Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia is situated in Western Asia and is considered to be the largest sovereign state in the Middle East and the 12th largest in the world. Based on the latest estimates from the United Nations, as of July 13, 2019, Saudi Arabia has a population of 34 million. This represents 0.44% of the world’s population. Saudi Arabia also has one of the world’s youngest population.

The Saudi economy is one of the top 20 economies in the world and is centered on the country large petroleum resources. Saudi Arabia is also the leading oil exporter and the second largest oil producer in the world. The petroleum sector accounts for approximately 42% of Saudi Arabia’s GDP. According to Saudi Arabia News, the country, which was once a male dominated society, now “plans to grant women the right to travel without a male guardian’s permission.” This is an attempt by the government to “relax social restrictions.”

Here are more facts about Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia Overview

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, as it was officially known, was established in 1932 and is located in Western Asia. It is the fifth largest country in Asia, the second-largest in the Arab world, and the largest sovereign state in the Middle East. Some of the traces of the world’s earliest human activities are shown in the prehistory of Saudi Arabia.

The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh, and it is one of the largest and most populated cities in the world. All political and administrative activities of Saudi Arabia take place in Riyadh. It is also the headquarters of the central government bodies.

Religion

The religion of Saudi Arabia is Islam and the law of Saudi Arabia requires that all citizens must be Muslim. Any other type of worship by believers of other religions is forbidden. Although there are millions of Christians, Buddhists, and Hindus living in Saudi Arabia, no house of worship or temples are permitted in the country. Furthermore, conversion from Islam to another religion is punishable by death.

In order to receive Saudi Arabian nationality, it is required that all non-Muslims be converted to Islam. Due to this, Saudi Arabia has come under many criticisms because of its Islamic laws.

Saudi Arabia Economy

Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading oil exporter. It is the second largest exporter of petroleum in the world and it falls in the top twenty economies worldwide. It also has the world’s fifth largest natural gas reserves and the second most valuable natural resources. In the Arab world, Saudi Arabia economy is the largest. Figures provided by Saudi Arabia’s government reveals that there is an estimate of 260 billion barrels of proven reserves. This represents approximately one-quarter of the world’s oil reserves. Because petroleum in Saudi Arabia is close to the earth’s surface, it is cheaper and more profitable to extract oil in Saudi Arabia than in other parts of the world. The petroleum sector accounts for 42% of Saudi Arabia GDP while the private sector is responsible for 40%. According to the Saudi Ministry of Commerce and Investment, by 2020 the country will witness an increase in GDP capita from US$20,700 to US$33,500. Saudi Arabia Prince The crown prince of Saudi Arabia is Mohammad bin Salman Abdulaziz Al Saud and he is currently the Deputy Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia. He is second to the King and is the King’s designated successor. His position as the prince is the second most important position in Saudi Arabia. He was appointed as the prince of Saudi Arabia in June 2017 making him the world youngest prince at the time of his appointment. Saudi Arabia Prince is responsible for many successful reforms. For example, he was the one who removed the ban on female drivers, and the restriction of the religious police powers. He is also responsible for cultural reforms such as the first Saudi concert by a female singer, the first Saudi sports stadium to admit women, admitting more women in the workforce, and opening the country to international visitors and tourists. However, despite several praises for the new reforms, international commentators and human rights group still find fault about his leadership and criticize the shortfalls of his reform programs.

Saudi Arabia Professional League

The Saudi Arabia Professional League first season was held in 1976 and gained professional status in 2007. There were four qualifying teams for the AFC Championships as of 2008. This includes the top three winners of the team plus the winner of the Kings cup. The professional league is the top division of Association football league in Saudi Arabia. For six years, 2013-2019, the league was sponsored by Abdul Latif Jameel and was called the Abdul Latif Jameel League.

Tehran's miscalculation: How Iranian missiles brought Gulf states, Israel together - analysis

By targeting every GCC member with missiles and drones, Tehran has achieved the unthinkable: placing Israel and Qatar on the same team. This strategic blunder may finally cement a regional axis.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByHERB KEINON

Iran and Israel flags on Middle east geopolitical map.

Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Dan Caine holds a briefing amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, at the Pentagon in Washington, March 2, 2026.

Iran missile launches down 86% as Operation Epic Fury expands, top US general says

CENTCOM strikes over 2,000 Iranian targets, reducing missile and drone attacks by over 80%, as part of Operation Epic Fury’s ongoing offensive.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByJAMES GENN

Vehicles drive past a building that was damaged by an Iranian drone attack, after Israel and the US launched strikes on Iran, in Seef, Manama, Bahrain, March 1, 2026

From scuds to solidarity: Israel and the Sunni world - opinion

Iran has, in a single day, done what decades of Israeli diplomacy could not: It has clarified to every Arab capital that the enemy they share is not Israel.

MARCH 4, 2026|ByHARLEY LIPPMAN

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman meets Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, in July 2025. A 2023 deal between Saudi Arabia and Iran was marketed as a diplomatic masterstroke, but in light of recent events is collapsing.

PremiumPremium

Beijing's 'diplomatic masterstroke' meets Middle East reality - opinion

Why Beijing’s Saudi-Iran deal and the imagined regional axis are colliding with hard geopolitical realities

MARCH 4, 2026|ByABDULAZIZ ALKHAMIS

Some Gulf countries are already fighting against Iran, IDF says

Foreign reports have indicated that the Saudis, the UAE, Qatar, and possibly others may already have attacked Iran or have expressed interest in doing so.

MARCH 4, 2026ByYONAH JEREMY BOB

Debris lies scattered in the aftermath of a strike on a police station, in Tehran, Iran, March 4, 2026

Qatar denies Tucker Carlson claim that ‘Mossad agents’ were arrested in Gulf bombing plot

Carlson made the claim in a widely shared Tucker Carlson Network segment titled “BREAKING: Mossad Agents Arrested in Planned Bombing Operation,” calling the alleged arrests an unreported “fact.”

MARCH 4, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

TUCKER CARLSON speaks during AmericaFest, the first Turning Point USA summit since the death of Charlie Kirk, in Phoenix, Arizona, US December 18, 2025.

Second attack on Saudi oil refinery in two days, officials say

A Saudi defense ministry official stated that the attack did not damage the facility, but that it was carried out by a drone.

MARCH 4, 2026ByREUTERS

A satellite image shows efforts to control a fire as smoke rises in the Ras Tanura oil refinery in Saudi Arabia after a drone attack, amid the US-Israel conflict with Iran, in Ras Tanura, Saudi Arabia March 2, 2026.

Iranian drones hits CIA station at US embassy in Riyadh, 'Washington Post' reports

There was no mention of any CIA personnel being wounded, with the attack on the embassy the latest in a series of Iranian attacks across the Gulf states.

MARCH 4, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Iran strikes Saudi infrastructure, pushing Riyadh toward possible war - interview

Iranian strikes on Saudi oil, water, and diplomatic sites have crossed key red lines experts warn, forcing Riyadh to weigh retaliation against fears of wider regional escalation.

MARCH 3, 2026ByAMICHAI STEIN

Members of Saudi security forces participate in a parade in preparation for the annual haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Mecca, Saudi Arabia, June 10, 2024.

Targeting the new Middle East: Iran attacked the UAE because it cannot defeat its model - opinion

The ghosts of the old Middle East are departing, one funeral at a time.

MARCH 3, 2026ByNADIM KOTEICH

A plume of smoke rises from the port of Jebel Ali following a reported Iranian strike in Dubai on March 1, 2026.

Arab media split as Gulf states condemn Iran while Iran-aligned actors denounce US-Israel strikes

Gulf governments emphasize sovereignty and civilian protection as Iran-aligned actors frame the confrontation as external aggression

MARCH 3, 2026ByGIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE

Various Arab news paper on sale at Bin Dawood supermarket in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, December 2016; illustrative.

Will the Gulf adopt Sadat’s strategic framework? - opinion

Like Sadat in 1977, Gulf rulers may conclude that diplomacy serves their national interests.

MARCH 3, 2026ByZAKI SHALOM

Family group photos of all the participating members during the Member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and the Association of Southeast Asia Nations (ASEAN) Summit (ASEAN-GCC Summit) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia October 20, 2023

Weighing it out: Saudi Arabia deciding next steps against Iran as Mideast tensions rise - analysis

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is looking at the Kingdom’s next options, but must take a measured stance.

MARCH 3, 2026BySETH J. FRANTZMAN

US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman look at portraits at the "Presidential Walk of Fame" in the Colonnade at the White House in Washington, DC, November 18, 2025.

Netanyahu declares Iranian leadership 'unreformable' in Fox News interview

"The Iranian terror regime is at the weakest point it's ever been at," Netanyahu stated, adding that he expects military actions against Iran will be "quick and decisive."

MARCH 3, 2026ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holding a press conference at the Prime Minister's Office, January 27, 2026.