Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia's citizens are overwhelmingly Arab, alongside a very large expatriate workforce from across Asia and the Arab world. Arabic is the official language.

Islam is the state religion, and the kingdom — home to Islam's holiest sites at Mecca and Medina — follows a conservative Sunni tradition that shapes law and society, though social restrictions have eased in recent years.

Society

Saudi citizens enjoy high incomes and extensive welfare; recent reforms have expanded women's rights and entertainment, even as political freedoms remain tightly restricted and migrant labor underpins the economy.