Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia covers most of the Arabian Peninsula and touches both the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf. Broad deserts, rocky plateaus, and volcanic fields called harrat form the landscape, but people cluster around oases, wadis, and coastal plains where water is easier to reach. The country faces searing summers that can top 45 °C, so cities rely on shaded walkways, wind-catching towers, and desalinated water from the sea to stay livable.

The land divides into regions with distinct character. The western Hejaz holds the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah and rises into the Sarawat Mountains. Central Najd is a plateau of sandstone ridges where Riyadh, the capital, has grown into a megacity filled with metro lines, research parks, and palm-lined highways. The eastern Gulf Coast sits atop giant petroleum reservoirs such as Ghawar Field and is dotted with refineries, ports, and man-made islands. Farther south, the Rub' al Khali or Empty Quarter stretches as one of the largest continuous sand deserts in the world with dunes taller than skyscrapers.

Saudi Arabia is an absolute monarchy led by the king, who also serves as Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques. Cabinet ministries guide everything from education to space research, and the Shura Council reviews laws. Vision 2030, a national development plan, funds renewable energy plants, cultural districts, and giga-projects like NEOM on the Red Sea coast. Provinces headed by governors coordinate new airports, data centers, and wildlife reserves to balance growth with conservation.

History is woven closely with Islam. In the 600s CE, the Prophet Muhammad taught in Makkah and Madinah, and their mosques still anchor annual Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages. Families welcome visiting pilgrims with dates, Arabic coffee, and hospitality traditions inherited from Bedouin caravans. Museums in Diriyah and Jeddah conserve adobe forts, coral-stone houses, and early Qur'an manuscripts while digital archives help students explore manuscripts without touching fragile pages.

Modern Saudi society mixes heritage with rapid innovation. Young people study coding, aviation, and health sciences in universities and online classrooms. Popular sports range from football leagues to sand surfing over dunes. Markets sell spices, camel milk, and textiles, while malls host film festivals, eSports arenas, and science exhibits. Environmental teams fight desertification by planting date palms, restoring mangroves along the Red Sea, and tracking houbara bustards with satellite tags so future generations can thrive in a greener desert home.