Saudi Arabia, the map of which is presented below, is a country in southwestern Asia, occupying about 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. The origin of its name is associated with the royal family of Saud, which founded the state and continues to be in it under power until today.
general description
The area of Saudi Arabia is 2.15 million square kilometers. The state borders on Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Yemen and Oman. In addition, it is washed by the waters of the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba. Its capital is Riyadh, which is home to more than five million people. Other major cities in Saudi Arabia are Jeddah, Mecca and Medina. Their population exceeds one million people.
The north of the country has a subtropical climate, while the south has a dry continental climate. Thus, winter is warm and summer is hot. It should be noted that there are no permanent rivers and water sources in the country, and temporary flows are formed only as a result of intense rains. The problem of providing fresh water is solved only through the development of companies engaged in desalination of water bodies, as well as through the drilling of artesian wells.
Political structure
In March 1992, the first documents were adopted regulating the political structure of the state and the basic principles of its management. Based on them, the country of Saudi Arabia is a theocratic absolute monarchy. The basis of its constitution is the Qur'an. The Saudi dynasty has been in power since 1932. The king has full legislative, executive and judicial powers. His powers are only theoretically limited by local traditions and Sharia norms. The government in its current form has been operating since 1953. It is headed by the king, who determines the main directions of his activities. There is also a Council of Ministers in the country, which is entrusted not only with executive, but also with legislative functions. All decisions taken by this authority are approved by decree of the King of Saudi Arabia. The population of the state is obliged to fulfill them. Administratively, the country is divided into thirteen provinces.
Economy
The basis of the local economy is private free enterprise. Along with this, it should be noted that control over key areas of activity is carried out by the government. The state boasts the largest oil reserves on the planet. It accounts for about 75% of its income. In addition, Saudi Arabia is a world leader in the export of black gold and plays one of the leading roles in OPEC. The country also has reserves of zinc, chromium, lead, copper and iron ore.
Population
The first census of local residents was conducted in 1974. From that time to the present day, the population of Saudi Arabia has grown almost three times. Now almost 30 million people live in the country. The overwhelming majority of local residents are Arabs, a significant part of whom retained a tribal organization. Now in the country there are more than 100 tribal associations and tribes. It should be noted that the fact that about one fifth of the population falls on foreign workers. Based on official UN statistics, as of 1970, the country's infant mortality rate was 204 babies for every thousand newborns. Now in this indicator there has been a significant positive shift. In particular, due to the improvement of living standards and medical services in the state, out of a thousand newborns, only 19 children die.
Tongue
Arabic is the official language in a country like Saudi Arabia. The population in everyday life uses mainly the Arabian dialect, which comes from el-Fuskhi. Inside it stands out several dialects that are close to each other. At the same time, city dwellers and descendants of nomads speak differently. Literary and spoken languages have insignificant differences among themselves. In the religious context, the classic Arabic dialect is used mainly. Common languages among immigrants from other countries are English, Indonesian, Urdu, Tagalog, Farsi and others.
Religion
The center of the Islamic world is considered to be Saudi Arabia. The population of the country, practically in its entirety, professes precisely this religion. According to various estimates, up to 93% of local residents are Sunnis. The remaining part of the representatives of Islam falls mainly on Shiites. As for other religions, approximately 3% of the country's inhabitants are Christians, and 0.4% are other faiths.
Education
Higher education in the country, although free, but not compulsory. Good work and a comfortable life in Saudi Arabia are possible without it. Be that as it may, a number of programs operate here, the main purpose of which was to reduce the level of illiteracy of local residents. Currently, there are 7 universities and 16 higher education institutions in the country. All are managed by the Ministry of Higher Education. Approximately 30 thousand students study abroad annually. In the past few decades, the government has significantly increased education spending. At the same time, the state needs a general reform in this area, which should form a new balance between modern and traditional teaching methods.
The medicine
One of the most advanced countries in the world in terms of medicine is Saudi Arabia. The population of the state has the right to receive related services free of charge. This applies to both residents of megacities and representatives of the Bedouin tribes who wander in the desert. Each year, the government allocates about 8% of the local budget for healthcare, which is simply a gigantic amount. Mandatory immunization of newborns is enshrined in law. The epidemiological control system, which was created in 1986, completely defeated and eliminated such terrible diseases as plague, yellow fever, and cholera.
Demographic issues
According to scientists, if the current rate of increase in the number of inhabitants in the country continues (over the past 30 years they have been about 4% of the population per year), then by 2050 the population of Saudi Arabia will reach 45 million. In other words, very soon the country's leadership will have to solve the problem associated not only with the provision of jobs for citizens, but also with the provision of decent old age for the working Saudis. This task is not so simple even for a state with such impressive oil reserves. The emergence of such problems is primarily associated with positive developments in the areas of nutrition and medical services, as well as with the improvement of living conditions in the country.