Saudi Arabia is a desert country encompassing most of the Arabian Peninsula, with Red Sea and Persian (Arabian) Gulf coastlines. Known as the birthplace of Islam, it’s home to the religion’s 2 most sacred mosques: Masjid al-Haram, in Mecca, destination of the annual Hajj pilgrimage, and Medina’s Masjid an-Nabawi, burial site of the prophet Muhammad. Riyadh, the capital, is a skyscraper-filled metropolis.
Languages: Arabic
Ethnic Groups: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%
Belief Systems: Muslim 100%
Demographics:
Population: 29.9 million people (World Rank: 45th) (2014 estimate)
Population Density: 39.5 people/mi^2 (People per Square Mile) (World Rank: 213th) (2014 estimate)
Population Growth: 2.14 %/yr (World Rank: 51st) (2013 estimate)
Life Expectancy: 75.5 years (World Rank: 86th) (2013 estimate)
Median Age: 26.1 years (World Rank: 103rd) (2010 estimate)
Sites for More Information:
Map of Saudi Arabia
Worldatlas.com
Saudia Arabia Facts and Information
World Factbook
Saudi Arabia - Country Profile
U.S. Library of Congress
Saudi Arabia - General Information
Encyclopedia.com
Travel Info for Saudi Arabia
Travelnotes.org
Saudi Arabian Embassy
in Washington D.C.
Saudi Arabian Government Web Sites
by Gunnar Anzinger
