50 Fun Facts About Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is the biggest country in the Middle East and ranks where in the world by area?

About 2.15 million square kilometres, covering the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and bordering seven countries plus the Red Sea and the Gulf.

Which king founded the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932 after campaigns that began in 1902?

He united the west, the centre and parts of the east and south; the kingdom is the third Saudi state after those of 1727-1818 and 1824-1891.

In 1902 Ibn Saud launched the third Saudi state by recapturing which city?

The Al Rashid of Jabal Shammar had driven the Al Saud out in 1891; the Masmak fort raid became the founding legend of the kingdom.

The 1744 alliance underpinning Saudi rule paired the emir of Diriyah with which religious reformer?

It was sealed at Diriyah; the reformer's descendants, the Al ash-Sheikh, still lead the religious establishment.

The First Saudi State, the Emirate of Diriyah, was destroyed in 1818 by forces of which ruler?

The emirate had sacked Karbala in 1802 and taken Mecca in 1803; the much smaller Emirate of Nejd rose from the ashes in 1824.

Which Wahhabi-inspired tribal army helped Ibn Saud conquer the holy region before turning against him?

Founded in 1912, they wanted to raid British-protected Transjordan, Iraq and Kuwait and were crushed after a two-year struggle.

Vast oil reserves were discovered in Saudi Arabia in which year?

Found in the Al-Ahsa region on the Gulf coast; full development began in 1941 under the US-controlled Aramco.

Saudi Arabia bought out the American interests in Aramco in which year?

By 1976 the kingdom was the world's largest oil producer; Aramco stood for Arabian American Oil Company.

What is the world's largest contiguous sand desert, covering Saudi Arabia's southeast?

The 'Empty Quarter' spans some 647,500 square kilometres; the kingdom is the largest country with no permanent rivers.

Saudi Arabia is the largest country in the world lacking what?

Ephemeral wadis carry occasional floods; four-fifths of its fossil groundwater had been used up by 2012.

What is the highest point in Saudi Arabia, in the southwestern Aseer region?

It reaches 3,015 metres; the southwest is the one region with monsoon rains and green terraces.

Saudi Arabia is home to more than 2,000 of what geological feature?

The Hejaz lava fields, or harrat, form one of Earth's largest alkali basalt regions.

The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born in about 570 CE in which city?

He later united the peninsula's tribes; the Hejaz is often called the cradle of Islam.

The cube-shaped Kaaba at the heart of the Masjid al-Haram determines what for Muslims worldwide?

Called Baytullah, the House of God, it was rebuilt several times, most famously by Ibrahim and Ismail according to tradition.

The Prophet's Mosque in Medina, built by Muhammad in 622 CE, is important as what?

Its foundation in the first year of the Hijrah makes it one of the oldest mosques anywhere.

Roughly how many pilgrims perform the Hajj each year, creating a large number of temporary Saudi jobs?

The pilgrimage is one of the five pillars of Islam; a general tourist visa for non-Muslims only arrived in 2019.

In 930 which sect pillaged Mecca and carried off the Black Stone?

The Isma'ili-Shi'ite group dominated the Gulf for much of the 10th century until the Uyunids overthrew them.

From the 10th to the early 20th century the two holy cities were run by a local ruler called what?

Hussein bin Ali, the last of them, led the 1916 Arab Revolt with British backing and briefly reigned as King of Hejaz.

What is written on the green flag of Saudi Arabia above the sword?

The Islamic creed is rendered in Thuluth script; both sides of the flag are identical so it reads correctly right-to-left from either face.

On the Saudi flag, what does the sword symbolise?

The green stands for Islam; the current design has been official since 1973.

What is the currency of Saudi Arabia, divided into 100 halala?

The halala was introduced in 1963, replacing a system of 20 qirsh to the base unit.

According to the 1992 Basic Law, what serves as Saudi Arabia's constitution?

No political parties or national elections are permitted; the king must comply with Sharia.

Saudi judges generally follow which school of Islamic jurisprudence, noted for literalism?

Sharia is uncodified and there is no binding precedent, so judges reason independently and verdicts vary.

Which 1979 event led the government to hand more power to the religious establishment?

Islamist radicals held the sanctuary; the same year's Iranian revolution added to the alarm, and cinemas were soon closed.

Saudi Arabia's religious police, who enforced dress codes and prayer attendance, are known as what?

Also called the Haia, they were stripped of powers to pursue, question or arrest suspects in 2016.

In which year did Saudi Arabia finally allow women to drive?

Women were also admitted to stadiums that year, and the guardianship rules were partly relaxed for over-21s in 2019.

The first public cinema in 35 years opened in Saudi Arabia in which year?

Cinemas had been shut in the 1980s Islamic revival; the plan is for over 2,000 screens by 2030.

The reform programme launched to diversify Saudi Arabia away from oil is called what?

Tourism, entertainment and megaprojects like Neom are its flagship bets; COVID and oil slumps strained it in 2020.

The Neom megaproject, including 'The Line', lies in which province?

Its planned area is 26,500 square kilometres in the far northwest, near the Gulf of Aqaba.

Saudi Arabia is the only Arab country in which international grouping?

It is classed a high-income economy and its GDP is the largest in the Arab world.

Roughly what share of Saudi Arabia's export earnings comes from oil?

Oil also supplies about 63 percent of budget revenue; about 80 percent of private-sector employees are foreigners.

Saudi Arabia is the world's second-largest producer of which fruit, after Egypt?

About 1.6 million tonnes a year; the date palm is a national symbol and much of the crop now goes to humanitarian aid.

Which Saudi company operates the world's largest dairy farm at Al Safi?

Cows there yield about 6,800 litres a year each; the kingdom is self-sufficient in milk, wheat, meat and eggs.

Which region of Saudi Arabia, containing Mecca and Medina, holds about a third of the population?

Najd around Riyadh has 28 percent and the oil-rich Eastern Province 15 percent; 85 percent of Saudis are urban.

Roughly what share of Saudi Arabia's inhabitants are immigrants?

Indians, Pakistanis and Egyptians are the largest groups; over half the population is under 25.

Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed in 2008, preserves the rock-cut tombs of which people?

Hegra, or Mada'in Salih, has 131 monumental tombs, a southern cousin of Petra.

At which World Cup did Saudi Arabia debut, beating Belgium and Morocco before losing to Sweden?

Argentine coach Jorge Solari led them; Saeed Al-Owairan's solo goal against Belgium became a classic.

At the 2022 World Cup Saudi Arabia beat which eventual champions 2-1?

It was the first time that nation had lost to an Asian side at a World Cup; the king declared a public holiday.

Saudi Arabia has won the AFC Asian Cup how many times?

Titles in 1984, 1988 and 1996 from a joint-record six finals; football is the national sport.

Which traditional annual event, begun in 1974, is one of the kingdom's most important sporting contests?

Horse racing and falconry are the other traditional pursuits.

What is the name of the spiced rice-and-meat dish that is Saudi Arabia's national favourite?

Shawarma, kebabs and falafel are everyday fare; pork is forbidden and meat must be halal.

Saudi men traditionally wear a white ankle-length garment known as what?

It is topped by a checkered keffiyeh or plain white ghutra held on by an agal cord.

Saudi Arabia is divided into how many regions?

They are subdivided into 118 governorates; the regional capitals have municipality status.

Saudi Arabia's Consultative Council had how many appointed members at its 1993 launch?

Plus a chairman; it has since grown to 150 members. King Fahd's 1992 Basic Law and this council were the limited reforms after Gulf War-era discontent.

Which prince became Crown Prince in 2017 and drove a wave of social reforms?

Women's driving, cinemas and concerts followed, alongside a Yemen war launched in 2015.

King Fahd's full brothers, a powerful royal faction, are known collectively as what?

Their rivalry hampered Crown Prince Abdullah's regency after Fahd's 1995 stroke.

Saudi Arabia's Shia minority is estimated at what share of the population?

Qatif and Al-Ahsa are the centres; the state's official Sunni form is Salafism, commonly called Wahhabism.

Which Saudi university, founded in 2009, was the kingdom's first mixed-gender campus?

Princess Norah University is the largest women's university in the world; the kingdom spends 9 percent of GDP on education.

Saudi Arabia is the largest recipient of arms from which country?

It took 12 percent of US arms exports in 2024 and spends about 7 percent of GDP on defence, seventh in the world.

In March 2015 Saudi Arabia mobilised 150,000 troops to intervene in the civil war of which neighbour?

The Houthis kept Sanaa and fired back across the border; a naval blockade and air campaign followed.