What continent is Saudi Arabia in?
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »
People who want to visit the beautiful Kingdom of Saudi Arabia ask “What continent is Saudi Arabia in?” Saudi Arabia is in Western Asia. It is the largest nation in the Middle East bordered by Iraq in the northeast, Jordan in the north, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Bahrain, and Kuwait in the east, Yemen in the south and Oman in the southeast. The Western Asian country is engulfed by the Persian Gulf in the northeast and to its west is the infamous Red Sea. KSA is about 830, 000 square miles and has an approximate population of 30 million people.
Saudi Arabia is famous for the two Holy Mosques, Mecca and Medina. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was founded by a monarch by the name of Abdul-Aziz bin Saud. Ibn Saud as he is more popularly known by western nations unified the country and became king in the year 1927. His efforts however began as early as 1902.
The Western Asian country is the world’s leader in terms of petroleum export, fueling the country’s economy since 1938 when oil reserves were discovered in its vast deserts. Oil exports contribute about 75% of the country’s revenues. This large contribution facilitated the establishment of a welfare state.
During times of low prices for oil exports, the country suffers but this is a very rare situation because there is always a very high demand for oil and petroleum products. Oil has made the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia very rich. Today, Saudi Arabia is one of the major business hubs in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia Language
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »Saudi Arabia language refers to the Middle Eastern country’s main and official language spoken by the natives. There are many other languages spoken in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but Arabic is the country’s official tongue. English is also widely spoken by people from KSA especially those who do business all around the world.
Apart from Arabic, Saudi Arabian schools also teach children to speak English. In fact, English lessons are compulsory. Some people in Saudi Arabia speak other languages as well. Some of the speak Urdu and Farsi while those who are of Turkish descent speak Turkish.
Arabic is not only spoken by people from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia but it is also the principal language for most of the Arab world. Approximately 200 million people speak Arabic in 22 Islamic nations. The language is also connected to the Arab world’s religion since the Holy Qur’an is written in Arabic. Most of the literary works in the Arabian Peninsula is written in Arabic, making it the most used and most well-known languages in the Middle East.
There are different types or forms of Arabic and each country in the Middle East has its own unique way of speaking and writing it. Even in Saudi Arabia, there are rather strong differences between how Arabic is spoken by people who live in the city compared to those who live in rural areas.
Other languages are also spoken in Saudi Arabia but this is of modern influence since a lot of people have migrated to the country because of its economic wealth and stability. These languages include French, Italian, Korean, Chinese, Bengali, Kabardian, Somali and Filipino. These languages however are only used by those who have migrated to the country but are not native to Saudi Arabia.
Religions of Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Religion, Saudi Arabia, Travel 2 Comments »For those who want to know the religions of Saudi Arabia, it is advised to get to know the country through its history. Centuries ago, the land of Saudi Arabia was inhabited by different peoples, these people brought with them Meopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, Roman, and Indian influences. Along with that, they also brought with them their gods and deities.
Later on these lands were unified by the Prophet Muhammad through the holy book of Islam –the Qur’an. Saudi Arabia is the heartland of Islam and Makkah more popularly known as Mecca is where Moslems from all over the globe go to for the Hajj.
A Moslem has to adhere to the Five Pillars of Islam. The first pillar is the profession of one’s faith where “There is no god but Gpd; Muhammad is the messenger of God.” The second rule that Moslems must adhere to is to pray 5 times a day and while doing this, a Moslem must face the holy city of Mecca.
The third is alms giving or zakat wherein a Moslem must give alms to those who need it the most. The fourth duty of a Moslem is to fast during the time of Ramadan. Ramadan is a time to abstain from food, water and other types of drinks from dawn until the sun sets. The fifth pillar of Islam is for a Moslem to go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in his or her life. This pilgrimage is called the hajj and this gathering is attended by millions of Moslems from all over the globe .
How to Call Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Calling, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »Do you need to call an establishment in Saudi Arabia? If you want to learn how to call Saudi Arabia, you can get step by step instructions in many websites just key in “how to call Saudi Arabia” in your search engine and it will lead you to the right place.
The firs information you would have to look for is Saudi Arabia’s country code. The country code for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is 966 but you would have to input first your own exit code so that you can make an international call. If you are calling from anywhere in the United States of America, dial 011 first followed by 966 (Saudi Arabia’s country code) and then the area code of the place you are calling plus its 7 digit phone number.
For example, if I am calling from the US to Makkah, Saudi Arabia you would have to dial 011 + 966 + 2 + xxx xxxx. If you are looking for a number of a hotel or a certain establishment there are phone books online where you can get the contact phone numbers of the people or establishment you are looking for.
If you are calling from the United Kingdom, your exit code is 00 so to make that call you should dial 00 + 966 + (one digit number for the area code) + xxx xxxx.
To make it a lot easier for international callers, if you are trying to make a call to Abha, Jezan or Najran use 7 as your area code. For those calling Boraydah, Dahran, Dammam and Hail, please use 6, 3, 3, and 6 respectively. Those calling Makkah or Jeddah please use 2 as your area code. For those calling Riyadh or Kharj, please use 1.
History of Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: History, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »The history of Saudi Arabia begins with people from various cultures living in the same peninsula. The area has supported hunting, herding, and farming cultures for centuries and the people living in the area has Mesopotamian, Egyptian, Greek, Byzantine, Roman, Indian, Chinese and Persian influences.
When the holy book Qur’an was revealed by Allah to his chosen prophet, Muhammad in 610 A.D., the peninsula became predominantly Moslem. With the Arabs being inspired by their newfound faith, they expanded out of the Middle East spreading their language and their religion. The Arabian empire soon reached the rest of the Atlantic to Central Asia to some parts of Europe. The Moslem Arab civilization thrived for centuries and was not affected in terms of economic and social growth even during the Middle Ages. Only the western civilizations suffered during this eclipse while the Arabs were advancing in terms of knowledge and stability during these times.
The Arabic nations made very important contributions to physics, chemistry, optics, astronomy, mathematics, medicine, philosophy and literature. The Arabs are the ones who invented algebra –algebra in fact is Arabic since the word “algebra” comes from an Arabic term.
The decline of the Arabic empire started in the 13th century when Mongols started invading the eastern Arabic lands. The Saudi Arabia we know today begins with Ibn Saud, a monarch whose family reigned over the Arabian nations in the early part of the 19th century. In the dawn of the 20th century, Turks invaded a part of the Arabian territory while a rival house drove away the Al-Sauds from Riyadh. In the year 1902, Ibn Saud recaptured Riyadh and started his mission to unify the nation. He was proclaimed king in 1927 and the Arabic lands became the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia three years later.
Five years after establishing itself as a nation, Saudi Arabia experienced a rapid economic development through the discovery of oil in its deserts. Today, the country is one of the most prominent Arabic nations in the world and is a world leader in terms of oil production and distribution.
Famous People from Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Famous People, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »There are many famous people from Saudi Arabia but the most famous among them is the Prophet Muhammad, Allah’s messenger. The prophet, according to the Qur’an, is the chosen prophet of Allah and today, Muhammad is the main figure in Islam.
Another famous figure from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is King Adbul Aziz to whom one of the major airports in the Middle Eastern country is named from. King Adbul Aziz unified Saudi Arabia in the year 1932, founding the modern state that we know today.
Another monarch who is well-loved by the Saudi Arabian people is Prince Fahd Ibn Abdel Aziz al Saud. The Prince was the first Education Minister of the country. Later on, he inspired a shift of the political system of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia by gearing the government towards sustainable growth and development. This benefitted the people of Saudi Arabia, making the prince one of the most famous people in the said country.
In the field of sports, Saudi Arabia has its very own Pele, his name is Majed Ahmed Abdulllah Al-Mohammed, a former football striker who became the best Asian Footballer and Asian Footballer of the year from 1984 to 1986. Majed Ahmed Abdullah Al-Mohammed is still a hero in Saudi Arabia today and he is one of the most famous personalities from the country.
In the field of music and entertainment, Mohamed Abdo is a well-known Saudi Arabian singer and composer. Abdo is from Yemen but he is residing in KSA. He is an esteemed Saudi singer with the voice of an angel.
Cheap Flights to Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Cheap Flights, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »If you book by the minute or during off-peak season you can get the cheapest flights. Saudi Arabia’s airlines operate in the same way so if you are bound for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), you will not have problems with booking a flight even at the last minute.
There are many airlines where you can book a flight even without calling them, you just have to fill up their online forms and then pay for your flight. If you want to book last minute to get the cheapest rates, there are also websites that cater to such needs. Most of the time, you can get discounts since flying is being encouraged by airlines. Getting more people to fly means more business to them so basically, cheap flights are readily available for passengers trying to save some money.
Most of the airlines that go to Saudi Arabia come from major airports all around the globe. Whether you are coming from Europe, Northern America or Asia, getting a flight in major airports will not be much of a problem.
Once you are in Saudi Arabia, you will find that the airport is quite busy. All the major airports in this country are almost always crowded all year round because many businessmen and travelers go to the said country.
When you are bound for home and will be boarding a plane in any of the major airports in Saudi Arabia, do not worry about delays because Saudi Arabian airports offer an effective and timely service for every passenger.
Air pollution in Saudi Arabia
Posted: January 20, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Air pollution, Middle East, Saudi Arabia, Travel Leave a comment »Air pollution in Saudi Arabia is one of the main environmental problems in this Middle Eastern country. Located in a rather dry area where rainfall rarely occurs, the country’s climate plays a very important factor to its air pollution problem. Apart from harmful emissions from vehicles that traverse the desert, the desert itself is a cause of air pollution. The particles blown by the wind coming from neighboring areas makes the air dusty but that dust is also accompanied by other types of pollutants.
Emissions from cars, trucks and other types of vehicles are one of the major contributors of air pollution in Saudi Arabia. This steady increase of pollutants has a direct relationship to the socio-economic progress of the nation and its neighboring areas. As more and more businesses operate in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries, more and more people move into major cities in the Middle East. This shift in population is one of the reasons why air pollution in Saudi Arabia is worst compared to decades ago.
The sad thing about it is that many people are not as bothered about air pollution the way they should be. With economic growth and making a lot of money topping our list, the environment always has to take the backseat. This means that people have learned how to live in a polluted place without getting irritated by it. This is now an established fact of life, not only for adults but for children as well.
The Saudi Arabian government however is doing its best to alleviate air pollution but it will take much time before people can feel the changes in the air.
What language is used in Oman?
Posted: January 12, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Oman, Travel Leave a comment »
What language is used in Oman? Many people who plan to go to the Asian country ask this question mainly because they are a bit afraid if the people will actually be able to understand them when they are there. There are many languages spoken in Oman but there is only one main and official language for the Omani.
Arabic is the Sultanate’s official language but there are minorities who speak Asian languages in the country. These languages include Urdu, Baluchi, and Hindi. Some people speak Swahili but not as much as before, this is only a reminder of the Sultanate’s former African presence.
In business, English is widely used but most people in Oman do not understand English that much. Like any Islamic state, Arabic is the main language of the Omani people. This form of Arabic however is still the same with original Arabic just with a few alterations. In Saudi Arabia, the people from cities speak a different brand of Arabic compared to the Arabic spoken by Saudi Arabians in rural areas. This is the same with Oman, Arabic in one area can be a bit different compared to another area. People from Oman still understand each other of course because there are not many changes in the language just a few localized additions or versions.
Migrants from all over the world who visit Oman or stay in Oman permanently also speak Arabic but some of them also speak other Asian languages such as Chinese, Filipino, Korean, among others.
Oman Culture
Posted: January 12, 2010 Filed under: Travel | Tags: Culture, Middle East, Oman Leave a comment »Oman culture takes its roots from Islam. The country’s main religion is called Ibadi Islam or Ibadhism –this religion was founded by Abdullah ibn Ibadh in the 7th century AD. However, not all people from Oman practice this religion, some of them are Shia and Sunni Msulims.
Omanis are not as strict as other Islamic states. In fact, the country tolerates other types of religion to be practiced in Oman.
Ramadan along with other Islamic festivities are important parts of the Omani society and like other countries, Oman also has its very own national dress. For the Omani men, the Dishdasha, a white collarless gown is worn. Sometimes the colors vary –from brown to lilac to black. Apart from the Dishdasha, men also wear a Muzzar or a turban. On special occasions, men also use a cane called the Assa.
For Omani women, a dress called a Sirwai is worn with a headdress called the Lihaf. These dresses with trousers underneath are usually very colorful –from red to green to pink to yellow. Women also adorn themselves with gold jewelry when the Sirwai is worn, making the garb rather enchanting –reminiscent of the glory that Oman had centuries ago.
Omani food is delectable. Most are simple dishes that use chicken, fish or mutton splashed with marinade or sprinkled with Omani spices. Unlike most food in Asia, Omani cuisine is not spicy at all but like its Asian neighbors, Oman is big on rice.
AS a sign of hospitality, people of Oman treat their guests to a cup of Kahwa –Oman coffee that is popular all throughout the region.
