Saudi Arabia

Population facts The population of this Asian country is in excess of 32,938,213 people. The majority of Saudi Arabia's inhabitants reside in Riyadh which is the country's most populous city. Saudi Arabia has a fairly high population when compared to most other countries across the world, its overall population density is approximately 13 people per sq km. The estimated population of Asia is approximately 4,393,296,000 inhabitants, making it the continent with the largest population in the world. The continents in order of population, starting with highest population first, are: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Australia (Oceania Region) and Antarctica. The total population of the entire world is in excess of 7.6 billion people.

Capital & major cities The capital city of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh. Other major cities located in this country include Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Sulţānah and Dammam.

National symbol(s): palm tree surmounting two crossed swords

National colors: green and white

National Anthem/Song: Aash Al Maleek (Translation: Long Live Our Beloved King)

National Holiday(s): Saudi National Day, 23 September (1932)

Map of Saudi Arabia

Geography

Saudi Arabia belongs to the continent of Asia, where it has a coastal position and is bordered by Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, Yemen, the Gulf of Aqaba, Persian Gulf and Red Sea. There are seven continents in the world: Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, Antarctica, Australia (Oceania). Asia is the largest continent in the world, it has 48 countries, with some countries belonging to both Asia and Europe, stretches across a total area size of 43,820,000 km2 and forms 29.5% of the landmass of the world. Saudi Arabia is a coastal country that stretches over a total area of approximately 2,149,680 km2. It is one of the largest countries in Asia and the world.

The following guideline provides details on the approximate border lengths of Saudi Arabia:
Coastline 2,640 km, Iraq 811 km, Jordan 731 km, Kuwait 221 km, Oman 658 km, Qatar 87 km, UAE 457 km, Yemen 1,307 km.

Climate

Saudi Arabia experiences a harsh desert climate with extreme temperature fluctuations. The geography of Saudi Arabia is dominated by sandy desert regions and coastal areas. An interesting fact about Saudi Arabia is that it's the largest country in the world with no permanent rivers. The lowest point of Saudi Arabia is the Persian Gulf at 0m, and the highest point of elevation is Jabal Sawda' at 3,133m.

Culture

The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic, French and Shikomoro (mixture of Swahili and Arabic). which is spoken by the majority of the population.

The primary religion of Saudi Arabia is Muslim, of the population. The majority are Sunni Muslims, and less than 15% are Shia Muslims. Sunni and Shia are two main branches of Islam. People belonging to the Islamic religion worship Allah. In the English language, the word Allah refers to God in Islam. Those belonging to the religion of Islam believe in one god. Most of Saudi Arabia’s population are Muslim and follow the practices of Islam. The rest of the population either belongs to other religions or no religion at all.

Economy

Natural resources can be defined as materials and substances that occur naturally on Earth. Natural resources are very important across the world, and can be exploited for economic gain. The level of natural resources present in an individual country depends on varying factors which are influenced by the geography, climate and location of that country. Some countries, such as Russia, The United States, Saudi Arabia and Canada, have many natural resources, where as some other countries have limited to none. Food, construction and transport are three primary examples of uses of natural resources. The following information provides examples of these uses: fish occurs naturally in streams, rivers, lakes and oceans, and can be caught for food consumption. Wood/timber can be extracted from forests for construction purposes, i.e. to build homes and furniture. Crude oils can be refined into different kinds of fuels in order to power vehicles/cars. The natural resources of Saudi Arabia include natural gas, petroleum, iron ore, gold and copper.

The flag

Each country has its own individual culture, history and identity. Flags, emblems, symbols, mottos, colors, anthems and songs represent the national pride and identity of countries worldwide. These national symbols are forged through a nation's unique history and can represent both hardship and prosperity, embodying freedom, strength and unity. Flags, emblems, colors, songs and mottos reflect the past, present and future aspirations of a country, and create an important image to the rest of the world. National symbols can include a mixture of things that are symbolic to a nation such as wildlife, plants, geographical features, crops, tools of agriculture, and tools of war. The following facts depict some of the national symbols, songs and colors that are important to Saudi Arabia: