Jeddah, alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda, is a port city in Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia, located along the Red Sea coast in the Hejaz region. Jeddah is the commercial center of the country. It is not known when Jeddah was founded, but Jeddah's prominence grew in 647 when the Caliph Uthman made it a travel hub serving Muslim travelers going to the holy city of Mecca for Islamic pilgrimage. Since those times, Jeddah has served as the gateway for millions of pilgrims who have arrived in Saudi Arabia, traditionally by sea and recently by air.
AlBaik is a Saudi fast food restaurant chain headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia that primarily sells broasted and fried chicken with a variety of sauces. It is the largest restaurant chain in Saudi Arabia. Albaik currently has a trade name in 80 countries.
Saudi Arabia is the second biggest tourist destination in the Middle East with over 16 million visiting in 2017. Although most tourism in Saudi Arabia still largely involves religious pilgrimages, there is growth in the leisure tourism sector. As the tourism sector has been largely boosted lately, the sector is expected to a significant industry for Saudi Arabia, reducing its dependence on oil revenues. This is proved as tourism sector is expected to generate $25 billion in 2019. Potential tourist areas include the Hijaz and Sarawat Mountains, Red Sea diving and a number of ancient ruins.
Filipinos in Saudi Arabia are migrants or descendants of the Philippines who live in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia is currently the largest employer of Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), and has the largest Filipino population in the Middle East. Filipinos make up the fourth-largest group of foreigners in Saudi Arabia, and are the second-largest source of remittances to the Philippines.
Indonesians in Saudi Arabia consist largely of female domestic workers, with a minority of other types of labour migrants. As of 2018, an estimated 600,000 Indonesians were believed to be working in Saudi Arabia, comparable to the numbers of migrants are the groups from Bangladesh, India, Philippines and Pakistan, which number between 1 and 4 million people each.
Russia–Saudi Arabia relations are the bilateral relations between the Russian Federation and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The two countries are referred to as the two petroleum superpowers and account for about a quarter of the world's crude oil production between them.
Bilateral relations between Iran and Saudi Arabia have been strained over several geopolitical issues, such as aspirations for regional leadership, oil export policy and relations with the United States and other Western countries. Diplomatic relations were suspended from 1987 to 1990, and in 2016 for seven years following certain issues like the intervention in Yemen, Iran embassy bombing in Yemen, incidents in 2015 Hajj, the execution of Nimr al-Nimr, the attack on the Saudi diplomatic missions in Iran. However, in March 2023, after discussions brokered by China and Iraq, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to reestablish relations.
Malaysia–Saudi Arabia relations refers to the current and historical relationship between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Kuala Lumpur, while Malaysia has a High Commission in Riyadh and a consulate general in Jeddah. Relations, both diplomatic and economic, are quite close between the two Muslim-majority Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) members.
Hajj is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and of supporting their family during their absence from home.
Saudi Arabia–Thailand relations refers to the current and historical relations between Saudi Arabia and Thailand. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Bangkok and Thailand has an embassy in Riyadh but representation is at the chargé d'affaires rather than ambassadorial level. However, Saudi Arabia and Thailand aim to restore the relations between their two nations. Relations between the two countries were established in 1957 and hundreds of thousands of Thais went to Saudi Arabia to work. The historically friendly and strategic partnership between Saudi Arabia and Thailand has deteriorated significantly following the Blue Diamond Affair. Although regardless of relation status, Saudi Arabia and Thailand have high trade between two nations. In recent years Saudi Arabia and Thailand have shown intent to repair the relations between the two kingdoms. On 26 January 2022, both countries announced they restored full diplomatic relations and would appoint ambassadors.
The e-Government in Saudi Arabia was established as per Royal Decree No. 7/B/33181 dated 7 September 2003. The e-Government was created by the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology. In 2005, the Ministry of Communications and Information Technology created the e-Government Program Yesser with the ministry of finance and the Communications and Information Technology Commission. The portal offers around 2500 services for people of Saudi Arabia. The main goal of the service is to facilitate the transactions of citizens, residents and visitors by providing a quick and sufficient assistance. Moreover, Yesser contributes to encouraging governmental agencies in achieving a sustainable progress by improving efficiency and capacity.
Philippines–United Arab Emirates relations are the bilateral relations of the Republic of the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates.
Oman–Philippines relations refers to the bilateral relations between Oman and the Philippines. Diplomatic relations between Oman and the Philippines were established on October 6, 1980. The Philippine embassy in Riyadh covered Oman until March 1992 when the Philippines established a resident embassy in Muscat. Oman's embassy in Kuala Lumpur covered the Philippines until the opening of the Omani embassy in Manila in July 2013.
Indonesia and Saudi Arabia established diplomatic relations in 1950. Relations are particularly important because Saudi Arabia is the birthplace of Islam, and Indonesia is home to the world's largest Muslim population; both are Muslim majority countries. Economy and trade relations are also particularly important, especially on oil (energy) and human resources sectors. Saudi Arabia has an embassy in Jakarta, while Indonesia has an embassy in Riyadh and a consulate in Jeddah. Both countries are members of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and G-20 major economies.
International Philippine School in Jeddah is a Philippine international school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It serves levels pre-elementary through senior high school. As of 2005 it had over 1,000 students, making it the world's largest Philippine international school.
Saudi Arabia and the Republic of China (ROC) have had a long relationship with diplomatic, military, and commercial elements. Relations formally existed until 1990 after which Saudi Arabia recognized the People's Republic of China (PRC).
Kuwait–Philippines relations refers to the bilateral ties of Kuwait and the Philippines.
Imelda Macapundag Panolong is a Filipina career diplomat who is the current Ambassador of the Philippines to Oman. She is the first Muslim woman in the Philippine diplomatic corps to be promoted to the rank of Career Minister and later, Chief of Mission, Class II and also the first female Muslim ambassador of the Philippines. Before becoming ambassador, she served as the consul general of the Philippine Consulate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and has completed tours of duty in Pakistan, Bahrain, Canada, Indonesia and the United States.
The Embassy of the Philippines in Cairo is the diplomatic mission of the Republic of the Philippines to the Arab Republic of Egypt. Opened in 1960, it is currently located in the southern Maadi district of Cairo, near the Cairo American College.
