Country profile of Saudi Arabia
Where to find it….?
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How to get there ....?
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About Saudi-Arabia
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About Riyadh - Capital
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Saudi Arabia officially known as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is an Arab state in Western Asia constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula. With a land area of approximately 2,150,000 km2 (830,000 sq mi), Saudi Arabia is geographically the fifth-largest state in Asia and second-largest state in the Arab world. Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan and Iraq to the north, Kuwait to the northeast, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates to the east, Oman to the southeast, and Yemen to the south. It is the only nation with both a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast, and most of its terrain consists of arid inhospitable desert or barren landforms.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by Ibn Saud. He united the four regions into a single state through a series of conquests beginning in 1902 with the capture of Riyadh, the ancestral home of his family, the House of Saud. The country has since been an absolute monarchy, effectively a hereditary dictatorship governed along Islamic lines. |
Riyadh (Arabic: الرياض ar-Riyāḍ) is the capital and largest city of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 7.3 million people, and the urban centre of a region with a population of close to 9 million people.
The city is divided into 15 municipal districts, managed by Riyadh Municipality headed by the mayor of Riyadh, and the Riyadh Development Authority, chaired by the governor of Riyadh Province, Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud. The current mayor of Riyadh is Abdullah bin Abdulrahman Almogbel, appointed in 2012. Riyadh has the largest all-female university in the world, the Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University. It has been designated a global city. |
Fun facts
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Things to know
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Although you can call most of these not really fun......
1. Mecca and Medina are two of the most holy cities of Islam. Non-Muslims are not allowed to step foot on these holy grounds. 2. The Rub’ al Khali, or the Empty Quarter, is one of the driest places on earth. This desert, which is 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) long and 500 kilometers (310 miles) wide, occupies a large portion of Saudi Arabia. 3. It is strictly forbidden to carry and drink alcoholic beverages in Saudi Arabia. 4. Homosexuality and the rampant display of non-Muslim religious beliefs are both considered punishable crimes in Saudi Arabia. 5. Saudi Arabia is the only place on earth where beheading, amputation of hands and limbs, and stoning are not illegal. 6. Sex segregation is commonplace in Saudi Arabia. Single women – whether local or foreign – are never allowed to be accompanied by a male stranger. 7. In Saudi Arabia, a liter of potable water is more expensive than a liter of oil. 8. Saudi tradition carries great respect for the privacy of all. Never, never point your camera on women. You can take pictures of males, but only with their permission. 9. Until 2006, taking pictures of government buildings, palaces and airports was also forbidden. Until today, you can still get in trouble with the civilians – and even with some of the policemen who are unaware of the law revision – if you go around shooting pictures in plain sight. 10. The graceful Arabian oryx was once listed as “extinct in the wild” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN). After it was re-introduced in the remote deserts of Saudi Arabia, the antelope was again re-classified as “vulnerable,” making it one of the few animals in the world whose population has increased after nearly disappearing forever. |
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Al-Mamlaka al-Arabiya as-Saudiya The government is based on the sacred law of Islam. The chief government and religious official of Saudi Arabia is the King. The current king is King Abdullah . Saudi Arabia occupy's most of the Arabian Peninsula. National Language: Arabic Religions: 99% Islam mainly Sunni 1% Other Currency: Saudi Riyal Animals Arabian Camel The Dromedary has one hump. Arabian Horse Arabian oryx a grazing antelope. Climate Extreme heat and excessively dry are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. The shamal, sand-laden winds from the northern deserts, is most frequent in early summer and can blow for days at 25-50 miles an hour. Bedouins Bedouin is an Arabic word that means "desert dweller." Bedouins are nomads of the desert who inhabit the Middle East and North Africa. They traditional herd animals such as camels and goats. Land More than half the area of Saudi Arabia is desert. Sports Soccer is a popular sport in Saudi Arabia. read more about Saudi Arabia, click on the following useful links.. |
VIDEO story ......
Watch this You Tube video on the right to get a glimpse of work & life in Saudi Arabia.
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