saudi_arabia

=Saudi Arabia=

__Fast facts [[image:http://www.tofocus.info/images/flags/saudi-arabia-flag.gif width="172" height="122" align="center" caption="Saudi Arabian Flag"]]__
Country: Saudi Arabia Population: 27,601,038 Area: 2, 149, 690 squared kilometres Language: Arabic Currency: Riyal Head of Country: King Abdallah

__Location__
The Saudi Arabian country takes up about four fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. It is located north west to Jordan and to the north of Iraq and Kuwait. To the west lies the Red Sea and the east, Qatar. To the south of Saudi Arabia lies Yeman. Saudi Arabia is situated in the southern-eastern part of the continent Asia. Saudi Arabia is in a region known as the Middle East and lies 25 Degrees North and 45 degrees East.

__Geographical Features__
The Saudi Arabian country's topography varies from region to region. From wide plains, valleys, deserts and plateaus Saudi Arabia is quite a remarkable place.2,600 kilometres of the Saudi Arabian country are sourounded by ocean's or sea's. Saudi Arabia's highest point is 0 metres which is located in the Persian Gulf, while it's heighest is 3,133 metres Jabal Sawda'. Saudi Arabia's has extensive coastlines on the Persian Gulf and Red Sea.

__Climate__
Saudi Arabia is one of the driest countries on Earth, with and average of less the 5 inches of rain each year. Season's such as Summer and Winter do not exist in Saudi Arabia. Summer is extremely hot, with tempretures sometimes reaching 49 degress Celcius. Winter months often are often colder than below zero in the central and northern parts of the country. Between October and May is probably the most pleasent months in Saudi Arabia with cool nights and bright sunny days. But, from April and November, the months are considerably different with much hotter days. During the winter months, tempretures are modeate with occasional rain. The nation wide average tempreture is 18 degrees celcius.

__Economy__
Saudi Arabia's GDP per capita is $13, 800, and has increased 4% from last year. Saudi Arabia's unemployment rate reached 13% this year. Saudi Arabia's main industries are crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals; ammonia, industrial gases, sodium hydroxide (caustic soda), cement, fertilizer, plastics; metals, commercial ship repair, commercial aircraft repair, construction. Saudi Arabia mainly exports petroleum and other potroleum products. It's main export partners are Japan, USA, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Singapore. Saudi Arabia's main import goods are machinery and equipment, foodstuffs, chemicals, motor vehicles and textiles. Saudi Arabia's main import partners are USA, Germany, China, Japan, UK and Italy.

__Government__
Saudi Arabia's full name is the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia's is a Constitution Monarchy. Saudi Arabia is made up of 13 different provinces. Saudi Arabia's inderpendence right back to the 23rd od September 1932 which was also the unification of the Kingdom. Saudi Arabia's suffrage is 21, and only male's are able to vote. Saudi Arabia is made up of 3 levels of Government, the Executive Branch, Legislative Branch and Judicial Branch. The Executive Branch is made up of the Cheif of State, the Head of Government and the Cabinet. Saudi Arabia's Cheif of State is King and Prime Minister Abdallah bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud and has held this position ever since the 1st of August 2005. The Monarch is both the Cheif of State and head of Government. The Cabinet is made up of a Council of Ministers and are appointed by the monarch every four years and includes many royal family members. There are no elections because the monarch is hereditary. Saudi Arabia's Judicial Branch is only made up of the Sumpreme Council of Justice.

__History__
Saudi Arabia has a vast and extensive past. People have lived in this peninsula for over 5, 000 years. Most of the empires of the ancient world traded with the states of the peninsula. The harsh climate in Saudi Arabia prevented prevented any settlementon the Arabian peninsula. The first big event in the Arabian history are the migrations from the peninsula into the neighboring countries and areas. Around 3500 BC the people of Arabia migratted into the valley of the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. The people that migrated were then known as the Assyro-Babylonians. The first State of Saudi Arabia was formed in 1744 when Sheikh Muhamad ibn Abd al Wahhab settled in Diriyah. Prince Muhammed Ibn Saud agreed to support his cause with a vision to cleans the Islamic Faith. The House of Saud, with a number of other allies grew and became Saudi Arabia's dominant state. The sultan was concerned with the growing power of the Saudi's and sent Mohammud Ali Pasha to conquer that particular area. He succeded in ruining the Saudi forced in 1818. The house of Saud returned to power in the second state in 1824 and lasted through to 1891 until the Dynasty of Ha'il. In 1902 Ibn SAud conqured Riyadh, which was the first of many conquests leading up to the the creation of the modern national state of Saudi Arabia in 1932. The discovery of oil in 1932 transformed the Arabian country.