Saudi Arabia: The title of "Oil Kingdom" is not my whole background

In the Middle East

There is such a country

In the previous life, he created the Islamic Empire that swept across Europe, Asia and Africa.

(Muslims pray around the Kaaba. Inside the golden cage among the crowd is Maga Ibrahim (a stone with the footprints of the Prophet Ibrahim). Image source: Visual China)

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Experienced the miracle of the era of getting rich because of oil

(Riyadh, a magical city built out of thin air in the desert, picture source @Visual China)

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It has also become popular on the Internet because of its extremely avant-garde urban design.

(Part of the design of NEOM's future city: a "linear city" 170 kilometers long and 0.2 kilometers wide will be built on the Red Coast. Image source: Visual China)

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It is Saudi Arabia

In the most barren desert

(The viewing platform is known as the "Cliff of the World", with a cliff over 100 meters high and barren desert all around, like the end of the world, picture source @Visual China)

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Located at the most dangerous intersection

(The highway passes through the city of Dhahran. The Arabian Peninsula is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa. Business travel has shaped a prosperous commercial civilization. Image source: Visual China)

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One of the regions with the richest energy reserves in the world

(The picture shows Saudi Arabia's Manifa offshore oil field. Saudi Arabia has the world's second largest oil reserves and the world's sixth largest natural gas reserves. Data source: OPEC, 2023, picture source @Visual China)

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Multidimensional and complex geographical pattern

Breeding the neighbors who are eyeing each other and fighting each other

The " Group of Death "

Saudi Arabia is in the middle

(The picture shows the owner and his falcon. The Arab tradition of taming falcons dates back thousands of years. Image source: @shutterstock)

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Surrounded by powerful enemies, the situation is about to collapse

The bloody storm started three thousand years ago.

How did Saudi Arabia survive and escape danger?

Let us follow in its footsteps

Open Hell Instance

Witness the miracle of the wasteland

(The picture shows the ruins of Madain Saleh, a world cultural heritage site. According to the Quran, it was destroyed because people’s hearts turned away from the will of God. Image source: @Visual China)

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01

Desert and fertile land

First enemy: Desert

About 25 million years ago

The Arabian Plate separates from the African Plate

It resolutely bids farewell to its home of hundreds of millions of years and heads for the mountains and seas.

Its solitary departure

It tore apart the African continent, forming the Great Rift Valley and the Red Sea

The magma erupted from the surface and swept into a lava plateau

The peninsula slopes from southwest to northeast into the sea.

(In the Hijaz area north of Medina, the flowing magma solidified into rope-like lava. Image source: @Visual China)

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To the west are the towering Hijaz Mountains

(Jabal Alfil Elephant Rock, which has the world's most extensive alkaline basalt landscape, photographer @吕伟亮)

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The central part is the vast Najd Plateau

(Najd Plateau (also known as Najd, Central Plateau), picture source @Visual China, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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To the east is the low coastal plain of the Persian Gulf

(King Fahd Causeway, a cross-sea bridge connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, picture source @Visual China, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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Saudi Arabia

It stretches across the center of the Arabian Peninsula

The Persian Gulf to the east and the Red Sea to the west

Occupies 70% of the peninsula

(Topographic map of the Arabian Peninsula. Saudi Arabia is located in the center of the peninsula, bordering the Gulf countries to the east, the African wilderness to the west, and the Fertile Crescent to the north. Map by @Chen Zhihao/Planetary Research Institute)

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Nearly 95% of this land is desert.

The first enemy encountered by the Arabs

It is this surging yellow sand

(A man covers his mouth and nose in front of the Kingdom Center to resist the wind and sand, picture source @Visual China)

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This is the subtropical high pressure zone.

Drought is the underlying climate

Hijaz Mountains

The Iranian Plateau across the sea to the east

It also intercepts the already scarce water vapor

So, the world's largest mobile desert

Rub' al Khali Desert

Covering the land of Arabia

The fine sand flowing with the wind covers all traces of everything

Accidentally buried in the sea of ​​sand, destined to be nowhere to be found

(The picture shows the desert in Saudi Arabia, source: Visual China)

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But the roaring desert

It did not stop the progress of all living things.

Animals and plants adapted to the harsh environment settled here:

Arabian Oryx, Sand Cat and Wolf

(Please browse with caution if there is any inappropriate content, Arabian oryx, Arabian wolf, sand cat and Pharaoh eagle owl, picture source @Visual China & Alamy, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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There are also death hunter scorpions and Arabian fat-tailed scorpions

Desert snakes and king lizards

(Please browse with caution if there is any inappropriate content, including the King Lizard, Montpellier Snake and Yellow Fat Tailed Scorpion. Image source: @Visual China, Map by @Atu/Planetary Research Institute)

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At the same time, this is also the home of date palm trees.

(Date palm forest in Al-Ula. Dates are an indispensable dessert for Arabs. Image source: Visual China)

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Humans are not to be outdone

The Arabs were the first to enter this wilderness

They are also called Bedouins

Meaning "nomad in the desert" in Arabic

(The picture shows Bedouins making evening tea. It is their personality trait that they would rather live a hard nomadic life for freedom. Image source: Visual China)

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They tamed the "Ship of the Desert"

Dromedary

It can walk long distances for days without drinking water.

"Soft paws, thick short hair and thin body

It has good heat resistance

They can survive on the only shrubs and hay in the desert."

The "innate holy body" that travels through the desert

(People drive camels across the desert, part of the above text is quoted from "History of the Middle East", picture source @Visual China)

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final

The Arabs conquered the desert

The beginning of a thousand-year

Self-contained

Desert Civilization

(The Hail Rock Paintings are one of the largest rock painting groups in the world. The patterns depict hunting scenes at that time. Image source: @Visual China)

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The Castle of Faou from the 4th century BC

The earliest South Arabian inscriptions

(Ruins of Fawu Castle, photo courtesy of @alamy)

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However, the extreme drought and heat

It's just a trick of nature.

Western mountains that block moisture

A rich natural belt has been created on the back of the desert

Huge height difference at the edge of the plate tear

A variety of natural landscapes have been created here

There is not only

Juniper forest

(Magnificent scenery of the western mountains of Saudi Arabia, picture source @Visual China)

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Misty mountain peaks

(Al Hada Mountain Highway, image source @Visual China)

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Oases dotted around

(Oasis Forest, image source: Visual China)

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There are also magnificent coral reefs

(Farasan Islands, picture source @Visual China)

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Fishes swim in the shallow water, and all creatures compete for freedom in the frosty sky

The warm and humid climate of the Red Sea coast and the huge western mountains

Together they nourish the long and narrow oasis corridor

People certainly won't miss the opportunity.

Right here

It gave rise to one of the earliest trade routes in human civilization.

Maritime Silk Road

02

Sacred and Profane

Second antagonist: Paganism

On the narrow Red Sea coastline

There is a dazzling oasis city called Mecca

It is also known by another name:

Islam's "holy city"

But in fact

This is a pure secular business world.

On the other side of the peninsula, Oman

Rich in a fragrant resin: frankincense

As early as 2500 BC

The Egyptians used it for religious ceremonies and daily incense.

To reach Egypt from Oman, you must pass through the Red Sea coast

So here it is formed

The earliest spice route across the Arabian Peninsula

(Arabs holding incense, picture source: Visual China)

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1st century BC

The Han Dynasty was struggling with the Xiongnu

Send envoys to connect with the Western Regions

Romans conquer Ptolemaic Egypt

Spreading influence to both sides of the Mediterranean

The two most prosperous places in the East and the West

Promoting rapid development of trade

A variety of novel products are traveling between the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa

A very long trade route was formed

The Silk Road

(The picture shows the relics of the Maritime and Land Silk Road. Various local artifacts unearthed in foreign lands show the prosperity of trade in the past. Image source @Arkéolog 65, photographer @E.Strack&路客看看&脉影&梁小君&包浩霖, map @阿土/星球研究院)

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After that, dynasties changed and generals were replaced.

But the trade route remains hot

Song Dynasty

Nomadic peoples occupied the Central Plains

The Silk Road is gradually dying

The Maritime Silk Road prospers year by year

(Please watch in horizontal screen, Schematic diagram of the Maritime Silk Road, drawn by @Chen Zhihao/Planet Research Institute)

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In the West Bank of Arabia

There is a coastal city known as the "Bride of the Red Sea"

Jeddah

Rice, spices, cotton, silk, perfume and precious metals

From the post stations, markets, and ships here

Extending to the farther east and west

(Al Balad, an ancient city in Jeddah, a famous commercial and historical town, a world cultural heritage, photographer @姚璐)

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Mecca is located 60 kilometers east of Jeddah Port.

It is the largest trade distribution hub along the Red Sea coast.

Business travelers come here to rest

(The picture shows the Jeddah Port, which is still in operation after thousands of years. Image source: @Visual China)

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Just like the fishermen who make their living by the sea

Will worship Mazu to protect her

A merchant tribe wandering in the desert

They also worship different gods and pray for blessings.

So Mecca became the "Temple of the Gods"

Until 610 AD

This year

A man thinking alone in a cave

Suddenly I heard the call of Archangel Gabriel

Come by the command of Allah

Let him recite the revelations of Allah to the people of the earth

His name is Muhammad

His words were compiled into the Quran.

(Please watch in horizontal mode. The total area of ​​the Grand Mosque in Mecca is 357,000 square meters, equivalent to 1.75 Bird's Nest stadiums, and can accommodate 500,000 Muslims for worship at the same time. Image source: @Visual China)

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Although people initially rejected his "monotheism",

As a result, he and his disciples were forced to leave Mecca.

Move to Medina

But Islam is still gaining popularity

Sweeping the Arabian Peninsula

Islam’s popularity

Closely related to the special desert environment

(Shia Muslims in Saudi Arabia are celebrating Ashura, the tenth day of the Islamic month of Muharram, which is also a day of repentance and fasting. Image source: Visual China)

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The desert has very limited resources for survival.

The strong prey on the weak, and only the fittest survive

The only truth here

(Picture: Riyadh Jenadriyah Festival, the National Guard performed a gun show, picture source @shutterstock)

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Mountains and wilderness highlight the insignificance of human beings

People therefore believe that it is useless to fight against the cruel fate.

Extreme suffering creates extreme faith

Islam

This unprecedented faith flourished

God is merciful, but also the most just

Fatalism makes people forget the fear of death

Heaven encourages a desire for devotion

(People walk around the Kaaba counterclockwise and touch the walls of the Kaaba to express their reverence for Allah. Image source: @alamy)

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However, this is far from enough

A powerful empire

Often born in troubled times

Looking at the world

To the west is the Byzantine Empire

To the east is the territory of the Sassanid Empire

They all regard this land as alien

Survival or destruction?

The creation of an Islamic state

Imperative

Live here for generations

Arabs who were originally a loose tribal alliance

Under the guidance of Islamic teachings and "jihad"

Unite quickly

In just a few decades, it swept across the peninsula

Created a huge business empire under the leadership of religion

(The change from human figures on coins to only Quranic texts on them reflects the rapid penetration of Islamic culture. Image source: Metropolitan Museum of Art, graphic by: A Tu/Planet Research Institute)

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At this time, Christianity, which has the same origin as Islam,

Has ruled the West for centuries

Close combat, war is imminent

(This copper incense burner was discovered in Syria. The outer wall is engraved with the life of Christ. The three religions, including Judaism, believe in monotheism with "Abraham" (translated as "Ibrahim" in Arabic) as the ancestor. Image source @The Walters Art Museum, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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This new empire

In the fierce outbreak period

Unstoppable and unstoppable

Under the leadership of Muhammad's successors ("caliphs")

Defeat your opponents and conquer the three continents of Europe, Asia and Africa

Unified the entire "Seven Seas"

(Please watch horizontally, a schematic diagram of the Islamic Empire's territory. At its peak, it extended to the Indus River in the east, the Pyrenees Mountains in the west, and the Nile River in the south. The "Land of the Seven Seas" was the crossroads of the Eurasian and African continents. Map by @Chen Zhihao/Planetary Research Institute)

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All people are from the same ethnic group

Speak the same language

Believe in the same religion

The Arabs at this time had reason to believe

They are dominating the world

(Islamic Empire carpet crafts, porcelain and calligraphy art, picture source @Metropolitan Museum of Art, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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But the good times didn't last long

Turkic-speaking peoples are about to conquer this land

The rule of various foreign races will last for centuries.

03

Old and young

Triple Rivals: Desire

The Arabian Peninsula is located at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa

Of course, it has become a battleground for military strategists.

Countless religions repel each other

Language barrier

Culturally different

Agricultural and nomadic regimes confront each other

There have been countless fierce conflicts over the past thousand years.

In the east

The Turks who migrated westwards because of famine

Conquered the Mesopotamian Valley

Founded the Seljuk Dynasty

(Artifacts of the Seljuk Empire, image source @Metropolitan Museum of Art, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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In the west

The Pope launches the Crusades

Determined to retake the Christian "holy city" from Muslims

Jerusalem

Killing spree here

(Please watch in horizontal mode, the Crusaders capture Jerusalem, a painting by Emile Signor (1847), from the collection of the Versailles Castle Museum, image source @Visual China)

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In the north

The Mongols moved south because of the cold climate

Under the leadership of Hulagu, they headed westwards

Came to the Iranian Plateau and established the Ilkhanate

They believed in "Eternal Heaven" and began to massacre pagan Muslims

For a time, blood flowed like a river...

(Ilkhanate artifacts, photo source @Metropolitan Museum of Art, photographer @Qiu Feier, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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Then the Ottoman Empire

Rushing from the nearby Anatolian Plateau

Reshuffle the pattern of this land...

But for the vast Arabian Desert

The enemy seems to have no interest in

These long 1300 years

None of these stories belong to the Saudi regime

Its emergence

Waiting for a war that will change the world

(The ancient city of Diriyah Sand Castle, a world cultural heritage site, is the birthplace of the Saudi family. Image source: @Visual China)

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Two Industrial Revolutions

The gears of fate suddenly turn faster

The world order has been rapidly overturned

Modern States vs. Traditional Empires

World War I begins

As a result, the Ottoman Empire, which had dominated this place for four centuries,

Destroyed in an instant

People were looking forward to

The Reconstruction of the Great United Arab State

But it waited for Britain and France

Colonial rule in the guise of modernization

Only the deserted desert survived

This happened to create a desperate situation.

(Movie poster for Lawrence of Arabia (1962), which tells the story of Lawrence's mediation and emotional struggle between Arab tribes, the Ottoman Empire and British officers, and his search for self-identity. It won multiple Oscars. Image source: Visual China)

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In the middle of this desert

A tribal family called Saudi

After two centuries of mediation

Eventually unified the Najd Desert and the Hejaz Mountains

In 1932, Saudi Arabia was established

The scorching sun burns the heart, the land is scorched

It is huge but thin and poor.

(1922 situation map and Masmak Fortress, photographer @丁俊豪, map @陈志浩/Planet Research Institute)

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Saudi Arabia will not know at this time

As a tribe that has ridden on camels for thousands of years

It is about to be powered by a fuel that has never been used before.

oil

Changing fate

World War II begins

The continued tension of global war

Fuel energy becomes increasingly important

And at this moment

Americans dig a 'well of prosperity' in Dammam

And discovered the world's largest onshore oil field

The largest offshore oil field at that time

Because of energy and war

Saudi Arabia made a fortune from the world's disaster

Became rich overnight

(Sunrise in the coastal city of Dammam, where the "Well of Prosperity" was mined. Image source: @Visual China)

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The total assets of the Saudi royal family

Over $1.4 trillion

Equivalent to 16 British royal families

(The purple light strip in the distance is the Kingdom Building, which has the most luxurious shopping mall in the Middle East. Image source: Visual China)

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With oil

Saudi Arabia becomes the richest country in the Middle East

Ranked 18th in the world in terms of GDP

Joining the G20 group

(Data source: World Bank (2023), the figure shows the GDP ranking and oil production of Gulf countries, drawn by @陈志浩&阿土/Planet Research Institute)

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However, for this young country

The myth of getting rich overnight

It's not a curse

Black gold reveals the real purpose

The Middle East is in a state of panic and war is brewing

Sudden change to hell on earth

Saudi Arabia's close relationship with the United States

Although it survived the hail of bullets

But it also plunged it into a quagmire

(The First Gulf War, image source: Visual China)

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But Saudi Arabia is not a lamb

Facing Western political manipulation

It will fight back

In the name of the nation

Tying oil to politics

The Western oil crisis in 1973

(At the end of the Gulf War in 1991, the Iraqi army blew up an oil well when it withdrew from Kuwait. Image source: @Visual China)

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Although Arabs and Jews are irreconcilable

But Saudi Arabia also secretly cooperated with Israel

To deal with the constraints of old rival Iran

that's all

Saudi Arabia is entangled in the complex relationships between various masters

(Pictures show the refineries in Ras Tanura and Tarut Bay, source: Visual China)

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Meanwhile, within Muslim countries

Sunnis and Shias divide the world, and their feud lasts for thousands of years

Saudi Arabia and Iran: Who will dominate the Middle East?

Monarchies face escalating democratization movements and intensified violence

(The differences between Sunnis and Shiites stem from an ancient question: After the death of Muhammad, who will inherit the religious and political leadership left by the prophet? Map by @阿土&陈志浩/星球研究院)

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Especially after ending the thousand-year rule of foreign pagans

After getting rid of decades of colonial rule by Western powers,

Arabs who speak the same language and have the same faith

A unified world is needed

This long-cherished wish

However, due to the terrorist actions of numerous armed regimes

The exchange of interests with Western countries has become a distant prospect...

(Peace & Love Sculpture Museum in Jeddah, image source @Visual China & shutterstock)

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The thousand-year shame of foreign conquest

The unfulfilled wish of national unity

Strict doctrine

Hot oil

A young kingdom inherits an ancient legacy

But it has been subject to various doubts

Wahhabi ultraconservatism

It has also become the target of criticism from the West...

How will this young country overcome all obstacles and resolve crises?

04

Conservative and crazy

Final Fight: Rising

Wahhabis, who claim to believe in the Oneness of God

Emphasis on absolute monotheism

Oppose all idolatry

At the same time, it has been criticized for its close ties with major extremist organizations.

(New York 9/11 Memorial, two empty foundations left after the collapse of the World Trade Center. On September 11, 2001, several Saudi terrorists led by Bin Laden hijacked planes in many places in the United States and rushed into the buildings. Image source: @Visual China, map by @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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The Saudi family that built its country on Wahhabism

Internationally controversial for supporting conservative Wahhabism

However, at this moment

A fierce character appeared

Mohammed bin Salman (also known as Little Salman)

He is the Crown Prince and Prime Minister of Saudi Arabia

He is also the eighth son of the current Saudi king.

He is not shy about expressing his ambitions

His road to promotion was smooth sailing

But his radicalism is controversial.

A confusing dismemberment case

It dragged the new crown prince into the quagmire

(Former Saudi Information Ministry senior official Jamal Khashoggi was killed in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. Salman was accused by the media of being the mastermind behind Khashoggi's murder)

Because of inhumane behavior

Salman bin Salman has been criticized by the international media

The new crown prince's foothold

A turnaround is needed

At this time, the oil crisis may be a turning point

Global oil prices continue to fall

New energy economy is booming

A world no longer dependent on oil

Saudi Arabia has made its industry extremely homogeneous

Once again facing enemies from all sides

(The picture shows the forecast of electric vehicle development and oil demand trend. The international oil and gas market has undergone tremendous changes. The map is @阿土/星球研究院)

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At the critical moment

Salman used strategic planning:

“Vision 2030”

Vigorously develop non-oil economy

And threatened to spend 1.5 trillion US dollars

Building a giant future city NEOM

(Exaggerated concept design of NEOM future city, picture source @Visual China)

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Because of the drastic reforms

Riyadh is also widely known as the "Shenzhen of the Middle East"

(Densely packed houses in the capital Riyadh, photographer @丁俊豪)

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However, what is more important to the new crown prince is

He must be divided and weakened as soon as possible

Conservative forces in the country

To stabilize oneself

The first thing is to lift the ban on the entertainment industry

entertainment

Wahhabis have always scorned

The new crown prince, Salman, broke the taboo

Music festivals, film festivals, and Formula One races are all coming in droves

It has created a dazzling and wonderful spectacle in the desert.

(Pictured is the MDLBEAST Soundstorm Music Festival in Saudi Arabia, source: @Visual China)

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The second thing is the leap forward in women’s rights

It is not so much the long-cherished wish of female citizens

It is more like a contest between reformers and conservatives.

Under pressure from social media and public opinion

The kingdom had to lift some of the ban

For example, allowing women to drive

Allowing women to travel alone

Saudi women are extremely disciplined

Leaving a landmark mark in the history of Islam

(Many women are visiting the Riyadh Design Week. Image source: @Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia)

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To attract foreign investors

Saudi Arabia's oasis cities are undergoing crazy transformation

Countless exaggerated buildings were built to demonstrate strong strength

You can see unique

King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture

See the world's largest mirrored building in AlUla

Malaya Concert Hall

You can also see famous landmarks in Riyadh

Faisal Tower

(King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, Malaya Concert Hall, Faisal Tower, photo source @shutterstock, photographer @丁俊豪)

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But reform is far more than just a visual project.

As a "country without flow" with no perennial surface runoff

Saudis use desalination technology to quench desert thirst

The per capita available water supply is already twice the world average.

(The picture shows a seawater purification plant in Saudi Arabia. Although Saudi Arabia does not have perennial runoff, it has abundant groundwater. As the population grows, Saudi Arabia has vigorously developed seawater desalination technology to solve the problem of water shortage. Image source: @Visual China)

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As a country with only 1.6% of its land under cultivation

Saudis plant 10 million trees

to restore 40 million hectares of degraded land

And through purchasing farmland overseas

Saudi Arabia has achieved food self-sufficiency

Even become a major exporter of agricultural products

(Aerial view of circular pivot irrigation in the desert, image source: @shutterstock)

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As the West gradually withdraws its strategic layout from the Middle East

Saudi Arabia begins to turn its attention to the East

Saudi Arabia's largest trading partner

China leads the way

(Saudi Arabia's import and export data trend diagram, China is Saudi Arabia's largest import and export partner, map @Atu/Planet Research Institute)

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The two sides hit it off

Rapidly develop cooperation in multiple fields

From electric vehicles and photovoltaics to digital economy and future industries...

(In October 2024, Saudi Arabia announced the establishment of the Saudi-China Special Economic Zone at King Salman International Airport. The picture shows the design of the airport's six runways. Image source: @Visual China)

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At the same time, under the auspices of China

Saudi Arabia repairs ties with Iran

Two Middle Eastern enemies that have severed diplomatic ties for eight years

Bilateral diplomatic relations at the ambassadorial level were restored.

(Eight months after the Saudi-Iranian handshake in Beijing, the deputy governor of Riyadh Province (below) is welcoming the Iranian president off the plane. Image source: @Visual China)

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Although the crazy move has received mixed reviews

The widening gap between the rich and the poor and the resentment among the middle class have not improved

The current state of modernization reform is like a cultural invasion

Other kings and kingdoms in the desert are following suit.

(In the slums of Mecca, the problem of the disparity between the rich and the poor still needs to be solved. Image source: @Visual China)

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Can luxury hotels attract foreign investors to solve the oil crisis?

Can the ancient civilization wait for the dawn after the eternal night?

We don't know

(AlUla luxury tent hotel, photo source @shutterstock)

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But what is certain is that

This country is known for its conservative religious sects.

Showing the world

The most ambitious reform of this century

With courageous innovation

(Riyadh Boulevard, picture source @Visual China)

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05

end

In July this year

The first Esports World Cup was held in Riyadh

A colorful and magical virtual world

With female contestants wearing black burqas

Appear on the same screen

(A glimpse of the Saudi E-sports Academy. Saudi Arabia is building an e-sports city. Image source: @Visual China)

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This is Saudi Arabia

Possessing the most traditional discipline

With the most avant-garde vision

Saudi Arabia includes e-sports in national policy

And this isn't the only maverick in the Middle East.

In 2022, Qatar became the center of attention because of the World Cup

Dubai even completed the sensational Burj Khalifa in 2009.

The entire Middle East is chasing the spotlight

To find a way out other than oil

(Dubai distant view, picture source: Visual China)

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A wise monarch and an elite team

Cheap labor, generous spending

Every country that followed suit bore a similar stamp.

Therefore, Saudi Arabia is not just Saudi Arabia

It carries the ancient Arab civilization

And reflects the illusion of the Middle East model

(Arab Muslim dining etiquette: using the right hand to eat rice, image source @Ministry of Culture, Saudi Arabia)

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Today, the situation in the Middle East is changing rapidly.

Regional violence index continues to rise

Missiles and doves of peace fly together

Refugees sleep in mass graves

The struggle and mediation between major powers

The Middle East has been wandering between hell and heaven

(During the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, although the mosque was destroyed, people in Gaza still celebrated Eid al-Fitr. Image source: @Visual China)

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The itch in the Middle East and the pain of ending the war

More radical actions, more excited emotions

The risk of losing control, the distortion of hatred

Times have changed

The topic is no longer unity or division

People are more eager for a gesture of publicity

Express anger and vent it immediately

The whole world can no longer stand by and watch

Saudi Arabia is also a member of this land

This country from the "Group of Death"

The sea of ​​sand roars, pagans surround, and powerful countries covet

He was in danger many times, but he always managed to make a comeback.

What has brought Saudi Arabia to where it is today?

As the Arabic proverb goes:

"If you don't have the courage to forget the shore, you will never be able to cross the sea"

لن تكون قادراً على قطع المحيط إذا لم يكن لديك الشجاعة أن تخسر

.مرآى الشاطئ

The magic lamp gave Aladdin the ability to make money

Maybe it's absurd

And burn your boats and move forward courageously

This is Saudi Arabia's real superpower

(The Arabs in the desert have been moving forward for thousands of years. Image source: @Visual China)

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This article was created by

Written by Abigail

Design : A Tu

Image : Xia Xue

Map : Chen Zhihao

Proofreading : Zhou Tianxiu & Li Chuyang & Wu Xintian

Cover photo location: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Audit Expert

Professor Min Jing from the School of History and Culture of Lanzhou University

Zhang Bo, Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of West Asian and African Studies, Chinese Academy of Social Sciences

Special thanks

Li Boya, Tianjin Foreign Studies University

【Notes】

[1] “Middle East” is a Western-centric geopolitical concept, not a purely geographical concept. Please note this.

[2] The "Sand Cat" in the animal photo was actually taken in the Sahara Desert, while the others were taken in the Arabian Peninsula. Please note this.

[2] “God is merciful and just” refers to God’s role as a “judge”. For a discussion of the meanings of “love”, “judgment” and “forgiveness” in Christianity and Islam, see Siddiqui, Mona. Christians, Muslims, and Jesus. Yale University Press, 2013: 203-207.

[3] The Seljuk Empire, the Crusades, and the Mongol invasion did not occur in exactly the same period. The Seljuk Empire was established in 1037, the First Crusade took place at the end of the 11th century, and the Mongol invasion of Central Asia and into the Iranian Plateau was around the end of the 12th century to the 13th century.

[4] "As a result, the Ottoman Empire, which had dominated the country for four centuries, collapsed in an instant." The Ottoman Empire was founded in 1299 and collapsed in 1922 when the sultanate was abolished. At first, its territory existed only in the Anatolian Peninsula, but it expanded all the way thereafter. In 1517, during the reign of Selim I, it expanded to the Red Sea coast of the Arabian Peninsula and North Africa. The "four centuries" in this article are counted from this period.

[5] The First Saudi Kingdom was founded in 1744, occupying parts of Najd and Hasa, and confronting the Ottoman Empire. It was destroyed by the Ottoman Empire in 1818, and the remaining Saudis established the Second Saudi Kingdom. The Rashid family then rose and defeated the Second Saudi Kingdom. In 1902, Abdul-Aziz ibn Abdulrahman ibn Faisal Al Saud (also known as Ibn Saud, the first king of the current Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) regained control of Riyadh. In 1916, with the assistance of the Allied Powers, Britain, the Kingdom of Najd and Hejaz was successfully overthrown. In 1927, the Kingdom of Najd and Hejaz was established, and in 1932 it was renamed Saudi Arabia. References: Arabs in Conquest and Revolution: 1516 to the Present, pp. 72-77, pp. 225-234; History of Nations: Saudi Arabia, pp. 41-59.

[6] “Tying oil to politics” refers to the announcement by the members of the Organization of Arab Petroleum Exporting Countries, led by Saudi Arabia, during the Fourth Middle East War in 1973 to impose an oil embargo on countries that supported Israel during the war. The initial target was the United States, which openly airlifted weapons to Israel. This embargo caused an unprecedented crude oil crisis.

[7] The “confusing dismemberment case” refers to the murder of Khashoggi: Jamal Khashoggi, a former senior official of the Saudi Ministry of Information, left Saudi Arabia in 2017 to work as a reporter for the Washington Post. He has long criticized the actions of the Saudi royal family. In October 2018, he disappeared from the Saudi Embassy in Istanbul. Western media believed that he was secretly killed and dismembered. Because 15 Saudi royal guards also arrived in Istanbul on the same day. According to surveillance, they bought nearly 20 suitcases in the market, drove two black cars into the embassy and left later. Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was considered the mastermind behind the murder of Khashoggi. Western public opinion on the Saudi crown prince reached its peak.

[8] “Monarchies face an escalation of democratization movements”, see the 2011 “Arab Spring” series of waves. International relations scholar Tim Marshall believes that this term is misused by the media. Arab countries have never been able to emerge from the shadow of colonial rule, but have fallen into long-term turmoil and civil war. The so-called “spring of democracy” in the Western world does not apply to the Arab world, which faces more complex differences and choices mixed with religious factors. Religious beliefs, social customs, tribal ties and guns and weapons are more influential than the equality, freedom of speech and universal suffrage advocated by the West. The above views are for reference only. Tim Marshall. Prisoners of Geography. Eillott & Thompson. 2016:185-186.

【References】

[1]Norton, William Harmon. "The influence of the desert on early Islam." The Journal of Religion 4, no. 4 (1924): 383-396.

[2]Joseph Kostiner. The Making of Saudi Arabia. From Chieftaincy to Monarchical State,1916-1936. Oxford Univ. Press, 1999.

[3]Hillenbrand, Carole. The Crusades: Islamic Perspectives. Psychology Press, 1999.

[4] Yang Xinghua, He Qing, Chen Xiangjun. Characteristics and causes of the Rub' al Khali Desert[J]. Desert and Oasis Meteorology, 2008, (02): 53-57.

[5] Arthur Goldschmidt, Jr., Lawrence Davidson. A History of the Middle East[M]. Translated by Ha Quanan and Liu Zhihua, Oriental Publishing Center, 2010.

[6] Chen Mo et al. (eds.) History of Nations: Saudi Arabia[M]. Social Sciences Academic Press, 2011.

[7] Wu Yan. Research on the Process of Political Modernization in Saudi Arabia[M]. Zhejiang University Press, 2011.

[8]Karen Elliott House. On Saudi Arabia: Its People, Past, Religion, Fault Lines-and Future. Knopf, 2012.

[9] Robin Doak. Islamic World Empire[M]. Translated by Wang Yujie and Li Xiaotong, Commercial Press, 2015.

[10] Liu Dong. Saudi Arabia releases Vision 2030, oil-producing countries seek economic transformation[J]. International Petroleum Economics, 2017(1).

[11] Zhou Yijun. Beyond the Middle East: Witness and Reflection on the Global Democratic Wave[M]. CITIC Press, 2017.

[12] Eugene Logan. Arabs in Conquest and Revolution: 1516 to the Present [M]. Translated by Lian Chaoqun and Li Haipeng, Zhejiang People's Publishing House, 2019.

[13] Lü, Qin-Qin, Julian Henderson, Yongqiang Wang, and Binghua Wang. "Natron glass beads reveal proto-Silk Road between the Mediterranean and China in the 1st millennium BCE." Scientific Reports 11, no. 1 (2021): 3537.

[14] Jiang Yingmei. Ten years of dramatic changes in the Middle East: Dilemmas of economic transformation and development opportunities[J]. Middle East Studies, 2021(2).