Saudi Arabia is a Middle Eastern country in Asia that occupies most of the Arabian peninsula and has both Persian Gulf and Red Sea coast lines. Its surrounding countries are Jordan to the northwest, Iraq to the northeast, Kuwait and Qatar to the east, United Arab Emirates to the south east, Oman and Yemen to the south.
Saudi Arabia contains the holy Muslim site of Mecca, a place that all Muslims try to pilgrimage to at least once in their life.
Much of Saudi Arabia (about 98%) is desert and is largely uninhabited. Only the existence of petroleum, and the wealth it generates, tempts people to explore and live in much of this harsh landscape.
Regions
13 provinces (mintaqat, singular - mintaqah)
Cities
Other destinations
Some people make excursions into the desert to look at the railway
line the Turks tried to build and that Lawrence and his lads
repeatedly blew up.
For foreigners, this requires a group of four-wheel-drive vehicles
well supplied with tow ropes for getting each other out when they
bog down in sand. Large numbers of local Arabs drive around the
same area in two-wheel drive Toyota trucks, and never seem
to bog down.
Understand
Saudi Arabia is one of two countries named for their royal families, along with The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The family were sheiks of Nejd, the area around Riyahd, but were driven out by a neighbouring tribe, hiding with their relatives, the sultan of Kuwait. Then in 1902, young Abd al-Aziz Ibn Saud and a few dozen lads rode out to raid their home territory. As it turned out, the invaders had been ruling badly, so many locals joined them. They not only re-captured Riyadh, but much of the surrounding territory.
After that, Abdul Aziz set out on a 30-year campaign to unify the Arabian Peninsula. The area united under him became known as Saudi Arabia.
In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia accepted the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its soil for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, unemployment, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.
Economy
Saudi Arabia is an oil-based economy with strong government controls over major economic activities. Saudi Arabia has the largest reserves of petroleum in the world (26% of the proved reserves), ranks as the largest exporter of petroleum, and plays a leading role in OPEC. The petroleum sector accounts for roughly 75% of budget revenues, 45% of GDP, and 90% of export earnings. About 25% of GDP comes from the private sector.
Roughly 4 million foreign workers play an important role in the Saudi economy, for example, in the oil and service sectors. Riyadh expects to have a budget deficit in 2002, in part because of increased spending for education and other social programs.
The government in 1999 announced plans to begin privatizing the electricity companies, which follows 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 will constrain government efforts to increase self-sufficiency in agricultural products.
Unemployment among young Saudis is a very serious problem. While part of this can be explained by Saudi reluctance to take many types of work, it is also true that imported labor is much, much cheaper than that of the locals.
Geography
; Climate : harsh, dry desert with great temperature extremes
; Terrain : mostly uninhabited, sandy desert
; Elevation extremes : lowest point: Persian Gulf 0 m
highest point: Jabal Sawda' 3,133 m
; Natural resources : petroleum, natural gas, iron ore, gold, copper
; Land use : arable land: 1.72%
permanent crops: 0.06%
other: 98.22% (1998 est.)
Holidays
; National holiday : Unification of the Kingdom, 23 September (1932)*
Eid-Ul-Fitr
Eid-Ul-Adha
Get in
Saudi Arabia has some of the most restrictive travel policies in the world, and advance visas are required for all foreigners desiring to enter or leave. The only important exception are residents of the Gulf Cooperation Council nations. Nationals of Israel and those with evidence of visiting Israel will be denied visas, although in theory merely being Jewish in and of itself is not a disqualifying factor.
However, things have loosened up a little compared to the past. Tourist visas, long near-impossible without a Saudi sponsor, are now available but only for guided tours. Transit visas are limited to some long-distance truck drivers. Hajj (pilgrimage) visas are issued by the Saudi government through Saudi embassies around the world in cooperation with local mosques. Hajjis, and those on transit visas are prohibited from traveling freely throughout the kingdom.
Most visitors are guest workers. These visas are provided by the Saudi government to employers.
Exit visas are required to leave. Note that if you have a work visa, you cannot get an exit visa without a signature from your employer. There have been cases of people unable to leave because of controversy with employers.
Saudi Arabia has very rigorous customs inspections at all entry points. Alcoholic beverages, pork, non-Islamic religious materials and pornography (very widely defined) are all prohibited. Computers, VCR tapes and DVDs have all been seized from time to time for inspection by the authorities. A visitor should expect all bags to be opened or x-rayed.
By plane
Saudi Arabia has 3 international airports at Riyadh, Jeddah and Ad Dammam. The airport at Dhahran is now closed to civil traffic, so passengers to the Eastern Region now fly into Dammam.
Saudi Arabia is served by the national airline, Saudia as well as Gulf Air, Alitalia, Air France, Lufthansa, Pakistan International Airlines, Air India, Royal Dutch Airlines (KLM), Qatar Airways and now SriLankan Airlines. British Airways stopped service to the kingdom in March, 2005. During the Hajj, numerous charter flights supplement the scheduled airlines.
A popular option is to fly into nearby Bahrain and then cross into Saudi Arabia by car.
By train
There are no railroads connecting Saudi Arabia with other countries.But there is a railway connection between Dammam-Hasa-Riyadh
By car
Automobile crossings exist on all the borders, although those into Iraq are currently closed.
By bus
The Saudi Arabian Public Transport Company (SAPTCO) operates intra- and inter-city buses as well as international buses between the kingdom and Bahrain and the UAE.
By boat
A passenger ferry runs between Saudi Arabia and Egypt.
Get around
By plane
In addition to Saudia, low-cost carrier Nas Air flies from Riyadh to Jeddah and Medina, with additional destinations planned soon.
Also a new airline called "Sama Air" has begun its domestic operations covering destinations like Jeddah, Madinah, Riyadh, Dharan, Tabuk, Nejran, Abha, etc...
By train
Several passenger trains run each day from Dammam to Riyadh. Arrive early at the station as the trains are often sold out. You must buy tickets at the station.
By taxi
In Riyadh, Taxis will charge you anywhere between SR5 for nearby distances to SR20 for city outskirts.
Taxi drivers at airports use a fixed rate to take you in a drive from and to airports.
By motorcycle
The popularity of motorcycles are rapidly growing all over Saudi Arabia now, you can ride your motorcycle around to see the country in a special way..
Talk
Arabic is the official language of the Kingdom, although English is widely spoken. Hindi and Urdu is extensively used in the marketplaces and by sub-continent expatriates. All major languages are spoken in the markets of Makkah. There is a significant Tagalog speaking expatriate minority as well.
Nearly all road signs are in English as well as Arabic.
Buy
The Saudi currency is the Saudi riyal (SAR), which trades at a fixed 3.7450 to the US dollar since 1986.
Prices are generally fairly expensive. Figure on US$25/50/100 for budget, midrange and splurge-level daily travel costs.
Few local products are of interest to tourists. Locally grown dates are of high quality, and religious paraphernalia is widely available, but almost exclusively imported. Copies of the Holy Quran are produced in a wide range of editions and sold at very low prices. Zam zam water is available throughout the Western Region and at all airports.
Carpets are a favorite purchase, most of these coming from nearby Iran. Jeddah in particular has lots of carpets, many brought by pilgrims who sell them there to help finance their trip to Mecca.
Large gold and jewelry markets are prominent in all major cities. Bargaining is a norm in most small to medium sized stores. Makkah and Medina offer a lot of variety in terms of luggage, clothing, jewelry, knick-knacks, souvenirs, toys, food, perfume, incense, and religious literature, audio, and paraphernalia.
Large, well maintained air-conditioned malls and grocery stores (i.e. Safeway, Giant Stores) are scattered throughout the kingdom.
Do
Entertainment in Saudi Arabia is very family-oriented. There are few activities for just couples or singles. Single men are usually frowned upon in family areas. Family beaches are partitioned from the bachelor beaches, for example. Women are generally expected to be accompanied by a male in public.
ATV rentals are often found along the roadside on the outskirts of major cities. Amusement parks (many of them indoor) are often found near malls or beaches. Desert excursions are particularly popular with the native Arabs. There are few desert dune bashing tour operators, if any. Many upscale hotels provide light activities (specially hotels located along the beaches). Many large cities have public parks and small zoos. Horseback riding, camel riding, etc. are also available at horse-racing tracks and some popular beaches.
Eat
There are numerous American franchises operating in the various cities, including McDonalds, Burger King, Little Caesars, Cinnabon, Pizza Hut, Subway, and Dunkin' Donuts. In addition to chains well-known in Europe and North America, there are some local businesses such as:
Your local Saudi or expatriate host may be able to show you some places.
In the evenings, very affordable shawarma is available throughout medium to large cities.
For fine dining, most of the best restaurants are to be found in the larger international hotel chains.
Drink
It's fair to say nobody comes to Saudi Arabia for the alcohol culture.
Alcoholic beverages are strictly forbidden throughout the country. The police generally turn a blind eye to goings-on inside compounds for foreign expats. However, if they catch people involved in smuggling or distilling booze in quantity, then expat or not, Saudi law applies. A foreigner may not get the sentence a local would, but can expect a few days or weeks jail, public flogging, and deportation.
Do not drink and drive! is good advice anywhere, but especially in Saudi Arabia. If you have an accident, or otherwise attract police attention, the consequences might be serious indeed.
The locally-brewed white lightning called "siddiqi" (Arabic for "my friend") or just "sid" is of course illegal. It is also extremely potent (anything up to 90-odd percent alcohol) and remarkably unpalatble.
"Saudi champagne" is common in restaurants. Fill a large pitcher with ice cubes, then pour in equal quantities of apple juice and soda water. This is surprisingly palatable and probably quite good for you. In the heat you need fluids and the salts in the soda as well.
Although tap-water is safe for drinking, it reportedly has a stale smell. It's also very warm coming out of the cold-water tap (therefore people either refrigerate their water, or buy cold bottled-water).
Sleep
Hotels of all types are available throughout the Kingdom. Most tourist cities (i.e. Makkah, Medina, Taif, Al Abha) will also have very affordable and spacious shigka-maafroosha (short-term furnished rental apartments). Shigka-maafroosha owners generally loiter in hotel lobbies. Often, they will approach civilized-looking people (generally families) and make an offer. Prices for shigka-mafrooshas and small hotels are always negotiable to a great degree. Smaller hotels will only accept cash, normally in advance.
Larger, more expensive hotels are abundant in all major cities. The prices for 4 to 5 star hotels are comparable to international rates. Higher-end hotels in Saudi Arabia offer extensive room-service and amenities.
Stay healthy
Saudi Arabia is a developing country with both First- and Third-World aspects to health.
The Kingdom has a wide-reaching national health-care system. The services provided by this program are quite basic.
Private hospitals are often run with the participation of foreign partners. These facilities range from fairly rudimentary to very advanced and very expensive. Pharmacies are widely available and prescriptions are not required for most medications. Psychoactive medications are tightly controlled and available only through government pharmacies.
The public health situation in Saudi Arabia also ranges from one extreme to another. While a modern infrastructure is in place. Cleanliness in the preparation of food in commercial establishments can be substandard.
Bottled water is easily available, and as they say, is more expensive than gasoline (which in July, 2006, costs $0.6 per gallon)
An aggressive program of inoculations is recommended to persons traveling to Saudi Arabia, specially in populous locations such as Makkah and Medina (where you are likely to come in close contact with people from all sorts of different countries).
Work
There are quite a few jobs for expatriates in Saudi Arabia. Generally, the pay is good but foreigners find the strictly Muslim society a difficult place to live. See Teaching English for more information.
To get a working visa, you must have a Saudi sponsor. Then to get an exit visa, you need your sponsor's signature. Sometimes this leads to problems.
Stay safe
.
There is currently a low-level insurgency which targets foreigners in general and Westerners in particular. It is prudent not to draw attention to oneself. Foreigners should register their presence with their embassy or consulate. Emergency alert systems using e-mail and cell phone messages are maintained by many governments for their guest workers.
While crime is low by Western standards, a certain background level of non-violent opportunistic theft does exist. Locking doors and keeping valuables on one's person is called for. Violations of Saudi law can bring a visitor into contact with the local police and justice systems. Corporal and capital punishment are both used against both Saudi and other nationals. Embassies can provide only limited help in these situations.
Additionally, in the month of Ramadan, everyone is expected to respect the fast of Ramadan and not eat or drink in public since all Muslims will be fasting.
Respect
Saudi Arabians adhere strictly to the Islamic faith. Public expressions of religions other than Islam are forbidden. Insulting Islam is punishable.
The flag of Saudi Arabia bears the Islamic declaration of faith. Any inappropriate use of the flag is considered insulting.
Saudi etiquette is complex. That being said, should a visitor cause some minor offense, the reaction would generally be amusement rather than anger.
Women, be they local or foreign, are all required to wear an abaya, a long and loose black robe. While a headscarf is optional for non-Saudi females, one should at least be brought along in order to avoid possible harassment from the Muttawah (religious police) or to be used as a means of deflecting attention from potentially aggravating men, especially in case of blondes. Men with long hair might want to consider a cut before entering the kingdom, although shoulder-length locks can be considered reasonable, anything longer can be considered as grounds for rejection from shopping malls and public places by the Muttawah. Insulting the King and the Royal Family is extremely serious in Saudi Arabia and results in the death sentence.
Contact
Police: 999
Car Accidents: 993
Ambulance: 997
Fire: 998
Phone Directory (Fees Apply): 905
-- 17:27, 31 May 2007 (EDT)Badr Al Saif
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Saʻūdiyya) is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Jordan on the northwest, Iraq on the north and northeast, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on the southeast, and Yemen on the south, with the Persian Gulf to its northeast and the Red Sea to its west.
The Kingdom is sometimes called "The Lands of The Two Holy Mosques" in reference to Mecca and Medina, the two holiest places in Islam. In English, it is most commonly referred to as Saudi Arabia (pronounced // or //), often as just Saudi or the Kingdom by many English-speaking expatriates in the kingdom, or, less commonly (as in international football events or in the national press) as KSA or SA. Sometimes Arabia is used to refer to the nation, but the term can also refer to the entire Arabian Peninsula. The Arabic short form is usually as-Saʻūdiyya (السعودية), but local citizens often just refer to the nation as al-Mamlaka (the Kingdom).
Saudi Arabia is the world's leading petroleum exporter and petroleum exports fuel the Saudi economy. Oil accounts for more than 90 percent of exports and nearly 75 percent of government revenues, facilitating the creation of a welfare state, which the government has found difficult to fund during periods of low oil prices.
History
Although the region in which the country stands today has an ancient history, the emergence of the Saudi dynasty began in central Arabia in 1744. That year, Muhammad bin Saud, the ruler of the town of Ad-Dir'iyyah near Riyadh, joined forces with a cleric, Muhammad ibn Abd-al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. This alliance formed in the 18th Century remains the basis of Saudi Arabian dynastic rule today. Over the next 150 years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula. The Saudi state was founded by the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz bin Saud).
In 1902 at the age of only 22, Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud re-captured Riyadh, the Al-Saud dynasty's ancestral capital, from the rival Al-Rashid family. Continuing his conquests, Abdul Aziz subdued Al-Hasa, Al-Qatif, the rest of Nejd, and Hejaz between 1913 and 1926. On 8 January 1926 Abdul Aziz bin Saud became the King of Hejaz. On 29 January 1927 he took the title King of Nejd (his previous Nejdi title was Sultan). By the Treaty of Jedda, signed on 20 May 1927, the United Kingdom recognized the independence of Abdul Aziz's realm, then known as the Kingdom of Nejd and Hejaz. In 1932, the principle regions of Al-Hasa, Qatif, Nejd and Hejaz were unified to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
Abdul Aziz's military and political successes were not mirrored economically until vast reserves of oil were discovered in March 1938. Development programmes, which were delayed due to the onset of the Second World War in 1939, began in earnest in 1946 and by 1949 production was in full swing. Oil has provided Saudi Arabia with economic prosperity and a great deal of leverage in the international community.
Internationally Abdul Aziz initially chose to follow an isolationist policy. He refused to allow Saudi Arabia to join the League of Nations, and he chose to leave his kingdom on only three occasions from 1916 until his death in 1953. One of which was the meeting with President Roosevelt pictured above. Eventually however Abdul Aziz acceded to the realities of world politics and in 1945 Saudi Arabia became a founding member of the Arab League and joined the United Nations.
Prior to his death in 1953 Abdul Aziz, aware of the difficulties facing other regional absolute rulers reliant on extended family networks, attempted to regulate the succession. He took steps to provide that his eldest living son, Saud, would become king but that he would be required to work closely with his more financially and diplomatically astute brother, Faisal.
Saud succeeded to the throne on his father's death in 1953. However by the early 1960s the Kingdom was in jeopardy due to Saud's economic mismanagement and failure to deal effectively with a regional challenge from Egyptian president Gamal Abdel Nasser. As a consequence Saud was deposed in favour of Faisal in 1964.
Intra-family rivalry was one of the factors that led to the assassination of Faisal by his nephew, Prince Faisal bin Musa'id, in 1975. He was succeeded by King Khalid until 1982 and then by King Fahd. When Fahd died in 2005, his half-brother Abdullah ascended to the throne.
Military
Saudi military was founded as the Ikhwan army, the tribal army of Ibn Saud. The Ikhwan had helped king Ibn Saud conquer the Arabian peninsula during the First World War.
By expanding the military forces years later, Saudi Arabian today has many military branches.
Military branches of Ministry of Defence :
:Army
:Air Force
:Navy
:Air Defense
Independent Military branches:
:National Guard
:Royal Guard
Military branches of Ministry of Interior:
:Saudi Arabian Police Force
:Saudi Arabian Border Guard
::Saudi Border Guard
::Saudi Coast Guard
:Al-Mujahidoon
:Saudi Emergency Force
Politics
The central institution of the Saudi Arabian government is the Saudi monarchy. The Basic Law of Government adopted in 1992 declared that Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by the sons and grandsons of the first king, Abd Al Aziz Al Saud, it also claims that the Qur'an is the constitution of the country, which is governed on the basis of Islamic law (Sharia) .
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 (ulema), and other important elements in Saudi society. The Saudi government spreads Islam by funding construction of mosques and Qur'an schools 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 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 twenty ministers.
Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers, ratified by royal decree, and must be compatible with the Shari'a. A 150-member Consultative Assembly, appointed by the King, has limited legislative rights. 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 twelve senior jurists. 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; a public audience) and the right to petition them directly are well-established traditions.
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 consequent 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% and 4.8% 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 an 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 (12 percent of Saudi nationals ), 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."
Saudi municipal elections took place in 2005 and some commentators saw this a first tentative step towards the introduction of democratic processes in the Kingdom, including the legalization of political parties. Other analysts of the Saudi political scene were more skeptical.
Legal system
Saudi Arabia does not have much of a formal criminal code, and thus much of its law is derived from an ultra-conservative form of Sunni Islam commonly Wahhabism or Salafism. To that end judges are free to impose capital punishment or corporal punishment, including amputations of hands and feet for certain crimes such as murder, robbery, rape, drug smuggling and for various forms of sexual behavior such as homosexuality and adultery. The courts may impose less severe punishments, such as floggings, for less serious crimes against public morality such as drunkenness .
The punishments, especially the executions, are carried out in public in order to add humiliation to the convicted person and also to act as a deterrence. Judges are generally given a tremendous amount of discretion in deciding how to punish a particular individual, and will make such decisions based on the particular school of Islam that they follow. For example;
Theft is punishable by the amputation of the right hand, unless the thief is poor and the stolen money is from public sources or a company (i.e. the thief is a well-off adult who stole private, secure money). If the right hand has already been amputated, the left hand is chosen instead.
Drinking, selling, or buying alcohol and sniffing drugs or injecting drugs is punished by a sentence of eighty lashes. Smuggling heroin or cocaine into the country is punished by death (beheading with a sword).
Fornication is normally punished with 40 lashes. During flogging, the face, head and vital organs of the person are protected.
Adultery can only be proven by the testimony of four reliable witnesses. It is punishable by death by stoning.
Murder, accidental death and bodily harm are open to punishment from the victim's family. Retribution may be sought in kind or through blood money. The blood money payable for a woman's accidental death is half as much as that for a man. The main reason for this is that, according to Islamic law, men are expected to be providers for their families and therefore are expected to earn more money in their lifetimes. The blood money from a man would be expected to sustain his family, for at least a short time.
Human rights
Several international human rights organizations, such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and the United Nations Human Rights Committee have issued reports critical of the Saudi legal system and its human rights record in various political, legal, and social areas. The Saudi government typically dismisses such reports as being outright lies or asserts that its actions are based on its adherence to Islamic law.
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 its legal traditions held since the inception of Islam in the region 1400 years ago and rejected "interference" in its legal system.
Opposition movements
There have been no military opposition movements with the exception of Al-Qaeda, however there have been two serious attempts to overthrow the Saudi royal family: The first was on 1979-11-20, when heavily armed and provisioned Sunni Islamic fundamentalists, consisting of Saudis and Egyptians enrolled in Islamic studies at the Islamic University of Medina, took over and besieged Al-Masjid al-Haram in Mecca. The other was in the year 1980 by Shia Muslims in the Eastern part of the country. The movement was allegedly supported by the Iranian government.
The current main opponents of the government are now the Movement for Islamic Reform in Arabia and al-Qaeda.
Foreign relations
Saudi Arabia is one of the largest contributors of development aid, both in term of volume of aid and in the ratio of aid volume to GDP.
See also
Lists
Bibliography
External links
Government
Overviews
Directories
Other links
