Choice #2(a)- Saudi Arabia The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, occupying most of the Arabian Peninsula, is located in the southwestern corner of Asia. It covers an area about one-fourth the size of the United States. More than half of its total area is desert terrain. The capital of Saudi is Riyadh, which is located in the central region of the country. LanguageSaudi Arabia's official language is Arabic, although English is also spoken in the Kingdom, most commonly in the business community. ReligionThe official religion of Saudi is Islam. Two of the holiest Islamic cities, Makkah and Madinah, are located within its borders. Makkah is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad, and is the focal point of the Islamic Pilgrimage. Madinah is where the Prophet Muhammad lived. Also, The Kingdom's Judicial System stems from Islamic Law and the Holy Qur'an, which still bases its beliefs on the "eye for an eye" form of punishment. Hence, many wrongdoers swiftly lose their limbs and, in some cases, their lives to a well place axe in the infamous "Chop-Chop" square. PeopleThere are approximately 21 million people in the Kingdom. Although most are Saudi Nationals, many outsiders from the U.S. and surrounding Arabic nations come to Saudi Arabia for various employment opportunities. In fact, a large percentage of Saudi nationals do not work because of the lucrative returns from oil revenues. For those less fortunate, the Saudi work week is from Saturday through Wednesday with the weekend being Thursday and Friday because the Muslim holy day of the week is Friday. Businesses are usually closed during the heat of the day, for prayer and resting. Business hours are generally 8:00am-noon and 4:00pm-6:00pm. GovernmentThe Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is obviously a monarchy headed by King Fahd Bin Adbul Aziz. The government is made up of the King, the Crown Prince, and, similar to the U.S. cabinet, the King's Council of Ministers. The Kingdom is...
