Map data for
Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is situated in western Asia and occupies the majority of the Arabian Peninsula. It shares land borders with Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen. Its coastline runs along both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. The capital is Riyadh. Saudi Arabia is also home to Mecca and Medina, the two most important cities of Islam.
Archaeologists have discovered some of the earliest human traces in the land which constitutes modern-day Saudi Arabia. It was home to ancient civilizations, as well as the Prophet Muhammed, founder of Islam, who united the lands of Arabia to form a single Islamic unit, in the seventh century which expanded after his death. There followed tribal rule in various areas and some Ottoman control over the centuries. In 1727, Muhammed bin Saud, leader of the Saud dynasty joined forces with the strict Sunni Islam religious leader, Muhammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab. This alliance formed the basis of Saudi Arabian rule for posterity. Disputes and revolution in the early twentieth century were resolved and in 1932 the two separate kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd were united as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Today the country is an absolute monarchy, where no political parties or national elections are permitted. Governmental ministries are kept within the royal family as are the governorships of the thirteen regions which make up the country.
The discovery of oil in 1938 led to Saudi Arabia becoming the second largest oil producer and largest exporter in the world. Its wealth has been built around oil. Saudi Arabia’s agricultural industry is important, and it is a large exporter of wheat. Tourism contributes towards the economy, but it comprises pilgrimage-led revenue. Population has grown rapidly since the 1950s and over half of Saudi Arabia’s young population is under twenty-five. It is estimated that around 30% of the population is foreign nationals and around 38% immigrants. Heavily urbanised, the majority live in or around cities. Saudi Arabia’s observance of equality and human rights is often challenged.
Saudi Arabian culture is derived from Bedouin tradition and strict following of the tenets of Islam. This is evident across all aspects of society. Drumming, dance and falconry are important aspects of Saudi Arabian culture. It is home to six UNESCO World Heritage sites. Soccer is the main sport and female participation is sport has been very restricted for religious reasons, although this has eased slightly.
On the world stage, Saudi Arabia is a member of the United Nations, the Arab League and OPEC.