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MiddleEast > SaudiArabia > Introduction
| S A
U D I A R A B I A |
| From as long as memory recalls, Arabia
has seduced travelers and storytellers with its mystery, its magic, its romance
and because of its inaccessibility. Many have come here to understand the Bedouin, to
share his tent and to sit by his fire under a starry sky - to experience life in the
desert in all its simplicity and with all its complexities. Whirlwinds of sand,
rhythmic thunder of hooves and rising clouds of dust draw closer and give way to reveal
fast riding, hawk eyed Bedouins - the long time denizens of this most inhospitable of
deserts, the mysterious Arabia of a thousand nights. |
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Petrodollars have
transformed a nation of militant clans into financial fatcats, oil billionaires and
limousine riding sheikhs. The Bedouin who rode the wind now holds the reins of the global
economy. But despite its wealth and its apparent modernisation, Saudi Arabia remains
a conservative Arab/Muslim country, where you have to watch the ps and qs of your
behaviour and follow the Islamic code of conduct. |
| The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the
largest country in the Middle East and occupies about four-fifths of the Arabian
Peninsula. It stands at the crossroads of three continents: Europe, Asia and Africa.
It holds an important place in the religious map of the world as the cradle of Islam, the
world's second largest religion. Mecca and Madina, Islam's holiest shrines, are in Saudi
Arabia. Uncountable pilgrims make their way into this country from all over the world.
Many rules and regulations hassle a non-Muslim in obtaining a visa. But
perseverance pays, and once you manage to get inside (legally of course), you will find
innumerable attractions and the chance to see modernity in tandem with tradition. |
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F A C
T B O X |
| Full name |
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |
| Area |
2,331,000 sq km (900,000 sq mi) |
| Population |
24,293,884 (2003) |
| Capital |
Riyadh (Population 1.5 million) |
| People |
Arabs |
| Language |
Arabic, but English is widely used in commerce and business. |
| Religion |
Islam |
| Govt type |
Monarchy |
| Head of State |
King Fahd ibn Abdul Aziz al- Saud |
| Currency |
Saudi Riyal |
| Time |
GMT +3 |
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