Saudi Arabia (officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia or KSA) is a Middle Eastern country that occupies most of the Arabian peninsula and has coastlines on the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea. Neighboring countries include Jordan to the northwest, Iraq, and Kuwait to the northeast, Bahrain and Qatar to the east, the United Arab Emirates to the southeast, and Oman and Yemen to the south. Saudi Arabia contains the holy Muslim cities of Mecca and Medina, to which all physically and financially able Muslims are required to make a pilgrimage at least once if possible (see Hajj) and where non-Muslims are forbidden from entering. As a country that strictly enforces Sharia law, if you are not prepared to accept several limitations on your behavior and freedom of expression, or if you feel uncomfortable with such adjustments, you should not travel to Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is one of two countries named for their royal families, along with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Saudi family were sheiks of Nejd, the area around Riyadh, but were driven out by a neighboring dynasty, hiding with their relatives, the emirs of Kuwait. Then in 1902, young Abdulaziz Ibn Saud and his army returned to re-capture their home. As it turned out, the invaders had been corrupt, ineffective, and abusive, so many locals joined them. They not only re-captured Riyadh but much of the surrounding territory. After that, Abdulaziz set out on a 30-year campaign of conquest. The area united under him became known as Saudi Arabia. In the 1930s, the discovery of oil transformed the country and the US was quick to seek to put one over on the weakened British erstwhile colonialists. Following Iraq's invasion of Kuwait in 1990, Saudi Arabia offered refuge to the Kuwaiti royal family and 400,000 refugees while allowing Western and Arab troops to deploy on its sand for the liberation of Kuwait the following year. A burgeoning population, unemployment, aquifer depletion, and an economy largely dependent on petroleum output and prices are all major governmental concerns.

Saudi Arabia covers approximately four-fifths of the area of the Arabian Peninsula, which can be described as a rectangular plateau gradually sloping downhill to the east until reaching sea level at the Persian Gulf.

The main topographical features are:

The Sarawat or Sarat mountain range running parallel to the Red Sea coast beginning near the Jordanian border until the southern coast of Yemen, gradually increasing in height southwards. It is largely made up of barren volcanic rock, especially in the south, and sandstone in the north, but it is also interspersed with ancient lava fields and fertile valleys. As you move further south towards Yemen, the barren landscape gradually gives way to green mountains and even woodlands, the result of being in the range of the monsoons. In Saudi Arabia, the range is commonly known as the Hejaz, though the southernmost part of the range is known as 'Aseer. In the foothills of the Hejaz lies the holy city of Mecca, and approximately 400km north of Mecca in an oasis between two large lava fields lies the other holy city of Medina.

West of the Sarawat or Hejaz mountain range is a narrow coastal plain known as Tihama, in which the country's second-largest city, Jidda, is located.

East of the Hejaz lies the elevated plateau known as Najd, a sparsely populated area of desert steppe dotted with small volcanic mountains. To the east of Najd-proper lies the Tuwaig escarpment, a narrow plateau running 800km from north to south. Its top layer is made of limestone and the bottom layer of sandstone. Historically rich in fresh groundwater and criss-crossed with numerous dry riverbeds (wadis), the Tuwaig range and its immediate vicinity are dotted with a constellation of towns and villages. In the middle, nestled between a group of wadis, is the capital city, Ar-Riyadh.

Further east from the Tuwaig plateau and parallel to it is a narrow (20-100km) corridor of red sand dunes known as the Dahana desert, which separates the "Central Region" or "Najd" from the Eastern Province. The heavy presence of iron oxides gives the sand its distinctive red appearance. The Dahana desert connects two large "seas" of sand dunes. The northern one is known as the Nufuud, approximately the size of Lake Superior and the southern is known as "the Empty Quarter," so-called because it covers a quarter of the area of the Peninsula. Though essentially uninhabitable, the edges of these three "seas of sand" make for excellent pastures in the spring season, but even the bedouin almost never attempted to cross the Empty Quarter.

North of the Nufud desert lies a vast desert steppe, traditionally populated mainly by nomadic bedouins with the exception of a few oasis such as Al-Jof. This region is an extension of the Iraqi and Syrian deserts (or vice versa). After a rainy season, these barren, rocky steppes can yield lush meadows and rich pastures.

The eastern province is largely barren except that it contains two oases resulting from springs of ancient fossil water. These are the oases of Al-Qateef on the Gulf coast and Al-Hasa (or Al-Ahsa) further inland. Next to Qatif lies the modern metropolitan area of Dammam, Dhahran, and Al-Khobar.

The highest point is Jabal Sawda' at an elevation of 3,133m (10,279 ft).

Customs of Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia has very strict rules for what may be imported: alcoholic beverages, pork, non-Sunni Islamic religious materials and pornography (very widely defined) are all prohibited. Computers, VCR tapes, and DVDs have all been seized from time to time for inspection by the authorities. If you are unsure if the movie you watch or the video game you play is deemed un-Islamic, it would probably be best not to bring them with you to the kingdom. In general, though, inspections aren't quite as thorough as they used to be and while bags are still x-rayed, minute searches are the exception rather than the rule. Note that Western families driving through on a valid transit visa are generally waved through the customs inspection.

Be very careful with carrying any narcotics, Drug possession is punishable by death. There are many banned materials by the Saudi government including poppy seeds and nutmeg, consult the embassy before traveling, and a general rule of thumb is to not carry any products that could get you in trouble!

What to buy from Saudi Arabia

Few local products are of interest to tourists. Locally grown dates are of high quality, and religious paraphernalia is widely available, but almost exclusively imported. Copies of the Qur'an are produced in a wide range of editions and sold at very low prices. Zam zam holy water is available throughout the Western Region and at all airports. Carpets are a favorite purchase, most of these coming from nearby Iran. Jeddah, in particular, has lots of carpets, many brought by pilgrims who sell them there to help finance their trip to Makkah. Large gold and jewelry markets are prominent in all major cities, especially in Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah. Gold prices are cheap in Saudi Arabia, and bargaining is a norm in most small to medium-sized stores. Jeddah, Makkah, and Madinah offer a lot of trading and variety in terms of luggage, clothing, jewelry, knick-knacks, souvenirs, toys, food, perfume, incense, and religious literature, audio, and paraphernalia. The Jeddah old town (Al-Balad) is internationally well known for its authentic, bazaar style, Arabic souk atmosphere, along with the Hijazi old building architecture. There you will find a lot of local and international products, from jewelry, perfume, and incense to cloths, toys, and food. Along with many international people and cultures mixing, which gives you a sense of belonging to the world and a real feel to business and product trading. Although to a new visitor the place might look unsafe, Jeddah's Al-Balad is very safe, with police cars and officers patrolling the street and standing in every corner. Large, well maintained air-conditioned malls and grocery stores (i.e. Al-Danub, Geant, Carrefour) are scattered throughout the kingdom.

Luxury and In-depth Tour to Saudi Arabia

Things to do in Saudi Arabia

Entertainment in Saudi Arabia is limited at best, and when present is often family-oriented. This rules out men traveling without a family, as they are not allowed in family areas of establishments. This could mean not entering a particular part of a mall, restaurant or other establishments, or in some cases not entering entire buildings. Watch for the occasionally small signs by building entrances and hanging above restaurant counters that read "family only." Even at fast-food establishments, there will typically be separate lines for single men. By law in Riyadh and other places in Saudi, women must be accompanied by a male relative guardian in public, whether foreign or local, failing to do so may result in harassment by locals and/or arrest by the Islamic Police. This rule does not apply to the city of Jeddah, and many women are seen alone, or in groups of ladies, in public without any problems from locals or officials. This rule now is changing as the law has been changed very recently. Women in Saudi Arabia are now allowed to drive and travel without being accompanied by a legal guardian and without the need for permission from a legal guardian. Desert excursions are particularly popular with the locals but are extremely dangerous for foreigners, and especially women, due to the ultra-conservative culture of armed Bedouins. Scuba diving is popular on Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast. Jeddah has a number of dive operators. But extreme caution needs to be applied since very few hospitals are equipped to deal with Scuba diving related injuries and decompression sickness. Hospitals are accessible to foreigners. For uninsured people, a typical doctor’s visit is around $75. Beaches in Jeddah are well known for their diving related death incidences. The Red Sea, as beautiful as it is, is full of venomous fish and corals, a thorough study of the local marine life is strongly encouraged, and the basic rule of thumb "touch nothing" is strongly advisable. Diving outside city limits is prohibited by law and can risk imprisonment in charges related to drug trafficking, which can lead to lengthy imprisonment until the paperwork is completed.

The Proper Ways, What to Expect, and the Do’s and the No No’s

Saudi Arabians are tempered by the need to save face and honor. For this reason, Saudi's are very relaxed, indirect and outgoing communicators. However, they can be blunt and direct with those that they know very well.

Amongst good friends and colleagues, it's very common to witness Saudis using a lot of aggressive body language. This is to indicate passion and interest in the involved conversational subject at hand, even if it may seem like there's a quarrel going on.

It's common for Saudi's to constantly flatter guests and friends; This isn't to indicate flirtation of any sort, but it's to indicate positivity and friendliness. It's good form to return it in kind.

Saudis are inquisitive in a way that may seem intrusive or disrespectful in other parts of the world. Don't be offended by this as the Saudis don't intend to disrespect, mock or insult you in any way. It's common to be asked very personal questions about your family or lifestyle, and don't hesitate to also do the same. It's considered good form as well.

Given the fact that Saudi Arabia is a largely Islamic society, it's important to know some Islamic laws and fundamentals so as to avoid offending your hosts and guests.

Avoid losing your temper in public, and publicly criticizing others. It's not good form to do so.

At all costs, do not insult, criticize or speak badly of the Saudi king, the Saudi government, and the Saudi royal family. This risks indefinite imprisonment or execution, or if you are a foreign citizen, the remote possibility of deportation from the country.

At all costs, do not desecrate or inappropriately use the Saudi flag. The flag bears the Islamic declaration of faith and desecrating or inappropriately using the flag is a crime.

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