The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the largest country on the Arabian Peninsula. It borders Jordan on the north,
Iraq on the north and north-east, Kuwait, Qatar, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates on the east, Oman on
the south and south-east, and Yemen on the south, with the Persian Gulf to its north-east and the Red Sea to its west.
It is called "The land of the two Holy Mosques", a reference to Makkah (Mecca) and Madinah (Medina), Islam's two holiest places.

The Saudi state began in central Arabia in about 1750. A regional ruler, Imam Muhammad bin Saud, joined forces with an Islamic reformer, Imam Muhammad Abd Al-Wahhab, to create a new political entity. Over the next one hundred and fifty years, the fortunes of the Saud family rose and fell several times as Saudi rulers contended with Egypt, the Ottoman Empire, and other Arabian families for control on the peninsula.

The modern Saudi state was founded by the late King Abdul Aziz Al-Saud (known internationally as Abdul Aziz Ibn Saud).

The discovery of oil in March 1938 transformed the country economically, and has given the Kingdom great legitimacy over the years.

There are no recognized political parties or national elections. The King is often classified as an absolute monarch, but his powers are theoretically limited within the bounds of Shari'ah and other Saudi traditions. He also must retain a consensus of the Saudi Royal Family, religious leaders (`Ulamaa'), and other important elements in Saudi society. The state's ideology is Salafi. The leading members of the royal family choose the king from among themselves with the subsequent approval of the`Ulamaa'.

Legislation is by resolution of the Council of Ministers, ratified by Royal Decree, and must be compatible with the Shari'a (Islamic law). Justice is administered according to the Shari'ah by a system of religious courts whose judges are appointed by the King on the recommendation of the Supreme Judicial Council, composed of 12 senior jurists. The independence of the judiciary is protected by law. The King acts as the highest court of appeal and has the power to pardon. Access to high officials (usually at a Majlis, or public audience) and the right to petition them directly are well-established traditions.

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