Discover the Fascinating Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Study Notes

Saudi Arabia is governed by an absolute monarchy and struggles to adapt to the demands of the new millennium.
The country has a very conservative religious infrastructure and is located in the birthplace of the Arab people and of the Islamic faith.
Saudi Arabia has the largest share of the world's proven petroleum reserves and a dominant role in OPEC.
The country's territory is mostly desert, with over half being uninhabitable.
Clean water is rare in Saudi Arabia, with no permanent rivers, streams, or lakes.
The ongoing water crisis has forced the government to invest billions of dollars in massive desalinization plants, producing about one-fourth of the entire world's desalinized water.
The country has a major role in promoting fundamentalist Wahhabi Islam.
Saudi Arabia shares borders with eight countries: Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, and Yemen.
The largest desert in Saudi Arabia is the southeastern Rub Al Khali, or Empty Quarter, making up approximately a quarter of the country's territory.
Less than 2% of the land is arable, and only a tiny percentage of the total soil supports sustained agricultural activity.