Gold In Arabic

Geography 

Saudi Arabia is about the size of Western Europe, covering four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. The Red Sea lies on the West coast and the Persian Gulf Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the East. Saudi Arabia has borders with Yemen and Oman in the South, and Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait in the North. There are four geographical regions: Hejaz (North-West), Asir (South-West), Nejd (Central Plateau) and Al Hasa (Eastern Province). Most of the population is concentrated in Jeddah and Mecca in the West, Riyadh in the centre and Dammam and Al Khobar in the East. Saudi Arabia's Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world and is the size of France. Summer temperatures inland can reach 50°C during the day, but can fall dramatically to below 30°C at night. In winter they can be close to freezing in the desert. The coastal temperatures are more moderate but humidity is high.

Geology

Saudi Arabia is divided geologically into four distinct and extensive terrains:

    * the Proterozoic Arabian Shield, comprising metamorphosed volcano sedimentary successions intruded by granite and gabbro;

    * the Phanerozoic Arabian platform of clastic, calcareous, and evaporitic successions dipping gently eastward away from the Shield;

    * the Tertiary 'harrats' (extensive basalt plateaus) mainly overlying the Shield; and

    * the narrow Red Sea coastal plain of Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentary rocks and coral reefs.

The primary interest in metallic minerals is in the Proterozoic Arabian Shield although base metal deposits are known to exist in the Phanerozoic and the Red Sea terrains. The Precambrian (Proterozoic) contains most of Saudi Arabia's known metal deposits of gold, silver, copper, zinc, iron, and magnesium. The Phanerozoic cover contains the oil resources and deposits of bauxite, phosphate, clay, limestone, silica sand, and lightweight aggregate that are of increasing importance to the industrial development of the Kingdom.

History

Modern Saudi Arabia was formed in 1932 when Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman Al-Saud united different regions of the Arabian Peninsula into one nation. All of Saudi Arabia's rulers since 1932 have been descendants of Al-Saud. During his rule, King Abdul Aziz laid the foundations for the modernisation of his country. He began to build the country's infrastructure, first establishing roads and basic communications systems, and later introducing modern technology and improving education, health care and agriculture.

In November 1953, King Abdul Aziz died and was succeeded by his eldest son, Crown Prince Saud bin Abdul Aziz Al-Saud. The new King's brother, Faisal bin Abdul Aziz, was named Crown Prince. King Saud established the Council of Ministers and the Ministries of Health, Education and Commerce. The Crown Prince became King Faisal in 1964. To deepen links between Islamic nations, he travelled throughout the Arab and Islamic world.

In 1975, King Faisal was assassinated by his nephew, Faisal bin Musa'id bin Abdul Aziz. He was succeeded by his brother, King Khalid bin Abdul Aziz, whose reign lasted until 1982, when he died of a heart attack. His brother, Fahd, who had been made Crown Prince on King Faisal's death, succeeded him. In 1986, King Fahd stopped using the title 'His Majesty' and took the title 'Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques'. Since 1996, Crown Prince Abdullah increasingly took on more responsibility after King Fahd suffered a stroke and upon the death of King Fahd on 1 August 2005, Crown Prince Abdullah became King and Prince Sultan became Crown Prince.

Economy

Saudi Arabia has the largest proven oil reserves in the world and is by a long way the largest exporter of oil. Oil was discovered in 1938, and production began under the then US-controlled Aramco (Arabian American Oil Company). Saudi Aramco, now nationalised, controls all onshore oil and has the largest reserve base of any company in the Exporting Countries (OPEC). It has always been the dominant player within OPEC in adjusting production in line with market stability.

Large oil earnings, particularly since the oil price rises of the early 1970's, have allowed the Government to spend heavily to look after the people and to build the infrastructure of a modern economy.

In the 1980's and 1990's economic growth was barely fast enough to keep up with population growth, but very high oil prices in 2003-2005 have made possible a strong resurgence in growth.

Saudi Arabia has long had a very liberal policy on the use of foreign workers, who form the vast bulk of the private sector workforce. However, the Saudi population is rapidly increasing and policy is now focusing on the need to create more jobs for young Saudis.