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Destination : SAUDI ARABIA

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies four fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. Its precise area is uncertain because several boundaries remain undefined, but the government estimates the kingdom's size to be approximately 864,900 square miles (2,240,000 square kilometers). Saudi Arabia is separated from Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia by the Red Sea to the west; from Iran by the Persian Gulf to the east; and from Bahrain by the Gulf of Bahrain, also to the east. It shares land boundaries with seven other Arab countries: Jordan, Iraq, and Kuwait to the north; the Republic of Yemen and Oman to the south; and the United Arab Emirates and Qatar to the east. Saudi Arabia has a number of tourist areas visited by a large number of citizens for recreation during their leisure time. The main tourist areas are : Coastal areas with sea fronts such as Jeddah in the Western Region and Dammam in the East. Areas of natural beauty: such as Taif, Al Baha and Abha. Historical sites: such as Mada'in Salih in Diriyah which are known for their antiquity.
Islam’s two holiest cities, Makkah (Mecca in English) and Madinah, are located in Saudi Arabia. Makkah is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, the location of the Holy Kaaba, and the focal point of the Islamic Pilgrimage (Hajj). Madinah is the city to which the Prophet Muhammad emigrated, and where he lived. About two million Muslims from Saudi Arabia and around the world come to Makkah each year in observance of the Hajj.

Saudi Arabia’s capital is Riyadh, which lies in the central region. The oil boom initiated an era of growth in the city that continues to this day. Riyadh is often thought of as the high-tech center of modern Saudi Arabia. The Kingdom’s increasingly important position in regional affairs is reflected in the choice of Riyadh for the headquarters of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC).

All Saudis are Arab Muslims, as are over half the foreigners. In 1990 foreign work force included large numbers of Egyptians, Yemenis, Jordanians, Bahrainis, Pakistanis, Indians, and Filipinos, in that order. Arabic is the language of all Saudis. There is a strict Wahhabi interpretation of Sunni Islam, the official faith of about 95 percent of Saudis. The remaining 5 % are Shia, most of whom reside in vicinity of Al Ahsa and Al Qatif in Eastern Province. Public worship by non-Muslims is prohibited.
Saudi Arabia is the birth-place of Islam. The remnants of an earlier civilization found in Saudi Arabia show that settlements along the Gulf coast had links with the Ubaid culture in Mesopotamia. During the historical eras, there were close links between the region and other centres overlooking the Gulf coast and Mesopotamia. As Arab traders began to transport their goods overland between Yemen and Levant using camel caravans, trading routes became established and cities like Mecca and Medinah grew up.

The region’s modern history is closely linked to the Al Saud dynasty and the history of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia dates back to 1747. In that year, the ruler of the central Arabian Peninsula, Muhammad Bin Saud, formed an alliance with the Muslim scholar and reformer Muhammad Bin Abdul Wahhab. That partnership led to the founding of the modern state. The Al-Saud family ruled much of the Arabian Peninsula throughout the 19th century. In 1902, Abdul Aziz Bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud succeeded in recapturing Riyadh from Al-Rashid and in the following thirty years united the numerous and diverse tribes into one nation.

On September 23, 1932, King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud founded the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A majority of world powers recognized the sovereignty of the new nation. In 1933 King Abdul Aziz commissioned a survey of the country's natural resources, and in 1937 oil was discovered. Commercial production of this precious commodity, of which Saudi Arabia has the largest known reserves (25 percent of the entire planet's proven oil reserves), began in 1938. Facilitated by increasing oil revenues, the country began its successful modernization, based on a series of five-year development plans.

King Abdul Aziz developed international relations with the world's great powers. Early in 1945, King Abdul Aziz met with U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt aboard the USS Quincy near the southern end of the Suez Canal. In the same year King Abdul Aziz met with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. Over the past six decades, Saudi Arabia has developed a special relationship with the United States, based on mutual respect and common interests.

After the death of his father in 1953, King Saud Bin Abdul Aziz assumed leadership of the Kingdom. King Saud created the country's welfare structure during his 11 year reign and was also noted for his generosity to Islamic causes. King Faisal succeeded his brother Saud in 1964, and it was during his rule that Saudi Arabia achieved a major breakthrough in industrial growth. King Faisal stabilized the economy and employed the country's vast oil revenues in a massive national development program. In 1975 King Faisal died and was succeeded by his brother King Khalid Bin Abdul Aziz. Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz was named Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister.

King Khalid oversaw the implementation of the second five-year development plan (1975-1979) and the creation of the third five-year development plan (1980-1984). Saudi Arabia began to diversify its economic base and edged toward the completion of its infrastructure. When King Khalid passed away in 1982, Crown Prince Fahd became the leader of the Kingdom. His brother, Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz, was named Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister. Since then, The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd Bin Abdul Aziz and Crown Prince Abdullah Bin Abdul Aziz have made a strong commitment to industrialization, agriculture and education, playing a major role in promoting the welfare of all Saudi citizens.