​Saudi Arabia

​Saudi Arabia is by far the largest of the countries of the Arabian Peninsula. It is also a major religious and cultural center and has one of the region’s strongest economies.

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​People & Customs

​Nearly all Saudis are Arab and speak Arabic. Their culture is strongly influenced by Islam, a religion founded around AD 622 in Arabia by Muhammad. It is based on submitting to God (Allah) and on messages Muslims believe Muhammad received from God. These messages are written in the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam.

​Nearly all Saudis follow one of two main branches of Islam. Shia Muslims believe that true interpretation of Islamic teaching can only come from certain religious and political leaders called imams. Sunni Muslims believe in the ability of the majority of the community to interpret Islamic teachings. Approximately 85 to 90 percent of Saudi Muslims are Sunni.

​Muslim Contributions to Math

​Our familiar system of numerals, which we call Arabic, was first created in India. However, it was Muslim thinkers who introduced that system to Europe. They also developed algebra and made advances in geometry. Muslims used math to advance the study of astronomy and physics. Muslim geographers calculated distances between cities, longitudes and latitudes, and the direction from one city to another. Muslim scientists even defined ratios and used mathematics to explain the appearance of rainbows.

​Islam influences Saudi Arabia’s culture in many ways. In part because Islam requires modesty, Saudi clothing keeps arms and legs covered. Men wear a long, loose shirt and a cotton headdress held in place with a cord. Saudi women wear a black cloak and veil in public, although some wear Western-style clothing.

​Saudi laws and customs limit women’s activities. For example, a woman rarely appears in public without her husband or a male relative. However, women can own and run businesses in Saudi Arabia. Only recently, Saudi women gained the rights to drive cars and to attend events in sports stadiums.

​Saudi Arabia's Economy

​Saudi Arabia’s economy and foreign policy is influenced strongly by one geographic factor: oil. Saudi Arabia has almost one-fifth of the entire world’s oil reserves, or supplies. It is the world’s leading exporter of oil. Because it has so much oil, Saudi Arabia is an influential member of OPEC, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries. OPEC is an international organization whose members work to influence the price of oil on world markets by controlling the supply.

​Oil also shapes the country’s domestic policy. In the 1970s, oil industry profits helped Saudi Arabia build roads, schools, hospitals and universities. Today, Saudi Arabia has a sizable middle class and provides its people with free health care and education.