Saudi Arabia: New Vistas

Opportunities for economic growth have increased steadily over the decades since King Abdul Aziz founded the kingdom. At that time, prospects for development seemed limited. There were no airports, and the only seaports dealt primarily with pilgrimage travel. Transportation between cities separated by miles of barren desert was on rough, unpaved roads. Agriculture was limited, and industry almost non-existent. The annual pilgrimage of Muslims to the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah represented a primary source of revenue.