Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
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Essential Food & Drink
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Mezze
Truly one of the joys of Arab cooking and similar in conception to Spanish
tapas, with infinite possibilities.
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Fuul
Mashed fava beans served with olive oil and often eaten for breakfast.
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Shwarma
Ubiquitous kebab- or souvlaki-style pita sandwich stuffed with meat.
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Baby camel
Among the tenderest of Saudi meats, it's a particular specialty of Jeddah
and the Hejaz.
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Red Sea seafood
Fresh and varied and at its best when slow-cooked over coals or
baked in the oven; try
samak mashwi
(fish basted in a date puree and barbecued over hot
coals).
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Khouzi
A Bedouin dish of lamb stuffed with rice, nuts, onions, sultanas, spices, eggs
and a whole chicken.
AT A GLANCE
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Currency
: Saudi riyal (SR)
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Money
: ATMs widespread, credit cards widely accepted
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Visas
: Only business visas (no tourist visas)
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Mobile Phones
: GSM phone network widespread
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Fast Facts
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Official name
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
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Capital
Riyadh
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Area
2,149,690 sq km
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Population
26.5 million
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Country code
966
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