Community Interdependence. There is a very strong community focus embedded in Saudi culture and the patrilineal kinship system remains pervasive throughout society. People are often mutually reliant on their relatives and neighbours. Indeed, the charitable sector is one of the largest areas of activity for groups and associations throughout Saudi Arabia. There is a general understanding that with privilege comes a greater responsibility to care for the community.
Therefore, those in more fortunate circumstances often feel an obligation to help those that are struggling. Community involvement is especially important in times of sadness. For example, when a family goes through a particular hardship such as the death of a family member , it is customary for the entire community to visit every day and help lighten the burden. The notion of honour sharaf is a central concept that guides behaviour and significantly influences interactions in Saudi culture. There is often a strong cultural pressure on individuals to protect their reputation.
Therefore, conservative conduct is the norm; people tend to avoid drawing attention to themselves or risk doing something perceived to be dishonourable such as diverging from the social expectations. Saudis often seek maintain dignity through compromise, patience and self-control.
One may find that criticism is rarely given directly and praise is expected to be generously offered. For example, people may gloss over things or downplay their flaws to make them seem more positive see Communication. Thus, Saudis can be wary of the fact that they need to give a public impression of dignity and integrity to protect the honour of their household. If a person is perceived to be dishonourable, their whole family shares the shame.
In some cases, a family may feel obliged to shun the member of the household that brought shame upon them in order to clear their family name. The senior male of a family is considered to be responsible for protecting the honour of the family.
They are often particularly concerned with the behaviour of female relatives, as women have more social expectations to comply with see Gender Roles. These relate to their moral code, dress, social interactions, education, economic activity and public involvement see more in the Family section.
Gheera or ghayrah is a pervasive feeling in Saudi culture and extends especially to family and personal honour. It is an Arabic word that describes an intense emotion of honourable protectiveness.
Tribal Identity and Bedouins. Many aspects of Saudi culture are derived from traditional tribal Arab culture. Traditionally, Bedouins live in extended family groups, moving when they need new pasture or water. Some continue to live in the desert or among the mountains, while most have moved to towns or cities. Bedouins are renowned for their generosity and courage. It is traditional for them to host any visitor from another town, city or region for three days, regardless of the resources they have to accommodate the person.
This almost always involves a feast for the guest — even if that means sacrificing their last goat or camel for the occasion. Today, traditional Bedouins do not necessarily have a high social status, and may even be somewhat looked down upon by many urban Saudis. The Bedouin ethos of hospitality and honour continues to inform Saudi culture, regardless of how far removed many people are from the desert now.
Create your own Cultural Atlas with bookmarks, collections and a unified, searchable interface. Join over organisations already creating a better workplace. You can download this cultural profile in an easy-to-read PDF format that can be printed out and accessed at any time. The figure of the total population of each country is drawn from the global estimates listed in the CIA World Factbook , unless otherwise stated.
All other statistical information on the demographics of the migrant population in Australia is based on the Australian Housing and Population Census.
Saudi Arabian Culture. Core Concepts. International Reputation Saudi Arabia has been one of the most globally influential countries in the Middle East over the past century. Modernisation and Cultural Shifts The increased technological and economic advancement of Saudi Arabia has created a tension between modernisation and conservatism.
King Saud University and the King Khalid International Airport are two striking examples of just how well traditional Islamic design and modern structure can be combined.
Minarets are the most visible man-made structures in Saudi Arabia. Traditionally, muezzins used to climb up the stairs to the top of the minaret and call the faithful to prayer five times a day. The melodic call of the muezzins could be heard rising from minarets across all Muslim cities.
Nowadays, most minarets are wired for sound and the muezzin is no longer required to make the demanding walk up the minaret. Every mosque has at least one minaret, although two are more common, and larger ones have more, with the Holy Mosque in Makkah boasting 12 magnificent ones. Some are simple, while others are elaborately decorated with stone and tiles. Dating back 1, years to the first century of Islam, calligraphy is a revered art in Saudi Arabia.
Saudi museums collect and display rare manuscripts. Other organizations commission works of calligraphy, provide training in the art form, and hold competitions to encourage new generations of young artists. Today, calligraphy is a dominant theme in metalwork, ceramics, glass textiles, painting and sculpture throughout Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world. Inscriptions often adorn the interior walls of mosques, as well as public and private offices and homes. One of the largest is the Department of Culture at the Ministry of Culture and Information, which sponsors a wide range of cultural programs, including literary and drama clubs, folklore classes, library events, arts and crafts as well as science projects.
These clubs cover a range of cultural activities. In the drama clubs, for example, participants engage in writing competitions and performances as part of a team. Other clubs offer Saudis the opportunity to develop various artistic talents. The Department of Culture regularly sponsors exhibitions, literary readings and symposia at its regional offices as well as its Riyadh headquarters. It also sponsors Saudis to participate in international art and cultural events, including poetry and essay competitions as well as exhibits of calligraphy and artwork.
The Saudi Arabian Society for Culture and Arts, founded in , sponsors Saudi artists and provides ways for new talents to develop and display their art. Other institutions that promote culture include the King Fahd Library in Riyadh, which offers one of the largest collections of rare manuscripts on Arabic and Islamic literature, and is a premier research facility in the Middle East; and the King Faisal Foundation, whose annual King Faisal International Prizes includes one for Arabic literature.
Many King Faisal Prize laureates have gone on to receive other international awards, including the Nobel Prize. The Department of Museums and Antiquities was established in There are also private museums, such as the Humane Heritage Museum in Jeddah. Dance is also popular among Saudis. Men carrying swords stand in two lines or a circle, with a poet singing in their midst, and perform the traditional dance.
Poetry is especially important to Arab cultural life, and has long been considered one of the highest expressions of literary art. In the days when the Bedouin were constantly traveling, poetry was primarily an oral tradition. People would gather around a storyteller, who would spin tales of love, bravery, chivalry, war and historic events.
This was both entertainment and an oral preservation of history, traditions and social values. It exemplifies the perfect use of the Arabic language, and is considered to be the ultimate literary model. Poetry remains popular among Saudis today. They gather at cultural events, most notably the Jenadriyah National Culture and Heritage Festival, and avidly read the works of established poets that are printed in Saudi Arabia every year. There is also a popular televised poetry competition.
For two weeks a year, the festival gives over a million Saudis a glimpse into the past. Opening with a traditional camel race, the festival includes almost every aspect of Saudi culture. Saudi Arabia officially got the green light to build the world's tallest building, the Jeddah Tower — aka the Kingdom Tower. It's expected to reach 3, feet, or 1 kilometer. But Iraq has plans to upstage the Saudis, as it wants to build and even taller tower called The Bride, which will eclipse the Jeddah Tower by feet.
LeBron James stands at 6-foot-8, or 2. Source: CNN. Source: The Huffington Post. Rumor has it that Winston Churchill drew that boundary "with a stroke of a pen, one Sunday afternoon in Cairo" following "a particularly liquid lunch.
Source: The New York Times. There's been some structural improvement in the kingdom's labor force, but ultimately it remains heavily reliant on foreign labor. Notably, most of the people who work in the oil and service sectors in Saudi Arabia are foreigners. This made for some complicated times when the burial of non-Muslims was strictly forbidden on Saudi soil, until regulations were marginally eased in When one person asked him if Saudi Arabia might become a major, competitive economy by , Gates responded, "Well, if you're not fully utilizing half the talent in the country, you're not going to get close to the top.
In , women were finally allowed to work in places like lingerie shops. Before that, women faced some extremely uncomfortable times shopping with male salesmen. Saudi Arabia's young demographic really stands out against the backdrop of major economies with aging populations such as Japan.
HSBC's chart to the right suggests that Saudi Arabia's recent growth is largely attributed to increased resources, rather than increased productivity or labor. The cities are spread around the country and are expected to add 1. Source: OECD. But it's notable that Saudi Arabia's military expenditure is Hence, the drop in oil prices has had a transformative impact on Saudi Arabia's as well as the entire GCC Consequently, Saudi Arabia has had to tap into its resources following the price drop, which has been a not-terrible strategy so far.
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