According to countryaah, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is located in the Middle East on the Arabian Peninsula. The country has been known for years as the center of Islam. This is mainly because the cities of Mecca and Medina are located in Saudi Arabia. These are the two holiest places for Muslims. Saudi Arabia is mostly desert. Beneath these deserts are some of the largest oil reserves in the world.
This makes Saudi Arabia one of the richest countries in the world and any budget deficit is solved by increasing production a bit.
The Arabian Peninsula has been inhabited for many thousands of years, but due to the extreme climate, the inhabitants consisted mainly of Nomadic tribes. In the Middle Ages, the country was still inhabited by different tribes who each had their own emirate within the country. From the sixteenth century to the early twentieth century, large parts of Saudi Arabia were part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1774, however, the first Saudi state was founded. This Saudi state would eventually turn out to be the forerunner of the current Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In recent decades, the country has increasingly become a religious extremist country. The religious leaders have a lot of influence on the government in Saudi Arabia. As a result, strict regulations according to Islamic customs are applied.
Sights
The rock-cut city of Madain Saleh is one of the most beautiful sights in Saudi Arabia. However, this historic city can only be visited with a guide. What you should not miss when you visit the country is a visit to the immense sandy desert Rub al Khali. This desert is great for dune bashing.
If you visit Saudi Arabia as a non-Muslim, you are not allowed to visit the two most special places in the country. The cities of Mecca and Medina are only accessible if you are Muslim.
Several old mud fortresses can be found in the country, which are typical of the Arabian Peninsula. Camel markets are held all over the country.
The capital Riyadh looks like a western city due to its many skyscrapers and modern architecture. The most eye-catching building in Riyadh, Kingdom Center is one of the tallest buildings in the Arabian Peninsula.
UNESCO
Despite being by far the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula, Saudi Arabia has only two inscriptions on the UNESCO World Heritage List. These are both fairly young entries. In 2008, the Archaeological Hegra also known as Madain Saleh was listed. This ancient city was located on the ancient caravan route to the historic city of Petra in Jordan.
In 2010, the At-Turaif District in Al-Diriyah was added. This suburb of the capital Riyadh has long itself been the capital of Saudi Arabia and is the cradle of the Saudi Arabian royal family.
Climate
Saudi Arabia has a warm desert climate with a cool winter period and an extremely hot summer period. Precipitation here is negligible all year round and only shows a small revival in the late winter months or early spring. But this too is negligible. In the summer months the average daytime temperature is above forty degrees Celsius and temperatures above fifty degrees Celsius are the rule rather than the exception.
In the winter months the average day temperature is around twenty degrees Celsius, but it can cool down considerably in the evening and night and in extreme cases there can even be night frosts. There is even a small chance of snow on the highest peaks of the Asir Mountains.
In Saudi Arabia there are regular sandstorms for an average of one every two weeks. During a sandstorm, the temperature will rise very quickly and visibility will be completely cut off.
Geography
Saudi Arabia is located in Western Asia centrally on the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the Arabian Peninsula and has land borders with Jordan, Oman, Kuwait, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. The country is located on both the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. In the northwest, the country borders the Gulf of Aqaba. The Kingdom of Bahrain is located off the coast of Saudi Arabia in the Persian Gulf.
Most of Saudi Arabia consists of a plateau that slopes gradually from west to east. The southwestern part of the country consists mainly of mountains. In this part of the country is the mountain Jabal Sawda which at 3133 meters is the highest point in the country.
The vast majority of Saudi Arabia consists of large sand and stone deserts. The An Nafud is the largest desert in the country.
The most fertile parts of the country can be found in the area around the Red Sea and in the valleys of the mountain ranges. The wadis typical of Saudi Arabia are located in these valleys. These wadis are dry for most of the year, but during the rainy season they are filled with water and supply a large part of the country with water. These wadis are often the most fertile places in the country.
The largest city in the country is the capital Riyadh, where almost eight million people live. the port city of Djebba is also one of the important cities of the country. However, the two main cities of the country are Mecca and Medina. Mecca is the most important city of Islam. The prophet Mohammed was born here and every Muslim who is able to do this must make a hajj or pilgrimage to the city at least once. The Al-Masjid al-Haram mosque in Mecca is the only place in the world where Muslims pray face to face.
Medina is the second most important place for Muslims after Mecca. Both cities are located in the historical region of Hijaz.
Travel advice
The travel advice for Saudi Arabia has been on the “be vigilant” status for some years now. This is mainly due to local laws and customs. The country has strict Islamic laws and violating these laws can have serious consequences.
Human rights are regularly violated and women have limited freedom of movement here. Women are required here to wear a headscarf and cover the rest of their bodies. In restaurants there are separate men and women departments and this must be respected. Public homosexuality is punishable here with whipping and can even lead to the death penalty.
Photographing government buildings, mosques, airports and military installations is prohibited here.
Vaccination against meningitis is mandatory for pilgrims to Mecca.
Travel documents
To be able to visit Saudi Arabia, you must be in possession of a passport that is valid for at least six months on the day of departure from the country. In addition, you must be in possession of a visa. There are different types of visas available for Saudi Arabia. This visa can only be obtained if you are in possession of an invitation from a sponsor. This sponsor must be a company or agency in Saudi Arabia. In addition, a letter of guarantee from your current employer is often required to be able to get this visa.
It is not allowed for women to travel alone through the country, this must always be done in the presence of a man. Jews are not allowed to enter the country and people with an Israeli stamp in their passport are also refused.
It is only allowed to enter the country from the airport. Travelers who want to travel to Saudi Arabia from a neighboring country should take the plane instead of traveling across the border.
Info table
| Capital city | Riyad |
| Phone (country code) | 966 |
| Internetdomein | .to |
| Language(s) (official) | Arabic |
| Language(s) (colloquial) | Arabic |
| Religion(s) | islam |
| Time zone(s) | UTC+3 |
| Time difference summer | In Saudi Arabia it is 1 hour later than in the Netherlands |
| Time difference winter | In Saudi Arabia it is 2 hours later than in the Netherlands |
| Daylight Saving Time Control | nee |
| Currency | Saudi rial |
