Grand Valley State University

Saudi Arabia, a country study, Federal Research Division, Library of Congress ; edited by Helen Chapin Metz

eng

Includes bibliographical references (pages 303-324) and index

Saudi Arabia

28634717

Federal Research Division, Library of Congress ; edited by Helen Chapin Metz

Area handbook series,, 1057-5294DA pam, 550-51

a country study

Describes the history, politics, customs, etc. of India

The setting of Saudi Arabia -- The pre-Islamic period -- The early Islamic period, 622-700 -- The Middle Ages, 700-1500 ; The Al Saud and Wahhabi Islam, 1500-1818 -- Nineteenth-century Arabia -- The rise of Abd Al Aziz, 1890-1926 -- Nation building: the rule of Abd Al Aziz, 1926-53 -- The reigns of Saud and Faisal, 1953-75 -- The reign of Khalid, 1975-82 -- The reign of Fahd, 1982- -- Geography. External boundaries ; Topography and natural regions ; Climate ; The environment and the 1991 Persian Gulf War -- Population. Saudis and non-Saudis ; Diversity and social stratification ; Cultural homogeneity and values ; Structure of tribal groupings ; Tribe and monarchy ; Beduin economy in tradition and change -- Religion. Early development of Islam ; Tenets of Islam ; Wahhabi theology ; Islamism in Saudi Arabia ; Pilgrimage -- Education -- Health -- Urbanization and development -- Economic policy and the structure of the economy. Fundamental factors that transformed the economy ; Economic policy making ; Five-year plans ; Changing structure of the economy -- Labor -- Oil and gas industry. Brief history ; Oil industry in the 1990s -- Non-oil industrial sector. Utilities ; Mining and quarrying ; Manufacturing -- Transportation and telecommunications -- Agriculture. Traditional agriculture and pastoral nomadism ; Modern agriculture -- Money and banking -- External trade and finance. Foreign trade ; Current account ; Capital account ; Foreign assets and liabilities -- Structure of government. The king ; The Royal Diwan ; The Council of Ministers ; The Civil Service and independent agencies ; The legal system ; Local government -- Political dynamics. The royal family ; The Ulama ; Other groups -- Media -- Foreign policy. Regional security ; Relations with the United States ; Arab nationalism ; Islam -- Historical role of the armed forces. Armed struggle of the House of Saud ; The Ikhwan movement ; World War II and its aftermath ; Naval warfare in the Persian Gulf, 1987 ; Persian Gulf War, 1991 -- Security perceptions and policies. The military threat ; Collective security under the Gulf Cooperation Council -- Threats to internal security -- The armed forces. Royal Saudi land forces ; Royal Saudi air force ; Royal Saudi air defense forces ; Royal Saudi naval forces ; Saudi Arabian national guard ; Training ; Personnel and conditions of service ; Uniforms, ranks, and insignia ; Military justice -- Defense expenditures -- Foreign involvement and the justice system. Law enforcement ; Criminal justice system ; Crime and punishment ; Prison conditions ; Human rightsHistorical setting / William Smyth -- The society and its environment / Eleanor Abdella Doumato -- The economy / Fareed Mohamedi -- Government and politics / Eric Hooglund -- National security / Jean R. Tartter