The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has got the highest proportion of major deserts and mountains that cover the Arab Peninsula. It has got a long coastline on the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf.
In Saudi Arabia there are the most sacred pilgrimage sites of the Islamic World – the cities of Mecca and Medina which annually are visited by more than 2.5 million pilgrims. Non-Muslims are absolutely forbidden to enter these places and those who break the rules are usually punished.
Saudi is not a typical tourist destination. Only few foreigners are allowed to enter this country with the invitation of a so-called local “sponsor” and there are only two purposes for your being there – either a vacation of business stay.
The population of Saudi Arabia is around 27 million people who live according to the rules of Islam and strictly conservative. The large oil reserves founded the wealth of the Kingdom and they were the modern metropolises such at the capital Riyadh.
Riyadh is situated in the centre of the country and it is used by major streets and boulevards, gleaming shopping malls, parks and extensive sports facilities. The symbol of the millions city is the 302 m high Kingdom Center, a skyscraper which is particularly interesting because of its eye-catching form. Right next to the building is the second building of Saudi Arabia – the Al Faisalejah Centre that contains a hotel, offices and a gourmet restaurant.
The port cities of Jeddah on the Red Sea and Dammam on the Percian Gulf are significant not only because of the oil handed and ferry terminals. There are numerous locations of luxury hotels and expensive accommodations like apartment complexes at miles of the coastal roads in both locations. White sandy beaches, good diving spots, amusement parks and well-kept golf courses determine the image of these recreational areas, too.
Photo: Ali Mansuri / Wikipedia / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 2.5 Generic
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