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Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
المملكة العربية السعودية
Al-Mamlakah al-'Arabiyyah as-Sa'ūdiyyah
Motto: Arabic: لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله
(Transliteration: lā ilāhā illā-llāhu; muhammadu-r-rasūlu-llāhi)
(Translation: "There is no god but God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God")
Anthem: Aash Al Maleek
Location of Saudi Arabia
Capital
and largest city
Riyadh
Official languagesArabic
GovernmentMonarchy/Theocracy
• King
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
Sultan bin Abdul Aziz
Establishment 
As Kingdom
• Declared
January 8, 1926
• Recognized
May 20, 1927
• Unified
September 23, 1932
• Water (%)
negligible
Population
• 2006 estimate
25,192,7201 (46th2)
GDP (PPP)2005 estimate
• Total
$340.5 billion (27th)
• Per capita
$ 12,900 (46th)
HDI (2003)0.772
high (77th)
CurrencyRiyal (SAR)
Time zoneUTC+3
• Summer (DST)
+3
Calling code966
ISO 3166 codeSA
Internet TLD.sa
1Population estimate includes 5,576,076 non-nationals
2Rank is based on 2005 figure

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Template:Lang-ar) is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south, with the Persian Gulf to its northeast and the Red Sea to its west. It is called "the land of the two holy mosques", a reference to Mecca and Medina, Islam's two holiest places. It is also referred to as Saudi Arabia or Saudi (pronounced in English /ˈsɒdɪ əˈɹeɪ̯bɪə/), السعودية /ælʕɑrɑˈbiː æsːæʕuːˈdijːæ/ or, less commonly, (like in soccer events) KSA.

History

Main article: History of Saudi Arabia
The founder of modern Saudi Arabia, King Abdul Aziz, converses with President Franklin Delano Roosevelt on board a ship returning from the Yalta Conference in 1945.

The Saudi state began in central Arabia in about 1750. A regional ruler, Muhammad bin Saud, joined forces with an Islamic cleric and reformer, Muhammad Abd Al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. Over the next one hundred and fifty 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 on the peninsula. The Saudi state was founded by the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud).

In 1902 Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud captured Riyadh, the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival Al-Rashid family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued Al-Ahsa, Al-Qatif, the rest of Najd, and the Hijaz between 1913 and 1926. On 8 January 1926 Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud became the King of Hijaz. On 29 January 1927 he took the title King of Najd (his previous Najdi title was Sultan). By the Treaty of Jedda, signed on May 20, 1927, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm, then known as the Kingdom of Hijaz and Nejd. In 1932, these regions were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The discovery of oil in March 1938 transformed the country economically, and has given the kingdom great prosperity and diplomatic influence over the years.

Politics

Template:Morepolitics The central institution of Saudi Arabian Government is the Saudi monarchy. The Basic Law 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, and that the Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of Islamic law (Shari'a).

King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia

There are no recognized political parties or national elections, except the local elections which was done in the year 2005. 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, religious leaders (ulema), and other important elements in Saudi society. The state's ideology is Salafi. This flavour of Islam spreads further by funding construction of mosques and Qur'an schools around the world. The leading members of the royal family choose the king from among themselves with the subsequent approval of the ulema.

Saudi kings have gradually developed a central government. Since 1953, the Council of Ministers, appointed by and responsible to 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 first prime minister and 20 ministers.

Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers, ratified by royal decree, and must be compatible with the Shari'a (Islamic law). 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 12 senior jurists. The 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, or public audience) and the right to petition them directly are well-established traditions.

Saudi Municipal elections took place in 2005 and some commentators saw this a first tentative step towards the introduction of democratic processes in the Kingdom, including the legalisation of political parties. Other analysts of the Saudi political scene were more skeptical. See [1]. In the international circle, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is very keen to establish equal relations with the great power that is connected with the Kingdom through a series of interests, these interests emerged as a result of Kingdom’s growing major role in both Arab and Islamic worlds. Where the Kingdom seeks out through both worlds to expand the Saudi move on the level of international society, and therefore tries to react with the effective and significant international policy centers, taking into consideration the consequences and responsibilities resulting from this policy.


The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is proud of being a founding member of the United Nations in 1945. The Kingdom strongly believes that international peace is part of its foreign policy. The Kingdom always calls for more transparency and justice in the treatment among countries, in terms of political, economical, social, and other fields. Since justice is the only method toward flourishing, prosperity, and stability of the world. Thus, the Kingdom does not believe in using power as a tool to carry out foreign policy. At the same time, the Kingdom believes in lawful self defense as a base of international law.


The Kingdom further believes in the role played by the United Nations and its affiliated specialized agencies and the international organizations as well, and their support to the prosperity of international society in all fields, especially, their support for international security and peace. The Kingdom has joined all these organizations and has been keen to support this international system by all the moral and material means and methods, in addition to maintain Her active participation in their activities.


It is possible to say that the Saudi foreign policy is based on major permanent basis and principles, among which are:


§ Kingdom’s keenness to react with the international society through Her commitment to the UN Charter, concluded international agreements, and the basis of international law, which determine the framework of general conduct of civilized countries and societies.

§ Commitment of the Kingdom not to use power and not to interfere in the internal affairs of other countries. As well as, condemn violence and all means that negatively affect international security and peace. And emphasizes the principle of peaceful existence among the countries of the world.

§ Keenness on the stability of international oil markets, and seeking to develop international trade on fair basis and through the fundamentals of free market economies.

§ Form the Saudi foreign policy with moral shape through Her adoption to the principle of supporting the victims of natural disasters, homeless, and refugees in many countries of the world.


Finally, the basis and principles of Saudi foreign policy can be generally summarized in the following:


§ Harmonizing with the principles of the Islamic Law (Sharia’a) considering it the constitution of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

§ Value the principle of sovereignty and non interference in the internal affairs of any country. In addition, reject any attempt of others to interfere in Her internal affairs.

§ Work out for international peace and justice, and reject the use of power and violence or any actions that threaten the international peace or lead to the building up of injustice and autocracy.

§ Condemn and reject all methods and mechanisms of international terrorism, and confirm that Islam is above suspicion of all terrorist activities.

§ Adherence to the regulations of the international law, agreements, charters, and bilateral agreements, as well as respecting them all either within the framework of international organizations or other agreements.

§ Defend Arab and Islamic issues in the international arena through continuous support by all political, diplomatic, and economic means.

§ Nonalignment and rejection of disputes that threaten international security and peace, and respect the right of people for self-determination and their lawful rights for self-defense.

§ Implement balanced and reasonable policy in the field of oil production, in view of Kingdom’s position as the major oil producer and the holder of the largest world oil reserve.


File:Minkharj2.jpg
National Museum

Human Rights

Main article: Human rights in Saudi Arabia

Saudi courts impose capital punishment and corporal punishment, including amputations of hands and feet for serious robbery, and floggings for lesser crimes such as "sexual deviance" (e.g. homosexuality) and drunkenness. The number of lashes is not clearly prescribed by law and varies according to the discretion of the presiding judges. The number ranges from dozens to several thousand, usually applied over a period of weeks or months. In 2002, the United Nations Committee against Torture criticized Saudi Arabia over the amputations and floggings it carries out under the Shari'a. The Saudi delegation responded defending "legal traditions" held since the inception of Islam in the region 1400 years ago and rejected interference in its legal system. (Source: BBC, see [2]) Perhaps as a result of its tough stance on crime, the country's citizens do enjoy a low crime rate.


Provinces

Provinces of Saudi Arabia
Provinces of Saudi Arabia
Main article: Provinces of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces (manatiq, singular - mintaqah).

  1. Al Bahah
  2. Al Hudud ash Shamaliyah
  3. Al Jawf
  4. Al Madinah
  5. Al Gassim
  6. Ar Riyad
  7. Ash Sharqiyah
  8. 'Asir
  9. Ha'il
  10. Jizan
  11. Makkah
  12. Najran
  13. Tabuk

Major Cities

File:Riyadh city.jpg
Riyadh downtown
Main article: List of cities in Saudi Arabia
  • Riyadh (Political Capital of Saudi Arabia)
  • Jeddah (Commercial Capital and main sea port)
  • Dhahran (Oil Industry Capital of Saudi Arabia)
  • Dammam (Main sea port and capital of the Eastern Province)
  • Ras Tanura (Major oil port and the world's largest oil refinery)
  • Jubail (Saudi Arabia's first industrial center)
  • Yanbu (Saudi Arabia's second industrial center)
  • Medina (Second Holiest city in Islam)
  • Makka (Holiest city in Islam)
  • King Khalid Military City (Saudi Arabia's largest military center)

Geography

Main article: Geography of Saudi Arabia
Map of Saudi Arabia

The kingdom occupies eighty percent of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the country's boundaries with the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen are undefined, so the exact size of the country remains unknown. The Saudi government's estimate is 2,217,949 square kilometers (856,356 sq mi). Other reputable estimates vary between 2,149,690 square kilometers (830,000 sq mi) and 2,240,000 square kilometers (864,869 sq mi).

The climate is dry and hot. Dry desert with great extremes of temperature and the terrain is mostly uninhabited, sandy desert. In most parts of the country, vegetation is limited to weeds, xerophytic herbs and shrubs. Animals include the ibex, wildcats, baboons, wolves, and hyenas in the highlands. Small birds are found in the oases. The coastal area of the Red Sea, especially the coral reefs, have a rich marine fauna. Saudi Arabia has a coastline of 2,640 kilometers (1,640 mi).

Saudi Arabia consists mostly of semi-desert and desert with oases. Almost half of the total country is uninhabitable desert with annual precipitation up to 100 millimetres (4 in) in most regions. The western regions are plateau and the east is lowland. The southwest region has mountains as high as 3,000 metres (9,840 ft), and is an area known for the greenest and freshest climate in all of the country. The capital, Riyadh, which is to the center-east has an average temperature in July of 42 °C (108°F) and 14 °C (57 °F) in January. In contrast, Jeddah on the western coast has 31 °C (88 °F) in July and 23 °C (73 °F) in January.

Less than 2 % of the total area is suitable for cultivation, and in the early 1990s, population distribution varied greatly among the towns of the eastern and western coastal areas, the densely populated interior oases, and the vast, almost empty deserts, such as the Rub' al Khali (The Empty Quarter), the Arabian Desert and East Sahero-Arabian xeric shrublands. There are no permanent rivers or lakes in Saudi Arabia.

Education

At the time 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. While the study of Islam remains at its core, the modern Saudi educational system provides quality instruction in diverse fields of modern and traditional arts and sciences. This diversity helps meet the Kingdom's growing need for highly-educated citizens to build on its rapid progress.

Formal primary education 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 eight universities, more than 24,000 schools, and a large number of colleges and other educational and training institutions. Open to every citizen, the system provides students with free education, books and health services. A measure of the government's substantial commitment to this sector is the allocation of over 25 percent of the annual State budget for education including vocational training.

Saudi Arabia prizes education because of its critical importance in developing the country's human potential, and in the 21st century private education facilities are opening all over the Kingdom. As the leader of his nation, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz has often stressed how the young people of Saudi Arabia are the country's most valuable resource. Education is a central aspect of family and community life. Parents are deeply involved in their children's education, and the close links between home and school serve to reinforce the structure of the community and the nation.

Climate

Riyadh Gardens

Extreme heat and aridity are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the few places in the world where summer temperatures above 50 °C (120 °F) are common, while in winter frost or snow can occur in the interior and the higher mountains. The average temperature range in January is 8° to 20 °C (47° to 68 °F) in Riyadh and 19° to 29 °C (66° to 83 °F) in Jeddah. The average range in July is 27° to 43 °C (81° to 109 °F) in Riyadh and 27° to 38 °C (80° to 100 °F) in Jeddah. Precipitation is usually sparse, although sudden downpours can lead to violent flash floods in wadis. Annual rainfall in Riyadh averages 100 mm (4 in) and falls almost exclusively between January and May; the average in Jeddah is 54 mm (2.1 in) and occurs between November and January. Plants can still survive in Saudi Arabia, mostly in the south-east mountains and lowlands. They bloom mid-March through mid-May. The plants provide food for birds and insects.

Economy

Aramco, the national oil company, main offices in Dhahran
File:Dhahran-industrial.jpg
Oil facilities in the Eastern Province
Main article: Economy of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia is in possession of 260.1 billion barrels of oil reserves as of 2003, about 24% of the world's proven total petroleum reserves. It ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum and plays a leading role in OPEC. Moreover, the proven reserves increase gradually as more oil fields are discovered, unlike most other oil-producing countries. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 40% of the GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 35% of the GDP comes from the private sector. Saudi Arabia was a key player in the successful efforts of OPEC and other oil producing countries to raise the price of oil in 1999 to its highest level since the Gulf War by reducing production. Saudi Arabia announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies in 1999, which followed the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population growth may constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.

In the 90's, Saudi Arabia experienced a significant contraction of oil revenues combined with a high rate of population growth. Per capita income has fallen from $25,000 in 1980 to $8,000 in 2003, up from about $7,000 in 1999. The decline in inflation-adjusted per-capita income from 1980 to 1999 set a record, being by far the worst such decline suffered by any nation-state in history.

In 2003 the price of oil jumped to record high of 40 to 50 dollars, which triggered a second oil boom. Because of that, Saudi Arabia's oil revenues have increased dramatically. Saudi Arabia's budget surplus has crossed $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.‏

To diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia launched a new city on the western coast with investments exceeding 26.6 billion dollars. The city which is named "King Abdullah Economic City" was built near al-Rabegh industrial city north to Jeddah. The new city, where construction work started in Dec 2005, includes a port which is ten times larger that the largest port of Rotterdam (the largest in the world) and it can anchor giant ships as well as an industrial area for the sectors of petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and research. The city which will expand along a coast of 35 km, also includes an educational city, a tourism zone and a financial stock market center.

Saudi Arabia officially became a WTO member in December 2005. Economy Overview


Over the past three decades (1970 - 2000), the Saudi economy has witnessed a considerable transformation in economic, social and urban aspects of life. The transformation was brought about by extensive government investments within the framework of five-year development plans to lay down the social and physical infrastructure of the country. This included the construction of massive road networks, bridges, dams, airports, seaports and marine terminals, electricity, desalination plants and communications systems. Substantial funds were also spent on education, health and vocational training programs as well as on projects involving the building of schools, colleges, universities, and general and specialized hospitals for the civilian and military sectors. In the industrial sector, huge funds were invested in establishing industrial estates in major cities, including the two advanced industrial towns of Jubail and Yanbu. These were designed to accommodate heavy industries such as the basic petrochemical projects, the iron and steel plants and the giant oil refineries set-up by the government in partnership with international corporations and the Saudi private sector. An extensive pipeline network crossing the Kingdom's Eastern, Central and Western regions has been constructed to transfer crude oil and gas to the oil refineries and petrochemical plants in Jubail and Yanbu as well as to the marine terminals in the two industrial towns for exporting oil and gas products overseas.

Development efforts brought remarkable changes in the structure of the Saudi economy during the past three decades as indicated below:

- Gross domestic product (GDP) at constant 1994 prices recorded an average annual growth rate of 4.7 percent during the period 1970 - 2000.

- The oil sector, including the still limited activities in the areas of mining and quarrying, registered an average annual growth rate of about 4.1 percent during the period. Its average share in total GDP, however, declined to between 29.0 and 32.0 percent during the Sixth Development Plan against 55.5 percent in the First Development Plan. The fall signified an expansion in non-oil activity and further diversification of the economy.

- Non-oil GDP recorded a higher average annual growth rate of 5.8 percent. Its average share in total GDP has gone up from around 45.0 percent during the first plan to around 68.0 percent during the sixth plan.

- The private sector registered an average annual growth rate of about 6.0 percent, and its average share in non-oil GDP has risen to about 73.0 percent while the average share of the government sector was close to 27.0 percent.

- The average Saudi per capita income has grown six and a half-fold over this period from about SR 3,750 to about SR 24.150.

- The size of the Saudi labor force is estimated to have risen from 1.2 million in 1969 to 3.2 million in 1999, increasing by an average annual rate of about 3.3 percent.

- The number of expatriate manpower is estimated to have risen from 0.5 million in 1975 to about 4.0 million in 1999, representing about 55.5 percent of the total labor force.

- Student enrollment (male and female) at various educational institutions increased from 0.6 million in 1969 to about 4.7 million in 1999, denoting an average annual growth rate of 7.0 percent.

The performance of the Saudi economy was affected by the global economic slowdown especially in industrial countries, during 2001, which curtailed demand for oil and, in turn, reduced its prices by 14.0 percent. The average price of the Arabian Light crude went down from $ 26.8 a barrel in 2000 to $ 23.1 a barrel in 2001*. The value of oil exports fell by 8.8 percent. This adversely affected the Kingdom's budget which recorded a deficit of SR 27 billion. Although oil prices and production went down in 2001, the Saudi economy witnessed notable positive developments. These included lower inflation rate, continued rise in the growth of non-oil private sector, more efficient performance of the banking sector in conformity with international standards and continued structural and regulatory reforms and an enhanced privatization program.

The Saudi economy continued to make notable progress during 1422/23 (2002). The gross domestic product maintained its uptrend. The current account of the balance of payments was in surplus for the fourth consecutive year. The domestic price situation continued to be characterized by marked stability. Money supply expanded at an accelerated rate along with a high growth rate in the non-oil private sector. The banking sector witnessed continuous progress, maintaining high efficiency rates in conformity with international standards. The privatization process and economic restructuring of several areas of economic and social activities continued during the year.

Preliminary data of the Central Department of Statistics indicate that GDP (at current prices), excluding import duties, recorded a growth rate of 2.8 percent to SR 698.5 billion ($ 188.2 billion) in 2002. The non-oil sector GDP grew by 3.1 percent to SR 436.7 billion ($ 116.5 billion), constituting 62.5 percent of GDP. The non-oil private sector GDP went up by 4.0 percent to SR 286.1 billion ($ 76.3 billion) while that of the government sector rose by 1.4 percent to SR 150.6 billion ($ 40.2 billion). The oil sector GDP increased by 2.5 percent in 2002 compared to a decrease of 11.6 percent in 2001.

During 1422/23 (2002), the banking system has continued to perform well according to international standards, reflecting its strength and soundness. As for technological developments, banks raised the number of their automated teller machines (ATMs), point of sale terminals (POS) and ATM cards, reinforcing banking awareness among the public and contributing to the decline in the use of currency to 13.8 percent of the total money supply. The 3-month interest rates on domestic currency deposits also fell to their lowest rate of 2.23 percent.

The robust growth in the private sector has been accompanied by a number of factors that have enhanced confidence in the national economy and should continue to have a positive impact on private sector growth. Among these factors are the sovereign credit rating by Standard & Poor's to the Kingdom (with A+ long-term local currency and A long-term foreign currency grades), the custom union among the GCC countries, the signed and upcoming agreements on natural gas exploration, private sector involvement in the power and water projects, and the IPO of part of the Saudi Telecommunication Company's (STC) shares.


Foreign Labour

Saudi Arabia is a destination for men and women from South and East Asia, East Africa and the Middle East seeking work. Hundreds of thousands of low-skilled workers from regions of the developing world migrate to Saudi Arabia. Although exact figures are not known, skilled experts in the banking and services professions seek work in the Kingdom.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's population as of 2005 is estimated to be about 26.4 million, including about 5.6 million resident foreigners. Until the 1960s, most of the population was nomadic or semi-nomadic; due to rapid economic and urban growth, more than 95% of the population now is settled. The birth rate is 29.56 births per 1,000 people. The death rate is only 2.62 deaths per 1,000 people. Some cities and oases have densities of more than 1,000 people per square kilometre (2,600/sq mi).

Around 80% of Saudis are ethnically Arab. There are some 7 million migrants from countries all around the world namely:[3] East Indian: 1.4 million, Bangladeshi: 1 million, Pakistani: 900,000, Filipino: 800,000, and Egyptian: 750,000. Many Arabs from nearby countries are employed in the kingdom. There are around 100,000 Westerners in Saudi Arabia, most of whom live in compounds or gated communities.

The Saudi governments states that all citizens must be Muslim, and therefore there is no religious freedoms. The majority of the population adhere to strict forms of Islam such as Hanbali or Wahhabism. However, there are religious minorities such as Christians and Hindus. The U.S. State departments suggest that there 500,000 to 1 million people who adhere to the Catholic (Christian) faith.[4]

About 10% of Saudis are Shia, mostly in the Eastern Province, but also in the large cities.

The exit and entry visa cards ask applicants for their religious affiliation and officially bans entry to anyone with an official stamp from the State of Israel.

Sports

Sports are a very popular pastime for the young men and women in Saudi Arabia. Even though football is the most played game, Saudi Arabia has participated in many world games such as the summer Olympics, volleyball, basketball and other sports. The national football team is most known for qualifying in four consecutive times in the FIFA World Cup and six times at the Asian Cup which the team won the championship three times and was runner-up two times. The Saudi Arabian under 16 is known to win the FIFA U-16 World Championship 1989 in Scotland. Famous footballers include Majed Abdullah, Mohamed Al-Deayea and Sami Al-Jaber.

Culture

Main article: Culture of Saudi Arabia
File:Masjid Al Haram. Mecca, Saudi Arabia.jpg
Masjid Al Haram. Mecca
File:Masjid Nabawi. Medina, Saudi Arabia.jpg
Masjid al-Nabawi. Medina
Supplicating Pilgrim at Masjid Al Haram. Mecca
File:Montazah alsalam.jpg
Recreation Park in Riyadh
File:Amakn tarfeeh.jpg
Family entertainment club in Riyadh

Saudi Arabian culture revolves almost entirely around the religion of Islam. Islam's two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located in the country. Every day, five times a day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques which dot the country. The weekend consists of Thursday and Friday. The public practice of any religion other than Islam, including Christianity and Judaism, the presence of churches, and open possession of Christian religious materials are outlawed in Saudi Arabia. Islam's holy book the Qur'an is Saudi Arabia's constitution, and Shari'ah (Islamic law) is the foundation of its legal system. See Status of religious freedom in Saudi Arabia

One of Saudi Arabia's most compelling folk rituals is the 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 Hijaz, has its origins in Arab Andalusia, a region of medieval Spain. In Mecca, Medina and Jeddah, dance and song incorporate the sound of the al-mizmar, an oboe-like woodwind instrument. The drum is also an important instrument according to traditional and tribal customs.

Saudi Arabian dress is strongly symbolic, representing the people's ties to the land, the past, and Islam. The predominantly loose and flowing, but covering garments reflect the practicalities of life in a desert country as well as Islam's emphasis on conservative dress. Traditionally, men usually wear an ankle-length shirt woven from wool or cotton (known as a thawb), with a shimagh (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. However, Saudi women must wear a long cloak (abaya) and veil (niqab) when they leave the house to protect their modesty. The law does not apply to foreigners at such a high degree, but both men and women are told to dress modestly.

Islam forbids the eating of pork and the drinking of alcohol, and this law is followed strictly throughout Saudi Arabia. Arabic unleavened bread, or khobz, is eaten with almost all meals. Other staples include cooked lamb, grilled chicken, felafel (deep-fried chickpea balls), shawarma (spit-cooked sliced lamb), and fuul (a paste of fava beans, garlic and lemon). Traditional coffee houses 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 (without milk) and has herbal flavoring that comes in many variations.

Public theatres and cinemas are prohibited, as Wahabbi tradition deems those institutions to be incompatible with Islam. However, in private compounds such as Dhahran and Ras Tanura public theaters can be found, but often are more popular for local music, arts, and theatre productions rather than the exhibition of motion pictures. Recently plans for some cinemas that will allow Arabic cartoons to be featured in cinemas for women and children were announced. Videos and DVDs of popular American movies are legal and widely available.

The cultural heritage is celebrated at the annual Jenadriyah Cultural festival.

The efforts of both local organizations and the government have resulted in a greater appreciation among young Saudis of the Kingdom's rich heritage, and ensure that its cultural and artistic treasures will be cherished by future generations. Meanwhile, by investing in sports facilities, it seeks to encourage recreational activities as part of a healthy lifestyle.

For thousands of years, the people of the Arabian Peninsula have been at the geographic, commercial and cultural crossroads of the world. As early as 3,000 BC, the people of the western region of the peninsula were part of a far-reaching commercial network extending to south Asia, the Mediterranean and Egypt. The discovery some 1,900 years ago of the cyclical pattern of trade winds known as the monsoon increased the importance of the peninsula. Trade flourished, with merchants of the peninsula acting as the vital link between India and the Far East on the one side and Byzantium and the Mediterranean states on the other. Interaction with other cultures of east and west over the centuries enriched the ancient traditions and culture of the people of the peninsula.

The introduction of Islam to the Arabian heartland in the seventh century AD further strengthened the region's cultural heritage. Within a century, Islam spread west to the Atlantic Ocean and as far east as the Indian subcontinent and China. With Makkah as its core, the Islamic world witnessed a flowering of culture, the sciences and the arts unparalleled in human history. Every year for the past fourteen centuries, Muslim pilgrims from around the world have traveled to Islam's holiest sites in Makkah and Madinah, helping further enrich the culture of the people of the peninsula.

With the formation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud directed his efforts to preserving and perpetuating Arab traditions and culture. His legendary dedication to this cause was emulated by his sons and successors at a crucial time when the nation was entering an era of rapid economic development.

Modernization & Culture That Saudi Arabia has successfully preserved and strengthened its cultural heritage while achieving the spectacular development and modernization of the past three decades is testimony to the resilience of Saudi culture and the nation's determination to cherish and protect it. Today amid the bustle of life in the 21st century in modern Saudi society contemporary Saudi writers look to the past for inspiration. Popular musicians incorporate ancient rhythms and instruments into their modern music and painters capture traditional scenes.

The accelerating pace of development in the 1970s, however, led Saudi leaders to take additional steps to preserve the nation's cultural and artistic heritage. When the General Presidency of Youth Welfare (GPYW) was established in 1974, one of its main functions was to strengthen an understanding and respect for the nation's culture and arts among young people: this function was taken over by the Ministry of Culture and Information in April 2003.

In 1974, the Department of Museums and Antiquities was formed in the Ministry of Education. Today, in addition to the National Museum in Riyadh there are major museums in each of the Kingdom's thirteen provinces, and many smaller ones, some of them privately-owned.

Al-Janadriya The Kingdom also organizes annually one of the most important cultural festivals in the Arab world, the National Festival of Heritage and Culture in al-Janadriyah region, Riyadh. The festival has become a crossroad where poetry, intellect, culture, art, theater, heritage and history meet.

See also

Bibliography

  • Baer, Robert, Sleeping With The Devil: How Washington Sold Our Soul for Saudi Crude (Crown, 2003) ISBN 1400050219
  • Gold, Dore, Hatred's Kingdom : How Saudi Arabia Supports the New Global Terrorism (Regnery Publishing, Inc. 2004) ISBN 0895260611
  • Lippman, Thomas W. "Inside the Mirage: America's Fragile Partnership with Saudi Arabia" (Westview 2004) ISBN 0813340527
  • Mackey, Sandra, The Saudis: Inside the Desert Kingdom (Houghton Mifflin, 1987) ISBN 0395411653
  • Ménoret, Pascal, The Saudi Enigma: A History (Zed Books, 2005) ISBN 1842776053
  • al-Rasheed, Madawi, A History of Saudi Arabia (Cambridge University Press, 2002) ISBN 052164335
  • Matthew R. Simmons, Twilight in the Desert The Coming Saudi Oil Shock and the World Economy, John Wiley & Sons, 2005, ISBN 047173876X
  • 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 0380617625

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