About Saudi Arabia
The Home of Islam is as diverse as it is surprising. It is a country with deep roots
in tradition yet one that is racing into the future. It is a land of astonishing natural
beauty ranging from the sculpted sand dunes of the Empty Quarter to the waters of the Red
Sea.
Capital: Riyadh
Land Size: 2.149,690
sq km / 829,999 sq miles
Language: Arabic, but English is
widely used in business
Currency: Saudi Riyal (SR3.75 to the
US$1.00)
Saudi Arabia's 2011 population is estimated to be about 26 million, including about 5.6
million resident foreigners. Some cities and oases have densities of more than 1,000 people
per square kilometer (2,600 per sq. mi). The annual population growth rate for Saudi Arabia
as of 2011, is 1.5%.
Saudi Arabia’s work force is 7.3 million strong with about 80%
foreign workers (2010 est.); industry--21%; services (including government)--72%;
agriculture—7%.
Saudi Arabia in Perspective
- Geography
- Major Cities
- Terrain
- Wildlife
Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian
Peninsula. It occupies an area about the size of the
United States east of the Mississippi River.
Located in southwest Asia, at the crossroads of
Europe, Asia and Africa; Saudi Arabia extends from the
Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east.
It’s land mass comprises slightly more than 80% of the
Arabian Peninsula.
Bordered on the north by
Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, on the south, by Yemen and
Oman, and on the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar
and Bahrain; Saudi Arabia is a true crossroads between
the East and West.
Islam’s holiest
city, Makkah, is located in Saudi Arabia. Makkah is the
birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, the location of the
Holy Kaaba, and the focal point of the Islamic
Pilgrimage (Hajj).
Saudi Arabia’s capital is
Riyadh, which lies in the central region. The oil boom
initiated an era of growth in the city that continues to
this day. The Kingdom’s increasingly important position
in regional affairs is reflected in the choice of Riyadh
for the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council
(GCC).
Jeddah is the second largest city after
Riyadh, it is the main port of the Kingdom on the Red
Sea and main gate through which most of the pilgrims to
Makkah arrive by air and sea and just north of Jeddah is
the village of Thuwal where the KAUST campus is
located.
Known as the “World Energy Capital,”
Dammam is the largest town in the eastern region.
Located near Dammam are the most important centers in
the world for the production and refining of
petroleum.
Saudi Arabia’s
terrain could be described in one word:
varied.
- The Coastland comprises the coastal plains and
low hills bordering the Red Sea and the Arabian
Gulf.
- The Harrat are regions covered by Cenozoic flood
basalt forming flat areas of bouldery, incised
terrain difficult to traverse.
- Sand Seas consist of large areas of wind-blown
sand, the most famous of which, of course, is
the Rub’ al Khali (the Empty Quarter).
- Mountains exist around the margin of the Arabian
Peninsula, including those that rise up to the
lip of the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden escarpment
at elevations of 2000-3600 m.
- Much of the peninsula consists of vast regions
of nearly flat plateaus and plains covered by
weathered rock, sand, and gravel, that are
interrupted by hills and ridges.
Islamic
teachings affirm the need to conserve areas for purposes
pertaining to the common good. These areas are called
hima, which means "protected area" or
"reserve." Some traditional himas in Saudi
Arabia have been managed sustainably since early Islamic
times, and are among the most long-standing examples of
rangeland and woodlands conservation known.
At
present, the Kingdom has 15 protected areas established
by the National Commission for Wildlife Conservation and
Protection (NCWCP). Additionally, the NCWCP has
reintroduced a number of species to the Kingdom
including the Arabian Oryx and the Houbara
Bustard.
It is not uncommon to see baboons in
some areas of Saudi Arabia. Baboon numbers used to be
partially controlled by their natural predators, leopard
and striped hyena but these have been hunted over many
years and are no longer seen in the
region.
According to the present estimates, Saudi
Arabia contains 70 species (3%) of trees, 600 species
(27%) of shrubs, and about 1583 (70%) species of
herbs.