Cultural Scrapbook

Eduardo Tecla Geography HonorsCultural ScrapbookSaudi Arabia Saudi Arabia FlagGreen 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" GeographyIts of the size of the United StatesIts the 12th largest country in the world The Red Sea lies in the west The Arabian Gulf ( Persian Gulf ) lies in the eastMost 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 dryThe largest desert in the world is Rub Al Khali With some green oases and cultivated fields irrigation is possible This countrys natural resources are crude oil, natural gas, iron ore, gold, and copper Climate Weather here is hotIn May and October has the 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 heatTemperatures are higher inland compared to the coastal area Inland temperatures are hot with intense heatCoastal areas are a little cooler but greater humidity Population / Ethnic FactsSaudi Arabias population is about 29.2 million About 5.6 million arent 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 Afro-Asian heritageAfro- 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 governoratesEach are headed by a Prince-Governor As well as Emir who answers to the KingKing 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 CareHealth 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 circlesArabic comes the Quran ( Koran ) the scripture of Islam No other languages are included due to the fact that there isnt enough to make 1% Religion Islam is the only legal religion is Saudi Arabia Islam is the teaching of Muhammad There are two sacred cities where non-Muslims are not allowed inThey are called Makkah and Al Madnah As being religious thousands Muslims complete a pilgrimage ( Hajj ) The Hajj is done seven times Each time the head back and forth to the Kaabah in MakkahDuring the Hajj men where a white two piece towel like garment that is called Ihram and women cant wear a veil The Kaabah 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 mosque to prayMen go and so do women but women sit in areas where there cant be any men So most women stay home and prayFive Pillars of Islam- Doing five daily prayers A once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage

Shahada (Allah) only god Muhammad messenger Zakat giving to the poorFasting 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 ShiI Muslims are never to change their religion Greeting Muslims usually give a 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 wellGreetings are different for the person by the relationship and social status

When a man is accompanied by a women with a veil he doesnt introduce herAlso he expects that the other man not to handshake her hand Sabah al-Khair means Good morning Mesah al-Khair means Good evening GesturesUsing the Left hand is very impolite Using the Right hand is okayWhen passing items use both or right hand very left handWhen telling someone to come one puts the palm down and waves the fingers back and forth

It is impolite to point a finger and to point ones foot at an other person It is also rude to have the ankle go over the knee but its okay when having the legs crossed Holidays National Day is on September 23rd Lunar Calendars tell Islamic Holidays A three day feast is at the Ramadan known as Eid al FitrEid al Adha the day of Sacrifice of Abrahams 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 unacceptableDuring 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 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 statusA man can marry up to four women but have only one wifeA 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 wifes Saudis hardly intermarry and dont marry foreigners most of the time Life Cycle When a baby is born it is time 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 recoverThe babys name is given the grandparents name

Often the baby was already engaged to another but this is no longer done because it is no longer practiced Death is nothingDeath to someone is Gods will and the souls 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 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 datesDrinks is tea and bitter coffee are served before the meal Buttermilk and camels milk as well is popular

There is a variety of fish making sea food popular in coastal areas Muslims dont eat pork and dont drink alcohol 16Clothing Male clothing is almost 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 ThobeAnd where a Tagiyah like a 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 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 bettingFalconry hunting for small gameWomen dont play sports and dont 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

ArtsLiterature and poetry are cherished artToday stories are published and are told orally The Quran is the inspiration of everything especially art Other arts are jewelry, embroidery, textiles, architecture, and decoration of weapons Music is vocal 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 poetryPictures

22Work Cited http://online.culturegrams.com/world/world_country.php?contid=3&wmn=Asia&cid=139&cn=Saudi_Arabia http://www.saudinf.com/main/q031.htm