Saudi Arabia has a population of around 36 million, of whom roughly 38% are foreign nationals — a ratio that makes Saudi society unusually layered. The expatriate workforce includes millions of South Asian, Southeast Asian, and Arab workers in construction, domestic work, healthcare, and services, alongside a professional class from Europe, North America, and other Gulf states.
Saudi nationals are predominantly Arab, with tribal identities still significant in social life. The Hejaz region (the west coast, including Jeddah) has historically been more cosmopolitan, shaped by centuries of trade and pilgrimage traffic. The Najd (the central plateau around Riyadh) is considered more conservative and is the heartland of the Wahhabi religious tradition that has long shaped Saudi law and public life.
The Arabic spoken in Saudi Arabia is Gulf Arabic, though regional accents and dialects vary. English is widely understood in cities, particularly in business and tourism contexts.
The population is young: roughly half are under 35. Decades of educational expansion have produced a generation with different expectations than their parents, and the social transformations of Vision 2030 — women driving, cinemas reopening, mixed public entertainment — reflect both government policy and genuine generational demand.
Saudis are generally hospitable to foreign visitors. Genuine curiosity about travelers is common. The religion is Islam; practice ranges from the devout to the observant-but-pragmatic, though public norms remain conservative by Western standards. Dress modestly, greet with respect, and if invited into someone's home, consider yourself fortunate — Saudi hospitality at its best is generous and warm.