Saudi Arabia: Difference between revisions
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In the 1970s and 1980s, there was also a significant community of [[Koreans in Saudi Arabia|South Koreans]], numbering in the hundreds of thousands, but most have since returned home.<ref>{{cite conference|last=Seok|first=Hyunho|title=Korean migrant workers to the Middle East|booktitle=Migration to the Arab World: Experience of Returning Migrants|editors=Gunatilleke, Godfrey (ed.)|pages=56–103|publisher=United Nations University Press|year=1991|id=ISBN }}</ref> Saudi Arabia expelled 800,000 Yemenis in 1990 and 1991 to punish [[Yemen]] for its opposition to the [[Gulf War]] against [[Iraq]].<ref>"[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/01/yemen-guantanamo-al-qaida Yemen's point of no return]". Guardian.co.uk. April 1, 2009.</ref> An estimated 240,000 [[Palestinian people|Palestinians]] are living in Saudi Arabia. They are not allowed to hold or even apply for Saudi citizenship, because of [[Arab League]] instructions barring the Arab states from granting them citizenship. Palestinians are the sole foreign group that cannot benefit from a 2004 law passed by Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers, which entitles [[expatriate]]s of all nationalities who have resided in the kingdom for ten years to apply for citizenship with priority being given to holders of degrees in various scientific fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=58980&d=14&m=2&y=2005 |title=Expatriates Can Apply for Saudi Citizenship in Two-to-Three Months |publisher=Arabnews.com |date=2005-02-14 |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref> The Articles 12.4 and 14.1 of the Executive Regulation of Saudi Citizenship System can be interpreted as requiring applicants to be [[Muslim]].<ref>[http://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/wcm/connect/121c03004d4bb7c98e2cdfbed7ca8368/EN_saudi_nationality_system.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=121c03004d4bb7c98e2cdfbed7ca8368 1954 Saudi Arabian Citizenship System]</ref> |
In the 1970s and 1980s, there was also a significant community of [[Koreans in Saudi Arabia|South Koreans]], numbering in the hundreds of thousands, but most have since returned home.<ref>{{cite conference|last=Seok|first=Hyunho|title=Korean migrant workers to the Middle East|booktitle=Migration to the Arab World: Experience of Returning Migrants|editors=Gunatilleke, Godfrey (ed.)|pages=56–103|publisher=United Nations University Press|year=1991|id=ISBN }}</ref> Saudi Arabia expelled 800,000 Yemenis in 1990 and 1991 to punish [[Yemen]] for its opposition to the [[Gulf War]] against [[Iraq]].<ref>"[http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2009/apr/01/yemen-guantanamo-al-qaida Yemen's point of no return]". Guardian.co.uk. April 1, 2009.</ref> An estimated 240,000 [[Palestinian people|Palestinians]] are living in Saudi Arabia. They are not allowed to hold or even apply for Saudi citizenship, because of [[Arab League]] instructions barring the Arab states from granting them citizenship. Palestinians are the sole foreign group that cannot benefit from a 2004 law passed by Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers, which entitles [[expatriate]]s of all nationalities who have resided in the kingdom for ten years to apply for citizenship with priority being given to holders of degrees in various scientific fields.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arabnews.com/?page=1§ion=0&article=58980&d=14&m=2&y=2005 |title=Expatriates Can Apply for Saudi Citizenship in Two-to-Three Months |publisher=Arabnews.com |date=2005-02-14 |accessdate=2010-05-01}}</ref> The Articles 12.4 and 14.1 of the Executive Regulation of Saudi Citizenship System can be interpreted as requiring applicants to be [[Muslim]].<ref>[http://www.moi.gov.sa/wps/wcm/connect/121c03004d4bb7c98e2cdfbed7ca8368/EN_saudi_nationality_system.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&CACHEID=121c03004d4bb7c98e2cdfbed7ca8368 1954 Saudi Arabian Citizenship System]</ref> |
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⚫ | There are about 25 million people who are [[Islam|Muslim]], or 97% of the total population.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf Mapping the World Muslim Population] (October 2009), Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. p. 16 (p. 19 of the PDF).</ref> This figure is calculated taking into consideration the Muslim and non-Muslim expatriates. Saudi citizens, who number around 19 million, are nearly all Muslim, majority of whom follow the [[Salafi]] methodology.<ref>[http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=121904#axzz17dQMsZEu The Daily Star] Lamine Chikhi. 27-11-2010.</ref> Although the vast majority of Saudis are Sunni, [[Shia]]s represent around 10–15% of the Muslim population.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ref=pew10-2009|Pew|2009|p=40 (p. 44 of the PDF)}}.</ref> The majority of Saudi Arabians in the central region follow the [[Hanbali]] school of jurisprudence, majority of Saudi Arabians in the western and southern regions follow the [[Shafi`i]] school, and a few follow the [[Maliki]] school. The highest religious establishment called "Hay'at Kibar al-'Ulamaa" (The Commission of Grand Clerics), contains 21 members who belong to the four main schools of jurisprudence under Sunni Islam.{{Citation|December 2010}} |
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⚫ | As noted earlier ('Politics of Saudi Arabia') Saudi Arabia is a source of [[Sunni]] [[Islamist]] activity, including violent or terrorist [[Islamist]] activity<ref>'Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism since 1979' by Thomas Hegghammer, 2010, Cambridge Middle East Studies ISBN: 9780521732369</ref> and "donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide".<ref> The Telegraph 6 December 2010 "Wikileaks: Saudis 'chief funders of al-Qaeda" [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8182847/Wikileaks-Saudis-chief-funders-of-al-Qaeda.html]</ref> |
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⚫ | Religious freedom is virtually non-existent in Saudi Arabia. The Government does not provide legal recognition or protection for freedom of religion, and it is severely restricted in practice. As a matter of policy, the Government guarantees and protects the right to private worship for all, including non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious practice; however, this right is not always respected in practice and is not defined in law.<ref>''"A Catholic Indian priest had just celebrated mass in a private house, when seven religious policemen (muttawa) broke into the house.... The Saudi religious police are well known for their ruthlessness; they often torture believers of other religions who are arrested. AsiaNews sources said there were around 400,000 Indian Catholics in Saudi Arabia who were denied pastoral care. Catholic foreigners in the country number at least one million: none of them can participate in mass while they are in Saudi Arabia. Catechism for their children – nearly 100,000 – is banned."'' [http://web.archive.org/web/20080617090608/http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5869 AsiaNews, April 10, 2006] (archived from [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5869 the original] on 2008-07-17)</ref> Moreover, the preaching and public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.<ref name=USSD2007>{{Cite document |
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⚫ | The Saudi [[Mutaween]] ([[Arabic]]: '''مطوعين'''), or [[Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)|Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice]] (i.e., the religious police) enforces the prohibition on the public practice of non-Muslim religions. |
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==Culture== |
==Culture== |
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* Ms.Hanadi AlHindi, she became Saudi Arabia's first woman pilot.<ref>http://planenews.com/archives/2446</ref> |
* Ms.Hanadi AlHindi, she became Saudi Arabia's first woman pilot.<ref>http://planenews.com/archives/2446</ref> |
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* Ms. Arwa Mutabagani, she became The first female member of a Saudi Olympic delegation. She became a member of the Saudi Olympic Committee after her appointment in April 2008 to the government body in charge of sports in Saudi Arabia, another first for a woman.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702539.html</ref> |
* Ms. Arwa Mutabagani, she became The first female member of a Saudi Olympic delegation. She became a member of the Saudi Olympic Committee after her appointment in April 2008 to the government body in charge of sports in Saudi Arabia, another first for a woman.<ref>http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/17/AR2008081702539.html</ref> |
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⚫ | There are about 25 million people who are [[Islam|Muslim]], or 97% of the total population.<ref>[http://pewforum.org/newassets/images/reports/Muslimpopulation/Muslimpopulation.pdf Mapping the World Muslim Population] (October 2009), Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. p. 16 (p. 19 of the PDF).</ref> This figure is calculated taking into consideration the Muslim and non-Muslim expatriates. Saudi citizens, who number around 19 million, are nearly all Muslim, majority of whom follow the [[Salafi]] methodology.<ref>[http://www.dailystar.com.lb/article.asp?edition_id=10&categ_id=4&article_id=121904#axzz17dQMsZEu The Daily Star] Lamine Chikhi. 27-11-2010.</ref> Although the vast majority of Saudis are Sunni, [[Shia]]s represent around 10–15% of the Muslim population.<ref>{{Harvnb|Ref=pew10-2009|Pew|2009|p=40 (p. 44 of the PDF)}}.</ref> The majority of Saudi Arabians in the central region follow the [[Hanbali]] school of jurisprudence, majority of Saudi Arabians in the western and southern regions follow the [[Shafi`i]] school, and a few follow the [[Maliki]] school. The highest religious establishment called "Hay'at Kibar al-'Ulamaa" (The Commission of Grand Clerics), contains 21 members who belong to the four main schools of jurisprudence under Sunni Islam. |
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⚫ | As noted earlier ('Politics of Saudi Arabia') Saudi Arabia is a source of [[Sunni]] [[Islamist]] activity, including violent or terrorist [[Islamist]] activity<ref>'Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism since 1979' by Thomas Hegghammer, 2010, Cambridge Middle East Studies ISBN: 9780521732369</ref> and "donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide".<ref> The Telegraph 6 December 2010 "Wikileaks: Saudis 'chief funders of al-Qaeda" [http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8182847/Wikileaks-Saudis-chief-funders-of-al-Qaeda.html]</ref> |
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⚫ | Religious freedom is virtually non-existent in Saudi Arabia. The Government does not provide legal recognition or protection for freedom of religion, and it is severely restricted in practice. As a matter of policy, the Government guarantees and protects the right to private worship for all, including non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious practice; however, this right is not always respected in practice and is not defined in law.<ref>''"A Catholic Indian priest had just celebrated mass in a private house, when seven religious policemen (muttawa) broke into the house.... The Saudi religious police are well known for their ruthlessness; they often torture believers of other religions who are arrested. AsiaNews sources said there were around 400,000 Indian Catholics in Saudi Arabia who were denied pastoral care. Catholic foreigners in the country number at least one million: none of them can participate in mass while they are in Saudi Arabia. Catechism for their children – nearly 100,000 – is banned."'' [http://web.archive.org/web/20080617090608/http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5869 AsiaNews, April 10, 2006] (archived from [http://www.asianews.it/view.php?l=en&art=5869 the original] on 2008-07-17)</ref> Moreover, the preaching and public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.<ref name=USSD2007>{{Cite document |
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⚫ | The Saudi [[Mutaween]] ([[Arabic]]: '''مطوعين'''), or [[Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (Saudi Arabia)|Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice]] (i.e., the religious police) enforces the prohibition on the public practice of non-Muslim religions. |
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==Education== |
==Education== |
Revision as of 17:08, 9 December 2010
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia المملكة العربية السعودية al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya | |
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Motto: "لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله" There is no god but God: Muhammad is the Messenger of God" Shahada)[1] | |
Anthem: "Aash Al Maleek" "Long live the King" | |
![]() | |
Capital and largest city | Riyadh |
Official languages | Arabic |
Spoken languages | Arabic , English |
Demonym(s) | Saudi, Saudi Arabian |
Government | Islamic absolute monarchy |
• King | Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz |
Sultan bin Abdul Aziz | |
Naif bin Abdul Aziz | |
Legislature | Council of Ministers appointed by the king |
Establishment | |
• First Saudi State established | 1744 |
• Second Saudi State established | 1824 |
• Third Saudi State declared | January 8, 1926 |
• Recognized | May 20, 1927 |
• Kingdom Unified | September 23, 1932 |
Area | |
• Total | 2,149,690 km2 (830,000 sq mi) (14th) |
• Water (%) | negligible |
Population | |
• 2010 estimate | 27,136,977[2] (41st) |
• Density | 12/km2 (31.1/sq mi) (205th) |
GDP (PPP) | 2010 estimate |
• Total | $618.744 billion[3] |
• Per capita | $23,701.260[3] |
GDP (nominal) | 2010 estimate |
• Total | $438.009 billion[3] |
• Per capita | $16,778.112[3] |
HDI (2010) | ![]() Error: Invalid HDI value (55th) |
Currency | Saudi Riyal (SR) (SAR) |
Time zone | UTC+3 (AST) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 ((not observed)) |
Drives on | right |
Calling code | 00966 |
ISO 3166 code | SA |
Internet TLD | .sa, السعودية. |
|
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic: المملكة العربية السعودية), commonly known as Saudi Arabia (/ˌsaʊdi əˈreɪbiə/ or /ˌsɔːdi əˈreɪbiə/ ) is the largest Arab country of the Middle East. It is bordered by Jordan and Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south. The Persian Gulf lies to the northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It has an estimated population of 28 million, and its size is approximately 2,149,690 square kilometres (830,000 sq mi). The kingdom is sometimes called "The Land of the Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam. The two mosques are Masjid al-Haram (in Mecca) and Masjid Al-Nabawi (in Medina). The current 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, though its national origins go back as far as 1744 with the establishment of the First Saudi State. Saudi Arabia's government takes the form of an Islamic absolute monarchy. Human rights groups such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have repeatedly expressed concern about the state of human rights in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has the world's largest oil reserves and is the world's largest oil exporter. Oil accounts for more than 90% of exports and nearly 75% of government revenues, facilitating the creation of a welfare state,[5][6] which the government has found difficult to fund during periods of low oil prices. Saudi Arabia has been the world's most generous donor nation per capita, donating £49 billion in aid in the past three decades.[7]
History
Although the region in which the country stands today has an ancient history, the emergence of the Saudi dynasty began in central Arabia in 1744. That year, Muhammad ibn Saud, the ruler of the town of Ad-Dir'iyyah near Riyadh, joined forces with a well-known Islamic scholar and Imam, Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, to create a new political and religious entity. Both persons found they had common interests, mainly to see all the Arabs of the peninsula brought back to "true" Islam.[8] This alliance formed in the 18th century remains the basis of Saudi Arabian dynastic rule today, and over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and other Arabian families for control of the peninsula (see First Saudi State and Second Saudi State).[9] The third and current Saudi state was founded in the early 20th century by King Abdul Aziz Al Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud).
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4a/First_Saudi_State_Big.png/250px-First_Saudi_State_Big.png)
First Saudi State (1744–1818)
The first Saudi State was established in 1744 when Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab settled in Diriyah and Prince Muhammed Ibn Saud agreed to support and espouse his cause in the hope of cleansing Islamic practices of heresy. The House of Saud and its allies rose to become the dominant state in Arabia controlling most of the present-day territory of Saudi Arabia, including the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina.[10] Concerned at the growing power of the Saudis, the Ottoman Sultan instructed Mohammed Ali Pasha to reconquer the area again. Ali sent his sons Tusun Pasha and Ibrahim Pasha who were successful in routing the Saudi forces in 1818, eventually weakening the hold of Al Saud. Alshuraim was one of the largest families that supported king Abdulaziz and his family.
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2a/Second_Saudi_State_Big.png/250px-Second_Saudi_State_Big.png)
Second Saudi State (1824–1891)
After a rebuilding period following the ending of the First Saudi State, the House of Saud returned to power in the Second Saudi State in 1824. The state lasted until 1891 when it succumbed to the Al Rashid of Ha'il.
1891 to present day
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/04/Saudi_Arabia_map.png/220px-Saudi_Arabia_map.png)
Rashidi Arabia endured from 1891 to 1902, when Ibn Saud reconquered Riyadh, the first of a series of conquests leading to the creation of the modern nation state of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The Third Saudi state was founded by the late King Ibn Saud of Saudi Arabia. In 1902 Ibn Saud captured Riyadh, the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival Al-Rashid family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued Al-Hasa, the rest of Nejd, and the Hejaz between 1913 and 1926. Boundaries with Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait were established by a series of treaties negotiated in the 1920s, with two "neutral zones" created, one with Iraq and the other with Kuwait. On January 8, 1926 Hussain Ibn Ali became the King of Sharqiya. On January 27, 1927 he took the title King of Nejd (his previous Nejdi title was Sultan). By the Treaty of Jeddah, signed on May 20, 1927, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm (then known as the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd). In 1932, these regions were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The discovery of oil on March 3, 1938 transformed the country. The country's southern boundary with Yemen was partially defined by the 1934 Treaty of Taif, which ended a brief border war between the two states.
Abdul Aziz's military and political successes were not mirrored economically until vast reserves of oil were discovered in March 1938. Development programs, 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 with economic prosperity and a great deal of political leverage in the international community. Prior to his death in 1953, Abdul Aziz, aware of the difficulties facing other regional absolute rulers reliant on extended family networks, attempted to regulate the succession.
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 to deal effectively with a regional challenge from Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. As a consequence, Saud was deposed in favor of Faisal in 1964. Intra-family rivalry, echoed by increasing complications from the 1973 oil crisis, 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.
Geography
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/41/Saudi-desert.gif/220px-Saudi-desert.gif)
The Kingdom occupies about 80 percent of the Arabian peninsula. In 2000 Saudi Arabia and Yemen signed an agreement to settle their long-running border dispute.[11] A significant length of the country's southern borders with the United Arab Emirates and Oman 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 (856,355 sq mi). Other reputable estimates vary between 1,960,582 km2 (756,985 sq mi)[12] and 2,240,000 km2 (864,869 sq mi). The kingdom is commonly listed as the world's 14th largest state.
Saudi Arabia's geography is varied. From the humid western coastal region (Tihamah) on the Red Sea, 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 (9,843 ft) 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.
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 two 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 Buraydah. In some extended areas, primarily the Rub' al-Khali and the Arabian Desert, there is no population whatsoever, although the petroleum industry has constructed planned communities there. Saudi Arabia has no permanent year-round rivers or lakes; however, its coastline extends for 2,640 km (1,640 mi) and, along the Red Sea, harbors world-class coral reefs, including the Gulf of Aqaba.
Fauna
Native animals include the ibex, wildcats, baboons, wolves, hyenas and Arabian leopard 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.
Government and Politics
Government
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/98/Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabia.jpg/170px-Abdullah_of_Saudi_Arabia.jpg)
The monarchy and the Royal family
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 Saud. The leading members of the royal family choose the king from among themselves with the subsequent approval of religious leaders (the ulema). The Basic Law proclaims that the Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of the Sharia (Islamic Law). According to The Economist's Democracy Index, the Saudi government is the seventh most authoritarian regime from among the 167 countries rated.
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 deputy prime minister and twenty ministers. The royal family plays a significant role in the government of the kingdom and members occupy a large number of political and administrative positions. The key ministries are generally reserved for the royal family, as are most of the thirteen regional governorships. Long term political and government appointments, such as those of King Abdullah, who had been Commander of the National Guard since 1963, Crown Prince Sultan, Minister of Defence & Aviation since 1962, Prince Nayef who has been the Minister of Interior since 1975, and Prince Salman, who has been Governor of the Riyadh Region since 1962, have perpetuated the creation of fiefdoms where senior princes have, often, though not exclusively, co-mingled their personal wealth with that of their respective domains.[13][14]
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.[citation needed]
Corruption
Transparency International in its annual Corruption Perceptions Index for 2010 gave Saudi Arabia a score of 4.7 (on a scale from 0 to 10 where 0 is "highly corrupt" and 10 is "highly clean")[15] and the government of Saudi Arabia and the Saudi royal family have been subject to a number of allegations of corruption.
Asked about allegations of royal corruption in 2001, Prince Bandar bin Sultan, a senior member of the royal family and son of the Crown Prince said: "If you tell me that building this whole country ... out of $400bn, that we misused, or got, $50bn, I'll tell you, 'Yes. So what?'."[16]
The most widely reported example of Saudi royal family corruption relates to the Al-Yamamah arms deal. In 2003 and 2004, the British newspaper The Guardian and the BBC respectively claimed that BAE Systems had engaged in the payment of bribes to members of the Saudi royal family in relation to its 'Al-Yamamah' contract.[17][18] These allegations ultimately led to separate investigations by the UK's Serious Fraud Office and the United States Department of Justice.[19][20] Although the UK investigation was halted following Saudi political pressure,[21][22] [23] the US investigation resulted in BAE Systems being fined $400 million under a plea bargain arrangement in March 2010.[24]
The role of the Ulema
The ulema, the clerical establishment, are led by the Al ash-Sheikh, who are the descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab founder of the dominant Wahhabi sect in Saudi Arabia. The ash-Sheikh family have influence beyond purely religious matters and effectively share power with the royal family (with whom there is an uneasy balance of power), exercising decisive influence on key political decisions.[25] The current leader of the Al ash-Sheikh is Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdullah Al ash-Sheikh, Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia[26]
Politics and opposition to the regime
There are no recognized political parties or national elections, except for one local election, which was held in 2005, when participation was reserved for male citizens only.[27] 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, the ulema, and other important elements in Saudi society.
Although the government of Saudi Arabia is based on the authoritarian rule of the monarch (and Saudi royal family) and party politics is not permitted (as noted above), political opposition to that rule has arisen from four sources: Sunni Islamist activism; liberal pro-democracy critics; the Shiite minority - particularly in the Eastern Province; and long-standing tribal and regional particularist opponents (for example in the Hijaz).[28]Of these, the Islamist activists have been the most prominent threat to the regime and have in recent years perpetrated a number of violent or terrorist acts against the Saudi state[29].
Support for Islamist terrorism in Saudi society
As noted above, Saudi Arabia is a source of Islamist terrorist activity. Osama bin Laden and 15 out of the 19 9/11 hijackers were Saudi nationals[30].According to a 2009 U.S. State Department communication by Hilary Clinton, United States Secretary of State, (disclosed as part of the Wikileaks U.S. 'cables leaks' controversy in 2010) "donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide".[31] .
Law
The Basic Law, in 1992, declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the progeny of King Abdul Aziz Al Saud. It also declared the Qur'an as the constitution of the country, governed on the basis of Islamic law.[32]
Criminal cases are tried under Sharia courts in the country. These courts exercise authority over the entire population. 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.[32]
Civil cases may also be tried under Sharia courts with one exception: Shiites 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.[32]
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.[33]
The Saudi legal system prescribes capital punishment or corporal punishment.Theft is punishable by amputation of the hand, although it is rarely prescribed for a first offense. The courts may impose other harsh punishments, such as floggings, for less serious crimes against public morality such as drunkenness.[34] 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 Muslim male.[35] This is mainly because Islamic law requires men to be providers for their families, and therefore to earn more money in their lifetimes. The blood money for a man would be expected to sustain his family, at least for a short time.
Money payable for the death of a Christian or Jewish male is also half that for a Muslim male; all others (e.g. Hindus, Buddhists, and Sikhs) are valued at 1/16th.[36]
Slavery was abolished in 1962.[37][38]
The freedom of women is seriously restricted in Saudi Arabia. Women are not allowed to travel without the permission of their closest male relative, who may be a son or a younger brother. Women who are divorced, however, are free to make whatever choice they want and this includes choosing a partner for future marriage. Saudi Arabia is the only country in the world where women are banned from driving in major cities and towns, although they may drive in small towns and villages or in private housing compounds—some of which extend to many square miles.[39] The Saudi Shura Council recommended in 2008 that the ban be relaxed, allowing young women to drive subject to some restrictive conditions.[40]
In Saudi Arabia, homosexuality is illegal and punishable by a range of penalties, including corporal punishment and the death penalty. [41]
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.[32]
"The state protects human rights in accordance with the Islamic Shari'ah."
The first independent human rights organization, the National Society for Human Rights was established in 2004. The Saudi Government is an active censor of Internet communication within its borders.[43] A Saudi blogger, Fouad al-Farhan, was jailed for five months in solitary confinement in December, 2007, without charges, after criticizing Saudi religious, business and media figures.[44]
Provinces
Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces[45] (manatiq, – singular mintaqah). The provinces are further divided into governorates.
Cities
Largest Cities by Population (2009) |
mill. |
File:Jeddah corniche rosewoood.JPG | ![]() | |
---|---|---|---|---|
Riyadh | 6.5 | |||
Jeddah | 3.9 | |||
Mecca | 1.8 | |||
Madinah | 1.6 | Riyadh | Jeddah | Mecca |
Al-Hasa | 1.4 | File:Masjid Nabawi. Medina, Saudi Arabia.jpg | File:Dammam2.jpg | File:Khobar.jpg |
Dammam | 1.3 | |||
Tabuk | 0.8 | |||
Buraidah | 0.7 | |||
Khamis Mushait | 0.6 | |||
Abha | 0.5 | |||
Al-Khubar | 0.4 | Medina | Dammam | Al-Khobar |
Economy
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/7e/AramcoCoreArea.jpg/220px-AramcoCoreArea.jpg)
Saudi Arabia's command economy is petroleum-based; roughly 75% of budget revenues and 90% of export earnings come from the oil industry. The oil industry comprises about 45% of Saudi Arabia's gross domestic product, compared with 40% from the private sector (see below). Saudi Arabia officially has about 260 billion barrels (4.1×1010 m3) of oil reserves, comprising about one-fifth of the world's proven total petroleum reserves.[46]
The government is attempting to promote growth in the private sector by privatizing industries such as power and telecommunications. Saudi Arabia announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies in 1999, which followed the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. Shortages of water and rapid population growth may constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
In the 1990s, Saudi Arabia experienced a significant contraction of oil revenues combined with a high rate of population growth. Per capita income fell from a high of $11,700 at the height of the oil boom in 1981 to $6,300 in 1998.[47] Recent[when?] oil price increases have helped boost per capita GDP to $17,000 in 2007 dollars,[48] or about $7,400 adjusted for inflation.[49]
Oil price increases of 2008-2009 have triggered a second oil boom, pushing Saudi Arabia's budget surplus to $28 billion (110SR billion) in 2005. Tadawul (the Saudi stock market index) finished 2004 with a massive 76.23% to close at 4437.58 points. Market capitalization was up 110.14% from a year earlier to stand at $157.3 billion (589.93SR billion), which makes it the biggest stock market in the Middle East.
OPEC (the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries) limits its members' oil production based on their "proven reserves." The higher their reserves, the more OPEC allows them to produce.[citation needed] Saudi Arabia's published reserves have shown little change since 1980, with the main exception being an increase of about 100 billion barrels (1.6×1010 m3) between 1987 and 1988.[50] Matthew Simmons has suggested that Saudi Arabia is greatly exaggerating its reserves and may soon show production declines (see peak oil).[51]
To diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia launched a new city on the western coast with investments exceeding $26.6 billion. The city, which is named "King Abdullah Economic City", will be built near al-Rabegh industrial city north of Jeddah. The new city, where construction work started in December 2005, includes a port which is the largest port of the kingdom. Extending along a coastline of 35 km, the city will also include petrochemical, pharmaceutical, tourism, finance and education and research areas. Saudi Arabia officially became a World Trade Organization member in December 2005.
Development
Saudi Arabia is one of only a few fast-growing countries in the world with a high per capita income of $20,700 (2007). Saudi Arabia will be launching six "economic cities" (e.g. King Abdullah Economic City)[52] which are planned to be completed by 2020. These six new industrialized cities are intended to diversify the economy of Saudi Arabia, and are expected to increase the per capita income. The King of Saudi Arabia has announced that the per capita income is forecast, to rise from $15,000 in 2006 to $33,500 in 2020.[53] The cities will be spread around Saudi Arabia to promote diversification for each region and their economy, and the cities are projected to contribute $150 billion to the GDP.
However the urban areas of Riyadh and Jeddah are expected to contribute $287 billion dollars by the year 2020.[54]
Foreign labour
Despite the government's efforts to promote Saudization, the country draws a significant portion of its labour force from foreign countries, especially from South and Southeast Asia (notably India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Indonesia, the Philippines, Nepal, Sri Lanka), East Africa and from other Middle Eastern countries.[55] There are also some people from East Asia, North America, South America, and Europe. Hundreds of thousands of low-skilled workers and skilled workers from regions of the developing world migrate to Saudi Arabia, sometimes only for a short period of time, to work. Although exact figures are not known, skilled experts in the banking and services professions seek work in the kingdom.
Demographics
Saudi Arabia's population as of July 2010 is estimated to be about 27,136,977, including an estimated 8.5 million resident foreigners.[56] Until the 1960s, a majority of the population was nomadic; but presently more than 95% of the population is settled, due to rapid economic and urban growth. As recently as the early 1960s, the Saudi Arabia’s slave population was estimated at 300,000.[57] Slavery was officially abolished in 1962.[37][38] The birth rate is 29.56 births per 1,000 people and the death rate is 2.62 deaths per 1,000 people. Some cities and oases have densities of more than 1,000 people per square kilometer (2,600/sq mi).
About 31% of the population is made up of foreign nationals living in Saudi Arabia.[58] A large portion of the expatriate population is South Asian or of South Asian ancestry, including Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis. In addition, there are some citizens of Asian, Northeast African, North Africans and Sub-Saharan ancestry are in Hijaz (Jeddah, Makkah and Madina). Many Arabs from nearby countries are employed in the kingdom. There are over eight million migrants from countries all around the world (including non-Muslims):[59] Indian: 1.3 million, Pakistani: 900,000, Bangladeshi: 400,000, Filipino: 500,000, Egyptian: 900,000, Yemeni: 800,000, Indonesian: 250,000, Sri Lankan: 350,000, Sudanese: 250,000, Syrian: 100,000 and Turkish: 80,000.[60] There are around 100,000 Westerners in Saudi Arabia, most of whom live in compounds or gated communities. Although Arabic is the official language, English is the lingua franca of the country and is very widely spoken by residents.[citation needed]
In the 1970s and 1980s, there was also a significant community of South Koreans, numbering in the hundreds of thousands, but most have since returned home.[61] Saudi Arabia expelled 800,000 Yemenis in 1990 and 1991 to punish Yemen for its opposition to the Gulf War against Iraq.[62] An estimated 240,000 Palestinians are living in Saudi Arabia. They are not allowed to hold or even apply for Saudi citizenship, because of Arab League instructions barring the Arab states from granting them citizenship. Palestinians are the sole foreign group that cannot benefit from a 2004 law passed by Saudi Arabia's Council of Ministers, which entitles expatriates of all nationalities who have resided in the kingdom for ten years to apply for citizenship with priority being given to holders of degrees in various scientific fields.[63] The Articles 12.4 and 14.1 of the Executive Regulation of Saudi Citizenship System can be interpreted as requiring applicants to be Muslim.[64]
Religion
There are about 25 million people who are Muslim, or 97% of the total population.[65] This figure is calculated taking into consideration the Muslim and non-Muslim expatriates. Saudi citizens, who number around 19 million, are nearly all Muslim, majority of whom follow the Salafi methodology.[66] Although the vast majority of Saudis are Sunni, Shias represent around 10–15% of the Muslim population.[67] The majority of Saudi Arabians in the central region follow the Hanbali school of jurisprudence, majority of Saudi Arabians in the western and southern regions follow the Shafi`i school, and a few follow the Maliki school. The highest religious establishment called "Hay'at Kibar al-'Ulamaa" (The Commission of Grand Clerics), contains 21 members who belong to the four main schools of jurisprudence under Sunni Islam. {{citation}}
: Empty citation (help)
As noted earlier ('Politics of Saudi Arabia') Saudi Arabia is a source of Sunni Islamist activity, including violent or terrorist Islamist activity[68] and "donors in Saudi Arabia constitute the most significant source of funding to Sunni terrorist groups worldwide".[69]
Religious freedom is virtually non-existent in Saudi Arabia. The Government does not provide legal recognition or protection for freedom of religion, and it is severely restricted in practice. As a matter of policy, the Government guarantees and protects the right to private worship for all, including non-Muslims who gather in homes for religious practice; however, this right is not always respected in practice and is not defined in law.[70] Moreover, the preaching and public practice of non-Muslim religions is prohibited.[71] The Saudi Mutaween (Arabic: مطوعين), or Committee for the Propagation of Virtue and the Prevention of Vice (i.e., the religious police) enforces the prohibition on the public practice of non-Muslim religions.
Proselytizing by non-Muslims is illegal, and conversion by Muslims to another religion (apostasy) carries the death penalty, although there have been no confirmed reports of executions for apostasy in recent years.[72]
Culture
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/c/c7/Holding_the_risha_pos_2.jpg/220px-Holding_the_risha_pos_2.jpg)
Saudi Arabian culture mainly revolves around both Islamic and tribal values. Islam's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located in the country. Five times every day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques which are scattered around the country. The weekend begins on Thursday due to Friday being the holiest day for Muslims. Most Muslim countries have a Thursday-Friday or Friday-Saturday weekend.[73] Saudi Arabia's cultural heritage is celebrated at the annual Jenadriyah cultural festival.
Music and dance
One of Saudi Arabia's most compelling folk rituals is the Al Ardha, the country's national dance. This sword dance is based on ancient Bedouin traditions: drummers beat out a rhythm and a poet chants verses while sword-carrying men dance shoulder to shoulder. Al-sihba folk music, from the Hejaz, has its origins in al-Andalus. In Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, dance and song incorporate the sound of the mizmar, an oboe-like woodwind instrument in the performance of the Mizmar dance. The drum is also an important instrument according to traditional and tribal customs. Samri is a popular traditional form of music and dance in which poetry is sung especially in the Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabian Musical tradition depends heavily on the modern Arabian oud.
- Al Ardha (Arabic: العرضة) is a type of folkloric dance performed by the Bedouin tribes of the Arabian peninsula, It was tradition only performed before going to war, but nowadays is performed at celebrations or cultural events, such as the Jenadriyah festival. The dance, which is performed by men carrying swords or canes, is accompanied by drums and spoken verse.
- Mizmar (Arabic: مزمار) is the name of a folkloric dance native to the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. The dance involves moving while twirling a bamboo cane (tool)cane, to the music of drums.
- Samri (Arabic: سامري)is the name of a folkloric music and dance. It involves singing poetry while the daff drum is being played. Two rows of men, seated on the knees sway to the rhythm.
Dress
Saudi Arabian dress strictly follows the principles of hijab (the Islamic principle of modesty, especially in dress). The predominantly loose and flowing, but covering, garments are suited to Saudi Arabia's desert climate. Traditionally, men usually wear an ankle length shirt woven from wool or cotton (known as a thawb), with a keffiyeh (a large checkered square of cotton held in place by a cord coil) or a ghutra (a plain white square made of finer cotton, also held in place by a cord coil) worn on the head. For rare chilly days, Saudi men wear a camel-hair cloak (bisht) over the top. Women's clothes are decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread, and appliques. Women are required to wear an abaya or modest clothing when in public.
- Ghutrah (Arabic: غتره) is a traditional headdress typically worn by Arab men. It is made of a square of cloth ("scarf"), usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles around the head. It is commonly worn in areas with an arid climate, to provide protection from direct sun exposure, and also protection of the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand.
- Agal (Arabic: عقال) is an Arab headdress constructed of cord which is fastened around the Ghutrah to hold it in place. The agal is usually black in colour.
- Thawb (Arabic: ثوب) is the standard Arabic word for garment. It is ankle length, usually with long sleeves similar to a robe.
- Bisht (Arabic: بشت) is a traditional Arabic men’s cloak usually only worn for prestige on special occasions such as weddings.
- Abayah (Arabic: عباية) is a women's garment. It is a black cloak which loosely covers the entire body except the head. Usually, the sleeves are decorated with stitched embroidery and different bright colors or even crystals, and the rest of the cloak is plain.Some women choose to cover their faces with the Niqab and some don't. Recently, there's a move towards Abaya colors other than black especially in the Makkah Province in the west of the Kingdom.
- Kameez/Kurta Salwar is a men's and women's garment. It is worn by Indian and Pakistani people in Saudi Arabia.
Cuisine
Arabic unleavened bread, or khobz, is eaten with almost all meals. Other staples include lamb, grilled chicken, falafel (deep-fried chickpea balls), shawarma (spit-cooked sliced lamb- or chicken), and hummus (a paste of chickpea, garlic and lemon). Traditional coffeehouses used to be ubiquitous, but are now being displaced by food-hall style cafes. Arabic tea is also a famous custom, which is used in both casual and formal meetings between friends, family and even strangers. The tea is black, served without milk and often has one of a variety of herbal flavorings. Islamic dietary laws forbid the eating of pork and the drinking of alcohol, and this law is enforced strictly throughout Saudi Arabia.
Film and theater
During the 1970s, cinemas were numerous in the Kingdom and were not considered a deviation from religious norms, although they were pressured from tribal norms.[74] It was only during the Islamic revival movement in the 1980s that Islamic Ulams's teaching influenced the government's Cinema policy. Public theaters and cinemas were prohibited as several Saudi ulama(expertise in Islamic studies) deemed those institutions to be incompatible with Islam. However, lately (as of 2009), a reform is being undertaken in the country, in which several cinemas and movies had been shown under serious objections raised by several Saudi groups.[75] An IMAX theater is also available,[76] and in private compounds such as Dhahran and Ras Tanura public theaters can be found, but they are often more popular for local music, arts and theatre productions, rather than the exhibition of motion pictures. DVDs, including American and British movies, are legal and widely available.
Literature
Some Saudi novelists have had their books published in Beirut, Lebanon, because of censorship in Saudi Arabia. Despite signs of increasing openness, Saudi novelists and artists in film, theatre, and the visual arts face greater restrictions on their freedom of expression than in the West. Contemporary Saudi novelists include:
- Abdul Rahman Munif (exiled, now deceased)
- Yousef Al-Mohaimeed
- Rajaa al-Sanea
- Abdu Khal
- Turki al-Hamad (subject of a fatwā and death threats)
- Ali al-Domaini
- Ahmed Abodehman (now writes in French)
Famous Saudi Female Achievers
- Mrs. Norah AlFayez , the first Saudi female to be appointed as a Deputy Minister of Education.[77]
- Dr. Hayat Sindi , chosen by the famous "Poptech" science magazine among top 15 scientists expected to change the world. She co-founded "Diagnostics For All" to offer point-of-care diagnostic tools micro-fabricated in paper. These technologies allow healthcare workers to monitor the treatment of the 60% of people living beyond the reach of medical infrastructures.[78]
- Dr. Ghada Al-Mutairi,who heads a research center in California after winning the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Director’s Pioneer Award Program.[79]
- Ms. Ghada Ba-Aqeel,awarded the "Best Women's Business" in the world in 2009, by the Youth Organization of Global Business (YBI), an unprecedented achievement in the Arab world.[80]
- Dr. Howaida Obaid al-Qethamy, who rose up as another famous Saudi surgeon who has distinguished herself in pediatric and neonatal heart surgery and won the King Faisal order of merit, fourth grade, for becoming the top pediatrician in the Middle East and second in the world.[81]
- Ms. Umaima al-Khamis,who wrote a novel called al-Warfah (The Leafy) to be listed for the Arabic Booker Prize 2010, also known as the International Prize for Arabic Fiction (IPAF).[82]
- Dr. Soraya Al-Turki,a Professor of Anthropology at the American University in Cairo who shines as an exemplary Saudi academic who lectures at universities worldwide from Harvard to George Washington.[83]
- Dr. Salwa Al-Hazza(Arabic: سلوى الهزّاع), She became the late King Fahad’s personal ophthalmologist. She is the first Saudi woman to head a medical department; the ophthalmology department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh. Dr. Al Hazza has numerous publications including an encyclopedia on Saudi genetic diseases and groundbreaking research in rescuing the eyesight of premature babies. [84] [85]
- Ms. Muna AbuSulayman, (Arabic: منى أبو سليمان) is Secretary General and Executive Director of the Alwaleed Bin Talal Foundation, the philanthropic arm of HRH Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal's Kingdom Holding Company and formerly co-host of one of MBC TV’s most popular social programs, Kalam Nawaem (“Softly Speaking”). In 2005, she became the first woman from Saudi Arabia to be appointed by the United Nations Development Program as a Goodwill Ambassador. In 2007, the Middle East Excellence Awards Institute presented Ms. AbuSulayman the Achievements in Regional and International Relations Award. In 2009, she was named one of the most influential Muslims in the world. She is also a member of Soliya , an organization devoted to improving communications between East and West through university education.[86]
- Ms.Hanadi AlHindi, she became Saudi Arabia's first woman pilot.[87]
- Ms. Arwa Mutabagani, she became The first female member of a Saudi Olympic delegation. She became a member of the Saudi Olympic Committee after her appointment in April 2008 to the government body in charge of sports in Saudi Arabia, another first for a woman.[88]
Education
When the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932, education was not accessible to everyone and limited to individualized instruction at religious schools in mosques in urban areas. These schools taught Islamic law and basic literacy skills. By the end of the century, Saudi Arabia had a nationwide educational system providing free training from preschool through university to all citizens.
The primary education system began in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. By 1945, King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud, the country's founder, had initiated an extensive program to establish schools in the Kingdom. Six years later, in 1951, the country had 226 schools with 29,887 students. In 1954, the Ministry of Education was established, headed by then Prince Fahd bin Abdulaziz as the first Minister of Education. The first university, now known as King Saud University, was founded in Riyadh in 1957.
Today, Saudi Arabia's nationwide public educational system comprises fifty nine (59) universities[89], more than 24,000 schools, and a large number of colleges and other educational and training institutions. The system provides students with free education, books and health services and is open to every Saudi. Over 25% of the annual State budget is for education including vocational training.
Schools in Saudi Arabia are divided into: elementary(six grades),intermediate(three grades), and High(three grades). For elementary and intermediate levels, subjects taught include:Islamic studies,Mathematics , Science, History, Geography, Arabic syntax and diction, Arabic literature, Computer skills, English , art and drawing, and physical science. On their first year of high school, students must choose among different tracks which are : Natural Sciences, Literature, Islamic studies, and Social and Managerial Sciences. There are common courses among the different tracks, but the emphasis area is different. For example,The Natural Sciences track emphasizes Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Computer Science , and English while less emphasis is on Islamic studies and Literature.
Universities in Saudi Arabia are distributed in all the thirteen provinces and are either public or private. Many subjects are being taught in these universities such as Medicine, Pharmacology, Engineering, Physics, Chemistry, Biology,Petroleum sciences, Philosophy, Psychology, Literature, Management, Finance, Accounting, Marketing, Political Science, Computer Science, Law, Fiqh, Hadith, etc. The Kingdom has also worked on scholarship programs to send students overseas to the United States, Canada, France, United Kingdom, Australia, Japan, Malaysia, Spain, Germany, China, Singapore, South Korea and other nations. Currently tens of thousands of Saudi male and female students are being sent to higher-education programs every year under the King Abdullah Scholarship Program. More than 23,000 students study in the United States only.[90]
The study of Islam remains at the core of the Saudi educational system. The Islamic aspect of the Saudi national curriculum is examined in a 2006 report by Freedom House.[91] "[92] The Saudi religious studies curriculum is taught outside the Kingdom in madrasah throughout the world.
Sports
Men can often be found playing sports. Women rarely participate in sports, and always away from the presence of men; this often leads to indoor gyms. Even though association football is the most popular sport, Saudi Arabia has recently participated in the Summer Olympic Games and in international competitions in volleyball and other sports. The Saudi Arabian national youth baseball team has also participated in the Little League World Series. The Saudi Arabia national football team is often most known for competing four consecutive times in the FIFA World Cup and six times in the AFC Asian Cup, Majed Abdullah, Sami Al-Jaber, Mohamed Al-Deayea, Saeed Al-Owairan, Fahad Al-Bishi, Mohaisen Al-Jam'an, Khalid Massad and Yousuf Al-Thunayan, Fuad Amin .
Military
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/4/4c/Frigate_Al_Makkah.jpg/220px-Frigate_Al_Makkah.jpg)
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. By expanding the military forces years later, Saudi Arabia today has many military branches.
- Military branches of Ministry of Defence:
- Independent Military branches:
- Military branches of Ministry of Interior:
- Saudi Arabian Police Force
- Saudi Arabian Border Guard
- Saudi Border Guard
- Saudi Coast Guard
- Al-Mujahidoon
- Saudi Emergency Force
U.S. Support
The United States sold more than $80 billion in military hardware between 1951-2006 to the Saudi military.[93] In comparison, the Israel Defense Forces received $53.6 billion in US military grants between 1949-2007.[94]
On October 20, 2010, U.S. State Department notified Congress of its intention to make the biggest arms sale in American history - an estimated $60.5 billion purchase by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The package represents a considerable improvement in the offensive capability of the Saudi armed forces. [95]
The U.S. was keen to point out that the arms transfer would increase "interoperability" with U.S. forces. In the 1990-1991 Gulf War, having U.S.-trained Saudi forces, along with military installations built to U.S. specifications, allowed the American armed forces to deploy in a comfortable and familiar battle environment. This new deal would increase these capabilities, as an advanced American military infrastructure is about to be built. [96] The US government is also in talks with Saudi Arabia about the potential sale of advanced naval and missile-defense upgrades worth up to tens of billions of dollars.[97]
Foreign relations
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.[98][99]
Much of Saudi Arabia's aid has gone to poorer Islamic countries or Islamic communities in non-Islamic countries. This aid has contributed to the spreading of Islam of the sort found in Saudi Arabia, rather than fostering the traditions of the receiving ethnic groups. The effect has been the erosion of regional Islamic cultures through standardization. Examples of the acculturizing effect of Saudi aid can be seen among the Minangkabau and the Acehnese in Indonesia, as well as among the people of the Maldives.[100][101][102][103]
On the 18 December 2008, the William J. Clinton Foundation released a list of all contributors. It included The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which gave between US$10–25 million.[104]
In addition, Saudi Arabia remains one of the United States' allies in the region, and relations between the two countries go back as far as 1931 when the US first extended diplomatic recognition. In 1945 President Roosevelt and King Abdulaziz bin Saud met on board a ship to discuss relations between the two countries. Since then, the two countries have maintained close relations for economic and political reasons.
See also
- Index of Saudi Arabia-related articles
- Politics of Saudi Arabia
- House of Saud
- Politics of Saudi Arabia
- Basic Law of Saudi Arabia
- Energy policy of Saudi Arabia
- Nuclear program of Saudi Arabia
- Foreign relations of Saudi Arabia
- Armed Forces of Saudi Arabia
- Economy of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Riyal
- Saudi Aramco
- Demographics of Saudi Arabia
- Arab diaspora
- Culture of Saudi Arabia
- Public holidays in Saudi Arabia
- Music of Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabian cuisine
- Literature of Saudi Arabia
- Sport in Saudi Arabia
- Education in Saudi Arabia
- Telecommunications in Saudi Arabia
- Transport in Saudi Arabia
- Irrigation in Saudi Arabia
- Water supply and sanitation in Saudi Arabia
- Energy in Saudi Arabia
- Human rights in Saudi Arabia
- Human trafficking in Saudi Arabia
- LGBT rights in Saudi Arabia
- Pre-Islamic Arabia
- Freedom of religion in Saudi Arabia
- Mutaween
- Christianity in Saudi Arabia
- Roman Catholicism in Saudi Arabia
- Saudi Arabian Boy Scouts Association
Lists
- List of Arabian Houses
- List of Ambassadors from the United Kingdom to Saudi Arabia
- List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia
- List of companies of Saudi Arabia
- List of universities and colleges in Saudi Arabia
References
- ^ About Saudi Arabia: Facts and figures, The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington D.C.
- ^ Alriyadh Newspaper
- ^ a b c d "Saudi Arabia". International Monetary Fund. Retrieved 2010-04-21.
- ^ "Human Development Report 2010" (PDF). United Nations. 2010. Retrieved 5 November 2010.
- ^ "Social Services 2". Saudinf.com. 2009-04-20. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia-London: The Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia - A Welfare State". Mofa.gov.sa. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Saudis donate aid to non-Muslims
- ^ Alliance of Muhammad ibn Saud & Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud Information Resource
- ^ Decline and Revival, King Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud Information Resource
- ^ The Saud Family and Wahhabi Islam. Library of Congress Country Studies.
- ^ Yemen, Saudi Arabia sign border deal, BBC News, June 12, 2000. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
- ^ CIA World Factbook - Rank Order: Area
- ^ David Holden & Richard Johns, The House of Saud, Pan, 1982, 0 330 26834 1
- ^ Madawi Al-Rasheed, A History of Saudi Arabia, Cambridge University Press, 2002, ISBN 0 521 64412 7
- ^ http://www.transparency.org/policy_research/surveys_indices/cpi/2010/results
- ^ The Guardian, 7 June 2007 http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2007/jun/07/bae5
- ^ David Leigh (13 October 2003). "MoD chief in fraud cover-up row". London: The Guardian. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ Michael Robinson (4 October 2004). "BBC lifts the lid on secret BAE slush fund". BBC Money Programme. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ "SFO to investigate BAE contracts". BBC News. 3 November 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ Associated Press (2007-06-26). "BAE says U.S. is investigating dealings with Saudi Arabia". International Herald Tribune.
- ^ Hope, Christopher (2006-12-01). "Halt inquiry or we cancel Eurofighters". The Daily Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group Limited. Retrieved 2006-12-01.
- ^ Gibb, Frances (2008-04-11). "High Court rules that the halt to BAE investigation was 'unlawful, a threat to British justice'". The Times. London: Times Newspapers. Retrieved 2008-04-27.
{{cite news}}
: Unknown parameter|coauthors=
ignored (|author=
suggested) (help) - ^ "Timeline: BAE corruption probe". BBC News. 15 December 2006. Retrieved 2006-12-15.
- ^ Alistair Dawber (3 March 2010). "BAE protesters win SFO injunction". The Independent. London. Retrieved 2010-06-14.
- ^ 'The Power of Saudi Arabia's Islamic Leaders' by Nawaf E. Obaid, "Middle East Quarterly" Sept. 1999, pp.51-58 http://www.meforum.org/482/the-power-of-saudi-arabias-islamic-leaders
- ^ Schmitt, Eric; Shanker, Thom (2008-03-18). "U.S. adapts cold-war idea to fight terrorists". New York Times.
Saudi Arabia 's top cleric, Grand Mufti Sheik Abdul Aziz al-Asheik, gave a speech last October warning Saudis not to join unauthorized jihadist activities, a statement directed mainly at those considering going to Iraq to fight the American-led forces.
{{cite news}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ Saudi women barred from voting, BBC News, October 11, 2004. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
- ^ Brandeis University Crown Center for Middle East Studies Middle East Brief, January 2009, 'Divided We Survive: A Landscape of Fragmentation in Saudi Arabia' by D Ondrej Barenek http://www.brandeis.edu/crown/publications/meb/MEB33.pdf
- ^ 'Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism since 1979' by Thomas Hegghammer, 2010, Cambridge Middle East Studies ISBN: 9780521732369
- ^ Johnston, David (September 9, 2003). "Two years later: 9/11 Tactics; Official Says Qaeda Recruited Saudi Hijackers to Strain Ties". The New York Times. Retrieved May 19, 2008.
- ^ The Telegraph 6 December 2010 "Wikileaks: Saudis 'chief funders of al-Qaeda" http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/wikileaks/8182847/Wikileaks-Saudis-chief-funders-of-al-Qaeda.html
- ^ a b c d Saudi Arabia. JURIST
- ^ "Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of". Law.emory.edu. 1933-09-22. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Human Rights in Saudi Arabia: A Deafening Silence" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Saudi Arabian Government and Law". Jeansasson.com. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "State Department". State.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ a b "Religion & Ethics - Islam and slavery: Abolition". BBC. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ a b "Welcome to Encyclopædia Britannica's Guide to Black History". Britannica.com. 1910-01-31. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Hassan, Ibtihal; Hammond, Andrew. Car makers target Saudi women despite driving ban, Reuters, December 10, 2007. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia to Allow Women to Drive—With Conditions" by Assyrian International News Agency, March 17, 2008
- ^ Document - Saudi Arabia: Man sentenced for homosexuality (Amnesty International, 12 November 2010)
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: Basic Law of Government". Mideastinfo.com. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Documentation of Internet Filtering in Saudi Arabia". Cyber.law.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Robertson, Nic; Drash, Wayne. "No freedom for 'dean of Saudi bloggers'", CNN, February 28, 2008. Retrieved June 25, 2008.
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: Administrative divisions". arab.net. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
- ^ "World Proved Reserves of Oil and Natural Gas, Most Recent Estimates". Eia.doe.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Country Profile Study on Poverty: Saudi Arabia (archived from the original[dead link] on 2008-02-26)
- ^ List of countries by GDP (PPP) per capita
- ^ "CPI Inflation Calculator". Data.bls.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Crude Oil Reserves". Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Simmons, Matthew (2005) [June 10, 2005]. Twilight in the Desert: The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy. Wiley. ISBN 978-0471738763.
- ^ Six New Economic cities in Saudi Arabia[dead link]
- ^ Construction boom of Saudi Arabia and the UAE[dead link]
- ^ "Riyadh's Urban area will contribute $ 167 B and Jeddah's will contribute $ 111 Billion". Citymayors.com. 2007-03-11. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Bad Dreams: Exploitation and Abuse of Migrant Workers in Saudi Arabia (PDF)" (PDF). Human Rights Watch. July 2004. Retrieved 2007-04-20.[dead link]
- ^ "Saudi Arabia's Population". Alriyadh Newspaper. 2010-08-05. Retrieved 2010-08-05.
- ^ "Case studies on human rights and fundamental freedoms: a world survey". Willem Adriaan Veenhoven, Winifred Crum Ewing, Stichting Plurale Samenlevingen (1976). p.452. ISBN 90-247-1779-5
- ^ Alriyadh Newspaper[dead link]
- ^ "Saudi Arabia: International Religious Freedom Report 2008". State.gov. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ "Arab versus Asian migrant workers in the GCC countries" (PDF). Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ Seok, Hyunho (1991). "Korean migrant workers to the Middle East". Migration to the Arab World: Experience of Returning Migrants. United Nations University Press. pp. 56–103. ISBN.
{{cite conference}}
: Unknown parameter|booktitle=
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suggested) (help) - ^ "Yemen's point of no return". Guardian.co.uk. April 1, 2009.
- ^ "Expatriates Can Apply for Saudi Citizenship in Two-to-Three Months". Arabnews.com. 2005-02-14. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
- ^ 1954 Saudi Arabian Citizenship System
- ^ Mapping the World Muslim Population (October 2009), Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life. p. 16 (p. 19 of the PDF).
- ^ The Daily Star Lamine Chikhi. 27-11-2010.
- ^ Pew 2009, p. 40 (p. 44 of the PDF) .
- ^ 'Jihad in Saudi Arabia: Violence and Pan-Islamism since 1979' by Thomas Hegghammer, 2010, Cambridge Middle East Studies ISBN: 9780521732369
- ^ The Telegraph 6 December 2010 "Wikileaks: Saudis 'chief funders of al-Qaeda" [1]
- ^ "A Catholic Indian priest had just celebrated mass in a private house, when seven religious policemen (muttawa) broke into the house.... The Saudi religious police are well known for their ruthlessness; they often torture believers of other religions who are arrested. AsiaNews sources said there were around 400,000 Indian Catholics in Saudi Arabia who were denied pastoral care. Catholic foreigners in the country number at least one million: none of them can participate in mass while they are in Saudi Arabia. Catechism for their children – nearly 100,000 – is banned." AsiaNews, April 10, 2006 (archived from the original on 2008-07-17)
- ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2007: Saudi Arabia" (Document). U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. October 26, 2009.
{{cite document}}
: Unknown parameter|accessdate=
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ignored (help) - ^ "International Religious Freedom Report 2009: Saudi Arabia" (Document). U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. October 26, 2009.
{{cite document}}
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- ^ "Babylon & Beyond". Los Angeles Times. 2008-12-23.
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- ^ Shea, Nona; et al. (2006). "Saudi Arabia's Curriculum of Intolerence" (PDF). Center for Religious Freedom, Freedom House. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ Press Release: "Revised Saudi Government Textbooks Still Demonize Christians, Jews, Non-Wahhabi Muslims and". Freedom House. May 23, 2006. Retrieved 2008-09-21.
{{cite journal}}
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(help) - ^ http://www.fas.org/asmp/profiles/saudi_arabia.htm SAUDI ARABIA
- ^ http://middleeast.about.com/od/saudiarabia/a/saudi-arabia-military-aid.htm U.S. Arms Sales to Saudi Arabia
- ^ Arms for the King and His Family
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- ^ Ricklefs, M.C. A history of modern Indonesia since c.1200. Stanford. 2001 Stanford University Press.
- ^ Abdullah, Taufik. Adat and Islam: An Examination of Conflict in Minangkabau. 1966.
- ^ Indonesia's Population: Ethnicity and Religion in a Changing Political Landscape. 2003. Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.
- ^ Xavier Romero-Frias, The Maldive Islanders, A Study of the Popular Culture of an Ancient Ocean Kingdom. 1999, ISBN 847254801 5
- ^ "Contributor Information to the William J. Clinton Foundation". Clintonfoundation.org. Retrieved 2010-05-01.
Further reading
- Al Farsy, Fouad (2004) Modernity and Tradition: The Saudi Equation: Panarc International Ltd: ISBN 0 9548740 1 3
- Gardner, Andrew (2004) The Political Ecology of Bedouin Pastoralism in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In Political Ecology Across Spaces, Scales, and Social Groups, Lisa Gezon and Susan Paulson, eds. Rutgers: Rutgers University Press.
- Jones, John Paul. If Olaya Street Could Talk: Saudi Arabia- The Heartland of Oil and Islam. The Taza Press (2007). ISBN 0-9790436-0-3
- Lippman, Thomas W. "Inside the Mirage: America's Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia" (Westview 2004) ISBN 0-8133-4052-7
- Mackey, Sandra, The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom (Houghton Mifflin, 1987) ISBN 0-395-41165-3
- Matthew R. Simmons, Twilight in the Desert The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy, John Wiley & Sons, 2005, ISBN 0-471-73876-X
- Ménoret, Pascal, The Saudi Enigma: A History (Zed Books, 2005) ISBN 1-84277-605-3
- al-Rasheed, Madawi, A History of Saudi Arabia (Cambridge University Press, 2002) ISBN 0-521-64335-X
- Robert Lacey, THE KINGDOM: Arabia & The House of Sa'ud, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc, 1981 (Hard Cover) and Avon Books, 1981 (Soft Cover). Library of Congress: 81-83741 ISBN 0-380-61762-5
- Roger Owen, State, Power and Politics in the Making of the Modern Middle East, 3rd Edition (Routledge, 2006) ISBN 0-415-29713-3
- T R McHale, A Prospect of Saudi Arabia, International Affairs Vol. 56 No 4 Autumn 1980 pp622–647
- Turchin, P. 2007. Scientific Prediction in Historical Sociology: Ibn Khaldun meets Al Saud. History & Mathematics: Historical Dynamics and Development of Complex Societies. Moscow: KomKniga, 2007. ISBN 5-484-01002-0
- Carmen Bin Laden, Inside the Kingdom: My Life in Saudi Arabia, Grand Central Publishing, 2005, SBN 0446694886
- Robert Lacey, Inside the Kingdom, Hutchinson, 2009.
- Weston, Mark, "Prophets and Princes," Wiley, 2008.
External links
- Articles with dead external links from January 2009
- Saudi Arabia
- Arab League member states
- Arabian Peninsula
- Arabic-speaking countries
- Arab Unification
- Middle Eastern countries
- Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf member states
- Countries bordering the Red Sea
- G20 nations
- Islamic States
- OPEC member states
- Organisation of the Islamic Conference members
- Persian Gulf countries
- Southwest Asian countries
- Saudi Arabia articles needing attention
- States and territories established in 1932
- Western Asia