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{{Infobox_Country|
|native_name = المملكة العربية السعودية<br>''Al-Mamlakah al-'Arabiyyah as-Sa'ūdiyyah''
|conventional_long_name = Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
|common_name = Saudi Arabia
|image_flag = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg
|image_coat = Coat of arms of Saudi Arabia.png
|image_map = SaudiArabiaWorldMap.png
|national_motto = ]: ]<br>(]: ''lā ilāhā illā-llāhu; muhammadun rasūlu-llāhi'')<br>(]: "There is no deity to be worshipped besides God and Muhammad is the Messenger of God")
|national_anthem = '']''
|official_languages = ]
|official_religion = ]
|capital = ]
|latd=24 |latm=39 |latNS=N |longd=46 |longm=46 |longEW=E |
|largest_city = ]
|government_type = ]
|leader_title1 = ]
|leader_title2 = ]
|leader_name1 = ]
|leader_name2 = ]
|area_rank = 14th
|area_magnitude = 1 E12
|area= 2,149,690
|areami²=829,996 <!-- Do not remove per ] -->
|percent_water = negligible
|population_estimate = 25,192,720<sup>1</sup><!--UN Common Database projection for mid-2006 (medium variant)-->
|population_estimate_year = 2006
|population_estimate_rank = 46th<sup>2</sup>
|population_census =
|population_census_year =
|population_density = 11
|population_densitymi² =29 <!-- Do not remove per ] -->
|population_density_rank = 205th
|GDP_PPP_year= 2005
|GDP_PPP = $351.996 billion<!--IMF-->
|GDP_PPP_rank = 27th
|GDP_PPP_per_capita = $ 15,338
|GDP_PPP_per_capita_rank = 46th
|sovereignty_type = ]
|sovereignty_note = As ]
|established_event1 = Declared
|established_event2 = Recognized
|established_event3 = Unified
|established_date1 = ], ]
|established_date2 = ], ]
|established_date3 = ], ]
|HDI_year = 2003
|HDI = 0.772
|HDI_rank = 77th
|HDI_category = <font color="#FFCC00">medium</font>
|currency = ]
|currency_code = SAR
|country_code = SAU
|time_zone =
|utc_offset = +3
|time_zone_DST = +3
|utc_offset_DST =
|cctld = ]
|calling_code = 966
|footnotes = <sup>1</sup>Population estimate includes 5,576,076 non-nationals<br><sup>2</sup>Rank is based on 2005 figure
}}
The '''Kingdom of Saudi Arabia''' ({{lang-ar|'''المملكة العربية السعودية'''}}) is the largest country on the ]. It borders ] on the northwest, ] on the north and northeast, ], ], ], and the ] on the east, ] on the southeast, and ] on the south, with the ] to its northeast and the ] to its west. It is called "the land of the two holy mosques", a reference to ] and ], ]'s two holiest places. In English, it is most commonly referred to as '''Saudi Arabia''' (pronounced /{{IPA|ˈsɒdɪ}}/ or /{{IPA|ˈsaudɪ əˈɹeɪ̯bɪə}}/), often as just '''Saudi''' by many English-speaking expatriates in the kingdom, or, less commonly (as in international football events or in its national press) as '''KSA'''. ('''Arabia''' is sometimes also used to refer to the nation, but the term can also refer to the entire Peninsula and its varied nations and is thus ambiguous.)

==Smelly History==
{{Main|History of Saudi Arabia}}
], converses with President ] on board a ship returning from the ] in 1945.]]
The emergence of a Saudi state began in central Arabia in about 1750. A regional ruler, ], joined forces with an Islamic cleric and reformer, ], to create a new political entity. Over the next one hundred and fifty years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the ], and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula. The Saudi state was founded by the late King ] (known internationally as Abdul Aziz bin Saud).

In ] Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud captured ], the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival ] family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued ], ], the rest of ], and the ] between ] and ]. On ] ] Abdul Aziz bin Saud became the King of Hejaz. On ] ] he took the title King of Najd (his previous Najdi title was Sultan). By the ], signed on ], ], the ] recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm, then known as the Kingdom of ] and ]. In ], these regions were unified as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The discovery of ] in March ] transformed the country economically, and has given the kingdom great prosperity.

==Poopy Politics==
<!--Please add new information into relevant articles of the series-->
{{main|Politics of Saudi Arabia}}
The central institution of Saudi Arabian Government is the ]. The Basic Law adopted in 1992 declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the sons and grandsons of the first king, ], and that the ] is the ] of the country, which is governed on the basis of Islamic law (]).
] of Saudi Arabia]]
There are no recognized political parties or national elections, except the local elections which were held in the year 2005. The king's powers are theoretically limited within the bounds of Shari'a and other Saudi traditions. He also must retain a consensus of the Saudi royal family, religious leaders (]), and other important elements in Saudi society. The Saudi government spreads ] by funding construction of mosques and ] around the world. The leading members of the royal family choose the king from among themselves with the subsequent approval of the ulema.

Saudi kings have gradually developed a central government. Since 1953, the Council of Ministers, appointed by and responsible to the king, has advised on the formulation of general policy and directed the activities of the growing bureaucracy. This council consists of a prime minister, the first prime minister and 20 ministers.

Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers, ratified by royal decree, and must be compatible with the Shari'a (Islamic law). Justice is administered according to the Shari'a by a system of religious courts whose judges are appointed by the king on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, composed of 12 senior jurists. The combination of relatively high oil prices and exports led to a revenues windfall for Saudi Arabia during 2004 and early 2005. For 2004 as a whole, Saudi Arabia earned about $116 billion in net oil export revenues, up 35 percent from 2003 revenue levels. Saudi net oil export revenues are forecast to increase in 2005 and 2006, to $150 billion and $154 billion, respectively, mainly due to higher oil prices. Increased oil prices -- and revenues -- since the price collapse of 1998 have significantly improved Saudi Arabia's economic situation, with real GDP growth of 5.2 percent in 2004, and forecasts of 5.7 percent and 4.8 percent growth for 2005 and 2006, respectively.

For fiscal year 2004, Saudi Arabia originally had been expecting a budget deficit. However, this was based on an extremely conservative price assumption of $19 per barrel for Saudi oil -- and assumed production of 7.7 million bbl/d. Both of these estimates turned out to be far below actual levels. As a result, as of mid-December 2004, the Saudi Finance Ministry was expecting a huge budget surplus of $26.1 billion, on budget revenues of $104.8 billion (nearly double the country's original estimate) and expenditures of $78.6 billion (28 percent above the approved budget levels). This surplus is being used for several purposes, including: paying down the Kingdom's public debt (to $164 billion from $176 billion at the start of 2004); extra spending on education and development projects; increased security expenditures (possibly an additional $2.5 billion dollars in 2004; see below) due to threats from terrorists; and higher payments to Saudi citizens through subsidies (for housing, education, health care, etc.). For 2005, Saudi Arabia is assuming a balanced budget, with revenues and expenditures of $74.6 billion each.

In spite of the recent surge in its oil income, Saudi Arabia continues to face serious long-term economic challenges, including high rates of unemployment (around 13 percent of Saudi nationals, possibly higher), one of the world's fastest population growth rates, and the consequent need for increased government spending. All of these place pressures on Saudi oil revenues. The Kingdom also is facing serious security threats, including a number of terrorist attacks (on foreign workers, primarily) in 2003 and 2004. In response, the Saudis reportedly have ramped up spending in the security area (reportedly by 50 percent in 2004, from $5.5 billion in 2003). Saudi Arabia's per capita oil export revenues remain far below high levels reached during the 1970s and early 1980s. In 2004, Saudi Arabia earned around $4,564 per person, versus $22,589 in 1980. This 80 percent decline in real per capita oil export revenues since 1980 is in large part due to the fact that Saudi Arabia's young population has nearly tripled since 1980, while oil export revenues in real terms have fallen by over 40 percent (despite recent increases). Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia has faced nearly two decades of heavy budget and trade deficits, the expensive 1990/1991 war with Iraq, and total public debt of around $175 billion. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia does have extensive foreign assets -- around $110 billion -- which provide a substantial fiscal "cushion."

Independence of the judiciary is protected by law. The king acts as the highest court of appeal and has the power to pardon. Access to high officials (usually at a majlis, or public audience) and the right to petition them directly are well-established traditions.

] took place in 2005 and some commentators saw this a first tentative step towards the introduction of ] processes in the Kingdom, including the legalisation of political parties. Other analysts of the Saudi political scene were more skeptical .

==== No human rights ====
{{Main|Human rights in Saudi Arabia}}
Saudi courts impose ] and ], including ]s of hands and feet for serious ], and ]; ]s for lesser crimes such as "sexual deviance" (e.g. drunkenness). These punishments are often carried out in public, to add ]. The number of lashes is not clearly prescribed by law and varies according to the discretion of the presiding judges. The number ranges from dozens to several thousand, usually applied over a period of weeks or months. In 2002, the United Nations Committee against Torture criticized Saudi Arabia over the amputations and floggings it carries out under the Shari'a. The Saudi delegation responded defending "legal traditions" held since the inception of Islam in the region 1400 years ago and rejected "interference" in its legal system.

==Dumb Provinces==
]{{Main|Provinces of Saudi Arabia}}

Saudi Arabia is divided into 13 provinces (plu. ''manaatiq''; sing. - ''mintaqah''), many named after the major city found in them:

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==Major cities of over 1,000,000==
] downtown]]
{{Main|List of cities in Saudi Arabia}}
*] (capital of Saudi Arabia)
*] (second largest city, pilgrimage gateway to Mecca, and main Red Sea port)
*] (capital of the Eastern Province and third largest metropolitan area)
*]('''Mecca''') (the holiest city in Islam)

==Other top-10 cities==
*] (the second holiest city in Islam, traditionally spelled Medina in English)
*] (mountain resort above Mecca)
*] (northwestern border city near Jordan)
*] (city in north central Arabia)
*] (major urban center of the ] oasis)
*] (large historic coastal oasis city and major ])
*] (mountain city and military base in western Arabia).

==Geography==
{{Main|Geography of Saudi Arabia}}

]
The kingdom occupies eighty percent of the ]. Most of the country's boundaries with the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen are not precisely defined, so the exact size of the country remains unknown. The Saudi government's estimate is 2,217,949 ] (856,356 ]). Other reputable estimates vary between 1,960,582 km² (756,934 mi²) and 2,240,000 km² (864,869 mi²). In any event, the kingdom is commonly listed as the 15th-largest nation (after ]), and is comparable in size to ].

Its geography is surprisingly varied. From the western coastal region (]), the land rises from sea level to a peninsula-long mountain range (jabal al-Hijaz) beyond which are plateaus. The southwestern 'Asir region has mountains as high as 3,000 metres (9,840 ]) and is known for having the greenest and freshest climate in all of the country, one that attracts many Saudis to resorts such as ] and ] in the summer months. The east is primarily rocky or sandy lowland continuing to the shores of the ]. The infamous "Empty Quarter" along the country's imprecisely defined southern borders contains the nearly lifeless ] desert.

In line with common stereotypes, much of the nation's landmass consists of ] and semi-desert, which, except for its dwindling traditional ] population, is mostly uninhabited. In these parts of the country, what vegetation there is is limited to weeds, ] herbs and shrubs. Less than 2% of the kingdom's total area is suitable for cultivation. Population centers are mainly located along the eastern and western coasts and densely populated interior oases such as ] and ]. In some extended areas, primarily the ] (The Empty Quarter), the ], there is no population whatsoever, although the petroleum industry is constructing a few planned communities there. Saudi Arabia has no permanent year-round rivers or lakes; however, its coastline extends for 2,640 kilometers (1,640 ]) and, on the ] side, offers world-class coral reefs, including those in the ].

Native animals include the ], ], ], ], and ] in the mountainous highlands. Small birds are found in the ]. The coastal area on the ] with its ]s has a rich marine ].

==Hot and Stupid Climate==

Extreme heat and aridity are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the few places in the world where summer temperatures above 50° C (120 °F) are common, while in winter frost or snow can occur in the interior and the higher mountains, although this does not occur annually. The average winter temperature range is 8° to 20°C (47° to 68 °F) in January in interior cities such as Riyadh and 19° to 29 °C (66° to 83 °F) in ] on the Red Sea coast. The average summer range in July is 27° to 43°C (81° to 109°F) in Riyadh and 27° to 38 °C (80° to 100 °F) in Jeddah. Nighttime temperatures in the mid desert can be famously chilly even in summer, as sand gives up daytime heat rapidly once the sun has set.

Annual precipitation is usually sparse (up to 100 millimetres (4 ]) in most regions), although sudden downpours can lead to violent flash floods in wadis. Annual rainfall in Riyadh averages 100 mm (4 in) and falls almost exclusively between January and May; the average in Jeddah is 54 mm (2.1 in) and occurs between November and January. Plants can still survive in Saudi Arabia, mostly in the south-east mountains and lowlands. They bloom mid-March through mid-May. The plants provide food for birds and insects.

==Bad Economy==
], the national oil company, main offices in ]]]
{{Main|Economy of Saudi Arabia}}

Saudi Arabia has an ]-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia claimed to be in possession of 260.1 billion barrels of oil reserves as of 2003, about 24% of the world's proven total petroleum reserves. It ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum and plays a leading role in ]. Moreover, according to the Saudi government, the proven reserves increase gradually as more oil fields are discovered, unlike most other oil-producing countries. It must be noted, however, that, those figures have been contested and that Saudi Arabia's actual reserves may be notably lower. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 40% of the GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 35% of the GDP comes from the private sector. Saudi Arabia was a key player in the successful efforts of OPEC and other oil producing countries to raise the price of oil in ] to its highest level since the ] by reducing production. Saudi Arabia announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies in ], which followed the ongoing privatization of the telecommunications company. The government is expected to continue calling for private sector growth to lessen the kingdom's dependence on oil and increase employment opportunities for the swelling Saudi population. Shortages of water and rapid population growth may constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.

In the 90's, Saudi Arabia experienced a significant contraction of oil revenues combined with a high rate of population growth. Per capita income has fallen from $25,000 in ] to $8,000 in ], up from about $7,000 in ]. The decline in inflation-adjusted per-capita income from 1980 to 1999 set a record, being by far the worst such decline suffered by any nation-state in history.

In 2003 the price of oil jumped to record high of 40 to 50 dollars, which triggered a second oil boom. Saudi Arabia's budget surplus has crossed $28 billion (110SR billion) in 2005. ] (The Saudi stock market Index) finished 2004 with a massive 76.23 % to close at 4437.58 points. Market capitalization was up 110.14 % from a year earlier to stand at $157.3 billion (589.93SR billion), which makes it the biggest stock market in the ].‏

OPEC limits its members oil production based on its "proven reserves." The higher their reserves, the more OPEC allows them to produce. Because of this, Saudi Arabia does not allow independent verification of their claimed "proven reserves." Over the past 15 years Saudi Arabia's claimed reserves have been flat (with the exception of an increase of about 100 billion barrels between 1987 and 1988). Many experts now believe that Saudi Arabia is greatly exaggerating its reserves and may soon show production declines (see ]).

To diversify the economy, Saudi Arabia launched a new city on the western coast with investments exceeding 26.6 billion dollars. The city which is named "]" will be built near al-Rabegh industrial city north to Jeddah. The new city, where construction work started in Dec 2005, includes a port which is ten times larger than the largest port of Rotterdam (the largest in the world) and it can anchor giant ships as well as an industrial area for the sectors of petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals and research. The city, which will expand along a coast of 35 km, also includes an educational city, a tourism zone and a financial stock market center.

Saudi Arabia officially became a ] member in December 2005.
===Terrible Foreign labour===
{{unreferenced}}
Saudi Arabia is a country in which many men and women from ], ], and ], ] and the ] seek work. There are also some people from ], ], and ]. Hundreds of thousands of low-] and skilled workers from regions of the ] migrate to Saudi Arabia, sometimes only for a short period of time, to work. Although exact figures are not known, skilled experts in the ] and services professions seek work in the Kingdom.

It is reported that a large number of guest workers present in the country are routinely subject to mistreatment, as documented by Human Rights Watch: "Domestic workers face a wide range of grave abuses and labor exploitation, including physical and sexual abuse, forced confinement, non-payment of wages, denial of food and health care and excessive working hours with no rest days, Human Rights Watch said in a new report today."

==Ugly Demographics==
{{Main|Demographics of Saudi Arabia}}

Saudi Arabia's population as of 2005 is estimated to be about 26.4 million, including about 5.6 million resident foreigners. Until the ], most of the population was ] or semi-nomadic; due to rapid economic and urban growth, more than 95% of the population now is settled. The birth rate is 29.56 births per 1,000 people. The death rate is only 2.62 deaths per 1,000 people. Some cities and oases have densities of more than 1,000 people per square kilometre (2,600/sq&nbsp;mi).

Around 80% of Saudis are ethnically ]. In addition, there are some of ], ]n ancestry. There are some 7 million migrants from countries all around the world namely: ]: 1.4 million, ]: 1 million, ]: 900,000, ]: 800,000, and ]: 750,000. Many Arabs from nearby countries are employed in the kingdom. There are around 100,000 ] in Saudi Arabia, most of whom live in ]s or ].

The Saudi government states that all citizens must be Muslim. The majority of the population adheres to a strict theological interpretation within Islam most commonly known as ] or ]. The ] of the country is estimated at over 10%, primarily in the Eastern provinces, and larger cities.

The country allows religious minorities such as ] and ] to enter the country as temporary workers. The U.S. State departments suggest that there are 500,000 to 1 million people who adhere to the ] faith.

The exit and entry visa card requirements ask applicants for their religious affiliation. [http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1012.html U.S. Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs - Consular Information Sheet]</ref>

==Retarded Education==
At the time the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932, education was not accessible to everyone and limited to individualized instruction at religious schools in mosques in urban areas. These schools taught Islamic law and basic literacy skills. By the end of the century, Saudi Arabia had a nationwide educational system providing free training from preschool through university to all citizens. The modern Saudi educational system provides quality instruction in diverse fields of modern and traditional arts and sciences. This diversity helps meet the Kingdom's growing need for highly-educated citizens to build on its rapid progress. However, the study of Islam remains at the core of the Saudi educational system.

Formal primary education began in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. By 1945, King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud, the country's founder, had initiated an extensive program to establish schools in the Kingdom. Six years later, in 1951, the country had 226 schools with 29,887 students. In 1954, the Ministry of Education was established, headed by then Prince Fahd bin Abdulaziz as the first Minister of Education. The first university, now known as King Saud University, was founded in Riyadh in 1957.

Today, Saudi Arabia's nationwide public educational system comprises eight universities, more than 24,000 schools, and a large number of colleges and other educational and training institutions. Open to every citizen, the system provides students with free education, books and health services. Over 25 percent of the annual State budget is for education including vocational training. The Kingdom has also worked on scholarship programs to send students overseas, mainly to the ], ], the ], ], ], ] and other nations. Over the past couple of years, thousands of students have been sent to higher-educations programs each year.

==Bad at Sports==
Sports are a very popular pastime for the young men and women in Saudi Arabia. Even though soccer is the most played game, Saudi Arabia has participated in many world games such as the ], ], ] and other sports. The ] is most known for qualifying in four consecutive times in the ] and six times at the ], which the team won three times and was runner-up two times. Some popular soccer players include ], ], and ].

==Bad Culture==
{{Main|Culture of Saudi Arabia|Music of Saudi Arabia|Islam in Saudi Arabia}}

]. ]]]
]. ]]]
]
]]]
]]]

Saudi Arabian culture revolves almost entirely around the religion of ]. Islam's two holiest sites, ] and ], are located in the country. Every day, five times a day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques which dot the country. The weekend consists of Thursday and Friday. The public practice of any religion other than Islam, including Christianity and Judaism, the presence of churches, and open possession of Christian religious materials are outlawed in Saudi Arabia. If somebody breaks that law, they are beheaded. Islam's holy book the ] is Saudi Arabia's constitution, and ] (Islamic law) is the foundation of its legal system. See ]

One of Saudi Arabia's most compelling folk rituals is the ], the country's national dance. This sword dance is based on ancient ] traditions: drummers beat out a rhythm and a poet chants verses while sword-carrying men dance shoulder to shoulder. ] folk music, from the ], has its origins in Arab ], a region of medieval ]. In ], ] and ], dance and song incorporate the sound of the ], an ]-like woodwind instrument. The ] is also an important instrument according to traditional and tribal customs.

Saudi Arabian dress is strongly symbolic, representing the people's ties to the land, the past, and Islam. The predominantly loose and flowing, but covering garments reflect the practicalities of life in a desert country as well as Islam's emphasis on conservative dress. Traditionally, men usually wear an ankle-length shirt woven from wool or cotton (known as a ]), with a ] (a large checkered square of cotton held in place by a cord coil) or a ] (a plain white square made of finer cotton, also held in place by a cord coil) worn on the head. For rare chilly days, Saudi men wear a camel-hair cloak (]) over the top. Women's clothes are decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread, and appliques. However, Saudi women must wear a long cloak (]) and veil (]) when they leave the house to protect their ]. The law does not apply to foreigners at such a high degree, but both men and women are told to dress modestly.

Islam forbids the eating of ] and the drinking of ], and this law is enforced strictly throughout Saudi Arabia. Arabic unleavened bread, or ], is eaten with almost all meals. Other staples include cooked lamb, grilled ], ] (deep-fried ] balls), ] (spit-cooked sliced ]), and ] (a paste of ]s, ] and ]). Traditional ] houses used to be ubiquitous, but are now being displaced by food-hall style cafes. Arabic tea is also a famous custom, which is used in both casual and formal meetings between friends, family and even strangers. The tea is black (without milk) and has herbal flavoring that comes in many variations.

Public theatres and ] are prohibited, as ] tradition deems those institutions to be incompatible with ]. However, in private compounds such as ] and ] public theaters can be found, but often are more popular for local music, arts, and theatre productions rather than the exhibition of motion pictures. Recently plans for some cinemas that will allow Arabic cartoons to be featured in cinemas for women and children were announced. Videos and DVDs of popular American movies are legal and widely available.

The cultural heritage is celebrated at the annual ] Cultural festival. During this event, the Saudi national cake, carrot cake, is handed out to visitors.

==Don't See==
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Revision as of 21:36, 4 November 2006

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