The Middle East, of which Saudi Arabia is an integral part, is the birthplace of civilization.  It is in this area that man first settled in farming communities, developed agriculture, domesticated livestock, perfected trade and invented writing, setting the stage for the rise of civilizations such as Babylon, Nineveh, Phoenicia and Egypt.  On its perimeter, and at a later stage, other great civilizations, such as Greece and Rome, would flourish, benefiting from the social and economic systems pioneered by the people of the region.

The inhabitants of the Arabian Peninsula developed a civilization of their own that defied outside conquest. They interacted economically and culturally, trading with communities in the Fertile Crescent, which stretches from what is present-day Iraq through Syria to Turkey, as well as with Egypt, the Roman Empire and other peoples beyond their immediate area.

Cities along the western and northern edge of the Arabian Peninsula were located on a major overland trade route.  Evidence of extensive commercial trade dating from 3,000 BC has been discovered along this route. Early trade commodities included agricultural products, spices, textiles, gold and frankincense.

The lifestyle of the early Arabs was deeply influenced by the desert, which fostered a strong sense of independence and adaptability to a challenging environment.  Some Arabs turned to agriculture, forming settlements around a well or in an oasis, while others became nomads, traveling with their flocks across the desert in search of water and grazing land. Caravan cities formed along the western Red Sea coastal region of the peninsula.  Although the desert environment was difficult to endure, it provided isolation and protection for the Arabs throughout the centuries.

In the early 18th century, Sheikh Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab, the son of a religious judge, called on Muslims to return to the original form of Islam.  Initially persecuted, he later found protection in the town of Diriyah, which was ruled by Muhammad bin Saud, a member of the prominent Al-Saud family.  The partnership between these two men eventually led to the foundation of Saudi Arabia.

By the early 1800s, the Al-Saud family ruled much of the Arabian Peninsula.  This rise to power alarmed the Ottoman Empire, which sent forth its armies to contain the influence of the Al-Saud.   The Ottomans ultimately captured Diriyah, thus ending the first phase of the Al-Saud reign in 1818.

By 1824, the Al-Saud regained political control of central Arabia and once again ruled the region from their new capital of Riyadh, located close to Diriyah. A period of unrest and tribal warfare began in 1865 and resulted in the Al-Rashid family, with Ottoman support, extending its power over the Saudi state.  The Al-Saud, under the leadership of Abdelrahman, were forced into exile in 1891. They lived on the borders of the Empty Quarter before settling in Kuwait.

Twenty-one-year-old Abdulaziz bin Abdelrahman Al-Saud left Kuwait in 1901, determined to recapture all of the territory once held by his forefathers and to extend his protection over the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah. In a daring battle he recaptured Riyadh in 1902.  This event marks the beginning of the formation of the modern state of Saudi Arabia. After establishing Riyadh as his headquarters, Abdulaziz proceeded, over the following decades, to unite the different regions into one nation.

On September 23, 1932, the country was named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as an Islamic state, with Arabic designated as the national language and the Holy Qur'an as its constitution.

The stability and prosperity that has reigned in Saudi Arabia since then are due in large part to the legacy of its legendary founder.  King Abdulaziz was a remarkable leader of imagination and vision who launched Saudi Arabia on the road to taking its rightful place on the world stage. Although he never left the Arab world, he astounded visitors with his shrewd mastery of world affairs and proved to be a highly sophisticated statesman. Self-disciplined and moderate, intelligent and courageous, his considerable abilities were reinforced by his deep devotion to God.

During his rule, King Abdulaziz laid the foundations for the modernization of his country. He began to build the country's infrastructure, first establishing roads and basic communications systems and later introducing modern technology and improving education, health care and agriculture.

Saud, the eldest son of Abdulaziz, acceded to the throne upon his father's death in 1953.  He instituted the Council of Ministers and established the Ministries of Health, Education and Commerce. A large number of schools and the Kingdom's first institute of higher education, King Saud University, were opened in Riyadh in 1957.  That year, King Saud made the first trip by a Saudi monarch to the United States.  In 1962, Saudi Arabia sponsored an international Islamic conference, which fostered the World Muslim League, headquartered in Makkah.

Faisal bin Abdulaziz became king in 1964.  King Faisal's governance at home was marked by a respect for tradition combined with innovation.  While his father had shaped the Kingdom, Faisal built and consolidated the country.  His vast experience in foreign affairs starting at an early age allowed him to devote great effort to this area during his reign.  To deepen links between Islamic nations, he traveled widely throughout the Arab and Islamic worlds.  He took firm control of the country's fiscal policy and in 1970 initiated the first of the highly successful five-year Development Plans that have resulted in Saudi Arabia's rapid development.  King Faisal was a central force behind the establishment in Jeddah in 1971 of the Organization of the Islamic Conference, which is composed of Islamic countries and is dedicated to promoting Islamic unity and cooperation.  King Faisal was named Time magazine's 'Man of the Year' in 1975 and was one of the world's most-respected leaders, as well as one of its most powerful men.

Khalid bin Abdulaziz succeeded King Faisal in 1975.  Under his leadership, Saudi Arabia continued its development at a remarkable pace. King Khalid launched the Kingdom's monumental Second and Third Development Plans in 1975 and 1980, under which the country's major infrastructure was established.  The standard of living increased substantially and the Kingdom achieved political and economic prominence both regionally and internationally.  In 1981 was formed the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which links Saudi Arabia with neighboring Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates for economic and security cooperation and coordination.

King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, who adopted the title Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, succeeded King Khalid in 1982.  The reign of King Fahd was a time of tremendous socioeconomic development and the country’s emergence as a leading political and economic force in the region and the world.  He was the central figure in Saudi Arabia’s efforts to diversify its economy away from sole reliance on oil and to promote private enterprise and investment.  King Fahd also streamlined the Saudi government, and approved the first nationwide municipal elections, which took place early in 2005.

One of King Fahd’s greatest accomplishments was the expansion of Islam’s two holiest sites, the Holy Mosque in Makkah and the Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, to accommodate the millions of pilgrims who come to the Kingdom each year.  The project expanded the capacity of the Holy Mosque to more than one million worshippers, and that of the Prophet’s Mosque to over 500,000.  The expansion also included improving facilities at nearby airports and ports to accommodate the large influx of pilgrims.

In the international arena, King Fahd worked actively to resolve regional and global crises. As Crown Prince in 1981, Fahd proposed an eight-point plan to resolve the Arab-Israeli conflict and give the Palestinians an independent state.  The plan, considered one of the first attempts to find a just and lasting settlement of the conflict taking into consideration the needs of both the Arabs and Israel, was unanimously adopted by the League of Arab States at a summit conference in Fez, Morocco, in 1982.

King Fahd also dedicated years of diplomacy to resolving the civil war in Lebanon, and his tireless efforts finally bore fruit in 1989 when he hosted a meeting of Lebanese parliamentarians in Taif, Saudi Arabia.  The national reconciliation accord signed in Taif ended the conflict and opened the way for rebuilding.

Perhaps the greatest international crisis of King Fahd’s rule occurred when Iraq invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990.  The King played an instrumental role in putting together the international coalition that ultimately drove Iraqi forces out of Kuwait.

Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz acceded to the throne on King Fahd’s death on August 1, 2005.  He also holds the position of Commander of the National Guard, which he has held since 1962.

King Abdullah was born in Riyadh in 1924, and received his early education at the royal court.  Influenced by his father King Abdulaziz, he developed a profound respect for religion, history and the Arab heritage.  His years spent living in the desert with Bedouin tribes taught him their values of honor, simplicity, generosity and bravery, and instilled in him the desire to assist in the development of his people.

As Crown Prince in 2004, he inaugurated a number of projects not only in the capital city of Riyadh, but in Makkah, Taif and the Eastern Province.  Always mindful of the interests of the people, in 2005 he closely monitored the election process for the country’s municipal councils.

His participation in international diplomacy reflects the Kingdom’s leadership role in defense of Arab and Islamic issues and for the achievement of world peace, stability and security.  Peace in the Middle East and the plight of the Palestinians are of particular concern to him, and the initiative on these that he presented at the Beirut Arab Summit in 2002 has been adopted by the League of Arab States, as has his forward-looking strategy for a unified Arab stance on international issues.

On the issue of terrorism, King Abdullah has been unwavering in his condemnation of the taking of innocent lives, and in his denunciation of deviant groups that falsely claim to be Islamic.  At the International Counterterrorism Conference in Riyadh in February, 2005, he urged international cooperation to fight this global scourge.

Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz was designated Crown Prince by Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz on August 1, 2005.  Crown Prince Sultan is also Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense and Aviation, and the Kingdom’s Inspector-General.

He served as Governor of Riyadh Province from 1947 to 1953, becoming the Kingdom's first Minister of Agriculture and then, in 1955, Minister of Communications.  In the latter post, he contributed greatly to the development of the Kingdom's road, rail and telecommunications networks.  He has been Minister of Defense and Aviation since 1963.

Crown Prince Sultan has helped to build and modernize the Kingdom's armed forces and has also contributed to the development of the national airline, Saudi Arabian Airlines, into a world-class carrier.  He has also been an active participant in the development and administrative affairs of the Kingdom.  The crown prince has also made a number of official visits overseas, and led the Saudi delegation to the 40th, 50th and 60th sessions of the United Nations General Assembly in 1985, 1995 and 2005.

Resource: Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, D.C.