Saudi Arabia Profile
Government, Economy, and Society
Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam and home to Islam’s two holiest shrines in Mecca and Medina. The modern Saudi state was founded in 1932 after a 30-year campaign to unify most of the Arabian peninsula. The government held its first-ever elections in 2005 and 2011, when Saudis went to the polls to elect municipal councilors. In December 2015, women were allowed to vote and stand as candidates for the first time in municipal elections, with 21 women winning seats. People and Society. The population of Saudi Arabia is estimated to be 28,160,273. The urban population is 83.1 percent…
