KSA · ALMANAC
EST. 1932
المملكة العربية السعودية

The Kingdom
of Saudi Arabia

A nation forged from desert and unified in 1932 — guardian of Islam's holiest cities, anchor of the world's energy, and architect of one of the boldest reinventions of the 21st century.

Capital Riyadh
Area 2,150,000 km²
Population ≈ 37 million
Founded 23 Sept 1932
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01 — The Record

The Kingdom at a glance

The largest country in the Middle East and the dominant landmass of the Arabian Peninsula — a sovereign monarchy bordered by the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf.

Official Name
Saudi Arabia
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Government
Monarchy
Unitary Islamic absolute monarchy
King
Salman bin Abdulaziz
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman
Prime Minister
Currency
Saudi Riyal
SAR · pegged to the US dollar
Language
Arabic
Official; English widely used in business
Religion
Islam
Birthplace of Islam · Mecca & Medina
Time Zone
AST · UTC+3
Arabian Standard Time
02 — The Land

Desert, mountain & two seas

From the Red Sea coast to the Arabian Gulf, the Kingdom spans roughly four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula — much of it sculpted by the world's largest continuous sand desert.

Rubʿ al-KhaliThe "Empty Quarter" — largest sand desert on Earth
Jabal SawdaHighest peak, ~3,000 m, in the southwest Asir range
Red Sea Coast~1,800 km of coral reef and emerging tourism
The NajdCentral plateau and historic heartland of the state
ClimateArid desert; extreme summer heat, rare rainfall
Riyadh Mecca Medina Dammam
Fig. 02 — Principal cities & the central Najd
03 — The Record of Years

Three centuries, one state

The modern Kingdom is the third Saudi state — the culmination of a project begun in the oasis town of Diriyah nearly three hundred years ago.

1727

The First Saudi State

The House of Saud rises in Diriyah, near present-day Riyadh, founding the first unified Saudi polity in the Najd.

1902

The Recapture of Riyadh

Abdulaziz Ibn Saud seizes Riyadh, launching a thirty-year campaign to unify the peninsula.

1932

The Kingdom is Proclaimed

On 23 September the regions of Hejaz and Najd are merged into the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

1938

Oil is Struck

Commercial oil is discovered at Dammam — the find that would reshape the nation and the world economy.

1960

A Founding Member of OPEC

Saudi Arabia helps establish the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, anchoring global energy policy.

2016

Vision 2030 is Launched

Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman unveils a sweeping plan to diversify the economy beyond oil.

04 — The Engine

The economy of energy

Home to some of the planet's largest proven petroleum reserves, Saudi Arabia is a G20 economy and one of the world's foremost oil exporters — now investing its wealth into a post-oil future.

#1
Oil Exports

Consistently among the largest crude oil exporters in the world.

~17%
of Global Reserves

One of the largest holders of proven petroleum reserves on Earth.

Aramco
National Oil Company

Saudi Aramco ranks among the most valuable companies ever listed.

G20
Member Economy

The only Arab nation in the Group of Twenty major economies.

PIF
Sovereign Wealth Fund

The Public Investment Fund deploys capital into global and domestic ventures.

2030
Diversification Target

A national drive to grow tourism, industry, mining and technology.

05 — The Future Under Construction

Vision 2030

A generational blueprint to build a vibrant society, a thriving economy and an ambitious nation — expressed through a series of giga-projects unlike anything attempted before.

PROJECT / 01

NEOM & The Line

A $500-billion region on the Red Sea, including The Line — a linear city designed to stretch 170 kilometres with zero cars and zero carbon.

PROJECT / 02

The Red Sea Project

A luxury tourism destination across an archipelago of pristine islands, built to strict regenerative-tourism standards.

PROJECT / 03

Qiddiya

An entertainment, sports and culture capital rising near Riyadh — theme parks, motorsport and arenas at giga-scale.

PROJECT / 04

Diriyah Gate

The restoration of the birthplace of the first Saudi state into a global cultural and heritage destination.

06 — Faith & Heritage

The heart of the Islamic world

Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to its two holiest cities. Each year millions of pilgrims travel here for Hajj and Umrah — the largest recurring human gathering on Earth.

Mecca

The holiest city in Islam and the destination of the Hajj pilgrimage, home to the Masjid al-Haram and the Kaaba.

Medina

The second holiest city, home to the Prophet's Mosque and a centre of Islamic learning and history.

Living Culture

Bedouin heritage, Najdi architecture, Arabic coffee and dates, falconry, and a fast-growing arts, film and music scene.

07 — Where the Kingdom Lives

Cities of the sands

CAPITAL

Riyadh

Political and financial capital on the central Najd plateau.

PORT

Jeddah

Red Sea gateway and historic commercial hub for the Hejaz.

HOLY

Mecca

Holiest city in Islam; destination of the annual Hajj.

HOLY

Medina

City of the Prophet's Mosque and Islamic scholarship.

INDUSTRY

Dammam

Heart of the Eastern Province and the oil industry.