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(China Daily)
Updated: 2008-10-06 07:41

Flag

Green background, with white letters of the Muslim creed in Arabic: "There is no god but God: Muhammad is the Messenger of God."

Emblem

A date palm, representing vitality and growth, and two crossed swords, symbolizing justice and strength rooted in faith.

Location

Southwest Asia at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa, extending from the Red Sea in the west to the Gulf in the east. It is bordered on the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait and on the south by Yemen and Oman, and on the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.

Population

As of the 2004 census, 22.7 million, including about 6 million expatriates.

Religion

Islam, which is the basis of the legal system and of government.

National Day

September 23, commemorating the foundation of the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932.

Currency

Saudi Riyal (SR) pegged to US dollar ($1=SR3.745); bank notes, in Arabic and English, in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 riyals; coins in denominations of 5, 10, 25, 50 and 100 halalahs, with 100 halalahs equal to one riyal; metric system in use.

Language

Arabic; English widely spoken in urban areas.

Rulers

King Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud, the founder (1932-1963), followed by his sons: King Saud (1953-64), King Faisal (1964-75), King Khalid (1975-82), King Fahd (1982-2005) and the current ruler, King Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz (2006-).

(China Daily 10/06/2008 page6)