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Overview:
Occupying four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia is
the largest country on the peninsula. Located in the
southwestern corner of Asia, Saudi Arabia covers an area of
about 2,240,000 square kilometres or 864,900 square miles
(estimates vary) of which more than half is desert. The country
is bordered by the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba to the west, by
the Republic of Yemen and the Sultanate of Oman to the south,
the Arabian Gulf, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to the
east, and Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait to the north. The richest oil
fields in the world are found in the eastern region. Riyadh, the
capital and largest city, is located in the east central region
of the country. Jeddah, the second largest city, is the
country's main port on the Red Sea. It is also the main port
through which pilgrims enter to perform Umrah, Haj, or to visit
the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the Al Saud family. The Al
Saud dynasty dates back to the mid-18th century with Mohammed
bin Saud, who was the ruler of Diriyah in central Arabia. The
late King Abdul'Aziz Al Saud founded the modern Saudi state,
established 23 September 1932. The present ruler is King Fahd
bin Abdul'Aziz Al Saud who has ruled since 1982 and in whose
rule the written constitution and bill of rights were
introduced. King Fahd's half brother, Crown Prince Abdullah bin
Abdul'Aziz is the first deputy prime minister and commander of
the national guard.
Oil is the most important industry in Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom
has the world's largest proven reserves and is the largest
producer in OPEC, totalling one-third of output. Saudi Arabia
has the capacity to produce 10 million barrels per day, bpd.
Working toward diversifying its economy, the Kingdom is
promoting heavy industry, such as petrochemicals, fertilizers,
and steel. Traditionally fishing and agriculture were sources of
revenue for the Kingdom and today Saudi Arabia is one of the
world's leading producers of dates and the fishing industry
continues to grow.
Population:
20,785,955 (July
1998 est.)
Capital:
Riyadh City.
Major Cities: Mekkah, Al Madina, Jeddah, Al
Dhahran, Abha, Al Khobar
Language:
Arabic, but English is widely
understood, especially in commerce and industry.
Religion:
95 per cent Muslim (mostly of the
Sonni sect), with Christian and other minorities.
Time:
GMT + 3.
Electricity:
220 volts AC, 50Hz; single phase.
UK-type flat three-pin plugs are used.
Communications:
The telecommunications system in Saudi Arabia is modern and
up-to-date. Direct Dialing is generally available and international
telephone, fax, telex and telegram services are easy to access. The
Kingdom's telephone country code is 966 while the main city codes
are (01) Riyadh, (02) Jeddah, Mobile (05) and (03) Dammam/Al-Khobar.
Fax:
Most hotels have facilities.
Internet:
Internet cafes throughout Saudi Arabia
provide public access to e-mail and Internet services. There are
over 40 ISP's in the Kingdom
Post:
Airmail to Western Europe takes about
5 days.
Press:
The leading English-language newspaper
is Arab News
Radio:
BBC World Service (website:
www.bbc.co.uk) and Voice of America (website:
www.voa.gov) can be
received. From time to time the frequencies change and the most
up-to-date can be found online. |
