A vast land, largely desert but with
mountains, rivers, oases of date palms that
haven’t changed in centuries and steel and glass
cities whose horizons transform daily, a history
going back to the dawn of time… Saudi Arabia is
an extraordinary country. The Kingdom covers 80%
of the Arabian Peninsula. Its Red Sea coast
stretches for 1,800 km from the border of Yemen
in the south, to Jordan in the north and is the
dream destination for keen scuba divers for its
extensive stretches of coral reef. The northern
frontier with Iraq and Kuwait leads to the east
coast, looking out onto the calm waters of the
Arabian Gulf for some 600 km and then the
southern border shared with Qatar, the UAE and
Oman.
The country’s population is estimated at 21.5
million, with some 6 million non-nationals,
split rather unevenly between 6,000 cities,
towns and villages. ¾ of the inhabitants live in
the urban areas of Riyadh, Jeddah, Makkah,
Madinah, Yanbu, Jubail, Al-Khobar, Dammam and
Dhahran. Riyadh, now nearly 2000 km 2 and home
to 4 million people, was designated the capital
by King Abdul Aziz in 1932, but it was not until
the 1970s that it took up it’s position
properly, when the embassies and ministries
relocated their headquarters from
Jeddah.Al-Khobar, Dammam and Dhahran in the
eastern province are relatively modest
communities, considering the eastern province
can lay claim to the first oil discovered in
Saudi Arabia in the 1930s.
Jubail on the east coast and Yanbu on the west
are a unique development of twin industrial
cities primarily involved in the petro-chemical
industry. Makkah and Madinah, both in the
western province, are Islam’s holiest cities.
The Kaaba, to which all Muslims turn when they
pray, is situated within the Grand Mosque at
Makkah and the Prophet Muhammed’s final resting
place is in the Prophet’s Mosque some 450km
north, in Madinah.
Riyadh, the capital city, is located in the
central part of the Najd highlands, and is
recognized as being one of the fastest growing
cities in the world – population is now
estimated to be 4 million. Having long been in
the shadow of Jeddah’s traditional ascen- dancy
in commerce, Riyadh has now taken on the mantle
of capital, both politically and commercially,
with the new towering skyscrapers – Al-Faisalia
Tower and Kingdom Tower – the crowning glory of
its meteoric growth.
Saudi Arabia is one of the most politically
stable and prosperous countries in the world
today, its people enjoy an enviable standard of
living as a result of a series of successful 5
year development plans, implemented to harness
the runaway economic growth brought about by the
discovery of oil in the1930s. The country’s
investment in its infrastructure of roads, power
and water supply, education, hospitals, housing
and aviation are a testament to the forethought
given to ensuring that the country continues to
thrive.
Saudi society has also undergone a great change
and is still evolving. New occupations and new
classes have been formed. Urbanization,
modernization, the customs of foreign peoples,
higher education – these have all introduced
challenges to the Saudi people that a Half
century ago did not exist. The consistency of
Islam allows for all this change – faith is
never questioned and conduct remains subject to
the same rules as ever before.
Area
Saudi Arabia covers nearly 2,240,350 square
kilometers. Riyadh was only a small settlement
at the turn of the 20th century, surrounding
the central Musmak fortress. After establishing
the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932, in 1936
King Abdul Aziz began the expansion outside
the 9km2 walled city, building a new palace at
Murabba. The constant stream of wealth created
by the growing output of oil after the
Second World War was increasingly channelled
into creating a true capital which now covers
nearly 2000km2.
Population
Saudi Arabia’s population is estimated to be
21.5 million with some 6 million non-nationals.
Riyadh’s population in 1862 was estimated at
7,500. One hundred years later it was 169,000.
By 1982 the estimate was 1.5 million; and by
1985, the figure exceeded 2 million. By February
1998, it was reported to be 3.1 million and
latest figures suggest 4 million. Nearly half
the Saudi population is under 20 years of age.
Religion
Islam is the official religion of Saudi Arabia,
which also forms the basis of the country’s
legal system, called SHARIA, as set down by the
Prophet Muhammed (PBUH).
The Flag
The flag of the Kingdom is green and
rectangular. It carries the inscription:
“THERE IS NO GOD BUT THE (ONE) GOD,
AND MOHAMMED IS THE MESSENGER OF GOD”
Beneath the motto is an unsheathed Arabian sword
which its handle pointing towards the flag pole.
Inscription and sword are in white.
The Emblem
The emblem of state is a palm tree; which
symbolizes growth and prosperity, located
centrally over two crossed swords, indicating
power and valour.
National Anthem
The text of the anthem is approximately
translated as follows::
Hasten towards glory and prominence
Glorify the Creator of the heavens
And hoist the green fluttering banner
Displaying the luminous testimony.
Allah is Great, O my homeland
Long live my homeland
A source of pride for Muslims
Long live the King, to safeguard the flag
And the homeland.
National Day
National Day is celebrated on the 23rd September
marking the formal foundation of the Kingdom in
1932, when a majority of world powers
recognized the sovereignty of the new nation.
Government
Saudi Arabia is a monarchy and the head of state
is Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King
Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. King Abdullah
became King on on 1 August 2005 (1426 AH). Crown
Prince Sultan bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud is the
Deputy Premier, Minister of Defense and
Aviation, and Inspector-General.
Language
Arabic is main spoken and written word and is
the official language used in all government
departments. English is widely used in business
however and can be seen on some road signs and
advertisements.
Climate
Saudi Arabia has local variations in climate due
to its size. In the central region, Riyadh’s
summer temperatures can average 45°C with the
winter dry and cool, with near freezing
night-time temperatures. The west and east coast
are, in contrast, very humid even in winter and
temperatures rarely fall below 20°C.
What to Wear
Riyadh, unlike Jeddah or the Eastern province,
has very distinct seasons requiring a different
wardrobe for winter and summer. Clothing
“rules” are different for men, women and
children. In the sunny cool of winter, western
men wear jackets and ties for work, dispensing
often with the jacket in the intense heat of
summer. Winter evenings are often cold enough to
merit a pullover and heavier trousers, where
shorts (at home), lightweight trousers and a
teeshirt are fine in summer. In town it is
generally unacceptable to wear shorts, although
on
weekends even young Saudis can now be seen
wearing them in supermarkets. Vest/singlet
sleeveless tee-shirts are considered improper
dress. The uniform thobe (robe), ghutra or
shammagh (headdress) and igal (black cord to
keep the ghutra/shammagh in place), is
considered to be the regional dress worn by all
nationals of the Gulf states. It would be most
unusual for a westerner to wear it, perhaps
even frowned upon.
Western ladies should acquire an “abaya” soon
after arriving. This is a black opaque floor
length cloak (the most versatile type has
sleeves
and popper studs the full-length). Over the past
decade, “trendy” embroidered abayas have become
available - shop around! Head covering
seems to be becoming less and less of an issue
but a matching headscarf in the handbag is a
useful accessory. Far from being a constraint
for western women, the abaya is a positive boon.
Buying an abaya means NOT having to buy a whole
wardrobe of “conservative” clothes,
which you may never wear again after leaving
Saudi Arabia. The all-purpose cloak goes just as
well over teeshirt and jeans or shorts as it
does over a glamorous evening dress. The rule of
thumb is “if you are wearing an abaya, you are
properly dressed.”
Children’s clothes are plentiful and inexpensive
so no need to stock up before coming to Saudi
Arabia. Riyadh’s children’s clothing shops
have two seasons so it is possible to pick up
the right clothes at the right time. Girls under
the age of puberty are not expected to wear an
abaya, but some early teenagers prefer to wear
one to “blend in”.
Time
The Kingdom is within one time zone, 3 hours
ahead of GMT. Prayer times across the country
vary however, due to the difference in timing
of sunrise and sunset.
Currency
The Saudi Arabian monetary unit is the riyal,
made up of 100 halalas. Notes are in 1, 5, 10,
20, 50, 100, 200, and 500 riyal denominations.
The riyal is pegged to the US dollar so
fluctuates against other currencies in line with
the dollar’s movements. Since 1986, the rate has
been
fixed at US$ = SR 3.75.
Banking
There are ten licensed commercial banks, which
are under the supervision of the Saudi Arabian
Monetary Agency (SAMA). Each of these
banks has hundreds of branches throughout the
Kingdom, all connected to the Saudi Payment
Network (SPAN) with over two thousand
cash-point machines and nearly 17,000 point of
sale terminals. Major credit cards are accepted
in most shopping malls and department
stores. Money changers also operate throughout
the Kingdom, dealing in foreign currencies and
many offer banking facilities. There is no
restriction on converting the riyal.
Calendar
The official calendar is the Hijra, which marks
the year the Prophet Muhammed migrated from
Makkah to Madinah, acknowledged to be
16th July 682 AD in the Gregorian calendar.
Based on the lunar year, the Hijra year is
shorter than the Gregorian by about eleven days.
Business is generally conducted in both
calendars but particular attention should be
paid to the movement of the two religious
holidays, as
they will not be on the same Gregorian dates
each year.
Holidays
The Kingdom has two Islamic feasts (Eids) every
year.
The Eid Al-Fitr, which marks the end of the
fasting month of Ramadan, is the longer of the
two. It starts with a large prayer gathering and
then visits to relatives and friends. Presents
are usually given to children and close family
members. Eid Al-Adha forms the culmination of
the Hajj pilgrimage.
Working Hours
Government offices are open from 7.30am to
2.30pm.Companies operated either one shift from
8am-5.30pm or two shifts from 8am-12noon and
then 4pm-8pm, Saturday to Thursday. Shops and
souqs tend to open in two shifts from 9am-12noon
and then 4pm-10pm, Saturday to Thursday and then
evening only on Friday. All establishments close
for prayer at published times throughout the
day. Ramadan hours differ enormously –
government offices generally open from 10am to
3pm. Shops open from 2pm to 5pm and then 9pm
until the early hours of the morning. If in
doubt, telephone any business you plan to visit
beforehand.
Culture
The region that is now Saudi Arabia has been the
centre of a cultural crossroads through the
ages. Successfully preserving and
strengthening this rich heritage, while
accomplishing the impressive development and
modernization of the past half-century is proof
of the
endurance of the nation’s culture and of the
determination to cherish and protect it. The
Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts,
established in 1972 with headquarters in Riyadh,
encourages Saudi arts and culture of all kinds
and offers the opportunity for gifted Saudis to
exhibit their work at home and abroad. It
represents the Kingdom at all Middle Eastern and
International festivals. The annual Janadriyah
Festival is open to the public.
Sports
Traditional sports such as falconry, horse
riding and camel racing are still popular today.
Saudis have also taken up a wide variety of
international sporting activities from archery
and cycling to basketball and football (the
Saudi national soccer team has appeared at two
World Cup finals and is regularly Asian
champion). They can train in the impressive
sports centers, equipped to the highest
international
standards, that are now a feature in every major
city. With physical education a key part of the
school curriculum and with numerous
stadiums, neighborhood recreational facilities
and over 150 sports clubs throughout the
Kingdom, active participation is encourages and
available to all. Expatriate communities and
compounds organize their own sports events.
Contact your embassy for details.
Immigration
All visitors to Saudi Arabia require a valid
passport with more than 6 months validity. GCC
citizens do not require visas for entry into the
Kingdom but all other visitors require either a
transit, visit or residence visa.
Visas
A transit visa covers three days and is only
issued if it can be proved that you could not
get to your destination without traveling
through
Saudi Arabia. For business purposes, a visit
visa is therefore mandatory. All prospective
visitors should obtain a letter of invitation
from the
company or individual Saudi sponsor. This
invitation letter is an acknowledgement that a
visa has been obtained on the visitor’s behalf
and
that authorization to issue this visa has been
sent to the Saudi embassy in the visitor’s home
country. Passports submitted in the morning
with the relevant visa number can usually be
collected the same afternoon, but check this
directly with the embassy.
Permanent residents (iqama holders) in the
Kingdom can invite family members for visits on
a
limited basis. Tourist visas are available only
for organized groups, For more information visit
General Directorate of Passports website (http://www.gdp.gov.sa/english/english-index.html)
Air Transport
The Kingdom is served by three international
airports and several regional airports. King
Khalid International Airport at Riyadh, King
Abdul
Aziz International Airport at Jeddah and King
Fahd International Airport at Dammam are all
served by carriers from around the world. Saudi
Arabian Airlines (SAUDIA), the national carrier
operates international flights to 53
destinations and all internal flights to 25
airports Kingdom wide.
Roads
The towns and cities are well connected by a
162,000 km network of roads. The western visitor
will be surprised at how even a minor road
is still a dual carriageway.
Buses
The Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO)
runs a fleet of modern, airconditioned buses
with routes to all the major cities and
towns. In major cities Saptco also operates bus
services, with a ladies’ section at the rear.
Private chocolate and cream coloured minibuses
also ply fixed routes - these are for men only.
Railways
The railway between Riyadh and Dammam has
several daily departures. Check for timings on
Riyadh 01 448 0131 or Dammam 03 8274000. .
Driving
Only men are allowed to drive in Saudi Arabia.
It is said that the driving standards get more
flamboyant the further west you travel in the
country. Wits are definitely to be kept about
you when driving in Riyadh, particularly at
roundabouts. The wearing of seatbelts is law and
it
is strongly advised that children be properly
restrained. It has noted that the police are now
equipped with speed detection devices and the
penalty for exceeding the limit is usually 24
hours in traffic jail.
Hire Cars
All the international chains as well as
independents have cars available for hire at
surprisingly low rates. A western driving
license is usually sufficient.
Taxis and Limousines
Limousines are white and are widely available.
Check that they have a meter that works before
getting in to avoid possible argument at your
destination, or agree a price in advance.
Electricity
The Kingdom produces its electricity from diesel
and natural gas, supplying reliably to
industrial, commercial and domestic consumers.
Both
110V and 220V AC is available in most houses and
380V AC is used by the industrial sector.
