Saudi Arabia

A Country of the Rich History, Holy Places, and the Modern Change

The country of Saudi Arabia is a land of extremes, the heartland of Islam, which hosts some of the most significant places in the history of religion. Saudi Arabia combines the ancient history epitomized by the ancient city of Makkah and new cities such as Riyadh, the new metropolis of Saudi Arabia. Serenely existent in the past and future, with its great deserts, giant skyscrapers, and centuries-old customs, Saudi Arabia appears as a place that combines its historical heritage and new times.

Learn more about Saudi Arabia’s rich history and culture on Wikipedia

Geographical Location

Saudi Arabia is based in the Arabian Peninsula, and it sides with Jordan and Iraq in the north, Kuwait in the northeast, Bahrain in the east, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the southeast and Oman in the southeast. On the west, the Red Sea forms its boundary, and on the east, it has the Persian Gulf on its coast.

With an area of about 2.15 million square kilometers, Saudi Arabia is the largest state in the Middle East and therefore, the fifth largest country in Asia, the 12th largest in the world.

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Natural and Land Features

Saudi Arabia is largely desert and the House of Sand is on the Rub al-Khali (Empty Quarter), the biggest single continuous sand desert in the world. Areas of large parts of the country are also covered by the Nafud Desert in the north and the Ad-Dahna Desert in the east. The country is contrasted by the flat desert plain in the west with mountain ranges such as the Hajjar mountains which are more than 3000 meters high.

The red sea coast has alluring beaches, whereas the Persian gulf coast has tactful cities such as Dhahran and Al Khobar. In Saudi Arabia too there are oases such as Al-ahsa where crops grow due to underground water.

Ancient Civilizations to the Contemporary Saudi Arabia

Islam is not the first religion commonly founded in the Arabian Peninsula, which has had a great number of ancient civilizations such as the Thamud, Sabaeans, and Lihyanites. These ancient ones left their inscription, tombs and ruins within the arid terrains in Saudi Arabia. It was also an important part of significant trade routes, which led to Asia, Africa, and Europe.

The example of ancient cities that prospered along these trade routes is Petra city in the neighboring Jordan and Al-Ula in Saudi Arabia. Al-Ula, as an example, used to be a part of the Nabataean Kingdom and today the excavations are turned into archaeological sites and monuments with remarkable sandstone rocks shapes.

The Birth of Islam

The birthplace of the Islamic religion, where the Prophet Muhammad received the revelations in the city of Makkah (Mecca) in the 7th century, is in Saudi Arabia. After the death of Muhammad his followers sprayed Islam all over the Arabian Peninsula and Medina was another important religious place.

The significance of the religion to Saudi Arabia is justified by the fact that the country has two of the holiest cities in the whole world; Makkah and Medina which are pilgrimage sites attracting millions of Muslim pilgrims around the globe every year to participate in the Hajj pilgrimage. In Makkah, the Kaaba is the most holy building in the whole Islamic religion whereas the tomb of Prophet Muhammad is found in Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina.

How Saudi Arabia was Created

We know today that Saudi Arabia was created in 1932 by King Abdulaziz Al Saud (Ibn Saud), who conquered the Kingdoms of Najd and Hejaz following a sequence of military actions. The name Kingdom denotes the royal family Al Saud who appreciates the modern state upon the discovery of oil in 1938 which changed the Kingdom into one of the world’s richest countries.

Later during the last half of 20 th century, Saudi Arabia recorded major advances in modernization, infrastructure and education without leaving out its connection with the international oil market. This has been under the leadership of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, who came to power in 2015 and led ambitious reforms, some of which include the Vision 2030 plan to diversify the economy and ensure it is less reliant on oil.

Cultural Diversity and Heritage

Religion, Ethnic Groups..

Arab is the largest population in Saudi Arabia and the national language is Arabic. It is a cultural and religious melting pot with many expatriate workers in the country particularly in the cities of

Jeddah and Riyadh.

The official religion is Islam and the major branch is the Sunni Islam. Another major minority in the country includes Shia Muslims particularly in the Eastern Province. One of the most influential areas of influence in Saudi Arabia is the law and politics that are dominated with a strict version of Sunni Islam, Wahhabism.

Cultural practices and Traditions

The Saudi Arabian culture is very much Islamic based and the family unit is very much centralized in the society. Saudi culture normally focuses on hospitality and visitors are also taken seriously, where meals such as dates, coffee and popular foods such as kabsa (spiced rice with meat) are served in case of a visitor.

Other forms of cultural heritage of Saudi Arabia are music, poetry and dance like in the form of the traditional Aradh sword dance coupled together in a festival and ceremonies. Islamic art as well as Arabic calligraphy is also a part of the culture; mosques, palaces as well as other

Great Festivals and Celebrations

Religious Festivals

The major holidays in Saudi Arabia are religious. The holidays that are worshipped countrywide are Eid al-Fitr at the end of Ramadan and Eid al-Adha in memory of Ibrahim who was ready to sacrifice his son. Eid al-Adha involves the slaughter of animals like sheep and cows whereby the meat is shared out to the needy.

National Holidays

The Saudi National Day is the holiday that is observed on the 23 rd September of every year to commemorate the formation of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The day is a day of national pride where fireworks, concerts and cultural exhibitions are carried out in the country.

Hajj and Islam Pilgrimages

Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah is one of the Five Pillars of Islamic religion and attracts millions of Muslim pilgrims to the religion per year. Another significant pilgrimage happening in Saudi Arabia is Umrah, which is a less important pilgrimage carried out anytime of the year.

Oil and Natural Resources

The country contains some of the biggest oil reserves in the world and the driving force of the country lies in the exportation of oil. Aramco or the Saudi Arabian Oil Company has been the largest oil company in the world and the center of riches and economic prosperity of Saudi Arabia.

Recently, the government has been involved in setting up strategies that would stop the dependency of Saudi Arabia solely on oil by diversifying its economy. Vision 2030 plan targets the growth of industries like tourism, technology, entertainment, and renewable energy that would keep the economy stable in the long term.

Tourism Industry

The Saudi Arabian tourism business is growing by leaps and bounds since the government is opening the country to the rest of the world. Introduction of tourist visa points in 2019, and creation of Neom, a city of the future, will open doors to Saudi Arabia as an international tourist destination. The visitors are attracted by historical attractions in the country, beaches and desert sceneries, and religious tourism, including Hajj and Umrah.

Infrastructure and developing

Saudi Arabia has also invested in huge infrastructure projects and it can be seen that there are spectacular sky scrapers, modern transport systems and technologies in Riyadh and Jeddah cities. Some of the significant projects being developed in the country are the Kingdom Tower (which would become the tallest building in the world) and NEOM, a $500 billion smart city scheme.

Makkah (Mecca)

The Makkah is the most sacred place in Islam that is the place of birth of Prophet Muhammad and location of Kaaba at the Al-Masjid Al-Haram mosque. The pilgrimage of Hajj is the part of the fifth pillar of Islam and Muslims are required to attend the pilgrimage at least once in a lifetime. The presence of the city is, however, a very important spiritual attraction to all Muslims.

Medina

The Al-Masjid an-Nabawi mosque, where the tomb of Prophet Muhammad is located, is located in Medina, the second holy city in the Islam faith. Medina is one of the most religious cities and every year it is visited by millions of Muslims.

Al-Ula

Al-Ula is an archeological miracle in the northern part of Saudi-Arabia. Al-Ula is a historical and cultural heritage com-memorable to Saudi Arabia and is a UNESCO World Heritage site adorned with ancient rocks and Nabataean tombs.

Riyadh

Riyadh, the capital city is modern and traditional at the same time, and on many occasions it has high rises, shopping centers and other cultural sites such as the National Museum of Saudi Arabia and King Abdulaziz historical center.

Wadi Rum

The Valley (or Valley of the moon) of Wadi Rum is a desert region that is characterized by dramatic sandstone mountains and red Sand dune patterns. It is a tourist hot spot of trekking, rock climbing and star camping.

Healthcare System

In Saudi Arabia, healthcare is well-developed, and hospitals and clinics correspond to modern standards. The nation is a regional pioneer in clinical research and medical development, and it provides medical services of international standard in areas like cardiology, cancer (oncology), and plastic surgery.

Education System

Saudi Arabia education is freely funded; every level of education is free of charge and the country has spent so much in enhancing the standards of education. The leading schools in the country include King Saud University and King Abdulaziz University that offer very many programs. Achieving more women enrolling in universities and women in the labour force is also a concern that the country is keen on achieving.

Public buildings are decorated with elaborate designs.

Transportation Network

The country of Saudi Arabia is well connected by the road network and the major cities have high roads connecting them. It is also constructing a high speed rail system that would link the cities such as Riyadh, Jeddah and Mecca. The major international gates are King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah.

Urban Development

There are also some modern cities in Saudi Arabia which have witnessed strong development, and they are Riyadh, Jeddah and Khobar. These cities provide combinations of ancient and modern experiences and they include tall skyscrapers, shopping malls, and cultural sites.

When To Go Ideal Seasons

Saudi Arabia is at its best during the cooler months (October to March) and this is the period when the weather is mild and outdoor activities are perfectly enjoyable. The hottest period of year (June to August) may be really hot, particularly in the desert territories.

Special events and festivals Special events and festivals

A huge event including concerts, activities, and performances is the Riyadh Season (November to February). Millions of Muslim visitors also spend their time in the season of Hajj pilgrimage.

Conclusion: What will the future of Saudi Arabia be like?

Saudi Arabia is the land of change in constant balance between its rich history and big modernization plans. Due to its enormous wealth (oil), rich cultural background, and international aspirations, Saudi Arabia is gearing up to make a leap in terms of economic diversification, sustainable growth, as well as connecting with the world. Regardless of whether you want to explore its ancient civilization, contemporary urban centers or religious meaning, Saudi Arabia is a place that will make an incomparable experience to its visitors.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should you visit Saudi Arabia?

The cooler seasons are the ideal season to visit and this occurs between October to March.

Which are the finest attractions in Saudi Arabia?

Sights of top attractions are the city of Makkah, Medina, Petra, Wadi Rum and the contemporary landscape of Riyadh.

Which languages are present in Saudi Arabia?

The official language is Arabic although English language has been widely used mostly in the urban centers.

What currency do people of Saudi Arabia use?

Its currency is known as Saudi riyal (SAR).

Are tourists safe in Saudi Arabia?

Saudi Arabia can be mostly safe as a tourist destination, but visitors must know particular customs, regulations, and cultural conduct.