Saudia Arabia
By Caleb Aultman
Country Basics
The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh. Its flag, as shown to the right, is green with white Arabic writing, and a white sword facing towards the hoist side of the flag (the side it is hung by). The Arabic writing is an Islamic statement of faith and green is the traditional color of Islam.
Geography
Saudi Arabia is located in Southwest Asia and is bordered by Yemen, Oman, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, and Eritrea. Major landforms include the Rub' Al Khali desert and the Nafud desert, where sand dunes often exceed 100 feet in height. Landmarks include Abraj Al Bait (a clock tower), the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, and the Jamaraat Bridge. Major bodies of water that are nearby include the Red Sea, Arabian Sea, and Persian Gulf. Because of the extremely hot environment, Saudi Arabian people adapted by riding camels in the desert. Also, because of a lack of water, Saudi Arabians extract water from underground aquifers.
Government
Saudi Arabia has an absolute monarchy government, where the king, or monarch, has absolute power. Their current leader is King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. The succession of the throne in Saudi Arabia is handled by the Allegiance Council.