introduction: fact file saudi arabia 2012
FACT FILE Essential reference information to take you from arrival to departure
Location: Southwest Asia, at the cross- roads of Europe, Asia and Africa; extend- ing from the Red Sea in the west to the Arabian Gulf in the east; bordered to the north by Jordan, Iraq and Kuwait, the south by Yemen and Oman and the east by the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Bahrain.
Language: Arabic is the official language, but English is widely spoken in the hospitality industry and across the region.
Religion: Islam.
Currency: The local currency is the Saudi Riyal (SR). The exchange rate is US$1=SR 3.75 (SR is pegged to the US Dollar). Most retail outlets, hotels and car-hire firms also accept internation- ally recognised credit cards. Bank notes, in Arabic and English, come in denomina- tions of 1, 5, 10, 50, 100 and 500 riyals.
Local Time: GMT + 3 hours.
Climate: Summers (April to October) are hot and humid with very little rain and temperatures reaching 48¡C. Winters (November to March) are cool with limited rain. During spring the weather is cool and pleasant. June through August tempera- tures will hit over 45¡C midday in the des- ert, with humidity in coastal regions up to 100 percent. In the winter, temperatures in the northern and central regions can drop below freezing at night and rainfall can range from none at all for up to 10 years in the Rub Al-Khali, to 20 inches a year in the mountains of Asir Province.
Visas: Except for GCC nationals, all visitors (for business or tourism) require a visa. Everyone who enters the Kingdom should have a valid passport with at least six months validity and the appropriate visa. Visas can be obtained from the visa department in the Saudi Embassy or from Saudi Consulates located in all major cities around the world.
Women: In addition to wearing the Abaya, women will find that some public buildings, such as restaurants, will have separate men- only and family areas. Furthermore, some shopping malls have women-only floors or opening times. For mixed business groups it is advisable to check in advance for restric- tions concerning female delegates.
Electricity: The electrical system is based on 110 AC volts with frequency of 50 Hertz. 220 AC Volt sockets are also available.
Business Hours: The working week is Saturday to Wednesday, although some offices and businesses also operate on Thursday morning. Government offices are open from 7.30am to 2.30pm. Banks are open from 9.00am to 4.00pm and private businesses are open from 8.00am to 12 noon and 3.00pm to 6.00pm.
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Essential Knowledge Alcohol
Alcohol is not permitted anywhere in the Kingdom. Clothing
Lightweight cotton or cotton-mix clothing is ideal for most of the year. During winter, visitors are advised to bring a light jacket, sweater or shawl for the cooler evenings. It is also important to take cultural considerations into account as Saudi Arabia is a Muslim country. Conservative dress (long trousers and covered shoulders) is advisable for men and women have to additionally wear a scarf to cover the head. Most women will wear the Abaya (long loose black cloak).
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