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The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an Arab state on the Arabian Peninsula of West Asia. It is bordered by Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. It is separated by the Red Sea from Eritrea and Sudan, from Egypt and Israel by the Gulf of Aqaba, and from Iran by the Persian Gulf.

Saudi Arabia was created in 1932 through the consolidation of Hejaz, Najd, and parts of Eastern and Southern Arabia, after a series of conquests beginning in 1902.

Since its formation, Saudi Arabia has been an absolute monarchy governed by Islamic traditions. The king must comply with the Quran and Sharia law, and tribal sheikhs hold a degree of influence over local and national events. Open protest against the government is not tolerated, although terrorism by opposition Islamic sects has taken place in recent years.

Although political parties are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, the royal family is often divided over a number of issues, including personal ambitions, ideological differences, and clan loyalties. Pressure for reforms are countered by those seeking a more conservative Islamic agenda.

The country's legal system is based on Sharia law, but there is no clear system of judicial precedent, leaving judges free to disregard previous rulings, including their own. Punishments imposed by Saudi courts have included beheading, stoning, crucifixion, lashing, and amputations, and capital punishments may be imposed for a wide range of infractions.

Saudi Arabia's economy is driven by oil, which accounts for about 75% of its budget revenues and 90% of its exports. The country is highly dependent on foreign workers, who make up about 80% of its private sector workforce. Saudi Arabia also has a small gold region, and an agricultural sector based on dates and livestock. Pilgrimages fuel its tourism sector, as Saudi Arabia is home to the two holiest places in Islam.

Saudi citizens are 90% Arab and about 10% Afro-Asian. The official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic, while its large expatriate communities speak their own languages. Nearly all Saudi citizens are Muslim, as are most Saudi residents, Sunni being the majority sect. The government allows Christians to work temporarily in Saudi Arabia, but does not allow them to practice their faith openly. Religious conversion from Islam to Christianity is punishable by death. Atheism is considered terrorism.

Saudi Arabia takes up about 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. Its land is mostly desert, semi-desert, and shrub land, along with several mountain ranges and highlands. The Arabian Desert is the world's largest contiguous sand desert. Saudi Arabia also has both a Red Sea coast and a Persian Gulf coast.

Although Saudi Arabia has existed only since 1932, people have lived in the region for as long as 125,000 years. In ancient times, the Arabian Peninsula was a trade corridor that hosted several civilizations, including the Al-Magar, Dilmun, and the Thamud civilizations, as well as the Nabatean, Libyan, and Kindah kingdoms.The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is an Arab state on the Arabian Peninsula of West Asia. It is bordered by Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. It is separated by the Red Sea from Eritrea and Sudan, from Egypt and Israel by the Gulf of Aqaba, and from Iran by the Persian Gulf.

Saudi Arabia was created in 1932 through the consolidation of Hejaz, Najd, and parts of Eastern and Southern Arabia, after a series of conquests beginning in 1902.

Since its formation, Saudi Arabia has been an absolute monarchy governed by Islamic traditions. The king must comply with the Quran and Sharia law.

Although political parties are prohibited in Saudi Arabia, the royal family is often divided over a number of issues, including personal ambitions and ideological differences. Pressure for reforms are countered by those seeking a more conservative Islamic agenda.

The country's legal system is based on Sharia law, and punishments have included beheading, stoning, crucifixion, lashing, and amputations.

Saudi Arabia's economy is driven by oil, which accounts for about 75% of its budget revenues and 90% of its exports. Saudi Arabia also has gold in the Mahd ash Dhahab region, and a small agricultural sector. Pilgrimages fuel its tourism sector, as Saudi Arabia is home to the two holiest places in Islam.

Saudi citizens are 90% Arab and about 10% Afro-Asians, and the official language of Saudi Arabia is Arabic. Nearly all Saudi citizens are Muslim, as are most Saudi residents, Sunni being the majority sect.

Saudi Arabia takes up about 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. Its land is mostly desert, semi-desert, and shrub land, along with several mountain ranges and highlands. The Arabian Desert is the world's largest contiguous sand desert. Saudi Arabia also has both a Red Sea and a Persian Gulf coast.

 

 

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