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| Official Name : |
AL-MAMLAKA AL-'ARABIYAH AS-SA'UDIYAH (Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) |
| Land Area: |
2,149,690 square kilometres / 829,780 square miles. |
| Population: |
26,418,000 -including 5,360,500 non nationals (est July 2005). |
| Languages: |
Arabic (official), English. |
| Religions: |
Islam (official) ,Sunni Muslim 85%, Shi'ite Muslim 15%. |
| Capital: |
Riyadh (Ar Riyad). Population 2,200,000 |
| Currency: |
Saudi riyal, divided into 100 halalas. |
| Independant: |
23 September 1932, (Unification of the Kingdom). |
| Geography: |
Mostly uninhabited sandy desert. The high central desert plateau declines to the north and east, merging with two of the world's largest desert regions, the Nufud to the north and the Rub' al Khali to the south. Over 95% of the
terrain is arid or semi-arid desert. Less than 1% of the land is arable, and less than 2% is forested. |
