Orientation to Saudi Arabia

1. Overview

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers the largest part of the Arabian Peninsula, which has for centuries formed a natural bridge and axis for trade between different cultures.

Geographically, it is situated in the southwestern part of Asia at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, extending from the Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east, bordered on the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, on the south, by Yemen and Oman, and on the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain. The primary emphasis of Saudi planning has been the development of the nation’s human resources to enable all citizens to achieve their maximum potential and contribute to the country’s growth and progress. When King Fahad became Saudi Arabia’s first Minister of Education in 1954, there were fewer than 30,000 students in the country. Today, more than four million students are enrolled at 22,632 schools, and 306,584 citizens are pursuing higher education at seven universities and 83 colleges. To ensure a healthy population, the Kingdom embarked on a similarly ambitious program to build a modern health care system.

While paved roads were a rarity in the Kingdom about 50 years ago, there are now more than 26,137 miles of highways and major roads. Roads are just one part of the modern transportation and communication infrastructure established to facilitate growth and development. Today there are 21 ports, 25 airports and a sophisticated telecommunications network.

Similar success has been achieved in social services, commerce, banking, sports, and in almost all areas of human endeavor. Taking strength from the example of King Abdul Aziz, as well as the cherished tradition of service to Islam, the leaders of Saudi Arabia have achieved much in such a short period of time.

What has enabled them to do so has been the ability to remain firmly rooted in the teachings of Islam and their rich heritage, while at the same time adapting to meet the challenges and demands of a modern world.

The opportunity to see the Arabian culture 'from the inside' is a wonderful experience and one not to be missed.

Download Welcome to KSA Booklet (PDF)

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