Americans living in Saudi Arabia

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Americans in Saudi Arabia
Total population
80,000 [1] [2]
Regions with significant populations
Riyadh  · Jeddah  · Dhahran  · Khobar  · Neom
Languages
English  · Arabic and Spanish
Religion
Protestantism  · Islam  · Roman Catholicism  · Judaism

There is a sizable community of around 80,000 Americans living in Saudi Arabia, one of the largest populations of American nationals in the Arab world. [3] [4] Most work in the oil industry and in the construction and financial sectors. Westerners, including Americans, live in housing compounds with luxurious amenities, such as swimming pools and tennis courts, which are sealed off from surrounding neighborhoods by high walls and gates which give Americans "some security and privacy from the country's strict Islamic code on matters of dress and social mixing." [5]

The largest American communities are in the capital of Riyadh, the headquarters of the most multinational corporations in the kingdom. Other American communities are located in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, a major commercial center. There are smaller American communities in the eastern cities of Dammam, Khobar and Dhahran, serving the local oil fields. [5] Saudi Arabia also has some 5,000 U.S. military personnel.

See also

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The following lists events in the year 2019 in Saudi Arabia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">May 2019 Gulf of Oman incident</span> Sabotage of 4 commercial ships in the Gulf of Oman

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abqaiq–Khurais attack</span> Drone attack on Saudi oil processing facilities

On 14 September 2019, drones were used to attack oil processing facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais (خريص) in eastern Saudi Arabia. The facilities were operated by Saudi Aramco, the country's state-owned oil company. The Houthi movement in Yemen claimed responsibility, tying it to events surrounding the Saudi intervention in the Yemeni Civil War and stating they used ten drones in the attack launched from Yemen, south of the facilities. Saudi Arabian officials said that many more drones and cruise missiles were used for the attack and originated from the north and east, and that they were of Iranian manufacture. The United States and Saudi Arabia have stated that Iran was behind the attack while France, Germany, and the United Kingdom jointly stated Iran bears responsibility for it. Iran has denied any involvement. The situation exacerbated the 2019 Persian Gulf crisis.

Events in the year 2021 in Saudi Arabia.

The 2022 Abu Dhabi attack was an attack against three oil tanker trucks and an under construction airport extension infrastructure in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates conducted by the Houthi movement using drones and missiles. Although several missiles and drones were intercepted, 3 civilians were killed and 6 were injured by a drone attack.

During the presidency of Barack Obama, the United States began providing Saudi Arabia with critical support to "sustain" the Saudi Arabian–led intervention in the Yemeni Civil War, later expanded during the presidency of Donald Trump. This support included logistical and intelligence aid. Trump vetoed a bipartisan bill in 2019 aimed at stopping U.S. support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. In 2021, Joe Biden vowed to halt U.S. support for the war, though U.S. arms sales to the coalition have continued.

Events in the year 2022 in Saudi Arabia.

References

  1. Abizaid, John, U.S. Ambassador Abizaid's Message to American Citizens about COVID-19., U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia, retrieved 2022-03-10
  2. "Houthi Terrorist Attack in Saudi Arabia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  3. Abizaid, John, U.S. Ambassador Abizaid's Message to American Citizens about COVID-19., U.S. Mission Saudi Arabia, retrieved 2022-03-10
  4. "Houthi Terrorist Attack in Saudi Arabia". United States Department of State. Retrieved 2022-02-11.
  5. 1 2 "35,000 Americans Live in Saudi Arabia". Fox News. 2003-05-13. Retrieved 2022-08-07.