Saudi Arabia Overview Country Overview Saudi Arabia occupies four-fifths of the Arabian peninsula. Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, the Gulf of Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen border it. To the west lies the Red Sea. Riyadh (Ryad), the royal capital, is a modern city built on the site of the original town. Apart from the fort and a few traditional Najdi palaces near Deera Square, little trace of the old town remains. The west coast is a centre for trade, but of equal importance is the concentration of Islamic holy cities, including Mecca and Medina. The region also includes the city of Jeddah, until recently Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic capital, which remains the most important commercial and cultural gateway to the country. Mecca: The spiritual centre of the Islamic world. Places of significance to Muslims include the Kaabah Enclosure and the House of Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib, where Muhammad was born. Jeddah: Priority has been given to the preservation of the ancient city, but leisure facilities have increased and the corniche has a ‘Brighton’ feel about it. The main meat meal of the day is lunch, usually either kultra (meat on skewers) or kebabs served with soup and vegetables. General Information Area: 2,240,000 sq km (864,869 sq miles). Population: 19,895,000 (1999). Population Density: 8.9 per sq km. Capital: Riyadh (royal). Population: 2,046,300 (1992). Jeddah (administrative). Population: 2,776,100 (1992). GEOGRAPHY: Saudi Arabia occupies four-fifths of the Arabian peninsula. It is bordered to the northwest by Jordan, to the north by Iraq and Kuwait, to the east by the Gulf of Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Oman, and to the south by Yemen. To the west lies the Red Sea. Along the Red Sea coast is a narrow coastal strip (Tihama) which becomes relatively hotter and more humid towards the south and has areas of extensive tidal flats and lava fields. Behind this coastal plain is a series of plateaux reaching up to 2000m (6560ft). The southern part of this range, Asir, has some peaks of over 3000m (9840ft). North of these mountains, in the far north, is An Nafud, a sand sea, and further south the landscape rises to Najd, a semi-desert area scattered with oases. Still further south the land falls away, levelling out to unremitting desert, the uninhabited ‘Empty Quarter’ or Rub al Khali. Along the Gulf coast is a low fertile plain giving way to limestone ridges inland. Government: Absolute monarchy since 1932. Head of State and Government: King Fahd Ibn Abd al-Aziz As-Sa'ud since 1982. Language: Arabic. English is spoken in business circles. Religion: The majority of Saudi Arabians follow Islam; around 85 per cent are Sunni Muslim, but Shia Muslims predominate in the Eastern Province. Time: GMT + 3. Electricity: 125/215 volts AC, 50/60Hz. Telephone A sophisticated telecommunications network and satellite, microwave and cable systems span the country. Full IDD is available. Outgoing international code: 00. Mobile telephone GSM 900 band networks are available in over 45 cities. Main network providers include Electronics App Est (website: www.eae.com.sa), Saudi Telecom Company (website: www.stc.com.sa) and Awalnet (website: www.awalnet.net.sa/english) Fax Major hotels provide facilities. Internet The Ministry of Post, Telegraph and Telephones provides Internet facilities in most cities. E-mail can also be accessed from many hotels and Internet cafes. Main ISPs include Arab Net (website: www.arab.net.sa) and Shabakah (website: www.shabakah.net.sa). Telegram Telegrams can be sent from all post offices. Post Internal and international services available from the Central Post Office. Post is delivered to box numbers. Airmail to Europe takes up to a week. Surface mail takes up to five months. Press The main newspapers include Ar-Riyadh and Al-Jazirah. English-language dailies include Arab News, Saudi Gazette and Riyadh Daily. BBC World Service and Voice of America frequencies: From time to time these change. BBC (website: www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice): MHz 15.58 11.76 9.410 1.413 Voice of America (website: www.voa.gov): MHz 15.21 11.82 9.760 1.197 Passport/Visa   Passport Required? Visa Required? Return Ticket Required? British Yes Yes Yes Australian Yes Yes Yes Canadian Yes Yes Yes USA Yes Yes Yes OtherEU Yes Yes Yes Japanese Yes Yes Yes Restricted entry: (a) Holders of an Israeli passport or passports with Israeli stamps in them. (b) Passengers not complying with Saudi conventions of dress and behaviour, including those who appear to be in a state of intoxication, will be refused entry (see Social Conventions section). (c) There are special regulations concerning pilgrims entering Saudi Arabia. Contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy) for further information. Note: (a) Unaccompanied women must be met at the airport by their sponsor or husband and have confirmed onward reservations as far as their final destination in Saudi Arabia. If met by a sponsor, it is worth noting that there are restrictions on women travelling by car with men who are not related by blood or marriage. However it is acceptable for women visiting for business purposes to be accompanied and met at the airport by male business partners: further enquiries can be made at the Information Centre or Embassy. (b) No foreign passenger who is working as a domestic servant in Saudi Arabia should be transported to Saudi Arabia unless holding a valid non-refundable return ticket. PASSPORTS: A valid passport is required by all except Muslim pilgrims holding ‘Pilgrim Passes’, tickets and other documents for their onward or return journey and entering the country via Jeddah or Medina. All passports must be valid for at least six months beyond the estimated stay in Saudi Arabia. VISAS: Required by all except the following: (a) nationals of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and United Arab Emirates; (b) transit passengers continuing their journey by the same or first connecting aircraft within 12 hours, provided holding valid onward or return documentation, not leaving the airport and making no further landing in Saudi Arabia; (c) holders of re-entry permits and ‘Landing Permits’ issued by the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Foreign Affairs (see Contact Addresses section). Types of visa and cost: Family Visit £39; Business and Work £10 if paying at Embassy or SR1000 to be paid by employer in Saudi Arabia; Multiple entry: £96; Residency: £10; Transit: £10; Pilgrim (Ummra) Visa: no charge (two months). Note: The Pilgrim (Ummra) visa can only be obtained through an authorised travel agent. Check with Embassy for a full list of appointed agents. Validity: The visa stay period starts from the first day of entry into Saudi within the visa's valid dates. Application to: Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy); see Contact Addresses section. Travellers are advised to apply well in advance. Application requirements: Family visas: (a) One application form. (b) One passport-size photo. (c) Passport valid for at least six months. (d) Prepaid, self-addressed, recorded delivery envelope, if applying by post. (e) Fee (payable in cash, by postal order or by banker’s draft only). (f) Invitation from host or sponsor, with authorisation from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Residency visas: (a)-(e) and, (f) Medical report, authenticated by the UK Foreign Office (for persons over 15 years of age). (g) Authorisation from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs, obtained by their sponsor in Saudi. Business visas: (a)-(e) and, (f) Letter of invitation from Saudi host company endorsed by Saudi Chamber of Commerce. (g) Letter from company or organisation in own country. Work visas: (a)-(e) and (f) letter of intoduction from Saudi sponser and copy of the employment contract. (g) Medical report, authenticated by the UK Foreign Office. (h) Copies of academic qualifications and work experience in the field of job applied for. (i) Letter of No Objection if previously employed in Saudi Arabia. (j) An amount equivalent to SR50 deposited at the Consulate’s cashier desk. (k) Authorisation from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrim visas: (a)-(d) and (e) airline ticket with confirmed booking (both ways), and (f) meningitis immunisation certificate is required. Working days required: At least 24 hours. At least one week if applying by post. For information on processing time for all other types of visa, contact the Consulate (or Consular section at Embassy). Money Currency: Saudi Arabian Riyal (SR) = 100 halala; 5 halala = 20 qurush. Notes are in denominations of SR500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10, 5 and 1. Coins are in denominations of 100, 50, 25, 10, and 5 halala, and 10, 5, 2 and 1 qurush. Currency exchange: Most foreign currencies can be exchanged at commercial banks and money-changers, which stay open longer. Credit & debit cards: MasterCard, American Express, Diners Club and Visa are all widely accepted. Check with your credit or debit card company for details of merchant acceptability and other services which may be available. Travellers cheques: Widely accepted although they can be hard to change. To avoid additional exchange rate charges, travellers are advised to take travellers cheques in Saudi Riyal, Euros, US Dollars or Pounds Sterling and to carry the purchase receipt. Currency restrictions: Free import and export of both local and foreign currency. Israeli currency is prohibited. Exchange rate indicators The following figures are included as a guide to the movements of the Riyal against Sterling and the US Dollar: Date May ’02 Aug ’02 Nov ’02 Feb ’03 £1.00= 5.46 5.70 5.93 5.97 $1.00= 3.75 3.75 3.75 3.75 Banking hours: Sat-Wed 0830-1200 and 1700-1900; Thurs 0830-1200. Money-changers stay open longer. Duty Free The following items may be imported into Saudi Arabia without incurring customs duty: 600 cigarettes or 100 cigars or 500g tobacco; perfume for personal use; a reasonable amount of cultured pearls for personal use. Note: Duty is levied on cameras and typewriters, but if these articles are re-exported within 90 days the customs charges may be refunded. It is advisable not to put film into cameras. Prohibited items: Alcohol, narcotics, pornography, pork, contraceptives, firearms, natural pearls, live birds, most foods and items listed as prohibited by the Arab League (copy available from the Embassy). Public Holidays Feb 12-16 2003 Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Sep 23 Saudi National Day. Nov 26-28 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Feb 2-6 2004 Eid al-Adha (Feast of the Sacrifice). Nov 14-16 Eid al-Fitr (End of Ramadan). Note: Muslim festivals are timed according to local sightings of various phases of the moon and the dates given above are approximations. During the lunar month of Ramadan that precedes Eid al-Fitr, Muslims fast during the day and feast at night and normal business patterns may be interrupted. Some disruption may continue into Eid al-Fitr itself. Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha may last anything from two to ten days, depending on the region. During Hajj (when pilgrims visit Mecca) all government establishments and some businesses will be closed for ten to fourteen days. For more information see the World of Islam appendix. Health   Special Precautions Certificate Required Yellow Fever No 1 Cholera No No Typhoid and Polio 2 N/A Malaria 3 N/A 1: A yellow fever vaccination certificate is required from all travellers arriving from countries of which any parts are infected. 2: Vaccination against typhoid is advised. 3: Malaria risk, predominantly in the malignant falciparum form, exists throughout the year in most of the Southern region except the high altitude areas of Asir Province, and the urban areas of the Western Province (Jeddah, Mecca, Medina and Taif). Resistance to chloroquine has been reported. The recommended prophylaxis is chloroquine plus proguanil. Food & drink: All water should be regarded as being potentially contaminated. Water used for drinking, brushing teeth or making ice should have first been boiled or otherwise sterilised. Milk is unpasteurised and should be boiled. Powdered or tinned milk is available and is advised, but make sure that it is reconstituted with pure water. Avoid dairy products which are likely to have been made from unboiled milk. Only eat well-cooked meat and fish, preferably served hot. Salad and mayonnaise may carry increased risk. Vegetables should be cooked and fruit peeled. Note: During the Hajj (annual pilgrimage to Mecca), Saudi Arabia requires vaccination of pilgrims against meningococcal meningitis. Although this applies mainly to pilgrims, other travellers may find themselves affected, especially during the month of August. Vaccination is compulsory all year round, however, for nationals of Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria arriving from the following countries: Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo (Dem Rep), Ethiopia, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Niger, Nigeria and Sudan. Other risks: Bilharzia (schistosomiasis) is present. Avoid swimming and paddling in fresh water. Swimming pools which are well chlorinated and maintained are safe. Hepatitis A is common and hepatitis B is endemic. Visceral leishmaniasis occurs in the southwest of the country. Cases of Rift Valley Fever have been reported. Rabies is present. For those at high risk, vaccination before arrival should be considered. If you are bitten, seek medical advice without delay. For more information, consult the Health appendix. Health care: Medical facilities are generally of a high standard, but treatment is expensive. Health insurance is essential. Travel - International AIR: Saudi Arabia’s national airline is Saudia (SV). Approximate flight times: From London to Dhahran is 6 hours 45 minutes, to Jeddah is 5 hours 50 minutes and to Riyadh is 6 hours 25 minutes. From Los Angeles to Jeddah is 18 hours 45 minutes and to Riyadh is 21 hours 15 minutes. From New York to Jeddah is 13 hours and to Riyadh is 16 hours. From Singapore to Jeddah is 8 hours 25 minutes. International airports: Riyadh (RUH) (King Khaled International) airport, 35km (22 miles) north of the city. Dhahran (DHA) (Al Khobar) airport, 13km (8 miles) southeast of Dhahran (travel time – 15 minutes). Jeddah (JED) (King Abdul Aziz) airport, 18km (11 miles) north of the city (travel time – 30 minutes). Facilities at all the above airports include bus and taxi services, banks/bureaux de change, duty-free shopping, car rental, restaurants and tourist information points. From Jeddah airport bus and taxi services are available for Mecca, Medina and Taif. Dammam (DMM) (King Fahd International) airport, 30km (19) miles northwest of Dammam (travel time – 45 minutes). Departure tax: SR50. Children, Hajj and Ummra pilgrims and passengers accompanying human remains are exempt. SEA: The main international passenger ports are Dammam (Gulf), and Jeddah and Yanbu (Red Sea). ROAD: The principal international routes from Jordan are Amman to Dammam, Medina and Jeddah. There are also roads to Yemen (from Jeddah), Kuwait, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. A causeway links Al Khobar with Bahrain. There are regular international buses between Saudi Arabia and Egypt, Jordan, Syria, UAE, Qatar, Bahrain and Turkey. Travel - Internal AIR: There are many domestic airports and air travel is by far the most convenient way of travelling around the country. Saudia (SV) connects all main centres. ‘Arabian Express’ economy class connects Jeddah with Riyadh in just over an hour and Riyadh with Dhahran in just under an hour (no advance reservations). A boarding pass should be obtained the evening before departure. There are special flights for pilgrims arriving at or departing from Jeddah during the Hajj. SEA: Dhows may be chartered for outings on both coasts. RAIL: Children under four travel free. Children aged four to 11 pay half fare. The main railway line is the 570km-long Riyadh–Dammam line, which links Dhahran, Abqaiq, Hofuf, Harad and Al Kharj. There is a daily service in air-conditioned trains with dining car. An additional line links Riyadh with Hofuf. The railway on the west coast made famous by Lawrence of Arabia’s raid has long since been abandoned to the desert. ROAD: Traffic drives on the right. There are approximately 150,000km (93,000 miles) of roads linking the main towns and rural areas, of which 22,000km (13,600 miles) are paved. The network is constantly being upgraded and expanded (most recently, an expressway has been built from Jeddah to Medina and the trans-peninsula road from Jeddah to Dammam has been upgraded) and on the main routes, much of it is of the highest standard. The corniche that winds down the escarpment between Taif and Mecca is as spectacular a feat of engineering as may be seen anywhere, as is the King Fahed Gateway that links Saudi Arabia to Bahrain. However, standards of driving are erratic, particularly in the Eastern Province, where it is not unknown for lorry drivers to equip their vehicles with hub-knives similar to those seen in the film Ben Hur. Criteria for apportioning blame after traffic accidents are also erratic and many driving offences carry an automatic prison sentence. As foreigners are tolerated rather than welcomed in Saudi Arabia, it is best to drive with extreme caution at all times. Women are not allowed to drive vehicles or ride bicycles on public roads. Non-Muslims may not enter Mecca or the immediate area; police are stationed to ensure that they turn off onto a specially built ring road, known amongst expatriates as the ‘Christian Bypass’. Bus: Services have recently been developed by SAPTCO to serve inter-urban and local needs. Modern vehicles have been acquired, including air-conditioned double-deckers. All buses must have a screened-off section for the exclusive use of female passengers. Taxi: Available in all cities, but often very expensive. Some have meters, and fares should be negotiated in advance. Car hire: The major international car hire agencies have offices in Saudi Arabia. The minimum age is 25. Documentation: A national driving licence is valid for up to three months if accompanied by an officially sanctioned translation into Arabic. An International Driving Permit (with translation) is recommended, but not required by law. Women are not allowed to drive. There are also restrictions on women travelling by car with men who are not related by blood or marriage. Accommodation There is a good range of hotel accommodation throughout the country. Accommodation is generally easy to find, except during the pilgrimage season when advance reservations are recommended. Service charges are fixed at 15 per cent for deluxe and first-category hotels and at 10 per cent for all others. Hotel charges double in Mecca and Medina during the pilgrimage season, and increase by 25 per cent during the summer months in resort areas such as Taif, Abha, Kamis Mushait and Al-Baha. For further information contact the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce (see Contact Addresses section). Grading: There are seven grades of hotel in Saudi Arabia: deluxe, first-class A and B, second-class A and B, and third-class A and B. There are also around 20 youth hostels in Saudi Arabia. Central & Eastern Regions THE NAJD (CENTRAL REGION): The Najd is a stony desert plateau at the heart of Saudi Arabia, somewhat isolated from the rest of the peninsula. It was from here that Ibn Saud led his tribe of nomads out to create a new kingdom through conquest. Despite oil wealth, some Najdis still lead a semi-nomadic life, tending camels and sheep, but many have settled in the same towns they once milked for tribute with threats of violence. Watchtowers, standing guard on all the high points in Najd, are a reminder of this age-old conflict between nomad and farmer. Riyadh: The royal capital, Riyadh (Ryad), is a modern city built on the site of the first town captured by Ibn Saud, when he stormed the Musmat Fort in 1902 (a spearhead embedded in the main door is said to be the one with which Ibn Saud killed the Turkish governor). Apart from the fort and a few traditional Najdi palaces near Deera Square, little trace of the old town remains. The King’s Camel Races are held near the city in April or May. Other places of interest in Najd are Diriya, Wadi Hanifa, Shaib Awsat, Shaib Laha, Al-Hair, Wadi-al-Jafi, Tumair, Towqr, Aneyzah, Qassim and Hail. HASA (EASTERN REGION): Fertile lowland coastal plains inhabited by the kingdom’s Shia minority, who have traditionally lived by fishing, diving for pearls, raising date palms and trading abroad and with the interior. All of Saudi Arabia’s vast stocks of oil lie under Hasa or beneath the Gulf, and the locals are now outnumbered by foreign oil-workers from all over the world. Places retaining some flavour of old Hasa include Hofuf, a lively oasis with Turkish influence and a camel market; Jebel-al-Qara, where the potteries have been worked by eight generations of the same family; Abqaiq, which has a 5000-year-old saltmine, still in operation; the ruined customs house at Uqair, once an important Portuguese port and caravan terminus; and Tarut Island, site of the oldest town on the peninsula, now a picturesque settlement of fishermen and weavers. Western & Southern Regions THE HEJAZ (WESTERN REGION): The west coast is a centre for trade, but of equal importance is the concentration of Islamic holy cities, including Mecca and Medina, which attract pilgrims from all over the world. The region also includes the city of Jeddah, which was until recently Saudi Arabia’s diplomatic capital and remains the most important commercial and cultural gateway to the country. Mecca: The spiritual centre of the Islamic world, forbidden to non-Muslims. Places of significance to Muslims include the Kaabah Enclosure, the Mountain of Light, the Plain of Arafat and the House of Abdullah Bin Abdul Muttalib, where Muhammad was born. Medina: The second-holiest city in Islam and also forbidden to non-Muslims. Jeddah: Although the city has grown phenomenally, priority is being given to the preservation of the ancient city. The ragged, coral-coloured Ottoman buildings are being renovated. Leisure facilities have increased and the corniche has a ‘Brighton’ feel about it. There is an amusement park and a wonderful creek allowing both sailing and snorkelling. Its hotels and restaurants are cosmopolitan and there are good fish and meat markets. Taif: Perched on top of a 900m (3000ft) cliff at the edge of the plateau above Mecca, this resort town enjoys a milder climate than much of the country and was for a long time the official summer capital. It is noted for its pink palaces and for the astounding modern corniche road that winds down the sheer cliffs of the Taif escarpment to the hot coastal plain. Other important towns in the Hejaz include Usta, Wadi Fatima, Hanakiyah, Khaybar and Yanbu. THE ASIR (SOUTHERN REGION): A range of coastal mountains and the only part of the kingdom where there is significant wild vegetation, mostly palms and evergreen bushes. Millet, wheat and dates are grown using largely traditional methods. The inhabitants are darker than other Saudis, being in part descended from African slaves. Baboon, gazelle, leopard, honey badger, mongoose and other ‘African’ species inhabit remoter areas. Unique to Asir are the ancient gasaba towers, phallus-shaped and of unknown purpose. Places to visit include the ancient caravan city of Qaryat-al-Fau, currently being excavated; the great dam and temple at Najran; and nearby, amidst orchards of pomegranates, limes and bananas, the ornate ruins of the ancient cities of Timna and Shiban. Sport & Activities Obhir Creek, 50km (30 miles) north of Jeddah, has good facilities for swimming, water-skiing, fishing and sailing, and there are similar beaches on the Gulf coast south of Al Khobar. Elsewhere, hotels have swimming pools. The British and US embassies have men-only health clubs as well as swimming pools, golf clubs and squash and tennis facilities. Most companies employing foreign workers also have some sports facilities. The desert terrain provides great opportunities for off-road motorcycling but this sport is prohibited from time to time. Football is popular and most large towns have modern stadia. Social Profile Food & Drink: Local food is often strongly flavoured and spicy. The staple diet is pitta bread (flat, unleavened bread) which accompanies every dish. Rice, lentils, chick peas (hummus) and cracked wheat (burghul) are also common. The most common meats are lamb and chicken. Beef is rare and pork is proscribed under Islamic law. The main meat meal of the day is lunch, either kultra (meat on skewers) or kebabs served with soup and vegetables. Arabic cakes, cream desserts and rice pudding (muhalabia) also feature in the diet. Mezzeh, the equivalent of hôrs d’oeuvres, may include up to 40 dishes. Foreign cooking is on offer in larger towns and the whole range of international cuisine, including fast food, is available in the oil-producing Eastern Province and in Jeddah. Restaurants have table service. There are no bars. Alcohol is forbidden by law, and there are severe penalties for infringement; it is important to note that this applies to all nationals regardless of religion. Arabic coffee and fruit drinks are popular alternatives. Alcohol-free beers and cocktails are served in hotel bars. Nightlife: Apart from restaurants and hotels there is no nightlife in the Western sense. Shopping: Souks (markets) sell incense and incense burners, jewellery, bronze and brassware, richly-decorated daggers and swords, and in the Eastern Province, huge brass-bonded chests. Bargaining is often expected, even for modern goods such as cameras and electrical equipment (which can be very good value). Shopping hours: Sat-Thurs 0900-1300 and 1630-2000 (Ramadan 2000-0100). These hours differ in various parts of the country. Special Events: Most visitors to Saudi Arabia are Muslim pilgrims and the majority of events celebrated in the country are of a religious nature (see the World of Islam appendix). For more information on special events contact the Saudi Arabian Information Centre (see Contact Addresses section). Social Conventions: Saudi culture is based on Islam and the perfection of the Arabic language. The Saudi form of Islam is conservative and fundamentalist, based on the 18th-century revivalist movement of the Najdi leader Sheikh Muhammad Ibn Abdel-Wahhab. This still has a great effect on Saudi society, especially on the position of women, who are required by law only to leave the home totally covered in black robes (abaya) and masks, although there are regional variations of dress. The Najd and other remote areas remain true to Wahhabi tradition, but throughout the country this way of life is being altered by modernisation and rapid development. For more information, see the World of Islam appendix. Shaking hands is the customary form of greeting. Invitations to private homes are unusual. Entertaining is usually in hotels or restaurants and although the custom of eating with the right hand persists, it is more likely that knives and forks will be used. A small gift either promoting the company or representing your country will generally be well received. Women are expected to dress modestly and it is best to do so to avoid offence. Men should not wear shorts in public or go without a shirt. The norms for public behaviour are extremely conservative and religious police, known as Mutawwa’in, are charged with enforcing these standards. Customs regarding smoking are the same as in Europe and non-smoking areas are indicated. During Ramadan, Muslims are not allowed to eat, smoke or drink during the day and it is illegal for a foreign visitor to do so in public. Tipping: The practice of tipping is becoming much more common and waiters, hotel porters and taxi drivers should be given ten per cent. Business Profile Economy: Saudi Arabia is the world’s third largest producer of oil (after the Russian Federation and the USA). Oil and natural gas products now account for 35 per cent of Saudi GDP and 85 per cent of export revenue. Its reserves, about a quarter of the world total, are sufficient to maintain current production levels for another 80 years. The non-oil economy is devoted to agriculture and newly developed industries (considerable effort has been put into ensuring adequate irrigation and industrial water supplies in a country with extremely low rainfall). Agriculture, which supports a little over ten per cent of the workforce, produces wheat, fruit, vegetables, barley, eggs and poultry, in most of which the kingdom is now self-sufficient. In addition to oil and gas, there are other confirmed and exploitable mineral deposits including limestone, gypsum and marble plus phosphates, bauxite and gold. The industrial sector produces petrochemicals, steel, engineering products and a wide range of consumer goods. Construction is also a key industry. The service sector is the fastest growing part of the economy at present with finance and business services, consultancies and property services prominent. The rapid expansion of the Saudi economy from the 1960s onwards stalled during the 1990s as overstretched finances and persistently low world oil prices forced the Saudi exchequer to rein in its spending plans (government debt is now nearly 100 per cent of GDP – much of which, such as US$40 billion of loans to Iraq, is unlikely to be recovered). This had unfortunate consequences for the large body of foreign labour – an estimated 35 per cent of the workforce – upon which the Saudis rely for much of their technical, managerial and menial labour. Foreigners are now barred from a range of occupations as the government seeks to tackle Saudi unemployment, which is estimated at ten per cent. Since the late 1990s, the Saudis have gingerly started on the path of economic reform, planning measures to deregulate and privatise the economy, attract foreign investment and recover expatriate capital from abroad. Privatisation, considered essential to improve the state of national finances, has proceeded slowly in the face of strong opposition from elements of the ruling family. Spending cuts and, for the first time, the introduction of income tax, are being considered. It will be some time, however, before any of the measures take effect. The economy was at a virtual standstill during 2002 but, in the wake of higher oil and gas prices, is expected to grow at about three per cent in 2003. Saudi Arabia is the most influential member of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) and of the Islamic Development Bank. Japan, the UK and the USA are the largest exporters to Saudi Arabia, while most of the kingdom’s oil is sold to Germany, Italy, France and South Korea. Business: Appointments are necessary. Visiting cards printed in English with an Arab translation are usually exchanged. Men should wear suits for business meetings and formal social occasions. Thursday and Friday are official holidays. Office hours: Sat-Thurs 0900-1300 and 1630-2000 (Ramadan 2000-0100), with some regional variation. Government office hours: Sat-Wed 0730-1430. Commercial Information: The following organisation can offer advice: Riyadh Chamber of Commerce and Industry, PO Box 596, Riyadh 11421 (tel: (1) 404 0044; fax: (1) 402 1103; e-mail: rdchamber@rdcci.org.sa; website: www.riyadh-chamber.org). Conferences/Conventions: Information can be obtained from: Riyadh Exhibitions Company Ltd, PO Box 56010, Riyadh 11554 (tel: (1) 454 1448; fax: (1) 454 4846; e-mail: esales@recexpo.com; website: www.recexpo.com); or the Saudi Arabian Ministry of Commerce (see Contact Addresses section). Climate Saudi Arabia has a desert climate. In Jeddah it is warm for most of the year. Riyadh, which is inland, is hotter in summer and colder in winter, when occasional heavy rainstorms occur. The Rub al Khali ('empty Quarter') seldom receives rain, making Saudi Arabia one of the driest countries in the world. Required clothing: Tropical or lightweight clothing. History and Government History: The Arabian Peninsula was occupied by the Abyssinians before the sixth century AD. Around AD 576 they were driven out of the southern regions by the Persians, who made it a province of their empire. The year AD 622, which has been adopted as the beginning of the Muslim era, was significant for the flight of the Prophet Muhammad from his home town of Mecca to nearby Medina, where he organised his followers before launching a successful campaign to recapture Mecca. Many Arab tribes joined Muhammad before his death in 632 and afterwards the Muslims continued their expansion across the Arabian peninsula and into Syria, Mesopotamia (Iraq), Persia and westwards into Egypt and North Africa. The towns of Mecca and Medina, both of which were thriving cultural and commercial centres before and after Muhammad, are the holiest cities of Islam and the Saudis take the responsibility for protecting their integrity with the utmost seriousness. Arabia was absorbed into the Turkish Ottoman Empire during the 16th century, after the capture of Mecca by the Turks in 1517, but subsequent local rulers were allowed a great deal of autonomy. Under Turkish supervision, successive Sherifs of Mecca governed the territory of Hijaz, which covered the western part of the peninsula including the Red Sea coast as far south as Yemen, until the onset of World War I. In 1914 the British armed forces chief Lord Kitchener offered the Sherif of Mecca a deal under which Hijaz would acquire independence, guaranteed by the UK, on condition that the Sherif supported the military campaign against the Turks. The Sherif accepted, and after the Turkish defeat, the Kingdom of Hijaz was recognised as independent at the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres. On the other side of the peninsula, the leading potentate was Abdul Aziz Ibn Abdar-Rahman, better known as ‘Ibn Saud’, ruler of the province of Najd. In 1915, the government of India, then under British rule, recognised Najd and some other territories along the Persian Gulf as possessions of Ibn Saud. Throughout the 1920s, military clashes between Ibn Saud’s troops and forces loyal to the Hashemite King of Hijaz, Hussein, grew more frequent as the decisive struggle for control of the peninsula took place. The British and other Western powers switched their support between the two sides as it suited them. Eventually, Ibn Saud pushed out the Hashemites, and in 1926 was recognised as ruler of the Kingdom of Hijaz and Najd. In 1932 this became the United Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The Hashemites were consoled with the thrones of Iraq and Transjordan (later Jordan). In 1933 the first explorations began for oil, vast deposits of which were discovered in the eastern part of the country. This set Saudi Arabia on the road to its current prosperity. Ibn Saud, who ruled as King until his death in 1953, used the accumulating revenues to develop a national infrastructure and basic state services. Political and social development in the kingdom, by Western standards at any rate, lagged somewhat behind economic developments: slavery, for example, was not abolished until 1962. Ibn Saud’s descendants comprise the dynasty which has since ruled Saudi Arabia. They are, like most Saudis, adherents to the Wahhabi sect, which subscribes to Sunni Muslim doctrine, and Islamic laws are strictly enforced by the mutawwa (religious police). The oil search of the 1930s brought the USA into contact with Saudi Arabia for the first time and they quickly became the country’s principal Western ally. Nonetheless, there was one issue on which Saudi and US policies were implacably opposed – Israel. Washington’s consistent support for the Jewish state has been a constant source of friction. This became spectacularly clear in 1973 when Saudi Arabia and Iran, two of the USA’s staunchest allies in the region, led the OPEC cartel in trebling the price of oil overnight in response to the West’s support for Israel during the Yom Kippur War. The period of cool relations with the USA that followed came to an end with the revolution in Iran in 1979. Iran was perceived to pose a threat to Saudi Arabia for a number of reasons: the Shia branch of Islam followed by the Iranian mullahs is fundamentally opposed to the Sunni Wahhabi interpretation which prevails in Saudi Arabia; moreover, Iran is an important strategic force in the Gulf in its own right. For those reasons, as well as Arab solidarity, Saudi Arabia provided massive financial support – to the tune of over US$100 million – to Saddam Hussein’s regime during the Iran–Iraq war, which lasted most of the 1980s. The Saudis were thus astonished in 1991 when, following the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, Saddam’s forces seemed to be poised to strike south and occupy parts of Saudi Arabia. After initial doubts and furious debates within the royal family, the US-led UN coalition was authorised to base its forces in the country prior to the ‘Desert Storm’ military operation which drove the Iraqis out of Kuwait. After the expulsion of the Iraqis from Kuwait, the Saudis backed the US policy of ‘dual containment’ designed to keep both Iran and Iraq in check. US forces have remained in the country ever since, in what has become a very sensitive political issue. By the turn of the millennium, the Saudis were becoming disillusioned with the strategy. In particular they had tired of US hostility towards Iran with whom they have developed close relations, especially over practical issues such as OPEC oil pricing. Second, there was growing internal dissent over the continuing presence of US bases on Saudi territory: this is one of the key complaints of the Al-Qaeda organisation which carried out the ‘9-11’ atrocities in the USA (the majority of the members of the 20-strong hijacking team were Saudi nationals). Third, since 1995, the health of King Fahd has grown steadily worse: he is now an invalid, and the country is under the effective control of Crown Prince Abdullah who is generally more sceptical of western policies in the region than Fahd. In late 2002, faced with continued Saudi prevarication over the issue, the Americans moved their main Gulf command centre to Qatar: any future conflict in Iraq will be directed from there. Abdullah also inherited economic problems caused by the overspending of previous regimes. As the main arbiter of world oil prices, by virtue of being the largest OPEC producer, the Saudis are also subject to strong international pressure to keep a lid on prices. After Abdullah, the political future is uncertain. He belongs to the generation of leaders who have governed Saudi Arabia since the death of Abdul Aziz, all of whom are now in their seventies: there is no clear line of succession and there may be a debilitating power struggle among the 6000 male descendants who now make up the House of Saud. The most likely victors are the branch of the family descended from one of Ibn Saud’s wives, bint Sudairi, who form a powerful clan within the clan (commonly known as the ‘Sudairi Seven’). Abdullah is not among them but all – and a number of their immediate relatives – occupy key ministerial, administrative and diplomatic posts. Government: Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy with no political parties. King Fahd, who succeeded in 1982, appoints a Council of Ministers to run day-to-day affairs. A consultative council (Majlis as-Shura), numbering about 60, has been established to advise the monarch; it has no formal powers. Copyright © 2003 Columbus Publishing Ltd.