Saudi Arabia the Official Name

Saudi Arabia

The official name of Saudi Arabia is Al-Mamlaka al-Arabiya as-Saudiya or the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (SAMIRAD 2008). It is located in the Middle East, bordering the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north of Yemen. Its land area of more than 2 million square kilometers consists of deserts, plateaus and mountains, the highest point of which is Jabal Sawda. Most recent statistics say it has close to 25 million people, 72% of whom are Saudi citizens. The official language is Arabic and the official religion is Islam. Its flag is the Green Banner of Islam with the inscription: "there is no God but God and Muhammad is his Messenger." A sword was added to this flag in 1906, which symbolizes Islamic victories and of the founder of the Kingdom, Ibn Saud. Its national anthem is "Sarei Lil Maid Walaya." People in the country use the Saudi Riyal as official currency (SAMIRAD).

Its capital is Riyadh, which holds close to 6 million people (SAMIRAD 2008). The head of State and Prime Minister is King Abdulla bin Abdul Aziz. He is also the custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Its highest court is the Supreme Council of Justice. Its administrative regions are Al-Baha, Al-Jouf, Asir, Eastern, Hail, Jizan, Madinah, Makkah, the Northern Border, Nayan, Qasin, Riyadh and Tabouk. (SAMIRAD). Saudi Arabia is among the driest countries in the world. Its average rainfall is less than 5 inches. It has no seasons like those in Europe and America. The wind patterns from the south determine the climate in the winter months and bring in rain and cool weather. Latitude and closeness to the sea are among other factors affecting climate. Rainfall in the Empty Quarter, the huge southeastern sand desert, can be absent for as long as 10 years. In the Aseer Highlands in the south may be more than 10 inches because of the monsoon. Jeddah on the shores of the Red Sea is hot and humid the whole year. Taif and Abha, on the other hand, enjoy more temperate weather. Summer can be as hot as 49 degrees Celsius or 120 degrees F. Winter is cooler than average in Jeddah and 14 degrees C. In Riyadh. Winter temperature is below freezing point at the central and northern portions of the country. Snow and ice sometimes fall in higher places in the south and western regions. Northwesterly winds blow in the summer months especially in the Eastern part, which in turn produce fierce sandstorms. Cool nights and sunny days come between October and May and nights in the coastal areas may sink to the 40 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature is generally higher from April to November. Without an air-conditioner, living can be very uncomfortable (SAMIRAD).

History

The al-Sauds ruled the war-torn country since the 18th century, ending with the capture of Riyadh from the opponent al-Rashid family in 1902 (Oxford Business Group 2005). Between 1913 and 1926, Abdul Aziz al-Saud captured al-Ahsa, al-Qatif, the entire Najd, and the Hijaz. He was made king of Hijaz. The British recognized the independence of the new king's territories through the Treaty of Jeddah dated May 29, 1927. From that date, the territories became known as the Kingdom of Hijaz and Najd.

On September 23, 1932, Abdul Aziz al-Saud founded and established the modern state of Saudi Arabia. The following year, he signed the kingdom's first oil deal with California-based Standard Oil. This signaled the economic development of Saudi Arabia. He died in 1953 and was succeeded by his son Saud. King Saud introduced economic and social reform for 11 years during his rule. In 1964, he abdicated the throne to his younger brother Faisal who then had gained fruitful political and diplomatic experience as foreign minister. He used the growing oil revenues to fund a five-year structured development program beginning 1970. This stabilized the economy and raised the real national income to a huge 45% per annum. After his assassination in 1875, King Khalid focused on the expansion of the Kingdom's infrastructure, consisting of an extensive road system, new universities, industries and cities. From there, the king focused on diversification. King Khalid died in 1982 and was succeeded by King Fahd. He made his brother, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz crown prince and deputy premier. Their effective partnership resulted in stability and growth and greatly invigorated industrialization, agriculture and industry. King Fahd's government passed the historic Basic Law, which defined the relationship between the monarch and the citizens and the government's responsibilities. The huge revenues from oil could reduce the dependence on some manufactured and agricultural products (Oxford Business Group).

Religion

The monarchy is set in place by a legal system based on Islamic law or Shari'a (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2004). It does not provide legal protection for freedom of religion. All citizens are required by law to be Muslims as Islam is the official religion. There may be other religions, but such protection does not exist in practice. The government forbids the public practice of non-Muslim religions. While it has embarked in a campaign for greater moderation and tolerance of religious diversity, it also enforces a strict tradition called Sunni Islam. Those who refuse to observe the officially sanctioned Salafi or Wahhabi can get into trouble with the religious police, called Mutawwa'in. While the government publicly says it allows non-Muslim to worship privately as a policy, the policy is not consistently enforced. The freedom of worship of non-Muslims is thus often violated or they perform worship in secret out of fear of discovery or harassment (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor).

Economy

Saudi Arabia's oil accounts for a fourth of the world's total reserves at roughly 262 billion barrels (Oxford Business Group 2005). Its production in 2004 alone was 10.4 million barrels a day. The government's oil policy is to stabilize the supply of oil to consumers. By assessing the country's reserves and quota obligations to the Oil and Petroleum Exporting Countries or OPEC, the Kingdom can moderate the fluctuation of prices. It has served as a moderating market force in the past years. Saudi ARAMCO operates the government's exploration, production and marketing of oil and gas within the Kingdom and abroad. It is the largest company of its kind in the world and the sixth largest refiner. There are onshore and offshore oil fields producing different grades of oil from very light to heavy. The focus has been on the development of super-light grades. Excellent global oil prices have allowed investments and projects that improve production capacity and refining capabilities locally and internationally. The region's reserves reach up to 6.5 trillion cubic meters, which ranks Saudi Arabia as the fourth largest in the world. Because only 15% of its potential has been surveyed, potentials for developing gas exports can be substantial (Oxford Business Group).

Economic diversification is the other thrust (Oxford Business Group 2005). Oil revenues and big surpluses allow the creation of quality jobs and an educated workforce. Compared with smaller neighboring countries, Saudi Arabia has a far broader industrial base. It has also established itself as a manufacturing sector of a wide range of products from plastics and polymers to building products and many mineral mining plants. The government also encourages and raises private sector participation. In 1999, the Supreme Economic Council was created to undertake a privatization drive. More markets are opened, inward and outward investments are encouraged and the stock market is boosted. The Council listed about 30 industries for eventual divestiture. These include the Saudi Arabian Basic Industries Corporation and the Saudi Telecommunications Company. There were groups of initial public offerings of as much as 30% in 2002. Some IPOS were said to have been oversubscribed. These developments indicated a surge of investor appetite within Saudi Arabia and the region along with the relaxation of investment regulations. Privatization has spread to areas like port services and the postal service, mainly run by the private sector. These economic gains can be attributed to the careful and effective management of the Saudi stock exchange, called Tadawul. The Capital Markets Authority was created to handle this valuable asset. And the banking and finance sector has also been growing and regulation standards have been high. Standard & Poor gave Saudi Arabia an "A+" for its long-term local currency and "A" for long-term foreign currency (Oxford Business Group).

Unlike other Middle East countries, which have isolated themselves and behaved in economic self-sufficiency because of oil revenues, Saudi Arabia participates and contributes to world economy (Oxford Business Group 2005). After lobbying with the World Trade Organization, it became the 149th member in November 2005 (Oxford Business Group).

Inside Saudi Arabia

Statistics say that approximately 40% of the population is under 15 years old (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2004). They lack the needed education and technical skills for the labor force. Literacy is 78% for both sexes. Unemployment levels are as high as 13% up to 25% and only males can work (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor).

Approximately 4.5 million have main telephone lines; almost 20 million have mobile cellular telephones; and more than 6.25 million have radio sets (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2004). More than 5 million own television sets, 4.7 million people use the internet, and there are around 22 internet service providers. Saudi Arabia has 213 airports; 8 heliports; 1.392 km railways; 59 marine ships. The average consumption of electricity by the population is 150 billion per kilowatt hour (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor).

Wildlife and environment issues center on desertification, depletion of underground water resources, the lack of perennial rivers or permanent bodies of water, and coastal pollution from oil spills (Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights and Labor 2005).

Saudi men wear the traditional dress called a "thobe," which symbolizes equality (ArabNet 2002). Their headdress consists of the taiga, the gutra, and the iqal. A Saudi woman wears a thick black cloak called an "ibayah." It is a scarf, which covers her hair and a full-face veil when in public or near men who are not close relatives (ArabNet).

The Kingdom provides all Saudi citizens with free and high-standard health care as a matter of high priority (Ministry of Planning 2008). The Ministry of Health reported that the number of hospitals and hospital beds increased by 25%. This was complemented by an increase in the size of the labor force in the health care sector. This occurred during the fifth development plan in conjunction with the overall expansion of health services.

The number of doctors increased by 22.7%.The number of nurses and technicians also increased during the same period (Ministry of Planning).

Satellite television in Saudi Arabia has been one of the most rigidly controlled media in the Middle East (BBC News 2008). Objections and criticisms against the government were generally not tolerated. But since the September 11 attacks in New York, there have been signs of increasing openness on the part of the government. The government-run Broadcasting Service of the Kingdom operates four TV networks. Private radio and TV stations cannot operate within the Kingdom. But it is a major market for pan-Arab satellite and pay-TV broadcasters. Newspapers, on the other hand, are created by virtue of royal decrees. Today, there are 10 daily newspapers and many magazines. These follow the guidelines and policies of state-run news agencies on the choice of stories and subject matter. The government reserves the right to monitor and block websites and topics (BBC News).

The Saudi people are food lovers. Cooking the finest dishes is considered a centuries-old heritage among them (Maby 2008). Arabic literature carries stories and poetry of the celebration and lavish banquets of caliphs at Baghdad. Food the table of both princes and peasants went with marching armies. Saudi food is legendary. It is believed to have evolved from a collection of cultures - Egyptian, Syrian, Greek, Turkish, Western, Eastern and Inland traditions. Nomads spoke proudly of how their renowned ancestors drew their courage and strength and character as well as their nourishment. For centuries, they thrived on the food of the desert and the oasis. From these sources of survival, the Bedouins molded their means of survival and rituals. Generations later today, Bedouins still respect and follow the same traditions, honor and celebrate the way their fathers lived and ate (Maby).

Jeddah

Jeddah, on the other hand, is called the coral city hidden behind the new office blocks and shopping malls (Jones 1995). It has remained a place of great antiquity and important link in the pre-Islamic trade between India and the Mediterranean. It is the entry to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah (Consulate General of India 2008). It is the commercial capital of Saudi Arabia complementary to Riyadh as the capital of the Kingdom. It is also called the Bride to the Red Sea. Travelers have described Jeddah as "the city surrounded by walls with beautiful markets" and buildings. Other observers describe it as "the small city... crowded with pilgrims.." From its origins as a small fishing settlement more than 2,500 years ago, it has grown into what it is today. Caliph Osman Ibn Affan made Jeddah the main port of the city of Makkah and called Bilad al Kanasil or the City of Consulates. The Ottomans of the 16th century fortified it against the Portuguese by building a stone wall around the town. The four gates were Bab Sherif towards the south, Bab Makkah towards the east, Bab Madina towards the north and a west gate facing the Red Sea. Bab Jadeed was built in the early 1900s with sentries at the gates. Jeddah remained a protected and walled town for centuries under the Ottomans. It was freed from them by the Turks in 1915. Turkish influence remains evident today in Jeddah's architecture, which is among Jeddah's greatest attractions (Consulate General of India).

In the old Jeddah, tall buildings of coral limestone were built with elaborately decorated wooden facades, known as rawasheen (Consulate General of India 2008). These facades catch the sun's glare and the cool sea breeze. Inhabitants in early times were, therefore, inclined to build tall houses and to sleep on the roofs in summer nights. Some of these houses can still be found in Jeddah today but they are getting fewer because of the lack of repairs. The Historical Area Preservation Department program was started in 1990 to protect the city's grand architecture and heritage. The Department now has more than 50 employees performing this function. It also organizes tours and local research. Modernization proceeded with the passing of the years. The first house of reinforced concrete was built in 1929 although less attractive than those built with coral limestone but more durable. King Abdul Aziz' reign unified the Kingdom and made Jeddah more stable. Enclosing with walls was rendered unnecessary by expansion. The building boom continued to the 70s to the present time. New shopping centers, office buildings and apartments rose in every place. Large parts of former desert have been part of the expansion into a healthy-looking green city. In Jeddah, the dignity and tradition of the past merges with the sophistication and dynamism of the present and modern business world (Consulate General of India).