The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia enjoys a long and rich history that traces its roots back to the earliest civilizations of the Arabian Peninsula. The region's ancient nomadic peoples developed a deep love for the land as well as a strong sense of independence. With the advent of Islam in the 7th century, tribes and clans were unified under one religion.

The Saudi Arabian state was first established in the central region of the Arabian Peninsula in the early 18th century. Modern Saudi Arabia was founded in 1932 by King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud. The nation experienced remarkable growth over a short period, spurred by the discovery of oil in the 1930s. The people of Saudi Arabia now enjoy a high standard of living based on an increasingly diversified economy and have access to the most modern amenities and services. Proud of their history and energetic participants in the successful modernization of their country, today's Saudi Arabians face the future with great confidence.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comprises almost four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, an area about one-third the size of the continental United States. Geographically, it is situated in the southwestern part of Asia. The eastern part of Saudi Arabia is a plateau that begins with the great Nafud desert in the north, continues along the Arabian Gulf and culminates in the south in the world's largest sand desert, the Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter). To the west of this plateau is the Najd, the heartland of the peninsula, known for its spectacular escarpments and gravel and sand deserts. The capital city of Riyadh is located in the Najd. A chain of mountains in western Saudi Arabia runs parallel to the Red Sea. The Hijaz region along the Red Sea contains the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, the port city of Jeddah and the summer capital of Taif.

Early History
The Middle East, of which Saudi Arabia is an integral part, is the birthplace of civilization. It is in this area that man first settled in farming communities, developed agriculture, domesticated livestock, perfected trade and invented writing, setting the stage for the rise of civilizations such as Babylon, Nineveh, Phoenicia and Egypt. On its perimeter, and at a later stage, other great civilizations, such as Greece and Rome, would flourish, benefiting from the social and economic systems pioneered by the people of the region.

The inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula developed a civilization of their own that defied outside conquest. They interacted economically and culturally, trading with communities in the Fertile Crescent, which stretches from what is present-day Iraq through Syria to Turkey, as well as with Egypt, the Roman Empire and other peoples beyond their immediate area.

Cities along the western and northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula were located on a major overland trade route. Evidence of extensive commercial trade dating from 3,000 BC has been discovered along this route. Early trade commodities included agricultural products, spices, textiles, gold and frankincense.

The lifestyle of the early Arabs was deeply influenced by the desert, which fostered a strong sense of independence and adaptability to a challenging environment. Some Arabs turned to agriculture, forming settlements around a well or in an oasis, while others became nomads, traveling with their flocks across the desert in search of water and grazing land. Caravan cities formed along the western Red Sea coastal region of the peninsula. Although the desert environment was difficult to endure, it provided isolation and protection for the Arabs throughout the centuries.

Top 

Modern History
In the early 18th century, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the son of a religious judge, called on Muslims to return to the original form of Islam. Initially persecuted, he later found protection in the town of Diriyah, which was ruled by Muhammad bin Saud, a member of the prominent Al-Saud family. The partnership between these two men eventually led to the foundation of Saudi Arabia.

By the early 1800s, the Al-Saud family ruled much of the Arabian Peninsula. This rise to power alarmed the Ottoman Empire, which sent forth its armies to contain the influence of the Al-Saud. The Ottomans ultimately captured Diriyah, thus ending the first phase of the Al-Saud reign in 1818.

By 1824, the Al-Saud regained political control of central Arabia and once again ruled the region from their new capital of Riyadh, located close to Diriyah. A period of unrest and tribal warfare began in 1865 and resulted in the Al-Rashid family, with Ottoman support, extending its power over the Saudi state. The Al-Saud, under the leadership of Abdelrahman, were forced into exile in 1891. They lived on the borders of the Empty Quarter before settling in Kuwait.

Twenty-one-year-old Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud left Kuwait in 1901, determined to recapture all of the territory once held by his forefathers and to extend his protection over the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. In a daring battle he recaptured Riyadh in 1902. This event marks the beginning of the formation of the modern state of Saudi Arabia. After establishing Riyadh as his headquarters, Abdulaziz proceeded, over the following decades, to unite the different regions into one nation.

On September 23, 1932, the country was named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as an Islamic state, with Arabic designated as the national language and the Holy Qur'an as its constitution.

Top 

King Abdulaziz
The stability and prosperity that has reigned in Saudi Arabia since then are due in large part to the legacy of its legendary founder. King Abdulaziz was a remarkable leader of imagination and vision who launched Saudi Arabia on the road to taking its rightful place on the world stage. Although he never left the Arab world, he astounded visitors with his shrewd mastery of world affairs and proved to be a highly sophisticated statesman. Self-disciplined and moderate, intelligent and courageous, his considerable abilities were reinforced by his deep devotion to God.

During his rule, King Abdulaziz laid the foundations for the modernization 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.

Saud, the eldest son of Abdulaziz, acceded to the throne upon his father's death in 1953. He instituted the Council of Ministers and established the Ministries of Health, Education and Commerce. A large number of schools and the Kingdom's first institute of higher education, King Saud University, were opened in Riyadh in 1957. That year, King Saud made the first trip by a Saudi monarch to the United States. In 1962, Saudi Arabia sponsored an international Islamic conference, which fostered the World Muslim League, headquartered in Makkah.

Top 

King Faisal bin Abdulaziz
Faisal bin Abdulaziz became king in 1964. King Faisal's governance at home was marked by a respect for tradition combined with innovation. While his father had shaped the Kingdom, Faisal built and consolidated the country. His vast experience in foreign affairs starting at an early age allowed him to devote great effort to this area during his reign. To deepen links between Islamic nations, he traveled widely throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds. He took firm control of the country's fiscal policy and in 1970 initiated the first of the highly successful five-year Development Plans that have resulted in Saudi Arabia's rapid development. King Faisal was a central force behind the establishment in Jeddah in 1971 of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which is composed of Islamic countries and is dedicated to promoting Islamic unity and cooperation. King Faisal was named Time magazine's 'Man of the Year' in 1975 and was one of the world's most-respected leaders, as well as one of its most powerful men.

Top 

King Khalid bin Abdulaziz
Khalid bin Abdulaziz succeeded King Faisal in 1975. Under his leadership, Saudi Arabia continued its development at a remarkable pace. King Khalid launched the Kingdom's monumental Second and Third Development Plans in 1975 and 1980, under which the country's major infrastructure was established. The standard of living increased substantially and the Kingdom achieved political and economic prominence both regionally and internationally. In 1981 was formed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which links Saudi Arabia with neighboring Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for economic and security cooperation and coordination.

Top 

King Fahd bin Abdulaziz
The Kingdom's current leader, King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, succeeded King Khalid in 1982. He has directed Saudi Arabia's continued development and the diversification of its economic base away from reliance on oil. During his rule, the Kingdom's private sector has grown rapidly, now accounting for more than a third of the country's gross domestic product (GDP).

King Fahd began his distinguished career in public service more than half a century ago. As a young man, he represented Saudi Arabia at international events. His first high-level government post was Minister of Education during King Saud's reign. As the Kingdom's first Minister of Education, he helped plan and implement a far-ranging program to improve the quality of education and make it available to all Saudi citizens. In 1962 then-Prince Fahd became Minister of the Interior and, in 1967, Second Deputy Prime Minister. Prince Fahd was invested as Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister in 1975. Thus, he was an active participant in Saudi Arabia's progress and growth that began in earnest with the introduction of the first five-year Development Plan in 1970. Among Crown Prince Fahd's many achievements in the realm of foreign affairs was his 1981 proposal to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict. This was known as the Fahd Plan and adopted by the League of Arab States as the Fez Initiative. When he became King, Fahd was already known as an experienced leader. He has focused his efforts on building enduring prosperity in Saudi Arabia through development plans that stress planning, broad educational opportunities, a diversified economy and resource conservation.

On the domestic scene, King Fahd has introduced extensive reforms aimed at facilitating the continued development of Saudi Arabia in all spheres. In an effort to enhance the administrative efficiency and further development of the nation, King Fahd in 1992 announced new bylaws for the Basic System of Government, for Majlis Al-Shura (Consultative Council), and for the Provincial Council System. In 1993, he introduced bylaws for the Council of Ministers. In 2003 he approved the initialization of procedures for elections to be held for half the members of the municipal councils.

When King Fahd on December 29, 1993, opened the first meeting of the new Majlis Al-Shura, the body was of 60 highly-qualified Saudi citizens with specializations in all fields, mandated to make recommendations and give advice to the King on various issues. In July 1997, when the second term of the Council began, King Fahd expanded the membership to 90; and in 2001 he again increased the number to 120. Though the concept of Shura (consultation) has always been practiced by Saudi leaders, this system gives it a more formalized structure to better assist in meeting the requirements of the modern state.

King Fahd also decreed new bylaws for the Higher Education Council and University System. These bylaws enable the nation's higher education system to better meet the country's growing need for educated and skilled citizens in larger numbers and newer fields in the 21st century.

As the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques of Makkah and Madinah, King Fahd continued the policy of previous Saudi leaders to expand the facilities at the holy sites and across the Kingdom to facilitate the annual pilgrimage for a greater number of Muslims from around the world. Each year, more than two million pilgrims take part in the annual Hajj. In 1992, a project personally launched and overseen by King Fahd was completed, expanding the capacity of the Holy Mosque to accommodate more than one million worshipers and that of the Prophet's Mosque to more than half a million worshipers.

In the international arena, King Fahd has helped to achieve reconciliation among Arab as well as other Islamic nations, particularly through the League of Arab States, the Organization of the Islamic Conference and other international forums. During the 1990-91 Arabian Gulf Crisis, he played a decisive role in restoring international legitimacy and implementing United Nations Security Council resolutions, and was instrumental in putting together the coalition of Arab, Islamic and other friendly states that ultimately secured Kuwait's liberation. King Fahd has also played an active role in seeking peaceful resolutions for crises in Bosnia-Herzegovina, Kosovo, Chechnya, Lebanon, Afghanistan, Somalia, Kashmir, and Iraq, as well as the Palestinian situation. Moreover, under his direction, Saudi Arabia has provided emergency assistance to numerous countries suffering from natural disasters.

Among King Fahd's many international achievements is the historic Taif Accord. After years of quiet, behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Lebanese parliamentarians met in Taif, Saudi Arabia, in 1989 and established a national reconciliation government to end 15 years of civil war and return normalcy to their country. King Fahd has also been an active supporter of Lebanon's reconstruction efforts, providing financial aid and other forms of assistance. An advocate of peace, he has supported the Middle East peace process, including the declaration of principles between the Palestine Liberation Organization and Israel in Washington on September 13, 1993, as a step towards achieving a just and comprehensive settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

Top 

Prince Abdullah bin Abdulaziz
Abdullah bin Abdulaziz became Crown Prince and Deputy Prime Minister in 1982, and has been Commander of the National Guard since 1962. Crown Prince Abdullah has participated in shaping the Kingdom's Development Plans and plays an active role in governing the country. He has contributed to consolidating the Kingdom's position as a moderator and arbitrator in regional politics.

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz
Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz has been Second Deputy Prime Minister since 1982 and Minister of Defense and Aviation since 1962. He has helped to build and modernize the Kingdom's armed forces and has also contributed to the development of the national airline, Saudi Arabian Airlines (formerly known as Saudia), into a world-class carrier. Prince Sultan has also been an active participant in the development and administrative affairs of the Kingdom.