  | |
I am out of myself !
  On the western edge of the kingdom, a thin strip of lowland borders the Red Sea, becoming a coastal plain (the Tihamah) toward the south. Tall mountains, some more than 9,000 ft. (2,700 m.) high, rise abruptly to the east of this strip. On the inland side of the mountains, the surface slopes gently downward, merges with an interior plateau, then reaches sea level again at the Persian (or Arabian) Gulf. Saudi Arabia has no permanent rivers or lakes. Saudi Arabia is in the same latitudes as northern Africa and the Gulf of Mexico. During summer, the heat is intense in most parts of the country, often topping 120° F. (48° C), even in the shade. Winter temperatures are less extreme. Though both coastal areas are quite humid, most ot the country receives only 2 to 4 in. (5 to 10 cm.) of rain annually. Two of the kingdom's six major regions are in the west. The Hijaz, home to 34 percent of the total population, includes several of the peninsula's oldest cities—Mecca (Makkah) and Taif, for example. South of the Hijaz, the Asir receives more rain than any other region— up to 30 in. (75 cm.) in the summer. About 70 percent of the Asir's inhabitants live in farming villages. The central region of Saudi Arabia is Najd (Nejd), a great rocky plateau. Najd is the Saudis' heartland, the place where Riyadh, their capital and diplomatic center, is located. Though years may elapse between rainfalls, Najd holds 25 percent of the kingdom's population. The fourth and fifth regions are deserts. The Nafud lies to the north of Najd and is home to many nomadic herders. To the south of Najd, the Rub' al Khali ("Empty Quarter") is a forbidding desert, covering about a third of Saudi Arabia. A sea of sand sheets and dunes, the Rub' al Khali is totally waterless, uninhabited except for a few nomads. Both deserts are connected by Dahna, a thin band of sand mountains. The Eastern Province (or Hasa) borders the Persian Gulf. Though it contains Saudi Arabia's greatest natural resource, its oil reserves, this region has only 13 percent of the Saudi population. Arabic is the official language, and Islam is the state religion in Saudi Arabia. Nearly all citizens are Muslims of the Sunni sect of Islam, although there is a small Shi'ite (Shi'a) Islamic minority. Saudi Arabia does not report an exact census of its people. But estimates suggest there are about 7 million to 8 million Saudis—half of whom are under 15—plus 3.5 million to 4 million foreign-born workers. The proportion of non-Saudis in the total labor force is high, having risen from 28 percent in 1975 to 60 percent by 1985. Increasingly, the kingdom's people have moved to its cities or settled in oasis communities. Only 5 percent still lead a nomadic life. Saudi Arabia's largest city is Riyadh, the capital. Once a small oasis settlement, Riyadh now has a population of 1.5 million. The traditional old quarters of Riyadh have recently been replaced by new boulevards, offices, and government buildings. Jiddah, Saudi Arabia's most cosmopolitan city, is a major cargo port on the Red Sea, with a population of 1.4 million. Urban centers on the eastern coast of the kingdom—Dammam, Dhahran, and Jubail—have grown with the nation's oil industry. Jubail, a government-planned industrial center and port, has 12 major industries (petrochemicals, fertilizers, steel, plastics, and gas) and more than 60 light industries. It is linked by cross-country pipeline to another new industrial center, Yanbu, on the Red Sea. Not far inland from the Red Sea are Mecca (also spelled Makkah) and Medina, the holiest cities in the Islamic world. Mecca's permanent population (837,000) more than doubles during the hajj, a religious pilgrimage. In Mecca, the pilgrims' main goal is the Kaaba, a structure that Muslims believe was built by the prophet Abraham. Medina was the home of Muhammad, Islam's founder, during the last years of his life. Though Arabians are economically advanced, the influence of Islamic and other traditional customs on their daily life is still enormous. The nationwide practice of interrupting all activity five times a day for public prayer is just one example of this influence. Others include a total ban on the sale or use of alcohol, and the segregation of women at public events. The strength of tradition can also be seen in Saudi clothing. In general, most Saudis still wear traditional ankle-length robes in public, even though they may wear Western-style outfits at home. Most men also wear a head covering (ghoutra) bound by a cord (agal), and women must be veiled when in public areas. To Western eyes, the role of Saudi women in public life is sharply limited. An unaccompanied Saudi woman does not usually meet any man unless he is a close relative. As a result, dating is unknown, and marriages are often arranged by families. Women may not drive cars, and must obtain the permission of their husbands or other male relatives before traveling any distance. And while Saudi women have recently become doctors, engineers, teachers, and bank officers, they are still obliged to work in segregated places. | |
|
|
 |