Located in the heart of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia covers four fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. It is the birthplace of the Islamic prophet Muhammad and has a rich religious heritage. Saudi Arabia is also the world's leading producer of oil. The capital is Riyadh. GeographySaudi Arabia is the largest nation in the Middle East. It borders seven countries: Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait on the north; Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the east; and Yemen and Oman on the south. The Red Sea runs along the western border and the Persian Gulf lies to the east. The precise area of Saudi Arabia is uncertain because not all of its boundaries are defined, but it is thought to be about 865,000 square miles (2,240,000 square kilometers). - Most of the vast Rub? al Khali sand desert lies within Saudi Arabia.
Almost all of Saudi Arabia is covered with dry, flat desert. The vast Rub? al-Khali desert covers more than 250,000 square miles (650,000 square kilometers) in the southeast and is the longest stretch of sand in the world. Its name means “empty quarter.” Among the country's few nondesert regions are the narrow coastal plains that lie along the Red Sea. East of the plains is a steep wall of mountains. The peaks of the Asir region in the southwest rise as high as 10,000 feet (3,000 meters). Almost all of Saudi Arabia has a desert climate, with little rainfall and very hot daytime temperatures for much of the year. Temperatures in the desert often rise as high as 129° F (54° C). Because of the harsh climate, Saudi Arabia has no permanent rivers or lakes. The country depends heavily on underground water supplies. Plants and animalsOnly certain types of plants and animals can survive in Saudi Arabia's desert climate. Plant life consists mainly of small shrubs and herbs. Date trees can be found throughout the country, especially near the rare fertile spots called oases. The wildlife of Saudi Arabia includes the fox, wolf, hyena, mongoose, porcupine, and baboon. Smaller numbers of larger animals such as gazelles, leopards, and mountain goats also live in the country. A distinctive animal of Saudi Arabia is the rare white antelope called the oryx. The country's birds include falcons, eagles, ravens, and flamingos. A variety of snakes and smaller reptiles are also found there. People and cultureSaudis, or Arabs native to Saudi Arabia, make up the majority of the country's population. The rest of the people are foreigners. They are mainly from other Arab countries such as Egypt and Asian countries such as India, Pakistan, and Iran. Some black Africans live along the Red Sea coast. Many of the foreigners came to Saudi Arabia to work. Almost all of the people follow Islam. Arabic is the official language, and English is widely understood. More than 80 percent of Saudi Arabians live in cities and towns. The largest cities are Riyadh, in the middle of the country, and Jiddah, on the Red Sea. Saudi Arabia's other major cities include Mecca and Medina, the two holiest cities in Islam. Every year millions of Muslims from around the world make a religious pilgrimage to Mecca. Muhammad, the founder of Islam, was born there. Islam is the dominant cultural influence in Saudi Arabia. Following Islamic law, women and men are separated in the workplace and in public areas. Women in Saudi Arabia are expected to cover themselves with a black veil in public, and men traditionally wear head coverings and flowing white robes. Because Islamic law discourages the depiction of people and animals, arts such as painting and photography are limited in Saudi Arabia. The country is well known for the artistic form of handwriting known as calligraphy, however. Saudi Arabia also has a rich literary tradition, most notably in poetry. EconomySaudi Arabia produces and exports more oil than any other country in the world. Petroleum and refined petroleum products make up more than 90 percent of Saudi Arabia's revenue from exports. Outside of the oil industry, factories manufacture goods such as chemicals, cement, steel, metal products, and foods. Agriculture in Saudi Arabia is limited by the harsh climate and shortage of suitable land. Crops can be grown only in oases and irrigated regions. The major crops include wheat, alfalfa, dates, tomatoes, melons, and barley. Sheep, goats, and camels are kept as livestock. HistoryThe coastal regions of the Arabian Peninsula have been inhabited for thousands of years. In ancient times the region was the site of kingdoms that controlled trade routes that connected Africa and Asia. Birth of IslamThe history of the Arabian Peninsula—and the entire world—was changed by Muhammad, who was born in Mecca in about AD 570. His migration from Mecca to Medina in 622 is said to mark the founding of Islam. By the time of his death in 632, he had brought most of the Arabian Peninsula under Islamic rule. In the following centuries Islam spread far beyond the Arabian Peninsula. Kingdom of Saudi ArabiaDuring medieval times local and foreign rulers fought for control of the peninsula. In 1517 the Ottoman Turks conquered the peninsula and made it part of their empire. The Ottomans had only loose control over the vast territory, however. Most real power was held by local ruling families. In the 18th century the Sa?ud family formed an alliance with religious leaders who wanted to purify Islam. Together they struggled to regain control of the Arabian Peninsula. In 1902 Ibn Sa?ud seized the city of Riyadh, and within two years he had captured much of the central part of the peninsula. By the end of the 1920s Ibn Sa?ud had conquered all of present-day Saudi Arabia. In 1932 he merged his conquered lands to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Ibn Sa'ud died in 1953, but Sa?ud kings continued to rule Saudi Arabia into the 21st century. Oil wealthOil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in 1938. Oil revenues enabled the Saudi government to build many new roads, schools, hospitals, and other buildings. Saudi Arabia became a leading power in the Middle East and a major supplier of oil to the United States and the rest of the Western world. Saudi Arabia generally kept close ties with the United States. However, the outbreak of war between Israel and its Arab neighbors in 1973 damaged relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia as they took opposing sides in the dispute. For a brief time Saudi Arabia and other Arab oil producers refused to sell oil to allies of Israel, including the United States. The oil boycott helped spark a worldwide economic crisis. King Fahd's reignRelations between the United States and Saudi Arabia improved when King Fahd took the Saudi throne in 1982. During a war between Iran and Iraq in the 1980s, the United States helped Saudi Arabia build up its defenses. In 1990 Saudi Arabia faced a crisis when Iraq invaded the neighboring country of Kuwait. Fearing that Iraq might next invade Saudi Arabia, King Fahd invited the United States and other countries to put together a huge military force in his country. In the next year, during the Persian Gulf War, Saudi Arabia was the main base of the military campaign that drove Iraq from Kuwait. Following the Persian Gulf War, Saudi Arabia remained a stable presence in the Middle East. After suffering health problems in the late 1990s, King Fahd began to turn much of his power over to his chosen successor, Crown Prince Abdullah. Population (2000 estimate), 22,024,000. |