Transcript SaudiaArbaiax

Cultural Scrapbook
Saudi Arabia
Eduardo Tecla Geography Honors
Saudi Arabia Flag
 Green is Islamic
 White is Islamic faith
 Sword meaning justice and
the 1st king of Saudi Arabia
 White translated meaning
"There is no God but Allah
and Mohammad is the
Prophet of Allah"
Geography
 It’s ¼ of the size of the
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United States
It’s the 12th largest country in
the world
The Red Sea lies in the west
The Arabian Gulf ( Persian
Gulf ) lies in the east
Most mountains lie in the
southwest
No Major Rivers or Lakes
Deserts control the east and
south
 The country is an arid plain
of sand and rock that is
barren as well as dry
 The largest desert in the
world is Rub’ Al Khali
 With some green oases and
cultivated fields irrigation is
possible
 This country’s natural
resources are crude oil,
natural gas, iron ore, gold,
and copper
Climate
 Weather here is hot
 Temperatures are higher
 In May and October has the
inland compared to the
coastal area
 Inland temperatures are
hot with intense heat
 Coastal areas are a little
cooler but greater
humidity
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hottest temperatures
110 degrees F
In December and January has
the coldest temperatures
70 degrees F and at night
drops down to freezing
Deserts climate have
sandstorms, extremes in
temperatures and intense heat
Population / Ethnic Facts
 Saudi Arabia’s population is
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about 29.2 million
About 5.6 million aren’t
citizens
Most of them come from
Islamic countries
The country wants to change
the non-citizens with citizens
Saudi nations are about 80%
of the population
 90% are Arabs and 10% are
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Afro-Asian heritage
Afro- Asian are from
Islamic countries
Arabs are from nomadic
tribes
82% of the population in
live Urban areas
Growth rate is 1.75%
Government
 Divided into 13 regions know
as governorates
 Each are headed by a PrinceGovernor
 As well as Emir who answers
to the King
 King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz
al-Saud who is Prime
Minster, head of state, and
head of government
 The king runs the country
with a council of ministers
 After the current King the
princes choose the next
king out of 500
Health Care
 Health care is improving
quickly
 There is free medical
attention to all citizens and
Hajj pilgrims
 Most hospitals grown in
cities and rural places
Language
 Arabic is the dominate
language
 Other languages include
English
 English is spoken only or
solely of the reason of
business and educated circles
 Arabic comes the Qur’an (
Koran ) the scripture of Islam
 No other languages are
included due to the fact that
there isn’t enough to make
1%
Religion
 Islam is the only legal religion
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is Saudi Arabia
Islam is the teaching of
Muhammad
There are two sacred cities
where non-Muslims are not
allowed in
They are called Makkah and
Al Madínah
As being religious thousands
Muslims complete a
pilgrimage ( Hajj )
 The Hajj is done seven times
 Each time the head back and
forth to the Ka’abah in
Makkah
 During the Hajj men where a
white two piece towel like
garment that is called Ihram
and women can’t wear a veil
 The Ka’abah is a stone
building that contain a black
sacred stone that was there
before the advent of Islam
 There God is Allah
Religion Continued
 On Friday Muslims go to the
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mosque to pray
Men go and so do women but
women sit in areas where
there can’t be any men
So most women stay home
and pray
Five Pillars of IslamDoing five daily prayers
A once-in-a-lifetime
pilgrimage
 Shahada (Allah) only god
 Muhammad messenger
 Zakat giving to the poor
 Fasting in the month of
Ramadan
 90% of the Saudi citizens are
Muslims including the Royal
Family belong to the Sunni
branch of Islam
 10% are Shi’I Muslims are
never to change their religion
Greeting
 Muslims usually give a
 When a man is accompanied
handshake and say As-Salaamu
'Alaykum (Peace be upon you)
 Men will also put their left
hand on the right shoulder of
the other man
 Kissing in the right and left
cheek is done as well
 Greetings are different for
the person by the relationship
and social status
by a women with a veil he
doesn’t introduce her
 Also he expects that the other
man not to handshake her
hand
 Sabah al-Khair means “Good
morning”
 Mesah al-Khair means “Good
evening”
Gestures
 Using the Left hand is very
 It is impolite to point a finger
impolite
 Using the Right hand is okay
 When passing items use both
or right hand very left hand
 When telling someone to
come one puts the palm
down and waves the fingers
back and forth
and to point one’s foot at an
other person
 It is also rude to have the
ankle go over the knee but it’s
okay when having the legs
crossed
Holidays
 National Day is on September
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23rd
Lunar Calendars tell Islamic
Holidays
A three day feast is at the
Ramadan known as Eid al Fitr
Eid al Adha the day of
Sacrifice of Abraham’s son
and annual Hajj
Saudis secretly celebrate the
birth of Prophet Muhammad
and the Islamic New Year
 Since they are celebrated by
the Saudis it is considered
unacceptable
 During the Eid al Fitr eating,
drinking, and smoking is not
done in the the day hours
only in the predawn and night
hours
Rite of Passage
 Since there is the separation
 A man can marry up to four
of sexes dating is unheard of
 But in urban areas both
genders can choose their
mate
 An Islamic wedding there is
two parties one for men and
one for women
 Men pay dowry and marry
extended family members to
keep their social status
women but have only one
wife
 A wife is expected to bring
chastity in a marriage
 The man when married to
more than one wife he has to
be equal to all and is given
consent by his wife’s
 Saudis hardly intermarry and
don’t marry foreigners most
of the time
Life Cycle
 When a baby is born it is time
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to celebrate
When the baby is boy this is
especially happy
The birth is given at the
home or hospital
The mother returns to her
parents home and stays to
recover
The baby’s name is given the
grandparent’s name
 Often the baby was already
engaged to another but this is
no longer done because it is
no longer practiced
 Death is nothing
 Death to someone is God’s
will and the soul’s way to get
to paradise
 Too much mourning is never
okay and the body is quickly
buried and is given a blank
grave stone
Food / Diet
 Food is mildly spicy
 Most common food is rice
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with lamb or chicken
Kabsah is rice with meat and
is most popular
Rice is served with vegetables
and with salad
Desserts are fruits with dates
Drinks is tea and bitter coffee
are served before the meal
Buttermilk and camel’s milk
as well is popular
 There is a variety of fish
making sea food popular in
coastal areas
 Muslims don’t eat pork and
don’t drink alcohol
Clothing
 Male clothing is almost
 And where a Tagiyah like a
similar to female
 Men wear garments that is
loose and is almost worn like
a dress all the way to the
ankle
 Summer clothes are white
made of cotton and winter
clothes are black made of
wool known as Thobe
cap and has a belt like rope
around the waist and scarf to
cover the face
 Women wear Thobe but has
designs and wear a veil
 Wearing trousers under the
Thobe that almost completely
covers the body
Sports / Recreation
 Soccer is the most popular
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sports in Saudi Arabia
Men can only play and can
only watch in the stands and
stadium
Young men play volley ball,
basketball, swimming,
wrestling, and roller skating
Horse racing is enjoyed but
no betting
Falconry hunting for small
game
 Women don’t play sports and
don’t do leisure but visit
other women
 Girls play volley ball and
other sports in school
 Women go with their family
to family outings
 DVDs are popular but there
are no theaters and there are
only certain DVDs due to
Islamic laws
Arts
 Literature and poetry are
 Music is vocal
cherished art
 Today stories are published
and are told orally
 The Qur’an is the inspiration
of everything especially art
 Other arts are jewelry,
embroidery, textiles,
architecture, and decoration
of weapons
 Al-mizmar is similar to an
oboe
 Rebaba is a one stringed
instrument, and drums
 The national dance is called
al-ardah known as the sword
dance for men
 Jenadriyah Heritage and
Culture Festival features
camel racing, dancing, music,
and poetry
Pictures
Work Cited
 http://online.culturegram
s.com/world/world_count
ry.php?contid=3&wmn=A
sia&cid=139&cn=Saudi_A
rabia
 http://www.saudinf.com/
main/q031.htm