The population of Saudi Arabia. population of Saudi Arabia. Culture in Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, whose population dates back to the second millennium BC (it was then that the indigenous Arab tribes occupied the entire Arabian Peninsula), is today the main member of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries. The state ranks second in the world in the extraction and export of oil and oil products. In addition, referring to Mecca and Medina - the main holy cities of Islam - Saudi Arabia is called the Land of the Two Holy Mosques. It is the rich deposits of black gold and the penetration of religion into many areas of life that distinguish the kingdom.

General information about Saudi Arabia

The state from which Islam spread occupies about 80% of the territory of the Arabian Peninsula. Most of the country is occupied by desert areas, foothills and mountains of medium height, so that less than 1% of the land is suitable for cultivation. The Arabian Peninsula is one of the few places on Earth where the air temperature constantly exceeds 50 degrees in summer.

The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh. Other major cities are Jeddah, Mecca, Medina, Em Dammam, Al Hofuf. There are 27 settlements with a population of more than 100 thousand people, and four cities with a population of one million. The capital of Saudi Arabia is traditionally not only the administrative, but also the political, scientific, educational and business center of the country. Religious and cultural centers, shrines of the state - Mecca and Medina.

The official symbols are the flag of Saudi Arabia, the coat of arms and the anthem. The flag is a green cloth with a sword, symbolizing the victories of the founder of the state, and an inscription - the Muslim creed (shahada). Interestingly, the flag of Saudi Arabia is never flown at half mast for mourning. Also, the image cannot be applied to clothes and souvenirs, since the shahada is considered sacred to Muslims.

The king of Saudi Arabia, who today rules the state, is a direct descendant of the first king, Abdulaziz. The power of Salman ibn Abdul-Aziz Al Saud from the Saudi dynasty is actually limited only by Sharia law. Important government decisions are made by the king in consultation with a group of religious leaders and other respected members of Saudi society.

Current demographic situation

The population of Saudi Arabia as of 2014 was 27.3 million people. About 30% of them are visitors, while the indigenous population are Saudi Arabs. After a brief stabilization of demographic indicators in 2000 at around 20 million people, the population of Saudi Arabia began to grow again. In general, there are no sharp jumps in population in the dynamics of the population of the kingdom.

Other relevant demographics for Saudi Arabia are as follows:

• birth rate - 18.8 per 1000 people;
• mortality - 3.3 per 1000 people;
• total fertility rate - 2.2 children per woman;
• natural population growth - 15.1;
• migration growth of the population - 5.1 per 1000 people.

Density of inhabitants and nature of settlement

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia covers an area of ​​2,149,610 square kilometers. By territory, the state is the 12th in the world and the first among the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. These data, as well as a rough estimate of the population for 2015, allow us to calculate the population density. The figure is 12 people per square kilometer.

Most of the people of Saudi Arabia are concentrated in cities. Firstly, the relief and climate of the Arabian Peninsula make it possible to comfortably exist only within the oases around which the largest cities of the state were once formed. Secondly, a significant proportion of the urban population is due to the structure of the economy, where agriculture takes a very small part, due to the meager percentage of land suitable for growing plants and livestock.

The urbanization rate in the kingdom is 82.3% and the corresponding rate is 2.4% per annum. More than five million people live in the capital of Saudi Arabia. The total population of the remaining three million-plus cities is another six million Saudis. Thus, in the four largest cities of the kingdom, eleven million people out of 31.5 (estimated for 2015), which is approximately 35% of the country's inhabitants, live.

Religious affiliation of the population

Saudi Arabia, whose population is highly religious, is officially an Islamic state. Islam as the state religion is enshrined in the first article of the Basic Law of the State. Muslims are 92.8% of the population of Saudi Arabia. By the way, non-Islamic tourists are banned from entering Mecca and Medina.

Christianity is the second most followed religion in the kingdom. The number of Christians is about 1.2 million, the majority of whom are foreigners. Quite often, cases of harassment of adherents of other religions (non-Muslims) are recorded in the country - Saudi Arabia is in sixth place among the states where the rights of Christians are most often harassed.

Atheism in the kingdom is considered a grave sin and is equated with terrorism, so it is impossible to estimate the exact number of unbelievers in the country. The American Institute of Public Opinion, based on polls, cites the following data: 5% of Saudis are convinced atheists, about 19% call themselves unbelievers. Profile publications publish smaller numbers, indicating only 0.7% in the column "atheists and non-believers".

Sex and age structure of the population

Saudi Arabia, whose population is mostly of working age, is characterized by a progressive (or growing) type of sex and age pyramid. This is better seen in a simplified scheme, where only three categories of citizens are distinguished: children and adolescents (up to the full age of 14), the working-age population (from 15 to 65 years old) and the elderly (over 65 years old).

The working-age population is about 22 million people, which is 67.6% of the total number of Saudis. There are 9.6 million or 29.4% of children and adolescents in the state, only 3% fall to the share of elderly people, this group is 0.9 million people. In general, the dependent part of the citizens (children and pensioners who are supported by the adult population) has 32.4% of Saudis. Such indicators form a not particularly significant social burden on society.

Saudi Arabia, whose population traditionally oppresses the fair sex, is distinguished by an almost equal gender structure of the population. The country has 55% men and 45% women.

Women's rights in Saudi Arabia

Women's rights are severely restricted in a country like Saudi Arabia. The population is deeply religious, so it follows all religious norms. For example, women are prohibited from driving a car, voting, using public transport without being accompanied by a husband or a male relative, or communicating with men (with the exception of relatives and a husband). The fair sex is required to wear long dark robes, and in some regions only the eyes are allowed to be left open.

The quality of education for women in Saudi Arabia is worse than for men. In addition, female students receive smaller scholarships than their male counterparts. And in general, the fair sex does not have the right to study, work or travel outside the country, unless their husband or close male relative has allowed them to do so. Even for rape in Saudi Arabia, a woman can be punished, not a criminal. In this case, the victim is charged with “provocation to rape” or violation of the dress code.

Saudi Arabia, whose population gives the main prerogative to men, adheres to the principles of sexual segregation. So, for example, houses have separate entrances for women and men, restaurants are divided into several zones (women's, men's and family), celebrations are held with separation, and studies for students of different sexes are held at different times so that boys and girls do not intersect .

The King of Saudi Arabia has repeatedly announced the imminent empowerment of women with certain rights. For example, he said that he would allow the fair sex to drive as soon as the Saudi society was ready for this step. Of course, equal rights for women and men in Saudi society will have to wait quite a long time (and this simply contradicts the norms of Islam), but there are already some indulgences for the fair sex.

The literacy rate of the inhabitants of the kingdom

Saudi Arabia, whose population is fairly literate (94.4% of citizens over the age of 15 can read and write), has different literacy rates for women and men. Thus, 97% of men and 91% of women can read and write, which is associated with the traditional oppression of the rights of the fair sex. However, among young people (from 15 to 24 years old), literacy rates are approximately equal: in Saudi Arabia, 99.4% and 99.3% of literate young people and girls, respectively.

Culture in Saudi Arabia

The culture of the kingdom is closely connected with the state religion. Muslims are forbidden to consume pork and alcohol, so mass festivities are practically excluded. In addition, cinemas and theaters are banned in the country, but such establishments exist in areas populated mainly by foreigners. Home video viewing is very common in Saudi Arabia, and Western films are largely uncensored.

The structure of the state economy

The country has 25% of the world's oil reserves, which determines the basis of the economy of a state like Saudi Arabia. Oil provides almost all export earnings (90%). In the last thirty years, industry, transport, and trade have also developed, while the share of agriculture in the economy is very small.

The currency of Saudi Arabia is the Saudi rial. The exchange rate of the monetary unit is pegged to the US dollar at a ratio of 3.75 to 1. In conclusion, information for tourists on how the currency of Saudi Arabia is converted in terms of the currencies of other countries: 100 rials is 1,500 rubles, 25 euros, 26.6 dollars United States of America.

Authors: N. N. Alekseeva (Nature: physical and geographical essay), N. A. Bozhko (Nature: geology), A. V. Sedov (Historical essay), G. G. Kosach (Historical essay), G. L Ghukasyan (Economy), V. D. Nesterkin (Armed Forces), V. S. Nechaev (Health), M. N. Suvorov (Literature), E. S. Yakushkina (Architecture and fine arts)Authors: N. N. Alekseeva (Nature: physical and geographical essay), N. A. Bozhko (Nature: geology), A. V. Sedov (Historical essay), G. G. Kosach (Historical essay); >>

SAUDI ARABIA(Arabic Al-Arabiya as-Saudi), Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (Arabic Al-Mamlaka al-Arabiya as-Saudi).

General information

S.A. is a state in the Southwest. Asia, on the Arabian Peninsula. It borders in the north with Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, in the east with Qatar, in the southeast with the United Arab Emirates and Oman, in the south with Yemen. In the west it is washed by the Red Sea, in the east by the waters of the Persian Gulf. Pl. OK. 2.15 million km 2 (official data; according to other sources, from 1.6 to 2.4 million km 2, the boundaries of SA in the south and southeast pass through deserts and are not clearly defined). Us. 30.8 million people (2014). The capital is Riyadh. Official language is Arabic. The monetary unit is Saudi. rial. Adm.-terr. division - 13 adm. districts.

Administrative-territorial division (2013)

S. A. - member of the UN (1945), Arab League (1945), IMF (1957), IBRD (1957), OPEC (1960), GCC (Cooperation Council of the Arab States of the Persian Gulf; 1981), OIC (Organization Islamic Cooperation, 1969, until 2011 Organization of the Islamic Conference), WTO (2005).

Political system

S.A. is a unitary state. Absolute theocratic. monarchy.

Head of state, legislator. and perform. power is the king. He is the personification of the power of the Saudi family. The special position of this family is enshrined in an act of the constitution. character - Basic nizam (regulation) on power 1992. The king elects the crown prince and removes him by his decree. The king may by decree transfer some of his powers to him.

Performed power is exercised by the king and the Council of Ministers headed by him.

As a council. body under the king and the government operates the Advisory Council (CC), whose functions include the development of recommendations on socio-economic issues. development of the country, examination of draft regulations and international. agreements. The council consists of 150 members appointed by the king for 4 years.

Political there are no parties in SA.

Nature

Shores of the Persian Gulf. and Red m. low, sandy, slightly indented.

Relief

Plateau-like plains are widespread, gradually decreasing from 1000–1300 m in the west to 200–300 m in the east and weakly dissected by dry river valleys (wadis). To the center. parts are dominated by stratified accumulative-denudation plains, bordered from the east by a strip of cuesta uplands, including Tuvaik (altitude up to 1143 m, ledges up to 300–400 m). So. the area is occupied by the Nejd high plateau. 400–1000 m with mountain ranges (Jabal-Shammar, Harrat-Khaibar, heights up to 1850 m), sandy-pebble and rocky deserts (hamads, including the El-Hamad desert), wadi channels.

On horizontally occurring sedimentary rocks, stratified accumulative plains are formed, overlain by loose Quaternary plains, in the main. sandy deposits. The processes of arid denudation and accumulation are typical. Forms of eolian relief (ridged, sand dunes and dune-hummocky sands) occupy vast areas in the deserts of Big Nefud, Little Nefud (Dehna), Nafud-ed-Dakhi (Nefud-Dakhi) and Rub al-Khali, where dunes of heights are found. up to 200 m. In parts of S. A., the mountains of Ash-Shifa, Hijaz, and Asir (up to 3032 m high - the highest in S. A.) with steep, strongly dissected west stretches parallel to the coast of the Red Sea. slopes and gentle eastern ones. Lava plateaus (harrats) are widespread. The mountains break off in steps to a narrow (up to 70 km) coastal lowland Tihama with sandy deserts, rocky outcrops and salt marshes. To the east along the coast of the Persian Gulf. stretches the flat lowland of El-Khasa (up to 150 km wide) with rocky and sandy deserts, saline depressions (sebkhs) and wetlands.

Geological structure and minerals

C. A. is located within the north-east. parts of the Precambrian African-Arabian platform. West and center. in parts, the rocks of the Nubian-Arabian belt of the platform basement protrude to the surface - gneisses and migmatites of the Archean - Lower Proterozoic and the Upper Proterozoic complex, in which metamorphosed volcanogenic-sedimentary strata and granitoids predominate; several are allocated. suture zones with the development of melange and covers of ophiolites. In the north-east. in the direction of the basement rocks are submerged under the platform cover of the Arabian Plate - Paleozoic, Mesozoic and Paleogene terrigenous and anhydrite-carbonate (partly siliceous-carbonate) deposits, forming int. districts of S.A. monoclines. B East part of the plate is the Gaza structural terrace, where a meridional system of swell-like uplifts (En-Nala and others) can be traced in the sedimentary cover up to 7 km thick. In the south, there is the Rub al-Khali syneclise (precipitation up to 8 km). Along the coast of the Persian Gulf. thick Neogene molasses of the Mesopotamian foredeep are developed. In the north, west and south - Late Cenozoic continental basalts.

Main the wealth of the subsoil is oil and natural combustible gas. Almost the entire territory of C.A. is included in Persian Gulf oil and gas basin; open several dozens of fields, among them - the largest in terms of oil reserves Gavar, Saffania-Khafji, Manifa , Abqaiq . There are known deposits of ores of copper, zinc, gold, silver, lead (pyrite copper-zinc with gold and silver El-Masane, Jebel-Said, Mahd-ed-Dahab; copper-zinc Khnaigiya, as well as gold El-Amar, Bulgah, etc. .). C. A. owns part of the unique sulfide copper-zinc deposit with lead, silver and gold Atlantis-II in the depression of the axial rift of the Red Cape (115 km west of Jeddah). Main iron ore reserves are associated with the Wadi Sawavin deposit in the northwest. There are deposits of bauxite (Ez-Zabira in the north), phosphorites (in the northwest), rock salt and gypsum (the coast of the Red Cape and the Persian Gulf), pyrite, barite, native sulfur, magnesite, marble, limestone, clay, sand Manifestations of ores of tin, tungsten, rare metals and REE.

Climate

Prem. tropical, sharply continental, dry, subtropical in the north. Summer is very hot, winter is warm. Wed January temperatures (in Riyadh) 14 °C, July 35 °C (absolute maximum 54 °C). Frosts occasionally occur in the north. There is a significant difference between night and day temperatures. Precipitation is almost everywhere less than 100 mm per year, in Rub al-Khali - less than 35 mm (in the central regions, predominantly in spring, in the north - in winter); in the mountains - up to 400 mm per year, maximum in spring and summer. The amount of precipitation varies greatly from year to year, in some areas in otd. they have been missing for years. Tihama is characterized by high relative humidity. Sultry south. the sumum wind in spring and early summer often causes sandstorms and a strong rise in temperature. Winter sowing. the shemal wind brings a decrease in temperature to the east. areas.

Inland waters

Almost all of S.A. is an endorheic region without permanent rivers, temp. streams are formed only after intense rains. The largest wadis are Es-Sirhan, Er-Rumma, Ed-Dawasir, Bisha, Najran. After rare showers, wadis sometimes turn into powerful mud flows. Oases are confined to the wadi.

Ch. groundwater plays a role in the country's water supply, providing more than 95% of water intake. Shallow groundwater accumulates in loose sedimentary strata and weathering crust, ch. arr. in the western, relatively humid mountainous part of S. A. Osn. water resources are associated with underground aquifers occurring at great depths (150–1500 m) over an area of ​​approx. 1.5 million km 2. On b. part of the country's territory, water supply is carried out through artesian wells and deep wells. The extraction of groundwater significantly exceeds the volume of their renewal.

Annually renewable water resources are 2.4 km 3 , water supply is low - 928 m 3 /person. per year (2006). The annual water intake is 23.7 km 3, of which 88% is used in the village. x-ve, 9% - in domestic water supply, 3% - in industry. Partial coverage of the shortage of fresh water is carried out by desalination of the sea. waters (S.A. - leader in the field of desalination of sea waters: 1.03 km 3 per year, 2006), reuse treated wastewater for the village. x-va and prom. water consumption.

Soils, flora and fauna

Primitive desert soils predominate, there is no soil cover over vast expanses, and salt crusts are widespread. In the north, coarsely skeletal subtropics are developed. gray soils and gray-brown soils, in depressions - solonchaks and meadow solonchak soils.

Vegetation preim. tropical desert, semi-desert in the north. White saxaul, juzgun, dwarf wormwood, aristid grasses and wild millet grow in places on the sands, lichens grow on hamads, wormwood, astragalus grow on lava plateaus, solitary acacias, prosopis, in more saline places - tamarisk ; along the coasts and solonchaks - halophytic shrubs (sveda, calotropis). Manna lichen is widespread. Loose sands are almost completely devoid of growth. cover. In spring and in wet years, the role of ephemera in the composition of vegetation increases. In the mountains, in the southwest, there are areas of savannahs (acacia, commiphora, olive), above 2000 m, evergreen shrubs are typical, from high. 2500 m - Afroalpine vegetation with juniper. In the oases there are groves of date palms, citrus fruits, bananas, cereals (wheat, barley) and horticultural crops. Deserts and semi-deserts occupy 62% of the territory, grassy ecosystems and shrubs - 33%, forests - approx. 2%.

Seventy-seven species of mammals live in SA (wolf, jackal, fennec fox, hyena, caracal, sand cat, onager wild ass, antelope, gazelle, hyrax, and hare). The number of domesticated camels (dromedaries) is large. There are many rodents (gerbils, ground squirrels, jerboas, etc.) and reptiles (snakes, lizards, turtles). 10 species of mammals are under the threat of extinction, including the Arabian oryx (oryx), Nubian (mountain) goat, Arabian gerbil. There are 125 species of nesting birds (larks, sandgrouse, bustards, kites, vultures, eagles, etc.), of which 13 are endangered. In east. areas - locust foci.

State and environmental protection

For b. h. pasture lands are characterized by desertification processes. Wind erosion of varying intensity is widespread, and secondary soil salinization is to a lesser extent. Due to the pumping of groundwater, aquifers are depleted. On the coast of the Persian Gulf. there is an increased risk of oil pollution.

The system of protected areas includes 128 objects decomp. status, including 3 nat. parks (Asir, Harrat, and Farasan in the archipelago of the same name), many nature reserves and reserves, as well as extensive wildlife management zones in the north of the country and in the Rub al-Khali desert. In the national Harrat Park and Uruk-Bani-Maarid Nature Reserve reintroduced gazelles and oryx, almost completely exterminated in the country.

Population

The indigenous population is 74.1% of us. S. A., in the main. Saudi Arabs, as well as South Arabian speakers Mahra and Shahari (0.3%). Immigrants and their descendants (including Filipinos, Punjabis, Urdu, Persians, Palestinians, Lebanese, Syrians, Egyptians, Sudanese, Somali, Swahili) account for 25.9% (2010, census).

According to official data (2013), out of the total number of us. 20.3 million people - Citizens of S.A. (approx. 68%), approx. 9.6 million people - immigrants (approx. 32%). The population for 1950-2014 increased by almost 10 times (3.1 million people in 1950; 5.8 in 1970; 16.1 in 1990). natural us growth. 15.5 per 1000 inhabitants (2014). Birth rate 18.8 per 1000 inhabitants, death rate 3.3 per 1000 inhabitants. Fertility rate 2.2 children per woman; infant mortality is 14.6 per 1000 live births. In the age structure of the population, there is a high proportion of people of working age (15–64 years) - 69.2%; the proportion of children (under 15 years old) 27.6%, people over 65 years old 3.2%. Wed life expectancy is 74.8 years (men - 72.8, women - 76.9 years). There are 121 men for every 100 women. Wed us density. St. 15 persons/km2 (2014; some oases have a density of more than 1000 persons/km2). The most densely populated areas are off the coast of the Red Cape and the Persian Gulf, as well as around Riyadh and to the northeast of it, where the main. areas of oil and gas production. St. 60% of the country's territory (main arr. desert) does not have a permanent settled population. Share of mountains us. 83% (2014). Largest cities (million people, 2010): Riyadh 5.2, Jeddah 3.4 (Mecca), Mecca 1.5, Medina 1.1, Dammam 0.9, Al Hofuf 0.7 (Eastern district), Et-Taif 0.6 (Mecca district), Tabuk 0.5. Economically active us. OK. 11.3 million people (2013; including approx. 5.3 million citizens of S.A.). In the structure of employment, the service sector accounts for 71.3%, industry - 23.3%, with. x-va - 5.4% (2013). Unemployment rate 6% (2014; among citizens of SA 11.8%). Since 1996, the government has been implementing a policy of restricting the hiring of foreigners. labor force and its replacement by citizens of SA - so-called. Saudiization of personnel (most successful in the public sector).

Religion

OK. 90% of the population are Muslims, including 85–90% Sunnis (mainly Hanbalis), 10–15% Shiites: Imamis, Zaidis, a significant Ismaili minority (about 2.5%) (2014, estimate ). Among the representatives of other confessions are Christians (Catholics 2.5%, Protestants 1.5%, Orthodox 0.1%), Hindus (0.6%), Bahais (0.1%). Public practice of all religions except Islam, the opening of non-Muslim temples and prayer houses is prohibited. On the territory of SA, in the cities of Mecca and Medina, Ch. shrines of Islam. Pilgrimage to the shrines of S.A. is made by St. 1.4 million Muslims per year (2014).

Historical outline

The territory of Saudi Arabia from ancient times to the first centuries AD. uh

The oldest traces of human activity (probably ca. 1.3 million years ago), related to the Oldovan (see. Olduvai culture), are known in the north (near the city of Shuvaikhitiya) and southwest (Bir-Khim, Najran region) of the territory of modern. S. A.; finds of the Ashel era - to its center. and east. parts, the Middle Paleolithic - everywhere. The absence of Late Paleolithic finds may be due to unfavorable climatic conditions. conditions.

Since the Neolithic period (c. 8th millennium BC), connections with the territory of the Levant are recorded, from where, apparently, there was a migration of the population, the exchange of obsidian with the territory of Yemen, Ethiopia, Eritrea. Since the 7th millennium, petroglyphs have been known (mainly hunting scenes). Since the 6th millennium, ties with the South have been intensifying. Mesopotamia (Ubeid culture), North-East. and Southwest. Arabia.

In the early metal era (from the end of the 4th millennium), monumental ground-based tombs, sanctuaries, and, probably, anthropomorphic stone steles associated with them, appeared. In the 3rd millennium, stable ties with Mesopotamia were established. Among the finds are examples of sculpture and glyptics, items made of lapis lazuli, carnelian (the main sample was imported from Mesopotamia, from the territory of Afghanistan, Gujarat). coast of the Persian Gulf. was part of the Dilmun civilization zone.

The oases of Hijaz, Teima (now Taima), Dedan (now El-Ula), Madyan have been permanently inhabited since the 3rd–2nd millennium. In the 1st millennium, they played an important role on the "path of incense" (from the territory of Yemen to the Mediterranean), are mentioned in the Assyrians. cuneiform sources of the 8th–7th centuries, the Old Testament. From the 7th c. there are inscriptions in local languages ​​with varieties of the North-Arabian alphabetic writing. In 550, a number of oases were conquered by the Babylonian king Nabonidus, who made Teima his residence for 10 years. At the settlement of Kraia (probably the capital of Teima), a “stele of Nabonidus” was found with an inscription in Akkadian. and the image of the king in front of the symbols of the Babylonian gods Sin, Shamash, Ishtar. Other cuneiform texts mentioning Nabonidus and rock inscriptions containing greetings to the "King of Babylon" are also known from Teima. In the 5th c. these oases became dependent on Achaemenid states. In the 4th-1st centuries. important political the power was the state of Lihyan with the capital Dedan (preserved approx. 10 giant stone statues of its rulers). From the 2nd century BC e. part of the North-West. Arabia was included in Nabataean kingdom; Hegra (now Madain Salih) was a large city, and many are associated with it. rock tombs (analogues - in Petra). In 106 AD e. The Nabataean kingdom became part of Rome. empire.

The central and southwestern parts of the territory of modern. S.A. belonged to the civilization of the South. Arabia; one of its centers was in the oasis of Najran (first mentioned c. 700). The center of the tribal union Mukhaamir was located in the city of Ragmat, from the 6th century. The Amir tribe began to play a dominant role in the oasis. After a series of wars, Najran became dependent on the South Arabian kingdom of Main. Ragmat is mentioned among the cities conquered by the Romans during the campaign of Aelius Gallus to "Happy Arabia" in 25/24 BC. e. In the 1st–5th centuries n. e. Najran was under the rule of the state of Saba and Himyarite kingdom .

The oasis of Karyat-al-Fau (Karyat-al-Fau; mentioned from the end of the 4th century BC) in the northwest. border of the Rub al-Khali desert from the first centuries AD. e. was the center of the Kinda tribal union and a point on the "path of incense", left in the beginning. 4th century, probably due to the drying up of fresh water sources. Residential quarters, a market, sanctuaries (including the supreme god Kahl), and a necropolis have been excavated here. Inscriptions in the Dedan, Nabataean, Sabaean languages, coins (including local coinage), bronze, stone, terracotta images of Greek. and Greek-Egyptian. gods, Sabaean funerary sculpture, frescoes, glassware, semi-precious stones, gold, silver, and other finds demonstrate a combination of local and Western Asian, Egyptian, Hellenistic, Roman. traditions.

With the settlement of Saj near the Persian Hall. identify Mr. Guerra - an important point in the system of trade incense. The finds (including glass and metal utensils, gold and silver jewelry, locally minted coins) testify to the strong influence of Hellenism. In Ain Javan (to the north of the modern city of El Katif), a tomb of the 1st-2nd centuries was excavated. with numerous jewelry.

The territory of Saudi Arabia in the 4th - early 7th centuries

So. influence on the situation on the Arabian Peninsula in the 4th–7th centuries. provided by external forces, the most important of which were Byzantium and Sassanid Iran competing with each other. Their confrontation turned the Arabic-speaking states that emerged on the periphery of the Arabian Peninsula or within it into satellites of one or another of these powers. If formed in 380 and existed until 611 in Yuzh. Mesopotamia The Lakhmid kingdom, which extended its possessions up to Al Hasas and officially professed Nestorianism, was a vassal of Iran, then emerged in Vost. Palestine, the Ghassanid kingdom (529–636), which included the north of the Hijaz and adhered to monophysitism was a Byzantine vassal.

One of the forms of external influence on the intra-Arabian situation was the spread of Judaism and Christianity. This impact was especially strong in the south of the peninsula, where, under the influence of Christianized Ethiopia, the local pantheon of deities was unified, which contributed to the emergence of the idea of ​​a single ruler of Heaven and Earth - Rahmanan (his name, modified in accordance with the phonetics of the North Arabic dialects, later became in the form Rahman is one of the epithets of Allah). At the same time, Judaism penetrated into Arabia geographically deeper than Christianity. If the latter became widespread in the peripheral regions of the peninsula (the Lakhmid and Ghassanid kingdoms), then it means. Jewish colonies existed in the oases of Hijaz (including Medina) and Nejd.

However b. hours of the territory of modern. SA was still pagan. The local pantheon included both male and female deities. Everyday practice was the veneration of stones, trees, stars and celestial phenomena, good and evil spirits as mediators between gods and people. Temples and sanctuaries were dedicated to the gods, one of which was the Meccan Kaaba, which gradually turned into a recognized cult center with rituals developing around it, which later became part of the Islamic ritual. A special status for this center as “God-saving” was given by an unsuccessful campaign against Mecca in 570 Ethiopians. king Abraha.

Arabian Peninsula in the 7th–17th century

The prophetic mission of Muhammad, which began in 603-605, transformed the political. Geography of the Arabian Peninsula. Its result was the formation of an early Islamic state, which included in its composition the entire territory of the modern. Saud. Arabia.

The non-recognition by the Meccan Quraysh of Muhammad as a Prophet forced him to emigrate to Yathrib (now Medina). There was a system of Muslims. dogmatism and rituals (including due to the confrontation with the local Jewish tribes), as well as the foundations of the new statehood, family ethics and morality based on the norms of this system, the formation of Muslims began. ummah. While in Medina, Muhammad made the first conquests, limited to the territories adjacent to this city. Strengthening own. authority as a religion. leader, commander and politician allowed Muhammad in Jan. 630 victoriously return to Mecca, which recognized his authority. By 632 all tribes are center. Arabia, as well as the population of Asir, Najran and Yemen, converted to Islam, which was promoted as a military. threats and diplomacy. the efforts of its founder. However, the first attempts of Muhammad to introduce zakat and sadaqah for the population of the territories subject to him caused uprisings. Disputes between the closest companions and relatives of the Prophet, which began after his death in 632, ended with the election of Abu Bekr as caliph. He managed to break the resistance of the rebels and pacify the rebellious tribes, and the campaign he organized against Byzantium turned out to be successful. But his election brought the first fault lines into the Muslims. community. Prerequisites for Shiism arose - supporters Ali ibn Abi Talib they believed that it was he who should succeed Muhammad, and not Abu Bekr, whom they considered a usurper.

After the death of Abu Bekr, the caliphs were Omar ibn al-Khattab and then Osman ibn al-Affan. The murder of the latter in 656 by opponents of strengthening the role of his clan in the life of the Caliphate marked the beginning of fitnah - a turmoil that divided Muslims into Shiites, Kharijites and Sunnis. The power of Ali ibn Abi Talib, who became the new caliph, was immediately challenged by the governor of Syria Muawiyah ibn Abi Sufyan. After the death of Ali ibn Abi Talib, his son Hassan, who became caliph after the death, renounced the title in favor of Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, as a result of which power in the Caliphate passed from the companions and relatives of Muhammad to the Umayyads who ruled in Damascus. Political center of Muslims. state-va became the capital of Syria. After the transfer of power in the Caliphate in 747 to the Abbasids, the center of political. life of the Islamic world moved to Baghdad. Mecca retained only the status of religions. center, and the Arabian Peninsula became the periphery of a huge state. education.

The protracted process of the collapse of the Caliphate had a significant effect. influence on the political situation in the Arabian Peninsula. The emergence in 899 in Bahrain of the state of the Karmatians, which included El-Khasa, made possible the further expansion of the representatives of this trend in the direction of the Hijaz. In 930, the Qarmatians attacked Mecca and stole Ch. the object of worship is the “black stone” (returned only in 952).

After Ahmed ibn Tulun came to power in Egypt in 858, the state of the Tulunids arose, which also included the Hijaz. With the conquest of Egypt in 969 by the Fatimids, the Hijaz entered their state, in 1171 - into the state of the Ayyubids who replaced the Fatimids, in 1250 - in Mamluk Sultanate. After the defeat of the latter in 1516 by Sultan Selim I the Terrible (1512–20), Hijaz and Asir were part of Ottoman Empire. In 1638, the power of the Ottomans also extended to El-Khasa. Ottoman expansion did not touch the semi-desert interior. regions of the Arabian Peninsula, but the rulers of the oases and the tribal leaders of this territory, solving the problems of their own. rise or maintain power, repeatedly turned to the Porte for help.

Arabia in the 18th - late 19th century. First Saudi states

If in the Hijaz, which became part of the Ottoman Empire, Hanafi Islam became the dominant Sunni legal school (see Hanafi), then in Nejd it means. To a lesser extent, the Hanbali madhhab (interpretation) of Sunnism was established (see Hanbalites). This legal school required a strict adherence to religion. dogmas and live practically the way the Prophet and his companions lived. In the 1st floor. 18th century these ideas were developed Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab, who became the spiritual mentor of the inhabitants of the small town of Uyaina in Najd. The activity of Mohammed ibn Abd al-Wahhab displeased the ruler of Uyaina. In 1744/45, the preacher was forced to move to the town of Ad-Diriya (now within the administrative borders of Greater Riyadh). The resettlement of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and his conclusion of an alliance with the emir of Ad-Diriya Muhammad ibn Saud (1726/27–1765) is considered the beginning of the Saud. statehood. This union later became the basis for interaction between the descendants of the emir - the Saudis and the teachers from the family of Al ash-Sheikh (Al-Sheikh, Ali-sh-Sheikh) - the descendants of Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab.

To con. 1780s the rulers of Ad-Diriya established dominance over the entire territory of Najd. Int. strife in al-Has eased the Saudi. expansion towards the coast of the Persian Gulf. Despite the resistance of local tribes, in the 1st floor. 1790s Al-Hasa became part of the Saudi. possessions. An attempt by the Ottoman wali of Basra to restore Ottoman rule in Al-Khas ended in the summer of 1797 with the invasion of the tribes subordinate to the ruler of Ed-Diriya into the territory of Iraq. In the spring of 1802 they took and plundered the largest Iraq. Shiite center of Karbala. From the beginning 1790s Saudi started. raid the Hijaz. In 1805, with the establishment of Saudi control over Medina and the ports of the Red Sea, Hijaz became part of their possessions. The power of the Saudis was also consolidated in Asir, from where attempts were made to penetrate into Yemen. In the beginning. 19th century one of the directions of the saudi. expansions became Muscat and Hadhramaut, as well as the territory of the current states of the Persian Gulf zone. (including the Bahraini archipelago). However, agreements concluded by local rulers with Great Britain, for which this area played an important role in ensuring the security of communications with British India put a limit on her. The Saudis were also forced to abandon the continuation of their expansion in connection with the landing of Egyptian troops in Hijaz in 1811. ruler Muhammad Ali .

Saudi establishment. dominance over Mecca and Medina, which had previously been subject to Ottoman jurisdiction, dealt a blow to the prestige of the Istanbul sultans and caliphs, who were unable to ensure the safety of the hajj. To restore its former position, the Porta took advantage of Muhammad Ali's interest in returning Egypt's trade monopoly in the Red Sea zone. Egypt troops after landing in the Hijaz Yanbu (Yanbu al-Bahr), despite initial failures, gradually managed to develop an offensive in the direction of the interior. areas of the Arabian Peninsula and in Sept. 1818 take and destroy Ed-Diriya. First Saudi. the state has fallen, b. h. saudi nobles and members of the Al ash-Sheikh family were taken to Egypt.

Egypt The occupation of Nejd, which was accompanied by looting, violence and a resurgence of tribal anarchy, was short-lived. Saved from the Egyptians dynasty of the Saudis Turki ibn Abdallah (1821–34) led the armament. Egyptian resistance. occupation. He was supported by the heads of the tribes and the Hanbali ulema. Leaving the destroyed Ed-Diriya, the new emir made Riyadh his capital, successively expanded the scope of his possessions in the center of Najd, creating the second state of the Saudis. In 1830 he restored the Saudi. power in Al-Has, forced to recognize the Saudi. suzerainty of the ruler of Bahrain and resumed expansion into Oman.

Drought con. 1820s and repeated outbreaks of cholera worsened the Saudi situation. emirate. In 1834 Turki ibn Abdallah was killed by a relative who established himself in Riyadh. The coming to power in the same year of Turka's son Faisal did not put an end to the internal. strife and strife in the emirate. The situation was also seriously destabilized by Muhammad Ali's new attempts to assert his power over the Arabian Peninsula. In 1837 the Egyptian troops entered the capital of the emirate, again occupied Najd and captured Emir Faisal ibn Turki, who was sent to Cairo in 1838. Power in Riyadh passed to Khalid ibn Saud, who was replaced in 1841 by Abdallah ibn Sunayan.

In 1840 the Egyptian the army was evacuated under British pressure. In 1843, Faisal ibn Turki returned to his homeland and restored his power in Riyadh. Saud. expansion towards al-Hasa and Qasem territory resumed. In the beginning. 1860s Saudi power is fully restored in the west of Najd. The death of Faisal ibn Turki in 1865 again destabilized the emirate. His son Abdallah ibn Faisal [Emir in Dec. 1865 - Jan. 1873 (with a break), March 1876–1889] tried to subdue Oman and Bahrain, but ran into opposition from the British. The other son of Faisal, Saud ibn Faisal (Emir in January 1873 - January 1875), who challenged Abdallah's right to power, established himself in Al-Khas. In the spring of 1871 he made a trip to Riyadh and sacked the city. Later, the other sons of Faisal, who sought help from local rulers and external forces, joined the struggle for power - Abd ar-Rahman ibn Faisal (emir in January 1875 - January 1876) and Mohammed ibn Faisal. Employed int. By fighting, the Saudis missed the rise in the west of Nejd of the emirate of Jebel Shammar with the capital Hail, led by the Rashidid dynasty, who became allies of the Ottoman Empire. As a result, to ser. 1870s Saudi power only extended to Riyadh. In 1887, the Riyadh Emirate ceased to exist and became part of Jebel Shammar. The Saudi family, including Prince Abd al-Aziz ibn Abd ar-Rahman (Ibn Saud), who was born in 1880, was forced into exile.

The emergence and development of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in the 1st half of the 20th century

In Jan. 1902, having made a campaign from Kuwait (the last place of exile of the Saudi family), Ibn Saud captured Riyadh. After taking the city, he renewed the agreement with the Hanbali jurists. Having strengthened Riyadh, Ibn Saud set about expanding the boundaries of his territory. Great Britain, interested in weakening the Ottoman influence in the Arabian Peninsula, supported Ibn Saud, which allowed him to establish control over part of Jebel Shammar. In 1911, Ibn Saud secured the consent of Great Britain to include Al-Hasa, which at that time was under the rule of the Turks, into his possessions. In 1913, this territory came under the Saudis. jurisdiction.

Ibn Saud attached great importance to strengthening his influence in Najd. For this, he used the movement of the Ikhwans, which had unfolded in this region and was inspired by the Hanbali teachers of the law. The goal of the latter was to transfer part of the Bedouins to settled life in specially created settlements - hijras, where members of the movement devoted themselves to agriculture and the study of religion in its Wahhabi version. Those who migrated to the Hijras assumed the obligation to be devoted to other brothers in the movement, to obey the emir-imam, and not to maintain contacts with the “polytheists” - Europeans and residents of their subordinate countries. The first hijra - El-Artavia arose in the 1st half. 1913, by 1929, there were already 120 Hijras in the entire territory of Najd. The Ikhwans formed the striking force of Ibn Saud's troops.

World War I changed the balance of power in the Arabian Peninsula. The most important event in this region was the British-inspired anti-Turkish uprising (the so-called Great Arab Revolution in the Hijaz under the leadership of the sheriff of Mecca Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi), which began in June 1916 and led to the emergence of the sovereign Kingdom of Hijaz, which was recognized League of Nations. Ibn Saud, despite Brit. pressure, did not take part in the uprising, nor did he follow the calls of the Brit. agents start military. actions against Jebel Shammar, who remained loyal to the Ottoman Empire. One of the results of the 1st World War was the transformation of the status of Asir. Mohammed al-Idrisi, the emir of this region, took the side of Great Britain during the war years, enlisted the support of the British. resident in Aden and expelled the Turks so. parts of his territory. Until 1923, Asir maintained a political independence under the the Idrisid dynasty.

In the 1920s Ibn Saud began the unification of the lands previously subject to the emirs of Ed-Diriya. The first to fall was Jebel Shammar, who lost his Brit. support and weakened by strife in the Rashidid family. In the autumn of 1921, detachments of the Ikhwans occupied its capital Hail. Thus, the entire center was under the rule of Ibn Saud. part of the Arabian Peninsula, Nejd became the leading state of the region, and its ruler became a sultan. The absence of a fixed border between Nejd and Iraq, Nejd and Transjordan (brit. mandated territories), as well as Nejd and Kuwait (British protectorate), which allowed Ibn Saud's detachments to penetrate their territory under the pretext of fighting the "polytheists", prompted the UK to raise the issue of demarcating the borders. Nov. 1921 Anglo-Nejdian protocols were signed that established the borders of Nejd with Iraq (finally determined in Oct. 1925) and Kuwait; 1925 - agreement on the Nejdi-Transjordan border.

In Jan. 1923 under the authority of Ibn Saud passed the sowing. part of Asir from the city of Abha, which became Saudi. protectorate. In Sept. In 1924, the Ikhwans captured and plundered Et-Taif, in October of the same year - Mecca, where they began to destroy the domes over the graves of the companions of the Prophet. An attempt by the Hijaz nobility to appease Ibn Saud by removing Hussein ibn Ali al-Hashimi from power and enthroning his son Ali was not successful. Nov. 1925 Ibn Saud surrendered to Medina, in December of the same year - Jeddah. The UK actually recognized the results of the Saudi. aggression. In 1926, at the World Muslim held in Mecca. Congress, Ibn Saud achieved recognition of his authority over the Hijaz, which allowed him to acquire the titles of King and Servant of the Two Noble Holy Mosques, and his state became known as the Sultanate of Nejd, the Kingdom of Hijaz and the annexed territories. Feb. In 1926, it was officially recognized by the USSR, which became the first power to establish diplomatic relations with Ibn Saud. relationship. The process of unification of the state was completed in 1932-34, when it received the modern. name - Kingdom of Saud. Arabia, Asir was finally included in its composition and, as a result of the Saudi-Yemeni war, sowing entered. part of formerly Yemeni Najran.

Maintenance of territorial integrity and refers. internal The stability of the new state was carried out by the power of the Ikhwans, as well as through the spread of the Wahhabi interpretation of the Hanbali madhhab. The Hanbali ulema, who developed the principle of devotion to the supporter of the "true faith", substantiated power based on violence. In the beginning. 1925 in Riyadh, the League for the Promotion of Virtue and the Condemnation of Sin (LPDOG), funded by Ibn Saud, arose. In Sept. In 1926, its branch was created in Mecca, thereby spreading the practice of unconditional obedience to Divine law in its Hanbali interpretation to the Hijaz (and then to the whole country). This practice was based on the non-Jidian tradition, which required the theologian to control the implementation of Sharia norms in the sphere of religions. rituals and customs, as well as to eradicate political. dissent.

Hijaz played a leading role in SA, and Ibn Saud's son, Prince Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz, was appointed viceroy. The first Saudis arose in the Hijaz. governments. institutions (the management experience of the Ottoman and Hashemite times was used). Until con. 1950s actual the capital of the state was Mecca (Riyadh remained the seat of the non-Jidian nobility and religious dignitaries). In Aug. 1926 were adopted Osn. the provisions of the Kingdom of Hejaz, which determined the status of viceroy, state. bodies, the Council of Ministers, as well as the Advisory Council - a kind of parliamentary assembly. The need for modern army, equipped with the latest military. technology, dictated the need to solve the personnel issue. Personnel for the army were trained both abroad and in the technical departments created in SA. schools.

The “conservative modernization” of S.A. became the reason for the first speech of the opposition, represented by the former allies of Ibn Saud, the Ikhwans, who appealed to the “purity” of Wahhabi Hanbalism. In the list of accusations against the ruler, compiled by them in 1926, the “unacceptable” contacts of his sons with diplomatic officials were mentioned. agents of Great Britain, the refusal to evict Shiites from the oases of the coast of the Persian Gulf, the operation of secular laws in the Hijaz. The rebellion of the Ikhwans, who declared jihad to the ruler, was suppressed only in 1929.

Until con. 1930s main Hajj and transfers from other Muslims remained sources of income for the SA budget. countries funds from the use of waqf. The decrease in the number of pilgrims (especially during the years of the world economic crisis of 1929–33), as well as the irregularity in the receipt of waqf payments, complicated the financial situation of SA. This prompted Ibn Saud to meet the requests of the Amer. oil monopolies, including Standard Oil Co. of California” (“Socal”), on granting them the right to explore oil fields in the territory of Al-Hasa (in 1932, oil was discovered in neighboring Bahrain). Ibn Saud hoped that this would not only replenish the budget, but also weaken the Brit. influence on the Arabian Peninsula. In 1933 an agreement was signed granting Socal a concession for oil exploration in SA. 1933 Concession transferred to Socal subsidiary California-Arabian Standard Oil Co. (in Jan. 1944 renamed the "Arabian American Oil Company" - "Aramco"). The concession agreement provided for the provision by S.A. of loans, annual payments, rent and certain payments for each ton of oil produced after the discovery of its commercial. reserves (all payments were to be made in gold), the construction of an oil refinery and the free provision of SA with gasoline and kerosene. Saudi responded. the government exempted the company and its enterprises from taxes and customs duties. First Saudi. oil in commercial quantities were discovered in 1938, the concession zone was expanded, and the concession itself was extended for up to 60 years.

At the initial stage of the 2nd World War, SA pursued a policy of neutrality, maintaining relations both with Great Britain and with Germany and Italy, which were considered by Ibn Saud as a counterbalance to the British. politics. However, in the future, under the influence primarily of the United States, which expanded oil production in SA and provided it with significant assistance, including military assistance, Saudi Arabia. the government changed its position. In 1940 it broke the diplomatic relations with Italy, in Sept. 1941 - with Germany. On February 14, 1945, at a meeting between Ibn Saud and US President F. D. Roosevelt on board the Quincy cruiser in the Suez Canal, an agreement was reached on the free use of Saud. ports by US and UK courts, as well as the creation of an Amer. Air Force on a leased for a period of 5 years Saudi Arabia. territories in exchange for guarantees of non-admission of the occupation of SA by the troops of the countries anti-Hitler coalition and Saudi recognition. independence. In March 1945, S.A. declared war on Germany and Italy, which allowed her to become one of the founding members United Nations. Having taken an initially cautious position regarding the process of creating Arab League, SA in March 1945 joined this organization.

Saudi Arabia in the 1950s–90s

Ibn Saud died on November 9, 1953. His heir was Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz, who appointed the prev. Council of Ministers and Crown Prince Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz. This led to the emergence of dual power in the country. The situation was aggravated by what was happening in S.A. and in general in the Arab. world social and political. changes. Transformation of the previously patriarchal Saud. society also affected Shiite circles, but was not accompanied by an increase in their role in the life of the state. Shiite entrepreneurship was limited to the lower levels of business, there were no Shiite teachers, Shiite religions in schools and universities. rituals remained prohibited, Shiite youth could not enter the army and police. All this, as well as the persecution of the Saudis. authorities of workers' organizations and the harsh suppression of strikes pushed the Shia youth to join underground organizations. In 1953, oil workers' strikes, inspired by illegal trade unions and strike committees set up by Shiites, broke out in Al-Has. On their wave in the same year, the National Front arose. reforms (FNR; since April 1958, the National Liberation Front, TNF), which demanded “to liberate the country from imperialist. domination, introduce a constitution, grant social rights to women, improve the conditions of peasants and workers, and abolish slavery.

The spread of the ideas of pan-Arabism and the ever more acutely felt need for change in the social-political. and economic The life of the country led to an aggravation of contradictions in the Saudi family, which resulted in an open confrontation between the king and the crown prince (initially supported by the FPR), who sought to take the throne. In May 1958, Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz was forced to issue a decree giving the SM full power. power. Nevertheless, the contradictions in the ruling family continued to deepen. A group of young princes (the so-called free princes), led by Talal ibn Abd al-Aziz, established relations with G. A. Nasser and demanded that a constitution be held in the country. reform, hoping thereby to gain access to power. In 1962 the "free princes" emigrated to Egypt. Happened on Sept. 1962 anti-monarchist. the revolution in Yemen (S.A. supported the royalists, Egypt supported the republicans) contributed to a certain consolidation of the Saudis. At the end of Oct. 1962 Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz promulgated a new government program. It declared the intention to proclaim the "basic law of government", based on the Koran and the Sunnah, "raise the social level of the nation", introduce free education and medical care. service, strengthen state. regulate the economy, abolish slavery. Although the program was never implemented, it reflected the desire to meet the demands that the "free princes" put forward.

At the beginning of Nov. 1964 Saud ibn Abd al-Aziz is finally removed from power. Theologians issued a special fatwa legitimizing what happened. This contributed to an even greater strengthening of the influence of the ulema. The staff of the LPRCA and its funding have been increased. The ulema were included in the composition of the courts of cassation. The adoption of the Labor Law in 1968 became possible only after the Supreme Mufti recognized it as conforming to Sharia.

The primary task of Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz, who came to power, was to resolve the situation in Yemen and reach an understanding with G. A. Nasser. However, direct Saudi-Egypt. initiated by the new king. negotiations on Yemen until 1967 did not bring results. The defeat of Egypt by Israel in the June war of 1967 (see. Arab-Israeli Wars) changed the balance of power in the region. At the meeting held in Aug.-Sept. 1967 in the Khartoum summit of the Arab League, Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz and Nasser signed an agreement on a peaceful settlement in Yemen, which involved the withdrawal of Egypt from this country. troops. The decisions of the Khartoum summit testified to the growing influence of SA, which was turning into the leading Arab power. peace. At SA's insistence, a common LAS position on Israel was worked out, providing for the rejection of peace negotiations with it until the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops from the occupied Arabs. territories. SA has become the largest financial donor to Egypt, Syria and Jordan.

Adopted by the UK in Jan. The 1968 decision to withdraw troops from the territories "east of Suez," which assumed independence for the emirates of Trucial Oman, Bahrain, and Qatar, strengthened SA's position in the Persian Gulf zone. This region was acquired for the Saudi. foreign policy priority and became a place of confrontation SA Iran. Strengthening the international The influence of S.A. allowed the Saudis to put forward the slogan of "Islamic solidarity" as an alternative to secular pan-Arabism. In Sept. 1969 in Rabat at the initiative of S.A. and Morocco, a meeting of heads of state and government of 25 Muslims. countries, the creation of the Organization of the Islamic Conference was announced (since 2011 Organization of Islamic Cooperation). Coming to power in Egypt in 1970 after the death of Nasser, who was the main. a conductor of the ideas of pan-Arabism, A. Sadat expanded the scope of Saudi-Egypt. political and economic interactions.

3/25/1975, while taking min. oil industry of Kuwait, Faisal ibn Abd al-Aziz was killed by his cousin Faisal ibn Musaid. On the same day to Saudi Arabia. Crown Prince Khalid ibn Abd al-Aziz succeeded to the throne. 11/20/1979 group of religions. opponents of the authorities from among the young employees of the LPDOG, headed by Dzhuheyman al-Uteibi, who appealed to the "purity" of the Wahhabi dogma, seized Ch. mosque of Mecca. 12/4/1979 Khalid ibn Abd al-Aziz with the approval of higher religions. dignitaries gave the order to Saudi. security service to take Ch. mosque by storm. The action in Mecca coincided with the beginning of new unrest of the Shiites in Al-Khas. Their spiritual leaders, led by Sheikh Hassan al-Saffar, initiated public speeches under slogans of support Islamic revolution in Iran 1979, stopping the supply of Saudi. oil in the USA and the creation of the so-called. Islamic Republic of Al Hasa.

These events prompted the Saudi government to take steps to strengthen the positions of the existing regime. One of the measures was the creation among young people under the guidance of theologians of circles and groups for the study of the Wahhabi dogma (the participants in these circles became Mujahideen in Afghanistan, as well as in Kashmir, Tajikistan, in the North. Caucasus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo). In the field of foreign policy, a course was taken towards the unification of the Arabs. monarchies in the face of the threats that Iran hid for the states of the region. revolution and Iran–Iraq War 1980–88. This found its expression in the creation of May 25, 1981 Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf. In an effort to counteract the Palestinian radicals, SA at the Arab League summit in Fez in 1982 put forward a plan for a Middle East peace settlement (the so-called Fahd plan), in which for the first time the possibility of a pan-Arab recognition of Israel was indicated.

In June 1982, Khalid ibn Abd al-Aziz died in Saudi Arabia. The throne was erected by Crown Prince Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz. The years of his reign became an important milestone in the history of the country - a time to overcome internal. and external challenges and the beginning of economic. and political modernization. In 1988, Aramco became the property of S.A. (it became known as Saudi Aramco), which significantly expanded the financial capabilities of the state. The country began the creation of modern. infrastructure: construction of a petrochemical complex. enterprises in Al Jubail and Yanbu el-Bahra, networks of modern. sea ports, highways and airports. There has been a turn towards the "Saudization" of the socio-economic. spheres - in the industry, p. x-ve, the health care and education system has become increasingly used nat. labor force. To Saudi. a new educated class appeared in society, which began to play an important role in politics. After 1985 Saudi the authorities began to pursue a course of "cautious openness" in relation to the Shiite population of the East. province (Al-Hasa). The place of the former administrators (natives of Nejd) was taken by Shiites - graduates of universities in the region. Shiites were included in the leadership of the industrial buildings under construction. complexes. Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz granted amnesty to the participants in the 1979 unrest and announced the rejection of the practice of discrimination against Shiites, including the removal of anti-Shia texts from school textbooks.

Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz continued the course of his predecessor to increase the role of SA in the settlement of regional conflicts, primarily in the Middle East. Saud. government contributed to the cessation of civil wars in Lebanon. 10/23/1989 at Taif, the Lebanese side. conflict signed a peace agreement. At the same time, in Afghanistan, S.A. actively supported the forces that fought against the Soviets. troops, including the Taliban movement (SA presented the withdrawal of Soviet troops from Afghanistan in 1988 as a victory for the “Islamic solidarity” it propagated). During the period Kuwait Crisis 1990–91 S.A., fearing possible aggression from the regime of S. Hussein and the loss of dominance in the GCC, turned to the United States for help, provided its territory for the deployment of forces of the anti-Iraqi coalition, allocated funds for military operations. operations against Iraq. Saud. troops, as well as units of the GCC countries, took part in the liberation of Kuwait (see. "Desert Storm" 1991). After the elimination of the Kuwait crisis, SA actively joined the Madrid peace process, one of the results of which was the adoption of the Israeli-Palestinian Declaration of Principles and the creation in the Gaza Strip and part of the West. banks of the river Jordan Palestinian National Authority. Perestroika in the USSR and busy owls. leadership position during the Kuwait crisis created the prerequisites for the resumption in 1991 diplomatic. relations between the two countries (were frozen in 1938).

The Kuwait crisis has pushed the Saudis. government for political reforms. In 1992, 4 constitutions were put into effect. Act: Main. the law of government, the Law on the Consultative Council, the Law on the Administration of the Provinces and the Law on the Council of Ministers, which created the prerequisites for the transition to a "parliamentary monarchy", the principle of separation of powers and the development of the foundations of regional self-government.

Saudi Arabia in the 21st century

After the terrorist attack in New York on September 11, 2001, S.A. broke off the diplomatic mission. relationship with Afg. by the Taliban government, deprived the Saudis. citizenship of W. bin Laden and joined the international. anti-terrorist coalition sent troops to Afghanistan. In 2003, S.A. criticized the intention of the United States to inflict military. strike on Iraq, considering it possible to resolve differences with the political regime of S. Hussein. methods. Later, however, SA joined the anti-Iraqi coalition, and after the overthrow of the Iraqi government, it took part in the occupation and reconstruction of that country.

In connection with the death of Fahd ibn Abd al-Aziz to Saudi. the throne was taken (1.8.2005) by Crown Prince Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz. Under him, on October 19, 2006, the Law on K-those on taking an oath was adopted. He finally settled the procedure for appointing the heir to the throne and prescribed the obligations. approval of his candidacy by representatives of all factions of the Saudi family and swearing allegiance to him. Oct. In 2011 and June 2012, this law was put into practice when Nayef ibn Abd al-Aziz (d. Summer 2012) and Salman ibn Abd al-Aziz were appointed heirs to the throne, respectively. In an effort to give greater stability to the regime, on March 27, 2014, Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz appointed Muqrin ibn Abd al-Aziz to the newly created post of heir to the throne. This decision was prompted by the state of health of Salman ibn Abd al-Aziz and aimed at maintaining the continuity of the succession of Ibn Saud's sons at the top of the political. power.

During the reign of Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz in 2005, the composition of the Constitutional Court was expanded. The number of its appointed members increased from 60 to 150 people. They began to represent all regions and confessional groups of the country. In 2010, the Constitutional Court was given the right to legislate. initiatives. Feb. In 2013, a "women's faction" appeared in it (30 women were introduced to the Constitutional Court while maintaining its previous number). In accordance with the decree of the king, starting from 2016, women will be able to take part in municipal elections. The entry of women into the CC was preceded by initiatives aimed at increasing their participation in society. life and their legal emancipation. Saud. women began to receive identity cards, to be accepted into the service of ministries and departments, to hold the posts of rectors of "women's high boots", to be elected to the governing bodies of trade and industry. chambers, societies associations, work in the "women's departments" of large stores. The country is actively discussing the issue of further expanding the rights of women, including the abolition of the ban on their driving cars.

An important place in the interior The policy of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Aziz was given to weakening the influence of the ulema on Saudi Arabia. society and state. The sphere of women's education, transferred to the Ministry of Education, was withdrawn from the jurisdiction of the corps of teachers of the law, the Court of Cassation (2007) passed under the auspices of the monarch, as a result of which the state gained full control over Sharia legal proceedings, and the codification of Hanbali law began to be carried out. Feb. 2009 Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz reformed the Council of Senior Ulema (appointment to it is fully controlled by the authorities), introducing into its composition theologians representing non-Hanbali Sunni legal schools. Thus, they received an official. recognition in S.A. In the summer of 2014, a representative of the Ismaili community was introduced to the Council of Ministers, who took the post of Minister for Constitutional Affairs.

S.A. did not experience the upheavals of the period of the so-called. Arab. spring, although under the influence of events in neighboring countries in SA intensified domestic politics. life, a petition movement was developed, the participants of which demanded a deepening of the constitution. reforms and the introduction of a "parliamentary monarchy" in the country, and an attempt was made to create the Islamic Party of the Nation. S. A. led the GCC initiative aimed at achieving political. changes in Yemen peacefully, thereby preventing the armed. confrontation between power and opposition. In the future, condemning the state carried out in this country by the Al-Hushi Movement. coup, S.A. contributed to the development of a unified position of the GCC, which qualified the al-Houthi Movement as “terrorist. org-tion "and demanded the restoration of the constitution. order in Yemen. S.A. supported the actions of the Libyan opposition to overthrow the regime of M. Gaddafi in 2011, while adhering to the policy of non-intervention in the internal Libyan conflict that began in 2014. In March 2011, the Saudi leadership, based on the request of the Bahraini monarch and declaring the need to “confront Iran. expansion”, introduced its troops (supported by the armed forces of some GCC countries) into the territory of Bahrain. Saud. leadership reacted negatively to the overthrow of Egypt. President M. H. Mubarak, refused to support the movement Muslim Brotherhood, approved the removal of M. Morsi from power and established close relations with the new head of Egypt, A.F. al-Sisi. Continuing the course of counteracting the "hegemonism" of Iran in the Islamic world and in the Persian Gulf zone, SA welcomed the resignation of the government of Nuri al-Maliki in Iraq and now considers it possible to open the Saudi. embassies in Baghdad, declaring, nevertheless, the presence of local Sunnis in power structures is insufficient. Saud. The government condemns Israel for its punitive actions in the Gaza Strip, but refuses to contact the Hamas movement and provides support to the Palestinian National. administration headed by M. Abbas. Counteracting radical sentiments in the Arab. world, S.A. considers the “Arab. peace initiative" as aimed at achieving the end. political settlement of the Arab-Israeli conflict.

In connection with the death of Abdullah ibn Abd al-Aziz on January 23, 2015 in Saudi Arabia. Salman ibn Abd al-Aziz ascended the throne. On April 29, 2015, he announced his nephew, Mohammed ibn Nayef, as crown prince, and his son, Mohammed ibn Salman, as his successor.

On most global and regional problems (conflict situations in the Middle East, primarily around Iraq, Afghanistan, Yemen, Sudan, the Arab-Israeli conflict), as well as on the non-proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, the fight against extremism and terrorism, transnational organized crime, drug trafficking and piracy, on the subject of the G20, the positions of the Russian Federation and S.A. coincide or are close. Bilateral contacts are maintained at the highest and high levels. In Sept. 2003 visited Moscow with the official. the visit of the future king S. A. Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz, during which he held negotiations with Russian President V. V. Putin. Feb. 2007 took place official. V. V. Putin's visit to S. A. A set of bilateral agreements, memorandums and protocols was signed, including the General Agreement of 11/20/1994. Since 2002 the Joint Intergovernmental Organizations have been functioning. Russian-Saudi commission on trade and economic and scientific and technical. Cooperation and Ros.-Saudi. business council (within the Russian-Arabic business council). In SA, large-scale projects are being implemented. JSC LUKOIL Overseas, including within the framework of the joint venture with Saudi Aramco LUKOIL Saudi Arabia Energy (LUKSAR), Stroytransgaz JSC, Globalstroy-Engineering CJSC, etc.

Russian-Saudi sphere relations in the historical in retrospect, is not free today, however, from the problems that complicate mutual understanding between the two countries. Saud. public and private funds under the slogan of "Islamic solidarity" actively acted on growing. Sev. Caucasus, providing financial support to the Chech. separatists. Only on Sept. In 2003, while in Moscow, Abdallah ibn Abd al-Aziz stated that Chech. the question is "int. business ”of Russia, and contributed to the further design of the growing. membership in the OIC as an observer country (since the end of June 2005). SA is wary of Iran. nuclear program, believing that the ongoing negotiations around it do not sufficiently take into account its interests and the interests of the GCC countries. Most means. an irritant in the region of Russian-Saudi. relations is the situation in Syria, in respect of which S.A. insists on the resignation of B. Assad and the transfer of power to the Nat. coalition forces ser. opposition and revolution.

economy

SA is a high-income developing country. The volume of GDP is 1616.0 billion dollars (2014, in purchasing power parity; 14th place in the world, 1st among Arab countries); in terms of GDP per capita, 52.5 thousand dollars (high per capita income is determined by a relatively small population and significant income from oil exports). Human Development Index 0.836 (2013; 34th out of 187 countries).

The basis of the economy is oil production and export (43% of GDP, 2014; St. 80% of the state budget revenue) and petrochemical. prom. Dynamics of GDP in mean. largely driven by oil prices. Wed real GDP growth rate in 2000–08 was 5.1%, in 2009 – 1.8%, in 2010 – 7.4%, in 2011 – 8.6%, in 2012 – 5.8%, in 2013 – 3 ,8%.

Since the 1990s much attention is paid to the diversification of the structure of the economy and the liberalization of the economy with an increase in the role of private entrepreneurship. The development of the economy is carried out on the basis of 5-year plans. Great progress has been made in the development of petrochemicals. prom-sti, infrastructure, energy, desalination sea. water, some industries in the field of light and food industry, as well as in health care. The development of new branches of industry is facilitated by tax concessions, benefits for natural gas, electricity, etc. One of Ch. obstacles to further diversification of the economy – unpreparedness b. part of the economically active population to work in non-prestigious specialties (the main part of those employed in the industry are foreign workers).

The volume of accumulated direct foreign investment approx. 240.6 billion dollars (2013; in market prices), the total amount of external debt is estimated at 149.4 billion dollars. Inflation rate ca. 3.7% (2013). S. A. has large foreign. assets (approx. 737.6 billion dollars, 2014), which are managed by sovereign national. investment funds. As part of the attraction of foreign investments in 2005, the country joined the WTO, the government began to create several "economic. cities" in various regions of the country.

In connection with the decline in oil prices in 2013-14, the surplus of state. the budget in 2013 decreased to 54.9 billion dollars (103 billion dollars in 2012), the budget in 2014 was reduced to a deficit of 14.4 billion dollars.

In the structure of GDP, the share of industry is 59.7%, services - 38.3%, with. farming and fisheries - 2.0% (2014).

Industry

Modern manufacturing industries are in their infancy (in 2009–12, the total number of enterprises increased from 4,887 to 6,519). Main role in prom. production is played by mining (main arr. oil and natural gas production) and petrochemical. prom. The electric power industry, ferrous and non-ferrous metallurgy, the production of building materials, and light and food industries also stand out. In the beginning. 21st century the automotive industry, electrical engineering, pharmaceuticals, and the pulp and paper industry are developing. According to the number of employees, petrochemical companies are distinguished. (142.6 thousand people, 2012) and food (114.4) industry.

Prom. enterprises are built in complexes (the so-called industrial or economic cities; 14 in 2007, 28 in 2012; the largest - in Yanbu al-Bahra, Medina district; Al-Jubail and Ras al-Khair, both - r -n East) with pre-prepared productions. and social infrastructure and are located Ch. arr. by sea perimeter of the country.

Fuel industry

The basis of the fuel industry is the extraction and processing of oil. The industry is managed by the Supreme Petroleum Council [includes state. Saudi Arabian Oil Co. ("Saudi Aramco"; the world's largest in terms of oil reserves and production) and "Saudi Basic Industries Corporation" (SABIC)]. S.A. is a key member. Organizations of the Petroleum Exporting Countries(approx. 1/3 of the total production of the countries included in the organization).

Oil production 542.3 million tons (2012; 1st place in the world); main the region is the Al-Khasa lowland and the adjacent shelf zone of the Persian Gulf. (in terms of production volumes, deposits are distinguished in the Vostochny region: Gavar, Saffania-Khafji, Khurais, Manifa, Sheiba, Katif, Khursania, Zuluf, Abqaiq, etc.); south of Riyadh, several are being developed. new deposits of ultra-light oil. Oil export 378.6 million tons (2013; 1st place in the world). Approx. 101.4 million tons of crude oil (2012; production of fuel oil, diesel fuel, gasoline, jet fuel, lubricating oils, etc.).

The world's largest complex for primary oil refining is located in Abqayk (Buqayk, Vostochny district; Saudi Aramco company; capacity is 348.5 million tons per year; about 70% of produced oil is processed; incl. in light and ultralight oils). The largest refineries in the cities: Ras Tannura (Vostochny district; capacity of approx. 26 million tons of crude oil per year), Rabig (Mecca district), Yanbu el-Bahr (both - approx. 19 million tons ), Al Jubail (about 15 million tons).

Natural gas production 111 billion m 3 (2012; according to other data, 93 billion m 3; approx. 70% - associated gas from the Gavar, Saffaniya-Khafji and Zuluf fields; it is planned to increase production through the development of the Karan, Wasit and other fields .). There are plants for processing and liquefying natural gas (total capacity of over 61 million tons in 2013) in Abqaiq, Yanbu el-Bahr, Harad, Hawiya (the last two are in the Vostochny region), etc.

Power industry

Electricity production approx. 292.2 billion kWh (2013; more than doubled compared to 2000); 100% is generated at thermal power plants, the largest: Riyadh (in Riyadh; capacity 5336 MW), Gazlan (in Ras Tannur; 4128 MW), Kuraya (in Abqaiq, 3927 MW). The increase in demand for electricity is due to the development of industry, population growth and high energy consumption for air cooling in the summer months (approx. 2 / 3 of the consumption in the residential sector). Solar energy is developing. The industry is controlled by the Saudi Electricity Company and regional power generation companies, and there are also several operating companies. independent generating companies.

At thermal power plants, desalination plants operate. installation. S.A. is one of the world's leading producers of desalinated water (the development of the industry is of great importance due to the acute shortage of natural fresh water resources); desalinate. installations provide up to 60% of nat. needs (2013; the leading company is the state-owned Saline Water Conversion Corporation).

Ferrous metallurgy

Ferrous metallurgy is represented by the extraction of iron ores (760 thousand tons in terms of metal, 2012), the direct reduction of iron (5.7 million tons), steel smelting (5.2 million tons) and the production of ferroalloys (196 thousand tons). T). S.A. imports means. part of iron ores and rolled metal products. There are factories: rolling [with a capacity of 5.5 million tons of rolled steel per year in Al Jubail, as part of the leading national. Saudi Iron and Steel Company ("Hadeed"); power approx. 800 thousand tons in Dammam, etc.], pipe rolling (jointly owned by ArcelorMittal and Bin Jarallah Group; seamless pipes, including large diameter pipes, for the oil and gas industry; approx. 500 thousand . t; in Al Jubail), ferroalloys (Gulf Ferro Alloys Company; in Al Jubail), for the production of steel reinforcement [in Jeddah (1.1 million tons per year) and Al Kharjah, district Riyadh (755.5 thousand tons), both - as part of one of the leading national. Rajhi Steel Industries Co.], billets (950 thousand tons), coils (250 thousand tons; both are part of Rajhi Steel Industries Co., Jeddah), slabs, etc.

Non-ferrous metallurgy

Non-ferrous metal ores are being mined (thousand tons, 2012): bauxite (760; deposits of Ez-Zabir, Khail district, and El-Bayta, El-Qasim district), zinc (15, in terms of metal; deposits El-Masan, Najran district; El-Amar, Riyadh district; Mahd al-Dahab, Medina district), etc.; as well as (t, 2012) silver (7.9), gold (4.3; including deposits of El-Amar, Mahd ed-Dahab; El-Hajar, Asir district; Bulgah, district Medina). Metallurgical the complex in Ras al-Khair is one of the largest in the world [jointly owned by the national "Saudi Arabian Mining Company" ("Ma'aden") and Amer. Alcoa; power approx. 1.8 million tons of alumina and approx. 740 thousand tons of primary aluminum]. Plants for the enrichment of gold ore in Bulgakh and Suhaybarat (Medina district). Smelting (t, 2013): zinc 28.0, copper approx. 10.0, lead St. 0.5, etc. (main sample from imported raw materials). Production of aluminum foil and containers, copper wire, etc.

mechanical engineering

The automotive industry is actively developing. There are car assembly plants in Dammam (Isuzu trucks) and Jeddah (Mercedes-Benz trucks); production of automotive parts and components. Issue diff. equipment (energy; for the oil and gas industry - production and technology center of the American company "General Electric" in Dammam), cable products, assembly of household appliances, etc. Shipbuilding, ship repair and aircraft repair enterprises, mechanical. workshops.

Chemical industry

The organization and management of the industry is carried out by Ch. arr. nat. SABIC holding; b. h. petrochemical. plants are located in the cities of Al-Jubail (as part of Al-Jubail Petrochemical Company, a joint venture between SABIC and the American Exxon Mobil, Saudi Japanese Acrylonitrile Company, a joint venture between SABIC and Japanese corporations Asahi Kasei Chemicals and Mitsubishi, etc.) and Yanbu el-Bahre (including the complex of the Saudi Kayan Petrochemical Company with a capacity of up to 5.6 million tons of products per year) (operating in cooperation with refineries).

Main organic products. synthesis (production capacity, million tons per year, 2014): ethylene 19.5 (3rd place in the world; approx. 11% of world production), polyethylene approx. 18.4 (including high pressure approx. 3.5), methanol approx. 8.9, ammonia approx. 7.9, propylene St. 6.5, polypropylene approx. 5.6, urea 5.5, ethylene glycol 4.3, ethylene oxide 3.3, styrene 2.5, etc.

An important place is occupied by the release of the miner. fertilizers: phosphate fertilizers (based on phosphorites of the El-Jalamid deposit, El-Khudud-el-Shamaliyya district; it includes an enrichment plant with a capacity of 5 million tons of concentrate per year), nitrogen, etc.; main centers - Al Jubail and Ras al-Khair.

Production of sulfuric acid in Ras al-Khair and Yanbu el-Bahr, phosphoric acid and nitrogen - in Ras al-Khair, chlorine, caustic. soda and hydrochloric acid - near Dammam, titanium dioxide - in Yanbu el-Bahr and Jizan, magnesia - near Medina. Production of polymer films (including polyethylene and polypropylene) and materials, plastic products (including a plant for the production of plastic pipes in Riyadh), thermoplastic. resin, dec. coatings, prom. adhesives, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and sanitary and hygienic. products.

Building materials industry

The building materials industry is based on its own. raw materials. Mining (million tons, 2012): limestone (over 49), build. sand and gravel (ca. 27), brick and refractory clay (ca. 6), gypsum (St. 2); as well as (thousand tons, 2012) feldspar (168), kaolin (58, Ez-Zabira deposit), marble (25), etc. Cement production 50 million tons (2012); main plants (capacity, million tons, 2012) - in Al-Khufuf (8.6), Riyadh (6.3), Rabiq (4.8), Yanbu el-Bahra (4.0) and Jal- el-Watah (near Burayda, 4.0).

Woodworking, pulp and paper, light and food industry

The country is rapidly developing woodworking and pulp and paper [including the production of furniture, cardboard (the factory of the leading regional manufacturer - the MEPCO company in Jeddah), paper (Dammam)], light (especially the production of clothing; large handicraft enterprises play a role - textile, weaving, carpet weaving, leather and footwear, jewelry, pottery, etc.; , bakery and tobacco products, processing of agricultural raw materials, including dates, fish, etc.) industry. Polygraphic enterprises.

Agriculture

Since the 1960s the state plays a leading role in the development of the industry: the introduction of modern. technologies and techniques; state programs to provide peasants with land allotments, issuance of interest-free loans and compensation for the purchase of equipment, seeds and fertilizers; supporting purchase prices for cereals and dates; providing benefits and subsidies to livestock breeders (increasing the breeding stock at the expense of the state, importing feed and livestock from abroad), encouraging private initiative.

The production is dominated by large companies. Possibilities of conducting with. xva limited natural and climatic. conditions (rainfed agriculture is possible on lands in the southwestern part of the country).

In structure of page - x. of land (million ha, 2011) out of 173.4, 170.0 fall on pastures, 3.2 on arable land, and 0.2 on perennial plantations. S.A. is self-sufficient in some types of food, but cannot achieve full self-sufficiency (up to 80% of food is imported, 2012).

Leading industry. x-va - crop production. It develops in large oases (El-Khasa in the Eastern region, Ed-Dawasir in the Riyadh region, etc.) and on irrigated lands (in the regions of Asir, Riyadh, El-Qasim, Eastern, etc.) and also in greenhouses. Ch. s.-x. culture - date palm. Collection of dates 1065 thousand tons (2013; 3rd place in the world); they also grow wheat, vegetables, fruits, etc.

In animal husbandry, there are large modern. feed farms. Dairy and beef cattle breeding is concentrated around Riyadh, in the El Qasim and East regions. Traditional camel breeding, sheep breeding and horse breeding (spread in the interior of the country and in mountainous regions). Poultry farming. Beekeeping. Livestock (million heads of livestock, 2013): sheep 11.5, goats 3.4, cattle 0.5, camels 0.3. Production (thousand tons, 2013): milk 2338.0, meat 802.8, hides and skins 51.5, wool 11.5. Fishing; fishing for pearls and sponges in the Persian Gulf, mining for black coral and amber.

Services sector

Allocated (billion dollars, 2012) state. services (90.2), wholesale and retail trade, restaurant and hotel business (58.4), financial and business services (55.6), transport and logistics. services and communications (about 31.0), social and personal services (about 12.0). The country's financial system is regulated by the SA Monetary Agency (Central Bank, 1957; in Riyadh); the largest commercial banks - state National commercial bank (1953; Jeddah), state. Al Rajhi, Riyad (both in Riyadh) and others. Saud. stock exchange (Tadawul; the only one in the country; in Riyadh). In 2014, 16.7 million people visited the country. (St. 55% - from Arab countries), revenues amounted to 9.2 billion dollars. Main. types of inbound tourism - religious (36.7% in 2012; mainly from Jordan and Pakistan; main centers - Mecca and Medina), business (18.6%), visiting relatives and friends (17.7%).

Transport

Main mode of transport is automobile. The total length of roads is 221.4 thousand km, including 47.5 thousand km with a hard surface (2006). Ch. highways pass through settlements, and also connect S.A. with Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, and Yemen. A dam bridge (length approx. 25 km) connects SA with Bahrain. The total length of railways is 1378 km (2008). Several international airports (the largest are in Jeddah and Riyadh). Aviation passenger turnover transport 68 million people (2013). Mor. transport serves Ch. arr. foreign trade transportation. Mor. the fleet consists of 72 vessels (2010; including 45 tankers). Ch. sea ports (cargo turnover, million tons in 2012): Jeddah 62.7, Al Jubail 52.8, Yanbu el-Bahr 40.0, Dammam 27.4, Ras al-Khair 2.3, Jizan 1.5 , Duba (Diba) 1.1 (Medina district). An extensive network of pipelines has been created. The total length of oil pipelines is 5117 km [including the Trans-Arabian Abqaiq - Yanbu el-Bahr (“Petroline”, or East-West) with a length of approx. 1200 km from the oil fields of the Persian Gulf. to oil refineries and ports of the Red metro station; underwater from the fields of S. A. to Bahrain], oil pipelines 1150 km (Dahran - Riyadh, length approx. 380 km; Riyadh - Qasim, length approx. 354 km, etc.), gas pipelines 2940 km (Abqaiq - Yanbu al-Bahr, etc.), for the transportation of liquefied natural gas - 1183 km (Abqaiq - Yanbu el-Bahr, etc.), condensate - 209 km (2013). Metro in Mecca and Riyadh (under construction, 2015).

International trade

The balance of foreign trade turnover is traditionally active. The volume of foreign trade turnover (million dollars, 2014) 521.6, including export 359.4, import 162.2. The commodity structure of exports is dominated (% of value, 2013) by the miner. resources 87.5 (main sample oil), chemical products. prom-sti 9.4. Ch. buyers (% value, 2013): China 13.9, USA 13.6, Japan 13.0, Republic of Korea 9.8, India 9.5. Imported (% value, 2013): machinery and transport equipment 43.3, chemical products. prom-sti and diff. metal products 22.9, foodstuffs and agricultural products. goods 14.3. Ch. suppliers (% value, 2013): USA 13.1, China 12.9, India 8.1, Germany 7.4, Republic of Korea 6.1.

Armed forces

The Armed Forces (AF) number 233.5 thousand people. (2014) and consist of 4 types - Ground Forces (SV), Air Force, Air Defense Forces, Navy and independent. kind - missile troops. In addition to the regular army, the armed forces also include nat. guards, border troops of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (10.5 thousand people), coast guard (4.5 thousand), industrial forces. security (9 thousand people), intended for action in crisis situations. In the threatened period and in the military. time, in the interests of the Armed Forces, a military officer can be involved. formations and divisions of the Ministry of Internal Affairs. Military annual budget $62 billion (2014 est.). Supreme Commander. The Armed Forces is the head of the state - the king, who exercises overall leadership through the Ministry of Defense, the General Staff and the Military. inspection. The king appoints min. defense, chief of the General Staff and commanders of the Armed Forces.

NE (75 thousand people) - main. aircraft type. The combat strength of the SV includes: brigades (4 armored, 5 mechanized, artillery, airborne), army aviation command (2 aviation brigades), and other units. In service are approx. 600 tanks, 300 armored personnel carriers, 1420 armored personnel carriers, 780 infantry fighting vehicles, 240 towed guns, 60 MLRS, 440 mortars, 2400 ATGM launchers, 900 short-range air defense systems, 1000 MANPADS. Army aviation has 12 combat and 55 multipurpose and transport helicopters.

The Air Force (20,000 people) was organized into commands (operational, supply, etc.) and aviation. squadrons. The Air Force is armed with approx. 300 combat aircraft, including 170 fighter-bombers (7 squadrons) and 110 fighters (6 squadrons). Military transport aviation has 45 aircraft. In addition, there are 16 tanker aircraft, St. 100 combat training and training aircraft. Helicopter aviation has approx. 80 units. The Air Force also includes the Royal Air Wing - 16 aircraft. There are 15 military units in the country. airfields, including 5 Ch. air force bases (Dahran, Al-Taif, Khamis-Mushayt, Tabuk, Riyadh).

Air defense troops (16 thousand people) consist of anti-aircraft missile troops, anti-aircraft artillery and radio engineering units. troops. Organizationally, the air defense forces are consolidated into 6 districts. In the operational subordination of the air defense are fighter-interceptors from the Air Force. The air defense forces are armed with 144 Patriot launchers, 128 Improved Hawk launchers, 141 Shakhin launchers, 40 Krotal self-propelled launchers, 270 anti-aircraft guns and installations, etc.

As part of the Navy (13.5 thousand people) - 2 fleets, in each of them several. groups of ships and boats. In service are 7 URO frigates, 4 corvettes, 9 missile boats, 17 large and 39 small patrol boats, 7 mine-sweeping ships, 8 landing craft, 2 supply vehicles, 13 tugs; into the sea aviation - 34 helicopters (including 21 combat). Mor. infantry (3 thousand people) is represented by a regiment (2 battalions), armed with 140 armored personnel carriers. Coastal defense troops have 4 batteries of Otomat mobile coastal missile systems. Main naval bases and bases - Jeddah, Al-Jubail, Yanbu-el-Bahr, etc.

The Coast Guard (4.5 thousand people) has 50 patrol boats, 350 motor boats, and a training ship.

National the guard (100 thousand people) includes regular formations (75 thousand people) and detachments of tribes. Her main purpose - the protection of the monarchy. regime, protection of governments. institutions, oil fields and other facilities. Submits directly to the king, is formed in the main. according to the tribal principle, coordinates its actions with the Defense Ministry, the General Staff, security forces and the police. Organizationally it consists of brigades (3 mechanized, 5 infantry) and cavalry. squadron (for ceremonial purposes). Armed with approx. 2000 armored personnel carrier, 514 armored personnel carrier, 70 art. guns, 110 mortars of caliber 81 and 120 mm, St. 120 PU ATGMs.

Manning regular aircraft on a voluntary basis. Men aged 18-35 are accepted for service. Mobilization resources 5.9 million people, including those fit for the military. service 3.4 million people. Armament and military equipment is almost entirely imported (from the US and UK).

The training of privates and sergeants is carried out in training centers and schools, officers - in the academies of the types of the Armed Forces and abroad. Regular aircraft have a large number of foreign aircraft. military specialists.

healthcare

For 100 thousand inhabitants. there are 94 doctors; 22 hospital beds - per 10 thousand inhabitants. (2011). There are 244 hospitals and 2037 health centers (2009). Adult mortality rate. 3.32 per 1000 inhabitants (2014). Main causes of death are cardiovascular and oncological. disease, diabetes. Total health spending is 3.7% of GDP (2011) (budget funding - 65.8%, private - 34.2%; 2012). Legal regulation of health care is carried out on the basis of Osn. nizam on power (1992), laws on cooperative health insurance (1999), on private honey. laboratories (2002), about labor (2005). The Ministry of Health provides preventive, curative and rehabilitation services. honey. aid and funding. For citizens of S.A. honey. help is free. In the healthcare system, primary, secondary and tertiary levels of honey are distinguished. service. There is also Islamic Cooperative Health Insurance (Takaful). Main recreation areas - Al-Khobar, Dammam, Jeddah, etc.

Sport

The Olympic Committee of S. A. was founded and recognized by the IOC in 1964. Since 1972, athletes of S. A. have been participating in the Olympic Games (with the exception of the games in Moscow, 1980); 3 medals won - silver in the 400 m hurdles (Hadi al-Somaili in Sydney, 2000) and 2 bronze (Khaled al-Eid, individual show jumping championship in 2000 and team show jumping championship in London, 2012). The most popular sport is football. The SA Football Federation was founded in 1956. The SA football team is a 3-time winner (1984, 1988, 1996) and a 3-time finalist (1992, 2002, 2007) of the Asian Cup; in 1994 played in 1 / 8 of the world championship. The capital club "Al-Hilal" (1957) - one of the strongest in Asia, 13-time champion of the country (1977-2011), accepts opponents at the stadium. King Fahd (about 62 thousand seats).

Athletes from SA since 1978 (with the exception of 1998) have been participating in the Asian Games; in 1978–2014, 24 gold, 11 silver and 20 bronze medals were won.

Education. Scientific and cultural institutions

The education system in S.A. took shape by the end. 20th century Regulatory documents - Document on education. politics (1969) and Strategic. plan of the Ministry of Education (2004–14). Preparation of prof. personnel is administered by the Corporation for prof.-tech. education, the sphere of higher education - the Ministry of Higher Education. Education is free at all levels. The education system includes: preschool education (poorly developed), 6-year primary education, 5-year (3-year incomplete and 2-year full) education. 3-year prof.-tech. education is provided in junior colleges. Preschool education covered (2013) 13.2% of children, primary education - 93.4%, secondary education - 90.1%. The literacy rate of the population aged 15 years and over is 96% (data from the UNESCO Institute of Statistics). Higher education is provided by high fur boots, higher technical. in-you, colleges of technology, pedagogical. colleges, colleges for girls. The country has St. 20 universities: Islamic Univ. imam Mohammed ibn Saud (1950, current status since 1974), Univ. King Saud (1957) - both in Riyadh, Univ. of oil and miner. resources to them. King Fahd in Dhahran (1963, current status since 1975), Univ. King Faisal (has branches in Dammam and Al-Hofuf) (1975), University of Science and Technology. King Abdallah (2009; 80 km from Jeddah), as well as the universities of Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Mecca and others. The largest libraries: National (1968) and public them. King Abd al-Aziz (1999) - both in Riyadh, King Abd al-Aziz in Medina (1983) and others. museum in Riyadh (1999).

Among the scientific institutions: Research Center. King Abd al-Aziz (1972) and the Center for Research and Study of Islam. King Faisal (1983) - both in Riyadh; Center for Research in Islamic Education in Mecca (1980), Institute of Islamic Studies in Jeddah (1982).

Mass media

Arabic daily newspapers are published. lang.: "Al-Jazeera" ("Peninsula"; since 1960; circulation approx. 123 thousand copies, Riyadh), "Al-Bilad" ("Country"; since 1934; approx. 30 thousand copies). copy., Jeddah), "Al-Madina" ("Medina"; since 1937; approx. 60 thousand copies., Jeddah), "Decree" ("Newspaper of the Decree"; since 1960; . copies, Jeddah), "An-Nadwa" ("Club"; since 1958; approx. 30 thousand copies., Mecca), "Al-Yaum" ("Day"; since 1965; approx. 135 thousand copies, Dammam). In English. lang. daily newspapers are published: Arab News (since 1975; approx. 51 thousand copies), Saudi Gazette (since 1976; approx. 50 thousand copies, both in Jeddah). Broadcasting since 1948, television since 1964. Television and radio broadcasts are carried out by the Broadcasting Service of S. A. (Riyadh), the Government Television Service of S. A. (Riyadh), Aramco Radio (Dahran), Dahran TV ( Dhahran). National information Saudi Press Agency (founded in 1970, Riyadh).

Literature

The literature of the peoples of SA is created in Arabic. language. Before gaining statehood, SA developed in line with the Arab Muslim culture; in the beginning. 20th century presented in the main poetry in classical Arab. lang., as well as prose. works of religious, historical and didactic character. In con. 1920s - early. 1930s signs of renewal are noticeable: in poetry, which reflected the influence of the literature of Egypt, romanticism was born. An important role in the development of prose was played by the writer, published in Medina from 1937. "al-Mankhal", which published translations of stories from the West. and east. languages; its publishers Abd al-Quddus al-Ansari and Ahmed Rida Khuhu pioneered the genre of the story, which initially had an exclusively edifying-sentimental character. The novels of Abd al-Quddus al-Ansari (The Twins, 1930), Mohammed Maghribi (The Resurrection, 1942), Ahmed Rida Khuhu (The Girl from Mecca, 1947) and Ahmed al-Sibai (The Thought, 1948), who propagandized education. and cultural reforms.

From the beginning 1950s realism began to take hold; received graduation. decoration of modern prosaic genres, literature acquired pronounced nat. features determined by the characteristics of culture, life, socio-political. life. Striving. changes in lifestyle were reflected in the novels Hamid Damanhuri's The Price of Sacrifice (1959; in Russian translation 1966 Love and Duty) and Ibrahim al-Humeidan's A Hole in the Night (1959), which defined the main themes of realism. prose - the conflict of "fathers" and "children", the modernization of societies. mores. Among the most prominent realist prose writers are Abd al-Rahman ash-Shair, Sibai Usman, Najat Khayyat. A characteristic feature of realism. prose - autobiography: novels by Fuad Ankawi, Isam Khaukir, Abd al-Aziz Mishri, as well as Turki al-Hamad's trilogy Ghosts in Deserted Alleys (1995–98).

From the 2nd floor. 1970s modernist aesthetics is established. Interest in the subconscious, the construction of a subjective, often irrational image of the world turned out to be a convenient way to overcome censorship obstacles. The expression of unconscious desires, manias and obsessive states of an “alienated” person who has lost faith in the rationality of the surrounding world is at the center of the stories of Mohammed Alvan, Hussein Ali Hussein, Jarallah al-Hamid, Sad ad-Dawsari, Abdallah Bakhashwein, Nura al-Ghamedi, Badria al-Bishr, Layla al-Uhaidib. The connection of modern Narrative forms with folklore techniques are distinguished by the work of Miriam al-Gamedi, Hassan al-Nimi, Sultana al-Sideiri.

A wide variety of styles is inherent in lit-re con. 20 - early. 21st century: Ahmed al-Duweikhi's novel "Reyhan" (1991) appears as a mosaic of scenes snatched from different points in space and time; a mixture of modernity with Arabic. Wed-century. heritage and the novels "The Fortress" by Abd al-Aziz Mishri (1992) and "The Silk Road" by Raja Alem (1995) are marked by legends. The novel The Return (2006) by Warda Abd al-Malik uses the technique stream of consciousness. Great popularity in Arabic. The novels "She Throws Sparks" by Abdo Hal (2008) and "Necklace of Doves" by Raja Alem (2010) have won worldwide.

Architecture and fine arts

Artistic Since ancient times, SA culture has developed in oases connected by caravan routes. The oldest artifacts date back to the early Lower Paleolithic (stone tools). In the Neolithic era, ceramics, obsidian products, petroglyphs with scenes of hunting and rituals, figures of people and animals appeared (the Jubba oasis near the city of Hail). From the 6th millennium BC. e. there is an increase in cultural ties with the South. Mesopotamia, as evidenced by the finds of Ubeid painted pottery in the northeast. parts of the country. From con. 4th millennium BC e. Bronze tools, stone vessels with carved decorations, and painted ceramics with zoomorphic and geometrical decorations are becoming widespread. ornament, carved seals of the Mesopotamian type; monumental buildings appear (sanctuaries, tower tombs), stone sculpture (tombstone anthropomorphic steles from the environs of the city of Hail and the oasis of El-Ula, late 4th - 3rd millennium BC). Monuments of the 1st floor. 1st millennium BC e. (for example, the ruins of religious buildings and the palace of the Babylonian king Nabonidus in the oasis of Tayma, mid-6th century BC) testify to increased contacts with Assyria and Babylonia. In the north of the country there are monuments of the kingdom of Lihyan (El-Ula oasis - ancient Dedan, 5-2 centuries BC) and Nabataean kingdom(Hegra city, modern Madain Saleh, 2nd century BC - 1st century AD; included in the list world heritage): rectangular in terms of the sanctuary, rock tombs with jagged facades (2nd century BC - 1st century AD), fragments of stone statues with generalized rough facial features and reliefs with images of animals. At the turn of the 1st millennium BC. e. - 1st millennium AD e. in the department regions of SA in wall painting, bronze sculpture, and jewelry, the influence of Greco-Roman is manifested. culture (finds from the excavations of Karyat el-Fau, etc.). The largest Hellenistic an ensemble on the territory of S.A. - the remains of the city and the royal necropolis of Saj near the city of Al-Jubail. From 4th–6th centuries ruins have been preserved. Christian buildings (church near Al Jubail). From Wed.-Century. Islamic architecture of SA few monuments survived in the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, as well as in the places of pilgrimages. Gor. building ser. 18 - beg. 20th century bears the features of the Ottoman and Egyptian. influences. Traditional residential architecture is represented by buildings made of mud brick (in the hinterland) or coral limestone and wood (in the Hijaz and on the coast of the Red Sea), lined with plaster, on a stone base, from trees. beam covering. Jeddah and Medina are characterized by tower houses with flat roofs, wood. lattices (mashrabiya) on the balconies, for Abhi - houses with cornices (from rain).

After the formation of an independent state of SA in Riyadh, Jeddah and other cities, along with traditional. building, with ser. 20th century multi-storey buildings appear. type, with the use of concrete. Since the 1970s construction is underway with the involvement of foreign architects and urban planners (general plans of 10 cities in the northern and central parts of the country, the firm of K. A. Doxiadis), on the site of the historical. buildings are being built modern. neighborhoods with buildings international style but with elements of tradition. Islamic architecture (mosques in Jeddah, architect Abdel Wahid al-Wakil). New types of societies are emerging. buildings (al-Khairiya complex, 1982, architect Tange Kenzo; construction of the international airports named after King Khalid in Riyadh, 1983, and in Jeddah, 1981, architect bureau Skidmore, Owings & Merrill, International Stadium named after . King Fahd in Riyadh, 1987, etc.). From con. 20th century in connection with the reconstruction of the Sacred Mosque in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina and the creation of numerous pilgrimage complexes, mountains. ensembles are intensively developed modern. builds. technology and sunscreen designs, decorative materials. Among the newest buildings are the Faisalia Tower (2000, architect N. Foster and others), the Royal Center Tower (2003, both in Riyadh).

Modern painting and sculpture SA are developing from the 2nd floor. 20th century (A. Radvi, M. Mossa al-Salim, F. Samra and others). Nar. the claim is presented by tradition. jewelry, amulets, leather and wool products.

culture

Culture is strongly associated with Islam, public theaters, cinemas, secular music concerts are prohibited. Since 1985, an annual nat has been held near Riyadh. festival "Genadria" (folk music and dances, in which only men participate; poetry, painting, etc.).

Saudi Arabia is a prime example of a country whose wealth is entirely based on raw material rent. The country has huge reserves of oil (second largest in the world in 2016) and natural gas (sixth largest in the world); fields are convenient to develop and the cost of production is minimal - about $5.4 operating costs per barrel compared to $8.4 in Russia, $13.9 in Venezuela and $22.4 in Canada. It is not surprising that in the system of the international division of labor, the country acts as a supplier of fossil fuels. Saudi Arabia accounted for 17.7% of world oil exports in 2016, oil exports accounted for 69% of all foreign trade earnings. The kingdom received another 21% of export earnings from the trade in various kinds of petrochemicals. State oil company SaudiAramco has become the largest enterprise not only in its homeland, but throughout the world, outpacing American corporate monsters in terms of profits.

Capital and operating costs for the extraction of one barrel of oil from the largest oil-producing states. Saudi Arabia is among the countries with the most favorable conditions.

Huge reserves of readily available raw materials with a relatively small population have made Saudi Arabia very rich by world standards. In terms of per capita GDP, adjusted for purchasing power parity, it ranks 21st in the world, ahead of the largest economies in Western Europe, Australia, Canada, Japan, and only slightly behind the United States. It would seem that under such conditions, the inhabitants of Arabia are provided, if not wealth, then at least a prosperous life. But it's not. Even in such abundance there is a place for inequality, poverty and social disadvantage.

Over 5% of the adult population of the kingdom are not literate, among women the proportion of illiterates reaches 9%. According to this indicator, Saudi Arabia is inferior to the countries of the West and the former USSR with their complete literacy, corresponding to poor states such as Peru and the Philippines. Until now, there is no full coverage of school education in the country, 3.5% of children do not even attend primary school. Not the best results are shown by local health care. In terms of infant mortality, Saudi Arabia ranks 108th in the world, between Colombia and Jamaica, showing worse results than Mexico, Romania and Sri Lanka. Maternal mortality in the kingdom is twice that of Germany and three times that of Italy, and life expectancy is inferior not only to residents of developed countries, but also to Mexicans, Chinese, inhabitants of Algeria and Ecuador.

The economic system based on the distribution of raw material rent gives rise to a hyperconcentration of wealth in the hands of the ruling elite: the royal family and the largest financiers associated with it. Those residents who do not work in the oil and gas industries are dependent on the cash flows that the elites are willing to distribute down the social ladder. All sectors of the country's economy either directly or indirectly serve the oil industry, or exist at the expense of oil revenues redistributed by the state.

Saudi Arabia is the largest supplier of oil to the world market

Such a system, in the absence of political democracy and public control over the elites, leads to high social stratification. The Gini index, a common indicator of inequality, reaches 45.9 in Saudi Arabia. This is above the level of the United States and Russia, unevenly developed countries with long borders, and ahead of the performance of a number of Latin American states, famous for the highest uneven distribution of wealth, such as Peru and Argentina.

Formally, Saudi Arabia does not have a very high unemployment rate. But among the country's citizens, it is more than twice as high as the general figure - 12.1% against 5.7%. Unemployment among young people has taken on a particularly threatening character, where applicants who have not found a job, 28.5%. The private sector prefers to hire cheap foreign workers, who number up to 11 million people, which is more than a third of the kingdom's population. Local workers who are covered by the social security system demand jobs with higher labor standards. For the most part, such places are provided by the public sector: 2/3 of working Saudis are employed by the state, and in the private sector, only 10% of jobs are occupied by local residents. But the government cannot provide jobs for everyone, which creates social tension, and plans to diversify the economy and raise private sector labor standards remain plans for now.

Typical slums of Jeddah filled with migrants and poor Arabians.

Massive unemployment is combined with high levels of poverty. The cost of living in Saudi Arabia is $530 per month. According to various estimates, from 2 to 4 million citizens of the kingdom live below the poverty line - this is 10-20% of the indigenous Arabians. Their situation is aggravated by the relatively underdeveloped system of social support and the high cost of living in the country.

The local poor, along with the masses of visiting workers, inhabit the slums that lie close to the fashionable neighborhoods of Saudi metropolitan areas. Although Saudi slums, unlike similar areas in poor countries, are provided with clean water and sanitation, they are overcrowded, and the quality of houses leaves much to be desired. However, the communal infrastructure of Saudi Arabia is not too developed: only 23% of households are connected to public water supply, the rest use their own wells, bottled water or are supplied from tank trucks. The latter option is still used by 18% of households. Public sewerage serves only 57% of residential buildings.

Plan of one of the slum areas of Jeddah, al-Sabeel district. Public buildings are marked with colored circles. A depressing lack of social infrastructure (there is only one hospital and three schools in the district) is combined with an abundance of religious buildings - there are 27 mosques in this slum.

The shantytowns are dense agglomerations of small buildings of poor quality, often in traditional Arab housing estates. In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia's second largest metropolitan area and the country's economic capital, a 2006 municipal report estimated that 43% of city dwellers lived in slums. The population density of slum zones was 3.5 times higher than the average urban one. Now the situation has not improved much, the slums of Jeddah still occupy 16% of the city area and serve as the home of a third of the population, about a million people. In Mecca, the problem is even more pronounced, with up to a quarter of urban development occupied by slums. In the country as a whole, the proportion of slum dwellers in 2005 was 18% of the total population and by 2014 the situation had not improved.

One of the houses of the old buildings, typical for the Saudi slums.

Poverty and inequality, an abundance of disenfranchised migrant workers, and massive unemployment provided fertile ground for the massive unrest that erupted in Saudi Arabia in the wake of the Arab Spring. Although the government suppressed the unrest and made concessions in the social sphere, there was no fundamental change for the better. Surplus profits from oil exports remain the property of a narrow elite, the general population cannot participate in political life, and the solution of social problems is drowned in bureaucracy and corruption. Inequality, poverty and intercommunal tensions remain the powder keg that could blow up the largest monarchy in the Persian Gulf.

Jun 4, 2018 Sergey Larionov

General information about the country

Located in the central part Arabian Peninsula. There are two holy cities in Saudi Arabia Islam- Mecca and Medina where millions of Muslims from all over the world flock every year to fulfill the prescribed Koran pilgrimage - hajj.

Most of the country is located in the zone of deserts and semi-deserts. The climate is hot and dry. Water and food resources are limited. The population of Saudi Arabia in 2015 was about 29.74 million people.

The territory of the country since ancient times was the periphery of the then existing states: empires Mesopotamia (Sumerian , Akkadian , Assyrian , Babylonian , Persian), Seleucid Syria , Sabean And Nabataean kingdom. Through it were caravan roads from the modern Yemen to the Mediterranean. The local population, engaged in nomadic pastoralism and oasis agriculture, made money on transit trade (participation in it, collection of fees for travel and robbery).

After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire, the British government tried to establish a state in the Hijaz, headed by its ally Hussein. But he was expelled from the country by a group of Bedouin tribes - Islamic Wahhabi sectarians from Najd, led by the Saudi clan. In 1926 they proclaimed a new state - Saudi Arabia. By using USSR the new regime was able to keep the occupied territories under control.

City of Medina.

In the late 1940s, intensive oil development began, which by 1960 led to an explosive increase in the income of the Saudi ruling clan. Huge wealth allowed the rulers to raise the standard of living of the population and to modernize the economy and the army, without changing anything in the archaic theocratic system of power. The ruling clan numbers several hundred people and enjoys most of the income from oil exports. Saudi Arabia led the international oil cartel - OPEC.

The oil industry and other manufacturing industries employ hundreds of thousands of foreign workers who do not have civil rights in the country. Own population receives social benefits from the government. Saudi rulers see themselves as protectors and bulwarks Islam; religious law in the country sharia. The laws of the country are still based on extreme forms of Islamic law, restricting the rights of women and any other faiths, including Muslims of other persuasions, except for the ruling one. Slavery has been officially abolished in the most recent times, but in fact it is practiced at the beginning of the 21st century.

The army and security services of Saudi Arabia are equipped with the most modern weapons. Wealth allows the country's authorities to encourage young people to study in the most advanced educational institutions of the West and to innovate in the field of technology. Saudi investments are present in key sectors of the global economy. The country has carried out economic diversification; branches of industry and agriculture that are not related to oil are developing. For example, potatoes from Saudi Arabia are exported to Russia And Ukraine.

The political position of Saudi Arabia with a claim to leadership in the Arab and Muslim world and the leadership of the oil market has led it to several conflicts. Saudi Arabia's competitor for leadership in the Arab world was and remains Egypt, with which in 1962-1967 a war was waged on the territory Yemen. In the Islamic world, the position of Saudi Arabia seeks to oust Iran(claiming to expand its possessions in the Persian Gulf). In the eastern regions of the country, where the bulk of Saudi oil is produced, the population - both Saudi and foreign workers - are mostly Shiites, subject to religious oppression and inclined to support Iran.

Despite the formal alliance of the Saudi authorities with the United States, the entire ideological system of the country is aimed at conflict with the Western world, including the military-terrorist one. jihad. The Saudi authorities finance and encourage the activities of extreme Islamist groups around the world, including terrorists(For example, Hamas). Private and public organizations in the country, not formally affiliated with the government, go even further in the same direction.

The presence in the country of groups trying to overthrow the ruling regime leads to the constant danger of internal conflicts. Almost all of these groups are even more radical Islamists than the country's official religious authorities.

Saudi Arabia's anti-Israel stance

Since the establishment of the State of Israel, Saudi Arabia has been among the most implacable opponents of the Jewish state, generously funded anti-Israeli terror, anti-Israeli and anti-Semitic propaganda. Jews were banned from entering Saudi Arabia; official guests and diplomats were given copies "Protocols of the Elders of Zion"(For more on Saudi Arabia's attitude towards Israel, see State of Israel. Israel and the Arab world).

In 1991, Saudi Arabia acted as one of the most active participants in the anti-Iraqi coalition in the Persian Gulf War. This reinforced Saudi Arabia's traditional dependence on USA who constantly influenced the rulers of this country so that they took a more moderate position in relation to Israel. This also met the vital interests of the Saudi regime, which feared destabilization in the Middle East and the actions of radical regimes and movements in the Arab world.

In the 2010s, against the backdrop of a general crisis in the Middle East (see below), opportunities for cooperation between Saudi Arabia and Israel emerged. Parts of the Saudi authorities have realized that radical Islamists are a danger to them, but Israel is not, and that they no longer have the opportunity to attack Israel. Israeli diplomacy is making efforts to establish undisclosed ties with the Saudi leadership.

Events of the beginning of the XXI century

Islamic terrorist organizations associated with the al-Qaeda movement were increasingly less controlled by the royal government, turning into contenders for the seizure of power. The ruling circles are forced to fight with them, as well as with the Shiite terrorists supported by Iran. At the same time, the administration of US President Barack Obama took a course towards abandoning the alliance with Saudi Arabia and attempting to reorient Iran.

Saudi Arabia is trying to prevent the growth of shale oil production in USA and other countries of the world. To do this, it increases the export of its own oil, causing prices to fall on the world market. As a result of falling oil prices, the income of the Saudi royal court is declining. At the same time, the population is growing rapidly, which creates difficulties in maintaining the established level of well-being of the population.

In the 2010s, military pressure on Saudi Arabia increased from Shia Islamist groups backed by Iran. In 2013, Shia extremists in