Saudi Arabia A Country Study

""Saudi Arabia: A Country Study"" is a comprehensive guide to the history, culture, politics, and economy of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Written by the Federal Research Division, a research arm of the Library of Congress, this book provides an in-depth analysis of the country's geography, population, religion, and government. It also covers the country's economy, including its oil industry, and examines the role of women in Saudi society. The book provides a detailed account of the country's political system, including the role of the royal family and the Islamic legal system. It also explores Saudi Arabia's foreign policy, including its relations with the United States and other countries in the Middle East. With its detailed information and analysis, ""Saudi Arabia: A Country Study"" is an invaluable resource for anyone seeking to understand this complex and important country.The Saudi population is characterized by a high degree of cultural homogeneity and by an equally high degree of social stratification. The territory that in 1992 constituted the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia consisted of four distinct regions and diverse populations. Each region has sustained some measure of nomadic and seminomadic population: as recently as 1950, at least one-half the total population of the kingdom was estimated to be nomadic. Tribal identities were paramount among the nomadic population and among those in towns and villages who recognized a tribal affiliation. The Eastern Province had a substantial Shia (see Glossary) population with cultural links to Iran, Bahrain, and other places in the gulf region, as well as an Indian, Yemeni, and black African component (see Shia, this ch.). Asir was more closely linked to Yemen than to Saudi Arabia both by population and geography.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.