by King Fahd. When Fahd died in 2005, his half-brother Abdullah ascended to the throne. Faisal bin Musaid bin Abdul Aziz (April 4, 1944, Riyadh - June 18, 1975, Riyadh) (Arabic: ÙÙŠØµÙ„ Ø¨Ù† Ù…Ø³Ø§Ø¹Ø¯ Ø¨Ù† Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯ Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø²ÙŠØ² Ø¢Ù„ Ø³Ø¹ÙˆØ¯) was the assassin and nephew of King Faisal. ... Khalid bin Abdul Aziz (Arabic: Ø®Ø§Ù„Ø¯ Ø¨Ù† Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯ Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø²ÙŠØ² ; b. ... King Fahd of Saudi Arabia King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz (born in Riyadh in 1923) is the king and prime minister of Saudi Arabia and leader of the House of Saud. ... The custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: , born August 1, 1924) [2] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ...

See also: First Saudi State and Second Saudi State

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 second state existed before the creation of Saudi Arabia and lasted from 1824 to 1899. ...

Military

Main article: Military of Saudi Arabia

See also: Al Yamamah

SANG V150

Saudi Tornado during Gulf War

Saudi military was founded as the Ikhwan army, the tribal army of Ibn Saud. The Ikhwan had helped King Ibn Saud conquer the Arabian peninsula during the First World War. Military branches: Land Force (Army), Navy (including a Naval Air Wing and Marines), Air Force (RSAF), Air Defense Force, Saudi Arabian National Guard, Ministry of Interior Forces (paramilitary) Military Situation: With the collapse of the Iraqi Baathist regime in mid-2003, the greatest conventional threat to The Kingdom was... RSAF Tornado IDS Al Yamamah (The Dove) is the name of a series of massive arms sales by the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia, which have been paid for by the delivery of up to 600,000 barrels of oil per day to the UK government. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 472 pixel Image in higher resolution (1252 Ã— 739 pixel, file size: 217 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Saudi Arabian National... Image File history File linksMetadata Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 472 pixel Image in higher resolution (1252 Ã— 739 pixel, file size: 217 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Saudi Arabian National... The Saudi Arabian National Guard or SANG (aka White Army) is one of five branches or services of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces/military. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 537 pixels Full resolution (838 Ã— 563 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gulf War Royal Saudi Air... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 Ã— 537 pixels Full resolution (838 Ã— 563 pixel, file size: 55 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Gulf War Royal Saudi Air... For other uses, see Iraq war (disambiguation). ... Ikhwan on the move The Ikhwan was the Wahhabi religious militia which formed the main military force of the Arabian ruler Ibn Saud and played a key role in establishing him as ruler of most of the Arabian Peninsula, in his new state of Saudi Arabia. ... `Abd al-`AzÄ«z as-Sa`Å«d ( 1880 - November 9, 1953) (Arabic:Ø¹Ø¨Ø¯Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø²ÙŠØ² Ø¢Ù„ Ø³Ø¹ÙˆØ¯) was the first monarch of Saudi Arabia. ...

By expanding the military forces years later, Saudi Arabia today has many military branches.

Military branches of Ministry of Defence :

Independent Military branches: Al-Fahd vehicle Saudi AMX-30 during the Battle of Khafji Saudi Arabian Army (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ø¬ÙŠØ´ Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ÙŠ Ø§Ù„Ø³Ø¹ÙˆØ¯ÙŠ) is a branch of the Saudi Armed Forces. ... The Royal Saudi Air Force (Arabic: , ), is the air force branch of Saudi Arabian armed forces. ... The Saudi Navy is the Naval force of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ... RSAD Logo Royal Saudi Air Defense is the fourth branch of Saudi Armed Forces. ...

National Guard

Royal Guard

General Intelligence

Military Police

Saudi Lightning Force

Military branches of Ministry of Interior: The Saudi Arabian National Guard or SANG (aka White Army) is one of five branches or services of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces/military. ... The Saudi Arabian Royal Guard Regiment is one of the more visible units in the Royal Land Forces. ... Al Mukhabarat Al Aamah is the agency responsible for gathering intelligence for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. ...

Saudi Arabian Police Force

Saudi Arabian Border Guard

Saudi Border Guard

Saudi Coast Guard

Al-Mujahidoon

Saudi Emergency Force

The Special Emergency Force (Ù‚ÙˆØ© Ø§Ù„Ø·ÙˆØ§Ø±Ø¦ Ø§Ù„Ø®Ø§ØµØ©) is a special operations counter-terrorism unit of the Saudi Arabian Defence Forces. ...

Foreign relations

Main article: foreign relations of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is one of the largest contributors of development aid, both in term of volume of aid and in the ratio of aid volume to GDP. ^[6]^[7] Saudi foreign policy objectives are to maintain its security and its paramount position on the Arabian Peninsula, defend general Arab and Islamic interests, promote solidarity among Islamic governments, and maintain cooperative relations with other oil-producing and major oil-consuming countries. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Aid. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Development aid. ...

Cities

Main article: List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia

Largest Cities by Population (2007)	mill.
Riyadh	4.7
Jeddah	3.6
Mecca	1.7
Medina	1.3	Riyadh	Jeddah	Mecca
Dammam	1.3
Taif	0.7
Buraydah	0.6
Tabuk	0.5
Khamis Mushait	0.4
Hofuf	0.3	Medina	Dammam	Tabuk

This is a list of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia. ... Image File history File links Metadata No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1024x768, 58 KB) self made photoghraph by Ammar shaker 04:02, 1 January 2007 (UTC) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): Jeddah Metadata This file contains additional... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (650x601, 223 KB) Summary Mecca Image Work of the Govt. ... Riyadh (Arabic: â€Ž ar-RiyÄá¸) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... , Nickname: Location of Jeddah Coordinates: , Country Province Established 500+ BC Government - Mayor Adil Faqeeh - City Governor Mishal Al-Saud - Provincial Governor Khalid al Faisal Area - City 1,320 kmÂ² (509. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Riyadh (Arabic: â€Ž ar-RiyÄá¸) is the capital of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, located in Ar Riyad Province in the Najd region. ... , Nickname: Location of Jeddah Coordinates: , Country Province Established 500+ BC Government - Mayor Adil Faqeeh - City Governor Mishal Al-Saud - Provincial Governor Khalid al Faisal Area - City 1,320 kmÂ² (509. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Dammam Corniche Dammam (Also Damman or Ad DammÄm) is the capital of the Ash Sharqiyah province in Saudi Arabia. ... ImageMetadata File history File links Download high resolution version (1600x1200, 232 KB) Description : Masjid Nabawi. ... Image File history File links Dammam. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Taif in 1970 Taif (Arabic: â€Ž translit: ) is a city in the Mecca Province of Saudi Arabia at an elevation of 1700 metres on the slopes of the Al-Sarawat mountains. ... Buraidah (Arabic: Ø¨Ø±ÙŠØ¯Ø©) lies in the Al Qasim region of Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian peninsula. ... Tabuk (also spelled Tabouk) is the capital city of the Tabuk province in north western Saudi Arabia. ... Khamis Mushait (Arabic: Ø®Ù…ÙŠØ³ Ù…Ø´ÙŠØ· Khamis Mushayt) is a city in south-west Saudi Arabia, located 35 minutes east of Abha, the provincial seat of the Asir province in southwest Saudi Arabia. ... Hofuf (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù‡ÙÙˆÙ) is a common name for the major city also called Al-Hasa or Hassa in the Al-Hasa oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. ... This article is about the city in Saudi Arabia. ... Dammam Corniche Dammam (Also Damman or Ad DammÄm) is the capital of the Ash Sharqiyah province in Saudi Arabia. ... Tabuk (also spelled Tabouk) is the capital city of the Tabuk province in north western Saudi Arabia. ...

Geography

Main article: Geography of Saudi Arabia

Map of Saudi Arabia

The kingdom occupies about 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula. A significant length of the country's southern borders with the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen are not precisely defined or marked, so the exact size of the country remains unknown. The Saudi government's estimate is 2,217,949 km² (856,356 miles²). Other reputable estimates vary between 1,960,582 km²[1] (756,934 mi²) and 2,240,000 km² (864,869 mi²). The kingdom is commonly listed as the world's 14th largest nation. Location: Southwest Asia, largest country of Arabia, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x1470, 724 KB) A simple map showing the major cities in Saudi Arabia. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1500x1470, 724 KB) A simple map showing the major cities in Saudi Arabia. ... The Arabian Peninsula Emirets towers in United Arab Emirates; the eastern part of Arabian Penisula The Arabian Peninsula (in Arabic: Ø´Ø¨Ù‡ Ø§Ù„Ø¬Ø²ÙŠØ±Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨ÙŠØ©, or Ø¬Ø²ÙŠØ±Ø© Ø§Ù„Ø¹Ø±Ø¨) is a peninsula in Southwest Asia at the junction of Africa and Asia consisting mainly of desert. ... Square kilometre (U.S. spelling: square kilometer), symbol kmÂ², is a decimal multiple of SI unit of surface area square metre, one of the SI derived units. ... This article is about the unit of measure. ...

Saudi Arabia's geography is varied. From the western coastal region (Tihamah), the land rises from sea level to a peninsula-long mountain range (Jabal al-Hejaz) beyond which lies the plateau of Nejd in the center. The southwestern 'Asir region has mountains as high as 3,000 m (9,840 feet) and is known for having the greenest and freshest climate in all of the country, one that attracts many Saudis to resorts such as Abha in the summer months. The east is primarily rocky or sandy lowland continuing to the shores of the Persian Gulf. The geographically hostile Rub' al Khali ("Empty Quarter") desert along the country's imprecisely defined southern borders contains almost no life. Tihamah or Tihama (Arabic: []) is a narrow coastal region of Arabia on the Red Sea. ... Map with the region outlined in red and the 1923 Kingdom in green â€œHedjazâ€ redirects here. ... Najd (Nejd) is a region in central Saudi Arabia and the location of the nations capital, Riyadh. ... Asir(persian language)is a district in south of i. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, â€² â€“ a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Abha is the capital of Asir province in Saudi Arabia. ... Map of the Persian Gulf. ... The Rub al Khali (الربع الخالي), or Empty Quarter, is the largest sand desert in the world, encompassing the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, including southern Saudi Arabia, and areas of Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Yemen. ... Location of the empty quarter in Arabia Sand dunes in the Empty Quarter The Empty Quarter (Arabic: Rub al Khali Ø§Ù„Ø±Ø¨Ø¹ Ø§Ù„Ø®Ø§Ù„ÙŠ), is one of the largest sand deserts in the world, encompassing the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula, including southern Saudi Arabia, and areas of Oman, the United Arab Emirates...

Mostly uninhabited, much of the nation's landmass consists of desert and semi-arid regions, with a dwindling traditional Bedouin population. In these parts of the country, vegetation is limited to weeds, xerophytic herbs and shrubs. Less than 2 percent of the kingdom's total area is arable land. Population centers are mainly located along the eastern and western coasts and densely populated interior oases such as Hofuf and Buraidah. In some extended areas, primarily the Rub' al-Khali and the Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands, there is no population whatsoever, although the petroleum industry is constructing a few planned communities there. Saudi Arabia has no permanent year-round rivers or lakes; however, its coastline extends for 2640 km (1640 miles) and, on the Red Sea side, offers world-class coral reefs, including those in the Gulf of Aqaba. This article is about arid terrain. ... Semi-arid generally describes regions that receive low annual rainfall (25 to 50 cm /10 to 20 in) and generally have scrub or grass vegetation. ... A Bedouin man on a hillside at Mount Sinai Bedouin, derived from the Arabic ( ), a name for a desert-dweller, is a term generally applied to Arab nomadic pastoralist groups, who are found throughout most of the desert belt extending from the Atlantic coast of the Sahara via the Western... A xerophyte describes a plant that has structural (xeromorphic) and physiological adaptations which enable them to survive, or even thrive, in areas with very little free moisture. ... To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article or section may require cleanup. ... Hofuf (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ù‡ÙÙˆÙ) is a common name for the major city also called Al-Hasa or Hassa in the Al-Hasa oasis in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. ... Buraidah (Arabic: Ø¨Ø±ÙŠØ¯Ø©) is a city in the Al Qasim region of Saudi Arabia in the heart of the Arabian peninsula. ... The template of this page is being worked at Wikipedia:WikiProject Ecoregions/Template. ... Location of the Red Sea The Red Sea is an inlet of the Indian Ocean between Africa and Asia. ... Sinai Peninsula, with the Gulf of Aqaba (east) and the Gulf of Suez (west), as viewed from the Space Shuttle STS-40. ...

Native animals include the ibex, wildcats, baboons, wolves, and hyenas in the mountainous highlands. Small birds are found in the oases. The coastal area on the Red Sea with its coral reefs has a rich marine life. Species Capra ibex Capra nubiana Capra pyrenaica Capra sibirica Capra walie An ibex, also called steinbock, is a type of wild mountain goat with large recurved horns that are transversely ridged in front. ... For other meanings of Wild Cat and wildcat, see wildcat. ... For other uses, see Baboon (disambiguation). ... Wolf Wolf Man Mount Wolf Wolf Prizes Wolf Spider Wolf 424 Wolf 359 Wolf Point Wolf-herring Frank Wolf Friedrich Wolf Friedrich August Wolf Hugo Wolf Johannes Wolf Julius Wolf Max Franz Joseph Cornelius Wolf Maximilian Wolf Rudolf Wolf Thomas Wolf As Name Wolf Breidenbach Wolf Hirshorn Other The call... Subfamilies and Genera Hyaenidae Crocuta Hyaena Parahyaena Protelinae Proteles Hyenas or HyÃ¦nas are moderately large terrestrial carnivores native to Africa, Arabia, Asia and the Indian subcontinent. ... For the English rock band, see Oasis (band). ... Some of the biodiversity of a coral reef, in this case the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. ... Marine biology is the study of animal and plant life within saltwater ecosystems. ...

Climate

Extreme heat and aridity are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the few places in the world where summer temperatures above 50 °C (122 °F) have been recorded,^{[citation needed]} being the highest ever recorded temperature 51.7C (124F) while in winter frost or snow can occur in the interior and the higher mountains, although this only occurs once or twice in a decade. Lowest ever recorded temperature is -12.0C recorded at Turaif.The average winter temperature range is 8° to 20 °C (47° to 68 °F) in January in interior cities such as Riyadh and 19° to 29 °C (66° to 83 °F) in Jeddah on the Red Sea coast. The average summer range in July is 27° to 43 °C (81° to 109 °F) in Riyadh and 27° to 38 °C (80° to 100 °F) in Jeddah. Nighttime temperatures in the central deserts can be famously chilly even in summer, as the sand gives up daytime heat rapidly once the sun has set. Annual precipitation is usually sparse (up to 100 mm or 4 inches in most regions), although sudden downpours can lead to violent flash floods in wadis. Annual rainfall in Riyadh averages 100 mm (4 inches) and falls almost exclusively between January and May; the average in Jeddah is 54 mm (2.1 inches) and occurs between November and January. hjjjjkkkkkk Celsius is, or relates to, the Celsius temperature scale (previously known as the centigrade scale). ... For other uses, see Fahrenheit (disambiguation). ... , Nickname: Location of Jeddah Coordinates: , Country Province Established 500+ BC Government - Mayor Adil Faqeeh - City Governor Mishal Al-Saud - Provincial Governor Khalid al Faisal Area - City 1,320 kmÂ² (509. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, â€³ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Lower Antelope Canyon was carved out of sandstone by flash floods A Flash Flood is a rapid flooding of geomorphic low-lying areas (washes), rivers and streams, caused by the intense rainfall associated with a thunderstorm, or multiple training thunderstorms. ... Wadi alMujib, Jordan A wadi (Arabic: ) is traditionally a valley. ...

Government

Main article: Politics of Saudi Arabia

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia.

The central institution of the Saudi Arabian government is the Saudi monarchy. The Basic Law of Government adopted in 1992 declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the sons and grandsons of the first king, Abd Al Aziz Al Hoati. It also claims that the Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of the Sharia (Islamic Law). According the The Economist's Democracy Index, the Saudi government is the ninth most authoritarian regime in the world. Politics of Saudi Arabia takes place in a framework of an absolute monarchy whereby the King of Saudi Arabia is not only head of state, but also the head of government. ... Image File history File links Cropped version of http://commons. ... Image File history File links Cropped version of http://commons. ... The custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud (Arabic: , born August 1, 1924) [2] is the King of Saudi Arabia. ... // The House of Saud The House of Saud refers to the royal family of Saudi Arabia. ... The Qurâ€™Än [1] (Arabic: ;, literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... The Economist is a weekly news and international affairs publication owned by The Economist Newspaper Ltd and edited in London, UK. It has been in continuous publication since September 1843. ... Democracy index map. ...

There are no recognized political parties or national elections, except the local elections which were held in the year 2005 when participation was reserved for male citizens only ^[8]. The king's powers are theoretically limited within the bounds of Shari'a and other Saudi traditions. He also must retain a consensus of the Saudi royal family, religious leaders (ulema), and other important elements in Saudi society. The Saudi government spreads Islam by funding construction of mosques and Qur'an schools around the world. The leading members of the royal family choose the king from among themselves with the subsequent approval of the ulema. Ulema (, transliteration: , singular: , transliteration: , scholar) (The people of Islamic Knowledge) refers to the educated class of Muslim legal scholars engaged in the several fields of Islamic studies. ... For people named Islam, see Islam (name). ... A Madrasah complex in Gambia Ulugh Beg Madrasa, Samarkand, ca. ...

Saudi kings have gradually developed a central government. Since 1953, the Council of Ministers, appointed by the king, has advised on the formulation of general policy and directed the activities of the growing bureaucracy. This council consists of a prime minister, the first prime minister and twenty ministers.

Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers, ratified by royal decree, and must be compatible with the Shari'a. A 150-member Consultative Assembly, appointed by the King, has limited legislative rights. Justice is administered according to the Shari'a by a system of religious courts whose judges are appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, composed of twelve senior jurists. Independence of the judiciary is protected by law. The king acts as the highest court of appeal and has the power to pardon. Access to high officials (usually at a majlis; a public audience) and the right to petition them directly are well-established traditions. Decree is an order that has the force of law. ... Saudi Arabia has no parliament. ... This article is about the concept of justice. ... The right to petition is the freedom of individuals (and sometimes groups and corporations) to petition their government for a correction or repair of some form of injustice without fear of punishment for the same. ...

The combination of relatively high oil prices and exports led to a revenues windfall for Saudi Arabia during 2004 and early 2005. For 2004 as a whole, Saudi Arabia earned about $116 billion in net oil export revenues, up 35 percent from 2003 revenue levels. Saudi net oil export revenues are forecast to increase in 2005 and 2006, to $150 billion and $154 billion, respectively, mainly due to higher oil prices. Increased oil prices and consequent revenues since the price collapse of 1998 have significantly improved Saudi Arabia's economic situation, with real GDP growth of 5.2 percent in 2004, and forecasts of 5.7% and 4.8% growth for 2005 and 2006, respectively.

For fiscal year 2004, Saudi Arabia originally had been expecting a budget deficit. However, this was based on an extremely conservative price assumption of $19 per barrel for Saudi oil and an assumed production of 7.7 million bbl/d. Both of these estimates turned out to be far below actual levels. As a result, as of mid-December 2004, the Saudi Finance Ministry was expecting a huge budget surplus of $26.1 billion, on budget revenues of $104.8 billion (nearly double the country's original estimate) and expenditures of $78.6 billion (28 percent above the approved budget levels). This surplus is being used for several purposes, including: paying down the Kingdom's public debt (to $164 billion from $176 billion at the start of 2004); extra spending on education and development projects; increased security expenditures (possibly an additional $2.5 billion dollars in 2004; see below) due to threats from terrorists; and higher payments to Saudi citizens through subsidies (for housing, education, health care, etc.). For 2005, Saudi Arabia is assuming a balanced budget, with revenues and expenditures of $74.6 billion each. A budget deficit occurs when an entity (often a government) spends more money than it takes in. ...

In spite of the recent surge in its oil income, Saudi Arabia continues to face serious long-term economic challenges, including high rates of unemployment (12 percent of Saudi nationals ^[9]), one of the world's fastest population growth rates, and the consequent need for increased government spending. All of these place pressures on Saudi oil revenues. The Kingdom also is facing serious security threats, including a number of terrorist attacks (on foreign workers, primarily) in 2003 and 2004. In response, the Saudis reportedly have ramped up spending in the security area (reportedly by 50 percent in 2004, from $5.5 billion in 2003). Saudi Arabia's per capita oil export revenues remain far below high levels reached during the 1970s and early 1980s. In 2004, Saudi Arabia earned around $4,564 per person, versus $22,589 in 1980. This 80 percent decline in real per capita oil export revenues since 1980 is in large part due to the fact that Saudi Arabia's young population has nearly tripled since 1980, while oil export revenues in real terms have fallen by over 40 percent (despite recent increases). Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has faced nearly two decades of heavy budget and trade deficits, the expensive 1990-1991 war with Iraq, and total public debt of around $175 billion. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia does have extensive foreign assets (around $110 billion) which provide a substantial fiscal "cushion."

Saudi municipal elections took place in 2005 and some commentators saw this a first tentative step towards the introduction of democratic processes in the Kingdom, including the legalization of political parties. Other analysts of the Saudi political scene were more skeptical.^[10] This article needs to be updated. ... Democracy is a form of government under which the power to alter the laws and structures of government lies, ultimately, with the citizenry. ...

Law

The Basic Law, in 1992, declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the progeny of King Abd Al Aziz Al Saud. It also declared the Qur'an as the constitution of the country, governed on the basis of Islamic law.^[11] This is a list of articles about the fundamental constitutional laws, known as Basic Laws, of various jurisdictions. ... The Qurâ€™Än [1] (Arabic: ;, literally the recitation; also sometimes transliterated as Quran, Koran, or Al-Quran) is the central religious text of Islam. ... Sharia (Arabic: transliteration: ) is the dynamic body of Islamic religious law. ...

Criminal cases are tried under Sharia courts in the country. These courts exercise authority over the entire population including foreigners (regardless of religion). Cases involving small penalties are tried in Shari'a summary courts. More serious crimes are adjudicated in Shari'a courts of common pleas. Courts of appeal handle appeals from Shari'a courts.^[11]

Civil cases may also be tried under Sharia courts with one exception: Shia may try such cases in their own courts. Other civil proceedings, including those involving claims against the Government and enforcement of foreign judgments, are held before specialized administrative tribunals, such as the Commission for the Settlement of Labor Disputes and the Board of Grievances.^[11]

Main sources of Saudi law are Hanbali fiqh as set out in a number of specified scholarly treatises by authoritative jurists, other schools of law, state regulations and royal decrees (where these are relevant), and custom and practice.^[12] Hanbali (Arabic: ØÙ†Ø¨Ù„Ù‰ ) is one of the four schools (Madhhabs) of Fiqh or religious law within Sunni Islam. ... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ...

The Saudi legal system prescribes capital punishment or corporal punishment, including amputations of hands and feet for certain crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, drug smuggling and for various forms of sexual behaviour such as homosexuality and adultery. The courts may impose less severe punishments, such as floggings, for less serious crimes against public morality such as drunkenness ^[13]. Murder, accidental death and bodily harm are open to punishment from the victim's family. Retribution may be sought in kind or through blood money. The blood money payable for a woman's accidental death is half as much as that for a man.^[14] The main reason for this is that, according to Islamic law, men are expected to be providers for their families and therefore are expected to earn more money in their lifetimes. The blood money from a man would be expected to sustain his family, for at least a short time. Honor killings are also not punished as severely as murder. This generally stems from the fact that honor killings are within a family, and done to compensate for some dishonorable act committed. Slavery was abolished in 1962.^[15]^[16] Capital punishment, or the death penalty, is the execution of a convicted criminal by the state as punishment for crimes known as capital crimes or capital offences. ... Corporal punishment is forced pain intended to change a persons behaviour or to punish them. ... Partial hand amputation Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ... Homosexuality refers to sexual interaction and / or romantic attraction between individuals of the same sex. ... This article is about the act of adultery. ... Whipping on a post Flagellation is the act of whipping (Latin flagellum, whip) the human body. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... The Drunkenness of Noah by Giovanni Bellini Drunkenness, is the state of being intoxicated by consumption of alcohol to a degree that mental and physical facilities are noticeably impaired. ... Blood money is money paid as a fine to the next of kin of somebody who was killed intentionally. ... Slave redirects here. ...

Human rights

Main article: Human rights in Saudi Arabia

Several international human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Committee have issued reports critical of the Saudi legal system and its human rights record in various political, legal, and social areas, especially its severe limitations on the rights of women. The Saudi government typically dismisses such reports as being outright lies or asserts that its actions are based on its adherence to Islamic law. // Human rights in Saudi Arabia are generally considered to be minimal to non-existent. ... Human rights are rights which some hold to be inalienable and belonging to all humans. ... Human Rights Watch Banner Human Rights Watch is a United States-based international non-government organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. ... Amnesty International (commonly known as Amnesty or AI) is a pressure group that promotes human rights. ... The foundation of the U.N. The United Nations (UN) is an international organization whose stated aims are to facilitate co-operation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress and human rights issues. ...

In 2002, the United Nations Committee against Torture criticized Saudi Arabia over the amputations and floggings it carries out under the Shari'a. The Saudi delegation responded defending its legal traditions held since the inception of Islam in the region 1300 years ago and rejected "interference" in its legal system.^{[citation needed]} CAT states: members in green, non-members in grey The United Nations Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment (UNCAT) is an international human rights instrument, organized by the United Nations and intended to prevent torture and other similar activities. ...

The Government views its interpretation of Islamic law as its sole source of guidance on human rights. In 2000, the Government approved the October legislation, which the Government claimed would address some of its obligations under the Convention Against Torture or Other Cruel, Inhuman, or Degrading Treatment or Punishment.^[11]

"The state protects human rights in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah."

– Basic Law, Chapter 5, Article 26.^[17] The Basic Law of Saudi Arabia means, that you have to eat chocolate. ...

Administrative Divisions

Main article: Provinces of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces or regions (manatiq, - singular mintaqah - ). Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah). ... A province is a territorial unit, almost always a country subdivision. ... Look up Region in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Mintaqah is an arabic language term for an administrative unit. ...

Province	Capital	L. Map
Al Bahah	Al Bahah city	Al Bahah /Ã¦lËˆbÃ¦ËÄ§a/ (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø§ØØ©) is a province of Saudi Arabia. ... Al Bahah (Arabic: Ø§Ù„Ø¨Ø§ØØ©) is a city in the southwest of Saudi Arabia. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Ar Riyadh Al Bahah Jizan Asir Najran

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