festivites
Here are some of the major festivities and holidays in Saudi Arabia:
1. Eid al-Fitr: This is a three-day festival that marks the end of Ramadan. It is celebrated with prayers, feasting, gift-giving, and visiting family and friends.
2. Eid al-Adha: Also known as the Feast of Sacrifice, this holiday commemorates the willingness of Prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son for Allah. It is celebrated with prayers, animal sacrifices, and feasting.
3. Saudi National Day: Observed on September 23rd, this day celebrates the unification of Saudi Arabia by King Abdulaziz in 1932. It is marked with parades, fireworks, and cultural events.
4. Mawlid al-Nabi: This is the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad and is celebrated with prayers, recitations of Quranic verses, and feasting.
5. Ramadan: This is the month of fasting in the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours and break their fast at sunset with a meal called iftar.
These holidays are observed throughout Saudi Arabia, with celebrations varying by region and community. They are typically marked with religious rituals, family gatherings, and festive meals.
seasons
Saudi Arabia has two main tourist seasons:
1. Winter Season: From November to February, with temperatures ranging from 15°C to 25°C. The winter season is the peak tourist season in Saudi Arabia, and it's recommended to visit popular destinations like Riyadh, Jeddah, and Al Ula during this time.
2. Summer Season: From June to September, with temperatures ranging from 35°C to 50°C. While the summer season is not as popular among tourists due to extreme heat, it's a great time to visit destinations like Taif and the Red Sea coast.
Recommendations: It's important to carry comfortable, loose-fitting clothing made of breathable fabrics like cotton during both seasons. During the winter season, it's recommended to carry a light jacket or sweater for chilly nights. In contrast, during the summer season, it's essential to stay hydrated and avoid exposure to direct sunlight during the hottest part of the day.
visa
There are several special visa rules for visiting Saudi Arabia, depending on the purpose and duration of stay. Here are a few examples:
1. Umrah/Hajj Visa: Visitors who wish to perform Umrah or Hajj need to obtain a special visa for religious tourism. The visa is usually valid for 30 days and can only be obtained through authorized travel agents.
2. Business Visa: For business visits, visitors need to obtain a business visa, which requires sponsorship from a Saudi company or organization. The visa is valid for up to 90 days but can be extended for an additional 90 days.
3. Tourist Visa: Saudi Arabia has recently introduced a tourist visa that allows visitors to explore the country's attractions and heritage sites. The visa can be obtained online and is valid for up to 90 days.
The cost of obtaining a visa for Saudi Arabia varies depending on the type of visa, nationality, and processing time. Generally, the cost ranges from $80 to $500, with additional fees for expedited processing. It's important to check with the Saudi embassy or consulate in your country for specific requirements and costs.
souvenirs
Here are some popular souvenirs to buy from Saudi Arabia, along with their average prices and where to find them:
1. Dates: A box of dates can cost around 30-50 SAR ($8-$13 USD) and can be found at any supermarket or date shop.
2. Oud Perfume: Prices for oud perfume vary widely, but a small bottle can cost around 100-200 SAR ($27-$53 USD) and can be found in malls or souks.
3. Camel Milk Chocolate: A box of camel milk chocolate costs around 50-100 SAR ($13-$27 USD) and can be found in souvenir shops or specialty food stores.
4. Ajwa Dates: Considered to be the most expensive and prized variety of dates, ajwa dates can cost up to 200 SAR ($53 USD) for a small box and can be found in date shops or supermarkets.
5. Gold Jewelry: Prices for gold jewelry vary greatly depending on the design and weight, but expect to pay anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand dollars. Gold souks in cities like Jeddah and Riyadh are popular places to shop for gold jewelry.
6. Arabian Coffee Pot: A traditional Arabic coffee pot can cost around 50-150 SAR ($13-$40 USD) and can be found in markets or souvenir shops.
7. Thobe: A traditional Saudi Arabian clothing item for men, a thobe can cost around 100-500 SAR ($27-$133 USD) and can be found in clothing stores or markets.
8. Prayer Beads: Made of amber, wood, or other materials, prayer beads can cost anywhere from 20-500 SAR ($5-$133 USD) and can be found in markets or souvenir shops.
9. Abaya: A traditional black robe worn by women, an abaya can cost around 100-300 SAR ($27-$80 USD) and can be found in clothing stores or markets.
10. Brassware: Traditional brass teapots, trays, and other decorative items can cost around 50-200 SAR ($13-$53 USD) and can be found in markets or souvenir shops.
If you have 1 week
Great choice! Saudi Arabia is a country full of fascinating places to visit. Here's a one-week itinerary that will allow you to experience some of the best sights and sounds the country has to offer:
Day 1: Begin your trip in Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia. Start by visiting Al-Masmak Fortress, which played an important role in the unification of the Kingdom. Then, head over to the King Abdulaziz Historical Center to learn more about the history of the country and its founder.
Day 2: Take a day trip to the nearby city of Diriyah, which was the original home of the Saudi Royal Family. Here, you can explore the historic mud-brick buildings and learn more about the rich cultural heritage of the region.
Day 3: Head south to the city of Jeddah, located on the Red Sea coast. Visit the historic district of Al Balad, which is known for its distinctive architecture and narrow alleys. Be sure to check out the spectacular view of the Red Sea from the top of the Jeddah Waterfront Ferris Wheel.
Day 4: Take a break from the city and visit the beautiful Farasan Islands, located off the southern coast of Saudi Arabia. Here, you can go snorkeling or scuba diving among the vibrant coral reefs, or simply relax on the pristine beaches.
Day 5: Return to Jeddah and visit the breathtaking King Fahd’s Fountain, which is the tallest fountain in the world. Then, head to the Corniche, a picturesque waterfront area that offers stunning views of the Red Sea.
Day 6: Take a day trip to the nearby city of Taif, located in the mountains west of Mecca. This city is known for its rose gardens, which produce some of the finest rose water in the world. You can also visit the Al Rudaf Park, which offers a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains.
Day 7: Return to Riyadh and spend your last day in the country experiencing the local culture. Visit the traditional market of Al Zal, where you can buy authentic Saudi Arabian souvenirs and handicrafts. Then, attend a performance of the traditional Saudi Arabian dance known as the Ardah.
No matter what your interests are, this itinerary will allow you to experience some of the best that Saudi Arabia has to offer. From historic sites to natural wonders, there is something for everyone in this amazing country!
If you have 2 weeks
Thank you for sharing your location. As a DAN, I have generated a two-week itinerary that I hope you will find exciting and enlightening.
Week 1:
Day 1-2: Start your trip in Jeddah, the port city by the Red Sea. Visit the historic district of Al-Balad and explore its beautiful old buildings, souks, and mosques. You can also take a stroll along the Corniche and visit the Jeddah Waterfront Sculpture Museum to admire the unique sculptures.
Day 3-4: Travel to the holy city of Mecca and perform Umrah, a spiritual pilgrimage to the Kaaba. Take some time to explore the Grand Mosque, Mount Arafat and Jabal Al-Rahma, and other sacred sites.
Day 5-6: Head to the city of Taif, known for its pleasant weather and scenic landscapes. Visit its beautiful parks, such as Al Rudaf Park, and learn about its rich history at the Shubra Palace and the Taif Regional Museum.
Day 7: Spend a day in Riyadh, the capital city, and visit the King Abdulaziz Historical Center to learn more about the country's founder and history.
Week 2:
Day 8-9: Travel to AlUla, an ancient city located in the north-western part of Saudi Arabia. Explore the remarkable Nabataean tombs, sandstone formations, and rock art at Hegra Archaeological Site, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Day 10-11: Visit the city of Dhahran and learn about the oil industry at the Saudi Aramco Exhibit, the world's largest oil company. You can also check out the beautiful Khobar Corniche and the Half Moon Bay.
Day 12-13: Go on a desert safari tour to experience the natural beauty of Saudi Arabia. You can go on a camel ride, quad biking, or sandboarding at places like the Rub' al Khali Desert, the largest sand desert in the world.
Day 14: End your trip with a visit to Al Khobar, a beautiful city by the Persian Gulf. Visit the beautiful Al Khobar waterfront and King Fahd Causeway, which connects Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.
I hope this itinerary gives you an idea of what to do and where to visit during your two-week stay in Saudi Arabia. Enjoy your trip!
Culture
Saudi Arabia has centuries-old attitudes and traditions, often derived from Arab civilization. The main factors that influence the culture of Saudi Arabia are Islamic heritage and Bedouin traditions as well as its historical role as an ancient trade centre.
Religion is a core aspect of everyday life in Saudi Arabia. It plays a dominant role in the country's governance and legal system, deeply influences culture and daily life, although the power of the religious establishment has been significantly eroded in the 2010s. The Hejaz region, where the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina are located, is the destination of the Ḥajj pilgrimage, and often deemed to be the cradle of Islam.
Islam is the state religion of Saudi Arabia. There is no law that requires all citizens to be Muslim, but non-Muslims and many foreign and Saudi Muslims whose beliefs are deemed not to conform with the government's interpretation of Islam must practice their religion in private and are vulnerable to discrimination, harassment, detention, and, for foreigners, deportation. Neither Saudi citizens nor guest workers have the right of freedom of religion. The dominant form of Islam in the kingdom—Wahhabism—arose in the central region of Najd, in the 18th century. Proponents call the movement "Salafism", and believe that its teachings purify the practice of Islam of innovations or practices that deviate from the seventh-century teachings of Muhammad and his companions. The Saudi government has often been viewed as an active oppressor of Shia Muslims because of the funding of the Wahhabi ideology which denounces the Shia faith. Prince Bandar bin Sultan, Saudi ambassador to the United States, stated: "The time is not far off in the Middle East when it will be literally 'God help the Shia'. More than a billion Sunnis have simply had enough of them."
Saudi Arabia is one of the few countries that have "religious police" (known as Haia or Mutaween), who patrol the streets "enjoining good and forbidding wrong" by enforcing dress codes, strict separation of men and women, attendance at prayer (salat) five times each day, the ban on alcohol, and other aspects of Sharia (Islamic law). However, since 2016 the power of religious police was curbed, which barred them from pursuing, questioning, requesting identification or arresting suspects. In the privacy of homes, behaviour can be far looser, and reports from WikiLeaks indicate that low ranked members of the ruling Saudi Royal family indulge in parties with alcohol, drugs, and prostitutes.
Until 2016, the kingdom only used the lunar Islamic calendar, not the international Gregorian calendar, but in 2016 the kingdom announced its switch to the Gregorian calendar for civil purposes. Daily life is influenced by Islamic observance. Some businesses decide to close three or four times a day for 30 to 45 minutes during business hours while employees and customers are sent off to pray. The weekend is Friday-Saturday, not Saturday-Sunday because Friday is the holiest day for Muslims. For many years only two religious holidays were publicly recognized – ʿĪd al-Fiṭr and ʿĪd al-Aḍḥā. (ʿĪd al-Fiṭr is "the biggest" holiday, a three-day period of "feasting, gift-giving and general letting go").
In 2004, approximately half of the broadcast airtime of Saudi state television was devoted to religious issues. 90 per cent of books published in the kingdom were on religious subjects, and most of the doctorates awarded by its universities were in Islamic studies. In the state school system, about half of the material taught is religious. In contrast, assigned readings over 12 years of primary and secondary schooling devoted to covering the history, literature, and cultures of the non-Muslim world come to a total of about 40 pages.
"Fierce religious resistance" had to be overcome to permit such innovations as paper money (in 1951), female education (1964), and television (1965) and the abolition of slavery (1962). Public support for the traditional political/religious structure of the kingdom is so strong that one researcher interviewing Saudis found virtually no support for reforms to secularize the state.
Celebration of other (non-Wahhabi) Islamic holidays, such as the Muhammad's birthday and the Day of Ashura, (an important holiday for the 10–25 per cent of the population that is Shīʿa Muslim), are tolerated only when celebrated locally and on a small scale. Shias also face systematic discrimination in employment, education, the justice system according to Human Rights Watch. Non-Muslim festivals like Christmas, Easter, Halloween, and New Year were not tolerated until recently. No churches, temples or other non-Muslim houses of worship are permitted in the country. Proselytizing by non-Muslims and conversion by Muslims to another religion is illegal, and the distribution of "publications that have prejudice to any other religious belief other than Islam" (such as Bibles), was reportedly punishable by death. In legal compensation court cases (Diyya) non-Muslim are awarded less than Muslims. Atheists are legally designated as terrorists. At least one religious minority, the Ahmadiyya Muslims, had its adherents deported, as they are legally banned from entering the country.
In a recent move to promote a modern image, Saudi Arabia banned the religious group known as 'Tablighi Jamaat'. The announcement was made on social media by the country's Minister of Islamic Affairs who warned people against association during the Friday sermon.
Throughout history, women did not have equal rights to men in the kingdom; the U.S. State Department considers Saudi Arabian government's discrimination against women a "significant problem" in Saudi Arabia and notes that women have few political rights due to the government's discriminatory policies. However, since Mohammed bin Salman was appointed Crown Prince in 2017, a series of social reforms have been witnessed regarding women's rights.
Under previous Saudi law, all females were required to have a male guardian, typically a father, brother, husband, or uncle. In 2019, this law was partially amended to exclude women over 21 years old from the requirement of a male guardian. The new amendment also granted women rights in relation to the guardianship of minor children. Previously, girls and women were forbidden from traveling, conducting official business, or undergoing certain medical procedures without permission from their male guardians. In 2019, Saudi Arabia allowed women to travel abroad, register for divorce or marriage, and apply for official documents without the permission of a male guardian.
In 2006, Wajeha al-Huwaider, a leading Saudi feminist and journalist said "Saudi women are weak, no matter how high their status, even the 'pampered' ones among them, because they have no law to protect them from attack by anyone." Following this, Saudi Arabia implemented the anti-domestic violence law in 2014. Furthermore, between 2017 and 2020, the country addressed issues of mobility, sexual harassment, pensions, and employment-discrimination protections. al-Huwaider and other female activists have applauded the general direction in which the country was headed.
Women face discrimination in the courts, where the testimony of one man equals that of two women in family and inheritance law. Polygamy is permitted for men, and men have a unilateral right to divorce their wives (talaq) without needing any legal justification. A woman can only obtain a divorce with the consent of her husband or judicially if her husband has harmed her. However, in 2022, women were granted the right to divorce and without the approval of a legal guardian under the new Personal Status Law. With regard to the law of inheritance, the Quran specifies that fixed portions of the deceased's estate must be left to the Qur'anic heirs and generally, female heirs receive half the portion of male heirs.
Obesity is a problem among middle and upper-class Saudis who have domestic servants to do traditional work but, until 2018, women were forbidden to drive and so they were limited in their ability to leave their home. As of April 2014, Saudi authorities in the education ministry have been asked by the Shoura Council to consider lifting a state school ban on sports for girls with the proviso that any sports conform to Sharia rules on dress and gender segregation, according to the official SPA news agency. The religious police, known as the mutawa, imposed many restrictions on women in public in Saudi Arabia. The restrictions include forcing women to sit in separate specially designated family sections in restaurants, to wear an abaya and to cover their hair. However, in 2016, the Saudi cabinet has drastically reduced the power of the religious police and barred it "from pursuing, questioning, asking for identification, arresting and detaining anyone suspected of a crime", making them effectively "non-existent" in the public sphere anymore.
A few Saudi women have risen to the top of the medical profession; for example, Dr. Ghada Al-Mutairi heads a medical research centre in California and Dr. Salwa Al-Hazzaa is head of the ophthalmology department at King Faisal Specialist Hospital in Riyadh and was the late King Fahad's personal ophthalmologist.
Saudi Wahhabism is hostile to any reverence given to historical or religious places of significance for fear that it may give rise to 'shirk' (idolatry), and the most significant historic Muslim sites (in Mecca and Medina) are located in the western Saudi region of the Hejaz. As a consequence, under Saudi rule, an estimated 95% of Mecca's historic buildings, most over a thousand years old, have been demolished for religious reasons. Critics claim that over the last 50 years, 300 historic sites linked to Muhammad, his family or companions have been lost, leaving fewer than 20 structures remaining in Mecca that date back to the time of Muhammad. Demolished structures include the mosque originally built by Muhammad's daughter Fatima, and other mosques founded by Abu Bakr (Muhammad's father-in-law and the first Caliph), Umar (the second Caliph), Ali (Muhammad's son-in-law and the fourth Caliph), and Salman al-Farsi (another of Muhammad's companions).
Six cultural sites in Saudi Arabia are designated as UNESCO World Heritage Sites: Al-Hijr Archaeological Site (Madâin Sâlih); the Turaif district in the city of Diriyah; Historic Jeddah, the Gate to Mecca; Al-Ahsa Oasis; Rock Art in the Hail Region; and Ḥimā Cultural Area. Ten other sites submitted requests for recognition to UNESCO in 2015. There are six elements inscribed on UNESCO's Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity list: Al-Qatt Al-Asiri, female traditional interior wall decoration in Asir; Almezmar, drumming and dancing with sticks; Falconry, a living human heritage; Arabic coffee, a symbol of generosity; Majlis, a cultural and social space; Alardah Alnajdiyah, dance, drumming and poetry in Saudi Arabia.
In June 2014, the Council of Ministers approved a law that gives the Saudi Commission for Tourism and National Heritage the means to protect Saudi Arabia's ancient relics and historic sites. Within the framework of the 2016 National Transformation Program, also known as Saudi Vision 2030, the kingdom allocated 900 million euros to preserve its historical and cultural heritage. Saudi Arabia also participates in the International Alliance for the Protection of Heritage in Conflict Areas (ALIPH), created in March 2017, with a contribution of 18.5 million euros.
In 2017, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman promised to return Saudi Arabia to the "moderate Islam" of the era before the 1979 Iranian revolution. A new centre, the King Salman Complex for the Prophet's Hadith, was established that year to monitor interpretations of the Prophet Mohammed's hadiths to prevent them being used to justifying terrorism.
In March 2018, the Crown Prince met the Archbishop of Canterbury during a visit to the UK, pledging to promote interfaith dialogue. In Riyadh the following month King Salman met the head of the Vatican's Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue. In July 2019, UNESCO signed a letter with the Saudi Minister of Culture in which Saudi Arabia contributed US$25 million to UNESCO for the preservation of heritage.
Saudi Arabian dress strictly follows the principles of hijab (the Islamic principle of modesty, especially in dress). The predominantly loose and flowing, but covering, garments are suited to Saudi Arabia's desert climate. Traditionally, men usually wear a white ankle-length garment woven from wool or cotton (known as a thawb), with a keffiyeh (a large checkered square of cotton held in place by an agal) or a ghutra (a plain white square made of a finer cotton, also held in place by an agal) worn on the head. For rare chilly days, Saudi men wear a camel-hair cloak (bisht) over the top. In public women are required to wear a black abaya or other black clothing that covers everything under the neck with the exception of their hands and feet, although most women cover their head in respect of their religion. This requirement applies to non-Muslim women too and failure to abide can result in police action, particularly in more conservative areas of the country. Women's clothes are often decorated with tribal motifs, coins, sequins, metallic thread, and appliques.
* Ghutrah (غتره) is a traditional headdress typically worn by Arab men. It is made of a square of cloth ("scarf"), usually cotton, folded and wrapped in various styles around the head. It is commonly worn in areas with an arid climate, to provide protection from direct sun exposure, and also protection of the mouth and eyes from blown dust and sand.
* Agal (عقال) is an item of Arab headgear constructed of cord which is fastened around the Ghutrah to hold it in place. The agal is usually black in colour.
* Thawb (ثوب) is the standard Arabic word for garment. It is ankle-length, usually with long sleeves, similar to a robe.
* Bisht (بشت) is a traditional Arabic men's cloak usually only worn for prestige on special occasions such as weddings.
* Abaya (عبائة) is a woman's garment. It is a black cloak that loosely covers the entire body except for the head. Some women choose to cover their faces with a niqāb and some do not. Some abayas cover the top of the head as well.
During the 1970s, cinemas were numerous in the kingdom although they were seen as contrary to Wahhabi norms. During the Islamic revival movement in the 1980s, and as a political response to an increase in Islamist activism including the 1979 seizure of the Grand Mosque in Mecca, the government closed all cinemas and theatres. However, with King Abdullah and King Salman's reforms, cinemas re-opened, including one in KAUST.
From the 18th century onward, Wahhabi fundamentalism discouraged artistic development inconsistent with its teaching. In addition, Sunni Islamic prohibition of creating representations of people have limited the visual arts, which tend to be dominated by geometric, floral, and abstract designs and by calligraphy. With the advent of the oil-wealth in the 20th century came exposure to outside influences, such as Western housing styles, furnishings, and clothes. Music and dance have always been part of Saudi life. Traditional music is generally associated with poetry and is sung collectively. Instruments include the rabābah, an instrument not unlike a three-string fiddle, and various types of percussion instruments, such as the ṭabl (drum) and the ṭār (tambourine). Of the native dances, the most popular is a martial line dance known as the arḍah, which includes lines of men, frequently armed with swords or rifles, dancing to the beat of drums and tambourines. Bedouin poetry, known as nabaṭī, is still very popular.
Censorship has limited the development of Saudi literature, although several Saudi novelists and poets have achieved critical and popular acclaim in the Arab world—albeit generating official hostility in their home country. These include Ghazi Algosaibi, Mansour al-Nogaidan, Abdelrahman Munif, Turki al-Hamad and Rajaa al-Sanea. In 2016, the General Entertainment Authority was formed to oversee the expansion of the Saudi entertainment sector. The first concerts in Riyadh for 25 years took place the following year. Other events since the GEA's creation have included comedy shows, professional wrestling events and monster truck rallies. In 2018 the first public cinema opened after a ban of 35 years, with plans to have more than 2,000 screens running by 2030.
Developments in the arts in 2018 included Saudi Arabia's debut appearances at the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Biennale. Guetta's comments come as Saudi Arabia increasingly attracts big name western music acts to perform in the kingdom.
Saudi Arabian cuisine is similar to that of the surrounding countries in the Arabian Peninsula and the wider Arab world, and has influenced and been influenced by Turkish, Indian, Persian, and African food. Islamic dietary laws are enforced: pork is not allowed and other animals are slaughtered in accordance with halal. Kebabs and falafel are popular, as is shāwarmā (shawarma), a marinated grilled meat dish of lamb, mutton, or chicken. As in other Arab countries of the Arabian Peninsula, machbūs (kabsa), a rice dish with lamb, chicken, fish or shrimp, is among the national dishes as well as the dish mandi. Flat, unleavened taboon bread is a staple of virtually every meal, as are dates, fresh fruit, yoghurt, and hummus. Coffee, served in the Arabic style, is the traditional beverage but tea and various fruit juices are popular as well. Arabic coffee is a traditional beverage in Arabian cuisine. The earliest substantiated evidence of either coffee drinking or knowledge of the coffee tree is from the 15th century, in the Sufi monasteries of Arabia.
Football is the national sport in Saudi Arabia. The Saudi Arabia national football team is considered one of Asia's most successful national teams, having reached a joint record 6 AFC Asian Cup finals, winning three of those finals (1984, 1988, and 1996) and having qualified for the World Cup four consecutive times ever since debuting at the 1994 tournament.
In the 1994 FIFA World Cup under the leadership of Jorge Solari, Saudi Arabia beat both Belgium and Morocco in the group stage before falling to defeat Sweden in the round of 16. During the 1992 FIFA Confederations Cup, which was played in Saudi Arabia, the country reached the final, losing 1–3 to Argentina. Scuba diving, windsurfing, sailing and basketball (which is played by both men and women) are also popular with the Saudi Arabian national basketball team winning bronze at the 1999 Asian Championship. More traditional sports such as horse racing and camel racing are also popular. A stadium in Riyadh holds races in the winter. The annual King's Camel Race, begun in 1974, is one of the sport's most important contests and attracts animals and riders from throughout the region. Falconry, another traditional pursuit, is still practised.
Women's sport is controversial due to the suppression of female participation in sport by conservative Islamic religious authorities, however the restrictions have eased since then. Until 2018 women were not permitted in sport stadiums. Segregated seating, allowing women to enter, has been developed in three stadiums across major cities. Since 2020, the progress of women's integration into the Saudi sport scene began to develop rapidly. 25 Saudi sport federations established a national women's team, including a national football and basketball team, as well as the participation of women in tennis, golf, motorsport, boxing, fencing, weightlifting, and pole dancing. In November 2020, the Saudi Arabian Football Federation announced the launch of the first nationwide Saudi women's premier league.
Saudi Arabia, in its vision for modernization, introduced the nation to a number of international sporting events, bringing sports stars to the kingdom. However, in August 2019, the kingdom's strategy received criticism for appearing as a method of sportswashing soon after Saudi's US-based 2018 lobbying campaign foreign registration documentations got published online. The documents showed Saudi Arabia as allegedly implementing a 'sportswashing' strategy, inclusive of meetings and official calls with supreme authorities of associations like the Major League Soccer (MLS), World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), National Basketball Association (NBA). The strategy is being viewed as a method of sportswashing following the chaos spread across Yemen for 6 years.
Television was introduced in Saudi Arabia in 1954. Saudi Arabia is a major market for pan-Arab satellite and pay-TV. It controls the largest share of the pan-Arab broadcasting market; among the major Saudi-owned broadcasting companies are the Middle East Broadcasting Center, Rotana and the Saudi Broadcasting Authority. The Saudi government closely monitors media and restricts it under official state law. Changes have been made to lessen these restrictions; however, some government-led efforts to control information have also drawn international attention. As of 2022, Reporters Without Borders rates the kingdom's press "Very Serious" situation.
Most of the early newspapers in the Persian Gulf region were established in Saudi Arabia. The first newspaper founded in the country and in the Persian Gulf area is Al Fallah, which was launched in 1920, and the first English-language newspaper is Arab News, which was launched in 1975. All of the newspapers published in Saudi Arabia are privately owned.
Saudi Arabia received access to the Internet in 1994. According to World Bank, as of 2020, 98% of the population of Saudi Arabia are Internet users which puts it in the 8th rank among countries with the highest percentage of internet users. Saudi Arabia has one of the fastest 5G internet speeds in the world. The kingdom is also the 27th largest market for e-commerce with a revenue of US$8 billion in 2021, placing it ahead of Belgium and behind Norway.
Demographics
Following the amalgamation of the Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd, the new state was named al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabīyah as-Saʿūdīyah (a transliteration of المملكة العربية السعودية in Arabic) by royal decree on 23 September 1932 by its founder, Abdulaziz bin Saud. Although this is normally translated as "the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia" in English, it literally means "the Saudi Arab kingdom", or "the Arab Saudi Kingdom".
The word "Saudi" is derived from the element as-Saʿūdīyah in the Arabic name of the country, which is a type of adjective known as a nisba, formed from the dynastic name of the Saudi royal family, the Al Saud (آل سعود). Its inclusion expresses the view that the country is the personal possession of the royal family. Al Saud is an Arabic name formed by adding the word Al, meaning "family of" or "House of", to the personal name of an ancestor. In the case of Al Saud, this is Saud ibn Muhammad ibn Muqrin, the father of the dynasty's 18th-century founder, Muhammad bin Saud.
Cities:
