Each Monday a new and interesting tidbit of Saudi Arabian information will be posted.

Tuesday, February 28

Structure of Muslim Names

An Arabic name begins with a given name, followed by the name of the person's father, perhaps followed by the names of other ancestors, and ended with a family or clan name.

Examples:
    Male Name - Irfaan bin Haashim Al-Saud
    Irfaan son of Haashim of the family Al-Saud

    Female Name - Faatina bint Ammar Al-Wahed
    Faatina daughter of Ammar of the family Al-Wahed

A Muslim woman will maintain the complete name she was given at birth and not change her family name to her husband's family name after a marriage.

Monday, February 20

Basic Law: General Principles

Article 2:

National Holidays:

    Eid Al-Fitr: a religious feast celebrated on the 1st of Shawal, the 10th month of the Islamic calendar

    Eid Al-Adha: a religious feast celebrated on the 10th of Dhul-Hijjah, the 12th month of the Islamic calendar

Calendar: Hijira (Lunar)

Saudi Arabian Information Resource: Basic Law: General Principles

Monday, February 13

The Islamic Calendar

The Islamic calendar is a purely lunar calendar. It contains 12 months that are based on the motion of the moon, and because 12 synodic months is only 354.36 days, the Islamic year is consistently shorter than a tropical Gregorian or Christian year.

The names of the 12 months that comprise the Islamic year are: Muharram, Safar, Rabi' al-awwal, Rabi' al-thani, Jumada al-awwal, Jumada al-thani, Rajab, Sha'ban, Ramadan, Shawwal, Dhu al-Qi'dah and Dhu al-Hijjah.

Claus Tondering: Islamic Calendar

Monday, February 6

Basic Law: General Principles

Article 1:

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is a sovereign Arab Islamic State.

Religion: Islam

Constitution: The Holy Qur'an and the Prophet's Sunnah (traditions)

Language: Arabic

Capital: Riyadh

Saudi Arabian Information Resource: Basic Law: General Principles

Monday, January 30

The Search for Oil

In 1930 King Abdul Aziz invited a wealthy American businessman and philanthropist, Charles R. Crane, to visit the Kingdom. In the course of Crane's visit, it was agreed that he should send a mining engineer to conduct a survey of Saudi Arabia to assess the Kingdom's water, mineral and oil resources. A key finding was that the geological formations in eastern region around Dhahran strongly indicated the presence of oil. Initial exploration produced disappointing results but in 1935 a well drilled in Dhahran found indications of oil in commercial quantities.

Alnokhba.com: Saudi Cities - Dhahran

Monday, January 23

Saudi Arabian Currency

On June 1, 1986 the Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority set a fixed exchange rate of the Saudi Riyal at 3.75 SR to 1.00 USD (United States Dollar). Saudi coins are called halalahs, with 100 halalahs equal to one riyal. Coins are issued in values of 5, 10, 25, 50, 100, and 500 halalahs. Notes are issued in values of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100, and 500 riyals.

US-Saudi Arabian Business Council

Monday, January 16

Water Market in Saudi Arabia

With limited natural water resources, the country had no choice but to resort to well water and to the sea to provide its increasing population with the water they need.

Saudi Arabia has more desalination plants (located on the West and East coasts of the country) than any other country. These plants produce about 890 million cubic meters annually from 30 desalination plants split between the 2 coasts. Saudi Arabia accounts for 30% of the world's total output of desalinated water. Ground water is available from 18 aquifers with deep wells supplying water for municipal use, agriculture and industry. Water usage is split between irrigation (about 70%) municipal supply (about 25%) and industry (about 5%).

Fun Saudi Trivia Quiz


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