A vast land, largely desert but with mountains, rivers, oases of date palms that haven't changed in centuries and steel and glass cities whose horizons transform daily, a history going back to the dawn of time… Saudi Arabia is an extraordinary country. The Kingdom covers 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. Its Red Sea coast stretches for 1,800 km from the border of Yemen in the south, to Jordan in the north and is the dream destination for keen scuba divers for its extensive stretches of coral reef. The northern frontier with Iraq and Kuwait leads to the east coast, looking out onto the calm waters of the Arabian Gulf for some 600 km and then the southern border shared with Qatar, the UAE and Oman.
The country's population is estimated at 21.5 million, with some 6 million non-nationals, split rather unevenly between 6,000 cities, towns and villages. ¾ of the inhabitants live in the urban areas of Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah, Madinah, Yanbu, Jubail, Al-Khobar, Dammam and Dhahran. Riyadh, now nearly 2000 km 2 and home to 4 million people, was designated the capital by King Abdul Aziz in 1932, but it was not until the 1970s that it took up it's position properly, when the embassies and ministries relocated their headquarters from Jeddah.Al-Khobar, Dammam and Dhahran in the eastern province are relatively modest communities, considering the eastern province can lay claim to the first oil discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s.
Jubail on the east coast and Yanbu on the west are a unique development of twin industrial cities primarily involved in the petro-chemical industry. Makkah and Madinah, both in the western province, are Islam's holiest cities. The Kaaba, to which all Muslims turn when they pray, is situated within the Grand Mosque at Makkah and the Prophet Muhammed's final resting place is in the Prophet's Mosque some 450km north, in Madinah.
Riyadh, the capital city, is located in the central part of the Najd highlands, and is recognized as being one of the fastest growing cities in the world – population is now estimated to be 4 million. Having long been in the shadow of Jeddah's traditional ascen- dancy in commerce, Riyadh has now taken on the mantle of capital, both politically and commercially, with the new towering skyscrapers – Al-Faisalia Tower and Kingdom Tower – the crowning glory of its meteoric growth.
Calendar
The official calendar is the Hijra, which marks the year the Prophet Muhammed migrated from Makkah to Madinah, acknowledged to be 16th July 682 AD in the Gregorian calendar. Based on the lunar year, the Hijra year is shorter than the Gregorian by about eleven days. Business is generally conducted in both calendars but particular attention should be paid to the movement of the two religious holidays, as they will not be on the same Gregorian dates each year.
Holidays
The Kingdom has two Islamic feasts (Eids) every year.
The Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, is the longer of the two. It starts with a large prayer gathering and then visits to relatives and friends. Presents are usually given to children and close family members. Eid Al-Adha forms the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage.
National Day
National Day is celebrated on the 23 rd September marking the formal foundation of the Kingdom in 1932, when a majority of world powers recognized the sovereignty of the new nation.
Government
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and the head of state is Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. King Abdullah became King on on 1 August 2005 (1426 AH). Crown Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is the Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and Aviation, and Inspector-General.
Language
Arabic is main spoken and written word and is the official language used in all government departments. English is widely used in business however and can be seen on some road signs and advertisements.
Climate
Saudi Arabia has local variations in climate due to its size. In the central region, Riyadh's summer temperatures can average 45°C with the winter dry and cool, with near freezing night-time temperatures. The west and east coast are, in contrast, very humid even in winter and temperatures rarely fall below 20°C. |
