introduction: Fact file
Fact file
LOCATION:Southwest Asia, at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa; extending from the Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east; bordered on the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, on the south by Yemen and Oman, and on the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
LOCAL TIME:GMT + 3 hours.
VISAS:Except for GCC nationals, all visitors (for business or tourism) require a visa. Everyone who enters the Kingdom should have a valid passport with at least six months validity and the appropriate visa. Visas can be obtained from the visa department in the Saudi Embassy or from Saudi Consulates located in all major cities around the world.
LANGUAGE:Arabic is the official language, but English is spoken in the hospitality industry.
RELIGION:Islam is the official religion.
CURRENCY:The local currency is the Saudi Riyal (SR). Most retail outlets, hotels and car hire firms also accept internationally recognised credit cards. Bank notes, in Arabic and English, come in denominations of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 riyals.
CLIMATE:Summers (April to October) are hot and humid with very little rain and temperatures reaching 48C. Winters (November to March) are cool with limited rain. Springs are cool and pleasant. June through August temperatures will hit over 45C midday in the desert, with humidity in coastal regions up to 100 percent. In the winter, temperatures in the northern and central regions can drop below freezing at night and rainfall can range from none at all for up to 10 years in the Rub Al-Khali, to 20 inches a year in the mountains of Asir Province.
CLOTHING:Lightweight cotton or cotton-mix clothing is ideal for most of the year. During winter visitors are advised to bring a light jacket, sweater or shawl for the cooler evenings. It is also important to take cultural considerations into account as Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country. Conservative dress (long trousers and covered shoulders) is advisable for men and women have to additionally wear a scarf to cover the head. Most women will also wear the Abaya (long loose black cloak).
WOMEN:In addition to wearing the Abaya, women will find that some public buildings, such as restaurants, will have separate 'men only' and 'family' areas. Furthermore, some shopping malls have women-only floors or opening times. For mixed-sex business groups it is advisable to check in advance for restrictions concerning female delegates.
ELECTRICITY:The electrical system is based on 110 AC volts with frequency of 50 Hertz. 220 AC Volt sockets are also available.
BUSINESS HOURS:The working week is Saturday to Wednesday, although some offices and businesses also operate on Thursday morning. Government offices are open from 7.30am to 2.30pm. Banks are open from 9.00am to 4.00pm and private businesses are open from 8.00am to 12 noon and 3.00pm to 6.00pm.
ALCOHOL:Alcohol is not permitted anywhere in the Kingdom.
RAMADAN:During the Holy Month of Ramadan Muslims fast, abstaining from eating, drinking and smoking in daylight hours (approximately 5am to 6.30pm). As a sign of respect, visitors are also required to refrain from these activities in public during the fasting hours. In 2011, the Holy Month of Ramadan is expected to begin around August 1st. At the end of 30 days, or on sighting the full moon, Eid Al Fitr is celebrated and most public and private institutions close for at least seven days.
