Saudi Arabia |
 |
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) comprises about four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, bordered on the west by the Red Sea, on the south by the Indian Ocean and on the east by the Arabian Gulf. It is also called, “the land of the two holy mosques” being a reference to Mecca and Medina, Islam’s two holiest places. Saudi Arabia is the world’s leading petroleum producer and exporter.
The Kingdom itself, which occupies approximately 2,250,000 square kilometres (868,730 square miles) is bounded on the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait; on the east by the Gulf, Bahrain, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates; on the south by the Sultanate of Oman and Yemen; and on the west by the Red Sea.
Population
Saudi Arabia’s population as of July 2006 was estimated to be more than 27 million, including about 5.5 million resident foreigners. For example, Riyadh the capital of KSA has an estimated population in excess of 5 million people.
Climate
Extreme heat and aridity are characteristic of most of Saudi Arabia. It is one of the few places in the world where summer temperatures exceeding 50ºC (120ºF) is common, while in winter frost or snow can occur in the winter. The average winter temperature range is 8ºC to 20ºC in January in interior cities such as Riyadh and 19ºC to 29ºC in Jeddah on the Red Sea Coast. The average summer range in July is 27ºC to 43ºC in Riyadh and 27ºC to 38ºC in Jeddah.
Annual rainfall is usually sparse in most regions. Riyadh averages 100mm (4 inches) and falls almost exclusively between January and May; the average in Jeddah is 54mm (2.1 inches) and occurs between November and January.
Culture
Saudi Arabian culture revolves almost entirely around the religion of Islam. Islam’s two holiest sites, Mecca and Medina, are located in the country. Every day, five times a day, Muslims are called to prayer from the minarets of mosques which dot the country. The weekend consists of Thursday and Friday. The public practice of any religion other than Islam, including Christianity and Judaism, the presence of churches, and open possession of Christian religious materials are outlawed in Saudi Arabia.
Islam forbids the eating of pork and the drinking of alcohol. Private compounds house theatres and dvd’s of popular American movies are legal.
Social Norms
Saudi Arabia is a culturally diverse country with many foreign nationals working here. The dominant social norms stem from a highly-literal interpretation of Islamic texts, stricter than in most of the Islamic world.
Westerners travelling to Saudi Arabia are not expected to wear Saudi garb, only to dress conservatively. This means covering yourself, and wearing no less than smart casual. Women need to acquire an “abaya” for cultural reasons, however this is only required outside of the hospital compounds.
Hospital Compounds
All hospital clients of Latitudes Group International provide accommodation within the hospital compound for all international workers. The standard of accommodation ranges from adequate to extremely high depending on the location, facility, and the level to which you are appointed.
