Saudi Arabia is a monarchy ruled by a king chosen from and by members of the Al-Saud family. The king rules through royal decrees issued in conjunction with the Council of Ministers, and with advice from the Consultative Council. Saudi Arabia is located on the arabian peninsula in the Middle East. It is bordered on the east by the Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman. The country is mostly deserting. Saudi Arabia is not easy to visit as there are no tourist visas. The main economy is oil. The country is also the center for Islamic religion with Mecca, Medina and Jeddah - Riyahi, aka Ryad, is the Capital.

The country's capital is Riyadh, situated in the very interior of the country, 300 km from the Persian Gulf. It’s a modern oil booming city with lots of high rising buildings. Most interesting cities are the holy cities of Mecca and Medina . Mecca is the most holy city in Islam. The city is revered from being the first place created on earth, as well as the place where Ibrahim together with his son Isma'il, built the Ka'ba, a rectangular building made of bricks. Around the Ka'ba is the great mosque, al-Haram. Medina, once called Yathrib, was chosen as the new headquarter when the Muslim community had to flee from Mecca in 622. This city of the Prophet is also the place were Muhammad died in 632.

Both cities are strictly off limits to non-muslims. The non-muslim architect of a Mecca Hotel had to supervise construction through a telescope. Nearby Jeddah the major Red Sea port of the country can be visited and gives a unique insight in the culture and history of the West of Saudi Arabia. Today's Saudi Arabia has held on to its mystique by being incredibly difficult to visit. But if you can find someone to sponsor you or decide to take an expensive 'approved' tour, it's worth coming here for the desert and mountain scenery, and some of the Middle East's best archaeological sites.

The whole of the Middle East is tilted, so the southwest of Saudi Arabia has mountains as high as 3000 meters while the east has lowlands. The mountain area is the greenest and freshest climate especially compared to the deserts in the east. Extensive irrigation projects now gradualy transform these deserts into farmland, yielding dates and grains.

Saudi Arabia Destinations
Asir, Dahna sands, Dammam, Dhahran, Diriyah, Hail, Huraymila, Irq rathimah, Ithra, Jeddah, Jubail, Khamis, Khobar, Madain salih, Mecca, Medina, Qaryat al fau, Qatif,
Riyadh, Sakakah, Taif, Yanbu.

Asia Travel Information

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General Information For Tourists - II

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Myanmar is a Land of Festivals: a festival for every month of the year. Most festivals are cultural and religious. Majority are nation-wide celebrated while a few are distinctly regional. The dates of the festivals and special events are determined by the Lunar Year. 1. January • Kayin New Year celebrated on

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1. Airport Tax Any passengers departing Myanmar on international flights will need to pay a departure tax of US$ 10.00 per person. 2. Duty Free Allowance Two bottles of liquor; two cartons of cigarettes; 100 cigars; 1.5 lbs. of tobacco; and one pint bottle of perfume or eau de cologne. 3. Currency The monetary unit

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