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Middle East and North Africa
Saudi Arabia |
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Last reviewed: 20 August 2009 |
Country information
GEOGRAPHY
Saudi Arabia is about the size of Western Europe, covering four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula. The Red Sea lies on the West coast and the Persian Gulf Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates on the East. Saudi Arabia has borders with Yemen and Oman in the South, and Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait in the North. There are four geographical regions: Hejaz (North-West), Asir (South-West), Nejd (Central Plateau) and Al Hasa (Eastern Province). Most of the population is concentrated in Jeddah and Mecca in the West, Riyadh in the centre and Dammam and Al Khobar in the East. Saudi Arabia’s Empty Quarter is the largest sand desert in the world and is the size of France.
Summer temperatures inland can reach 50°C during the day, but can fall dramatically to below 30°C at night. In winter they can be close to freezing in the desert. The coastal temperatures are more moderate but humidity is high.
