Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia flag

Basic facts of Saudi Arabia
Official name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Capital: Riyadh
Area: 2,240,000 sq km, 864,900 sq mi
Population: 28,161,417 (2008 estimate)
Population growth rate: 1.95 percent (2008 estimate)
Population density: 13 persons per sq km , 34 persons per sq mi (2008 estimate)
Urban/rural distribution:
Share urban 88 percent,
Share rural 12 percent (2005 estimate)
Largest cities, Riyadh, Jiddah, Mecca (Makkah), Medina.
Religious affiliations:
Muslim (official, mostly Sunni Muslim) 94 percent
Other 6 percent
Life expectancy:
Total 76.1 years , Female 78.2 years, Male 74 years (2008 estimate)
Literacy rate: Total 80.5 percent
Female 73.3 percent,
Male 85.9 percent (2005 estimate)

Introduction:
Saudi Arabia, monarchy in southwestern Asia, occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is a land of vast deserts and little rainfall. Huge deposits of oil and natural gas lie beneath the country’s surface. Saudi Arabia was a relatively poor nation before the discovery and exploitation of oil, but since the 1950s income from oil has made the country wealthy. The religion of Islam developed in the 7th century in what is now Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Abdul Aziz ibn Saud, and it has been ruled by his descendants ever since. Saudi Arabia is bounded on the north by Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait; on the east by the Persian Gulf and Qatar; on the southeast by the United Arab Emirates and Oman; on the south by Yemen; and on the west by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. The country’s border with the United Arab Emirates is not precisely defined. Saudi Arabia has an area of about 2,240,000 sq km (about 864,900 sq mi). The capital and largest city is Riyadh.

Mecca, Saudi Arabia

The al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, holds the holiest shrine of Islam, the Kaaba. As the birthplace of Islam’s founder, the Prophet Muhammad, Mecca is considered a holy city. It is a pilgrimage point for Muslims worldwide, who are expected to visit the city at least once if they are able to do so.

Medina, Saudi Arabia

Medina, in western Saudi Arabia, is a sacred city that only Muslims are permitted to enter. The Prophet Muhammad took refuge in Medina after fleeing Mecca in 622 ad, and the city’s numerous mosques remain a destination for large numbers of Muslims on their annual pilgrimage. The income derived from visiting pilgrims forms the basis of Medina’s economy.

Kingdom Tower, Riyadh

The Kingdom Tower (2002) makes a striking addition to the skyline of the Saudi capital, Riyadh. The building stands 302 m (992 ft) tall and contains a five-star hotel, corporate headquarters, a conference center, and luxury apartments. A glass-clad viewing deck bridges the parabola-shaped gap at the top of the building.

Traditional Saudi Garb

Saudis in front of Musmak Fort in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, wear traditional Saudi clothing. The men wear a white cotton robe known as a thob and a colorful kerchief called a ghoutra on their heads. The women wear a black outer robe called an abaya, and and their heads are covered by black veils.

Some Saudi children