Saudi Arabia General Information

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers an estimated area of 865,000 square miles, occupies the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and is located in the southwest part of Asia. More than a quarter of the world¹s proven oil reserves lie beneath the sands and offshore waters of Saudi Arabia. Excessive heat and aridity are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. The average temperatures for the months of January and July in Riyadh are 14.4° C (58° F) and 42° C (108° F). The average annual precipitation in Riyadh and Jeddah is 3-5 inches. Because of the general aridity, Saudi Arabia has no permanent rivers or lakes. On the other hand, humidity in the coastal regions may approach one hundred percent. The population of Saudi Arabia is primarily composed of Arabs whose ancestors have lived in the area for many centuries. The population of Saudi Arabia is about 17,615,310. There is a minority in Saudi Arabia of Pakistans, Egyptians, Philippines, Americans, Asians, Indians, British, and others who have immigrated to Saudi Arabia because of the outstanding economic opportunities the country has to offer. Most of the population today consist of urban Saudis who practice the Muslim religion and speak the Arabic language and English. Saudi Arabia's unit of currency is the riyal. One USA dollar is equivalent to 3.75 Saudi riyals.