About Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
(source: General Authority for Statistics, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia www.stats.gov.sa )
Location:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia lies at the furthermost part of southwestern Asia. It is bordered by the Arabian Gulf, United Arab Emirates and Qatar in the east; Red Sea in the west; Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan in the north; Yemen and Oman in the south.
Area:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia occupies about four-fifths of the Arab Peninsula, with a total area of around 2,000,000 square kilometers.
Geographical Features:
Saudi Arabia’s geography is diverse, with forests, grasslands, mountain ranges and deserts. The climate varies from region to region. Temperatures can reach over 10 degrees Fahrenheit in the desert in the summer, while in the winter temperatures in the north and central parts of the country can drop below freezing.
Climate:
The climate of Saudi Arabia varies from one region to another because of its diverse topographical features. The Kingdom is generally hot in summer and cold in winter where rains fall often. Moderate climate is seen in the west and the southwestern part of the Kingdom; dry hot summer and cold winter in the interior parts; and high temperature and humidity in the coastal areas.
National Day:
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia celebrates its National Day each year on September 23, in commemoration of the founding of the Kingdom by his Majesty King Abdul Aziz Abdul Rahman Al-Saud in 1932A.D (1351 A.H).
Flag of the Kingdom:
The flag of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is rectangular and its width is two-thirds of its length. It has a green background inscribed in the middle with the Islamic testimony (Shahada) “La Elah Ella Allah; Mohammed Rasul Allah” (There is no God but Allah; Mohammed is the Messenger of Allah) is written in an Arabic calligraphic form called “tholuth”. Beneath it is an Arab sword, the handle of which is turned to the direction of the flag’s mast. The Flag of Saudi Arabia must not be hung at half mast or touch ground or water in respect of the Shahada written on it.
Currency of the Kingdom:
The currency of Kingdom is the Saudi Riyal which is gold-plated, convertible and divided into 100 Halalas. It has the following denominations; paper notes : one Riyal, five, ten, twenty, fifty, one hundred Riyals, two-hundred and five-hundred Riyals; Coins : one Riyal, fifty, twenty five, ten and five Halalas.
The exchange rate is 3.75 Saudi Riyals per one U.S dollar (approximately)
Official Language : Arabic is the official language of Saudi Arabia. English is widely spoken and incorporated into daily transactions and functions.
Measures and Weights:
The metric system is generally used in Saudi Arabia for measures and the Kilogram for weights.
Official Holidays:
The official holidays in the Kingdom are as follows :
Weekend holidays: Friday and Saturday.
Eid Al Fatr : From 25th of Ramadan to 5th of Shawal for a duration of 10 days extending up to two weeks (if it starts before weekend holiday).
Eid Al Adha: From 5th to 15th of Thul Hujja. All government institutions and departments are closed during these holidays.