THE Saudi Arabia is a country located in the continent Asian, in the region known as Middle East. known for being a major oil producer and exporter, the country is also reputed to maintain conservative policies, prohibiting cults that are not of the official religion, Islam, and a series of social restrictions on the female audience.
Despite all the oil wealth and great importance in world geopolitics, Saudi Arabia does not recognize the Declaration of Human Rights, an essential document that guarantees the freedom of peoples and the right to democracy. Non-recognition is justified by a religious and monarchical government, something rare in nation states today.
Read too: What are the countries in Asia?
General data for Saudi Arabia
- Official name: Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
- Gentile: saudi
- Extensionterritorial: 2,149,690 km²
- Location: Asian continent, more precisely in the Middle East
- capital: Riyadh or Riyadh
- Government: monarchical and religious, under the leadership of King Salman Bin Abd Al-Aziz Al Saud since 2015
- Divisionadministrative: the country is subdivided into 13 administrative regions, commanded by a governor, appointed by the king.
- Language: arabic
- religions:
- islamism (93%)
- Christianity (5%)
- other religions (Hinduism, Buddhism and skhism) (2%)
- Population: 34,268,529 inhabitants
- Demographic density: 15.95 inhab/km²
- Human Development Index (HDI): 0,857
- Coin: Saudi Rial, which equals 3.75 in US dollars (2021).
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP): 782,483 x 1,000,000 dollars, making it the 18th economy in the world.
- per capita GDP: 23,217 dollars
- Timezone: GMT +3, that is, three hours ahead of the Greenwich Mean Time.
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Saudi Arabian geography
Located in the Middle East, Saudi Arabia has weather practically desert and a relief of plains, which hinders agricultural practices and urban development in some locations.
In relation to climate, we can mention that you have arid characteristics, high temperatures practically all year round, with an annual average of 28 ºC. During the Winter, between December and February, temperatures hover around 20 ºC.
low rainfall (average of 100 mm per year), low air humidity and temperatures of up to 50 °C in the summer mark the Saudi climate. As it is located in an area of large deserts, there is a high thermal amplitudehere in the country, where days are very hot and nights are very cold.
O relief is dominated by Highland Arabic, with a predominance of deserts, like the desert of Nafud, to the north, and the desert of Dahna, to the south. Altitudes vary between 500 m and 1,000 m, with the highest point in the country being the Jabal Sawda mountain, which reaches 3,133 m in altitude.
The country borders Yemen and Oman, South; Red Sea to the west; Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, at North; and Qatar and United Arab Emirates, to the east, beyond the Persian Gulf.
See too: What is the difference between Arabs and Muslims?
Flag of Saudi Arabia
Demographics of Saudi Arabia
With a population of a little more than 34 million inhabitants, Saudi Arabia has seen exponential growth at this rate over the past 60 years. By way of comparison, in 1950, the Saudi population was approximately three million people. This growth was mainly due to oil exploration, the country's main source of income.
having the Islam as official religion, a large part of the Saudi population is Muslim (over 90%), with some Christians and other religious practitioners, although other religions are prohibited in the country.
More of 80% of Saudis live in urban areas. Despite being a large country, it is sparsely populated due to climatic adversities, with vast deserts. Riyadh, the country's capital, is home to 7.6 million people, making it the most populous city in Arabia.
There is also a large number of immigrants from neighboring countries, such as Indians, Pakistanis, Egyptians, and from other continents such as Europeans and North Americans. These last two are highlighted in works related to oil exploration.
In 2018, life expectancy in Arabia was 75 years.
Map of Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's Economy
The major highlights of the Saudi economy are the oil and natural gas reserves, in addition to religious tourism.
According to the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (Opep), it is estimated that the country holds 22.4% of the world's oil reserves, behind only the Venezuela, which holds just over 25%. The Saudis play a leading role in OPEC, occupying the position of second largest producer/exporter of this fossil fuel, producing 10 to 12 million barrels per day.
In addition to OPEC, the country is part of the G-20, the group of the 19 richest nations in the world and European Union.
mecca, the holy city for Muslims, is a great tourist spot in the country. One of the precepts of Islam refers to this city, which must be visited at least once in a lifetime by Muslims, as long as they have conditions for such action, in addition to receiving thousands of tourists during Ramadan, a month of Muslim fasting.
In recent years, the country has modernized, attracting foreign constructions and companies, with shopping malls, modern industries and social reforms, even if still timid. Such changes reflect the path that the Saudis want to take, not having to depend exclusively on the oil economy and having a diversity of investments and economic resources.
Also access: What was the Arab Spring?
Saudi Arabian Culture
Saudis are known for the extremely conservative and religious culture. Influenced by Sharia law, Islamic law, Saudis do not eat pork, much less drink alcoholic beverages. In addition, cinemas and other Western customs that may contradict the precepts of Islam are prohibited in the country.
For Muslims, Friday is a holy day, and for the Saudis it is no different. This statement explains the fact that the weekend starts on Thursday, despite all the aforementioned religious behavioral restrictions.
Football is an outstanding sport in the country, with well-disputed national championships, attracting numerous foreign players due to the high salary.
In cooking, the most common meats are chicken and lamb, and camels are also consumed, but with less intensity.
Curiosities about Saudi Arabia
See some fun facts about Saudi Arabia.
- The country is home to the tallest building in the world, the Jeddah Tower, which is one kilometer high.
- Movie theaters are banned in the country.
- The country's flag expresses the strong religiosity of the Saudis. On it is written: "There is no other deity but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet."
- Mecca is the best known city in the country, but it is not the capital, which is Riad.
- The law is based on Sharia, Islamic law on which Saudi society is based. There is no constitution like in western countries.
- The country's stores close five times a day for the sacred Muslim ritual: praying five times a day towards Mecca.
- The Saudis do not consume pork and do not drink alcohol, products prohibited by Sharia.
- After 12 years of age, children are divided by gender in schools, showing the conservative mentality that exists in the country. There are exclusive schools for boys and exclusive schools for girls.
- Shows of affection between couples, even married, are prohibited.
- Showing the soles of your feet is an act of disrespect for the Saudis.
- In 2015, the right to vote for women was allowed, and, in 2018, the right to drive for women.
- On the streets, women are required to wear Islamic clothing, such as the abaya (a tunic that covers the entire body) and the hijab (veil over the head). Foreigners do not need to follow this custom.
- In Saudi Arabia, women are second-class citizens, having to obey a guardian, who is usually the father, husband or child. This rule does not apply to foreign women, but it is unlikely that you will see an outsider living in Arabia.
Saudis cannot live or travel alone unless authorized by the guardian.
By Attila Matthias
Geography teacher
