Christians have been praying for Saudi Arabia for years and as a result, some openness has been recorded. For example, in October 2005, King and Prime Minister Abdullah, in his first TV appearance, publicly stated “people are free to practice their faith in the privacy of their homes”.
During this time Bahrain used its income to develop the state. Its education has one of the highest standards in the region and has claimed the highest literacy level in the Arab world.
Another important element of Iranian society is that two-thirds of Iran's 70 million people today are under 30 years of age, and half are under 20 years.
Iraq's population represents a wide spectrum of religious and ethnic groupings. Most Iraqis are Arabs and live along the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, or on the fertile plain between the rivers. Bedouins roam vast deserts in the west and south.
In 1948, the State of Israel was established and during the Israeli War of Independence, East Jerusalem became part of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and West Jerusalem was declared the capitol of the State of Israel.
Jordan’s relative freedom and stability have made it possible for a lot of Christian literature and Bibles to be distributed and for the establishment of Bible correspondence courses. The media has been an effective means of communicating and promoting the Gospel.
The government policy of grouping people by religion plays a critical role in Lebanon’s political and social life and has given rise to Lebanon’s most persistent and bitter conflicts. It is the only Arab State that is not officially Muslim.
Salalah is situated about 1,000 km southwest of Muscat — about 11 hours by bus through barren wastes. Salalah, the only area in Oman where the monsoon rain falls, is fruitful. At its greenest time in the autumn, thousands of visitors come for the Khareef festival.
It is generally thought that the Alawites (formerly called Nusairians) trace their origins to the religious teacher Muhammad Ibn Nusair (died around 883). His teaching led to a new sect and a consequent splitting from Ismailism, a Shiite cult of Islam.
Outside of Turkey, Mugla province is known for its popular seaside resorts such as Bodrum, Marmaris and Fethiye, but other coastal towns are drawing more and more tourists every year. Of all Turkish provinces, Mugla has the most beaches.
