Arab League - an international organization of independent Arab states formed in 1945 to promote cultural and economic and military and political and social cooperation

OPEC, Organization of Petroleum-Exporting Countries - an organization of countries formed in 1961 to agree on a common policy for the production and sale of petroleum

Mutawa, Mutawa'een - religious police in Saudi Arabia whose duty is to ensure strict adherence to established codes of conduct; offenders may be detained indefinitely; foreigners are not excluded

Asian country, Asian nation - countries occupying the Asian continent

Middle East, Mideast, Near East - the area around the eastern Mediterranean; from Turkey to northern Africa and eastward to Iran; the site of such ancient civilizations as Phoenicia and Babylon and Egypt and the birthplace of Judaism and Christianity and Islam; had continuous economic and political turmoil in the 20th century; "the Middle East is the cradle of Western civilization"

Arabia, Arabian Peninsula - a peninsula between the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf; strategically important for its oil resources

Gulf States - the countries in southwestern Asia that border the Persian Gulf

capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh - joint capital (with Mecca) of Saudi Arabia located in the central oasis; largest city in Saudi Arabia

Mecca - joint capital (with Riyadh) of Saudi Arabia; located in western Saudi Arabia; as the birthplace of Muhammad it is the holiest city of Islam

Al Madinah, Medina - a city in western Saudi Arabia; site of the tomb of Muhammad; the second most holy city of Islam

Dharhan - a town in eastern Saudi Arabia on an inlet from the Persian Gulf; in June 1996 terrorists bombed an apartment complex in Dharhan killing 19 United States soldiers and wounding more than 300 people

Jed'dah, Jeddah, Jidda, Jiddah - port city in western Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea; near Mecca

Tabuk - a city in northwestern Saudi Arabia

Taif - a city in western Saudi Arabia east of Mecca

Najd, Nejd - a central plateau region of the Arabian Peninsula; formely an independent sultanate until 1932 when it united with Hejaz to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Hedjaz, Hejaz, Hijaz - a coastal region of the western Arabian Peninsula bordering on the Red Sea; includes both Mecca and Medina; formerly an independent kingdom until it united with Nejd to form the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Saudi, Saudi Arabian - a native or inhabitant of Saudi Arabia