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Saudi Arabia. By Ian Boucher. Basic information. 2 nd largest Arab Country in Central Asia “Land of Two Holy Mosques” Capital City Is Riyadh Minor Cities include Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Dammam
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Saudi Arabia By Ian Boucher
Basic information • 2nd largest Arab Country in Central Asia • “Land of Two Holy Mosques” • Capital City Is Riyadh • Minor Cities include Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Dammam • Population of 27 million, 8 million Ex-Patriots, 1.5 million illegal immigrants (31% Foreign nationals) • Official Languages are Arabic; Hejazi, Nejdi, Gulf. • Minor Language include Tagalog, English, French, Egyptian Arabic, and Urdu • Islam is required religion • Indian (1.1 mil.) , Pakistani (1 mil.) , Bangladeshi (755,000) , Filipino (500,000), Turkish (100,000), American (100,000)
Saudi Arabian Geography Arabian Desert occupies majority of area of Saudi Arabia, with shrub land to the east. An- Nafud Desert is to north, and Rub’Al Khali to south. Hejaz AsirMtns reside to west, which are the Countries highest terrain, and Rekbah and JabalTuwaya Plains are in center.
Geography/ Climate • Saudi Arabia is bordered by Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, U.A.E, Oman, and Yemen. • Desert Climate • Avg. summer temperature 45 °c to 54°c • 300 mm of precipitation annually • Virtually no lakes, Oasis Prominence
History • Founded by Abdul-Azis bin Saud in 1932 • “House of Saud” conquests to achieve Absolute Monarchy • Wahhabist-Bedouin Revolt of 1902, united two kingdoms of Hejaz and Nejd by 1932 • Al-Saud vs. Al-Rashid, struggle for power in World War One against Ottoman Turks • Established relations with U.S. in 1933 • Oil reserves of Al-Hasa discovered by U.S. Geologists in 1941 • Joined United Nations in 1945, and establishes SAO ( Security Assistance Organization) • 1962 Slavery abolished
Education • Literacy rate: 84.7% Male, 70.8% girls • $ USD 2 Billion budget • Traditional Elementary, Intermediate, Secondary levels offered • Segregation among gender in classes • Wahhabi-Sunni compulsory classes, Islam dominates Saudi educational system • Large focus on memorization of Qur'an, Tafsir, How to incorporate into lives (Religious or Technical path) • Taweeter Reform Schooling
Health • Infant mortality rate 11.57 deaths per 1000 • On avg. men live to 74 years, women live to 78 years • Water approximately consumes 0.7 % of Saudi Arabia area
Government • Absolute Monarchy/ Unitary Islamic • King Abdullah bin Abdul Azis • Integrates judiciary elements, power resides with royal family • Legislation resides with King’s decree, and no politically parties recognized • Ulemas -Royal bureaucrats with judiciary functions • “Council of Ministries” • Critically seen as unstable
Economics • 2nd largest oil reserve in world, 2nd largest exporter of oil • GDP $ 776.233 Billion • Per Capita $ 26,691 • Saudi Riyal (SR) • Contains 1/4th of World’s oil reserves, 90% of economy is oil exportation, 75% of revenue comes from oil • Exports include Gold, Uranium, Coal, Ivory, Zinc, Silver, Copper, Gasoline, Petroleum Products, and Oil.
Foreign Relations • Joined UN in 1945 • Initially established relations in 1933 • 1960’s U.S, Britain, France assist Saudi Arabia in Creating SANG, SA’s first military organization • Member of Arab League (AL), Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), Muslim World League (MWL), OPEC, Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) • Strong Allies to U.S., 1991 sanctioned U.S. troops in Saudi Arabia for Gulf War • Sept. 11, 2001- 9/11, 15 of 19 hijackers from Saudi Arabia, • Establishes stronger defense and cooperation with the U.S. although involvement in Iraq is neutral • Terrorist activity including groups of Al-Qaeda, LeT, Taliban linked within Saudi Arabia
Sharia • “Wahhabism influence,” or Salafistic Islam ideas • Prominence in educational text, Government laws, cultural tradition, religious interpretation • Notorious for conservative righteousness • American critics including CIA director, James Woosley, accuses “Wahhabi influence” on Saudi Arabia a detriment, and precursor for terrorist groups. • 90% Wahhabi-Sunni • 10% Shi’ite (reside in provincial eastern part of SA) • No faith other than Islam is permitted, Apostasy is punishable by death • Traditional forms of punishment including decapitation, amputation, and death used
Human Rights • Abuse of prisoners incommunicado detention • Severe restrictions of freedoms including speech, press, assembly and association, religion, and rights to election • Discrimination against women, including prohibition of driving rights, veiling requirement, discouragement of work, and sexual relational penalization. • Rape, murder, apostasy, armed robbery, and drug/alcohol trafficking are punishable by death • 1 in 4 children are subject to physical abuse in Saudi Arabia
Current Events Modern issues include: • High unemployment rate • Religious extremism • Gov’t. corruption and strict oppression to gov’t reform • Juvenile delinquency: drug/ alcohol use, unsatisfying educational system • Oppression to minorities including Shi’ite Muslims in East • Contempt for Royal family and medieval gov’t practices • Trafficking of Women, Drug and Alcohol
Current Events Specified • Sultan Al-siri beheaded in South-west province of Abha, accused of killing drinking partner • 72nd person to be decapitated this year • Avg. of 140 immediate moratoriums on death row a year • 2009 accumulated 67 beheadings, 2010 contained 27, and 2011 has 72 as of Al-Siri
Current Events Specified • Amnesty International criticizes Saudi Arabia of repression in provinces of Qatif, Ansa, Awwamiya for Government reform. • 5,800 people have been tried since April in reformist ordeal on grounds of the Detainment of Terrorist activity • Torture, ill-treatment, and disregard of due process evident • Last week, five men were killed by police forces during a protest, two being completely unarmed • As well, 16 men ( 9 prominent reformists) were given sentences of 5-30 years in prison for protesting, primary witnessed say men were blind folded and handcuffed during trial, and lawyers weren’t permitted in first 3 sessions of court • April, Crackdown of Shi’ite Muslim protests in Eastern Saudi Provinces • Questioning integrity of Royal family carries 10 years minimum in prison.
Bibliography Saudi Arabia." Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia the Free Encyclopedia, 4 Apr. 2008. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. <http://En.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saudi_Arabia>. "Background Note: Saudi Arabia." Saudi Arabia. U.S. Department of State, 30 Dec. 2009. Web. 13 Dec. 2011. <http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3584.htm> Saudi-arabia-map. Photograph. By Freeworldmaps.com. Web.En.wikipedia.orh/wiki/sharia Trimel; Amnesty International, Suzanne. "New Wave of Repression in Saudi Arabia as Authorities Stifle Calls for Political Reform, Says New Amnesty International Report."Amnesty International. Amnesty International USA, 1 Dec. 2011. Web. 14 Dec. 2011. <http://www.amnestyusa.org/sites/default/files/uaa37111.pdf>. Yahoo.News. "Amnesty Accuses Saudi of Repression." Yahoo!News. Yahoo.com, 12 Dec. 2011. Web. 15 Dec. 2011. <ca.news.yahoo.com/amnesty-accuses-saudi-repression-13051> Minaret.org. "Saudi Arabia." Minaret of Freedom Institute: A Free Market Muslim Perspective on Economics, Democracy, Terrorism and Middle East Conflict. Minaret.org, 27 Nov. 2011. Web. 09 Jan. 2012. http://www.minaret.org/index.html. "Saudi Arabia Profile." BBC News. BBC, 27 Oct. 2011. Web. 11 Dec. 2011. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-14702705>.