The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia comprises almost four-fifths of the Arabian Peninsula, an area approximately one-third the size of the continental United States. Geographically, it is situated in the southwestern part of Asia. The eastern part of Saudi Arabia is a plateau that begins with the great Nafud desert in the north, continues along the Arabian Gulf and culminates in the world's largest sand desert, the Rub Al-Khali (Empty Quarter), in the south. To the west of this plateau is the Najd, the heartland of the peninsula, known for its spectacular escarpments and gravel and sand deserts.

The capital city of Riyadh is located in Najd. A chain of mountains in western Saudi Arabia runs parallel to the Red Sea. The Hijaz region along the Red Sea contains the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, the port city of Jeddah and the summer capital of Taif.

Today the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia holds the world's largest reserves of petroleum (26% of proven total). Its annual purchasing power is about US$ 174 billion and the share of the private sector economic activities has reached 46% of GDP.

Saudi Arabia’s fast growing population (26 million people today, compared to 12 million 20 years ago) have witnessed these changes within their own lifetime. Standards of living have improved dramatically as a result of comprehensive development programs.