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The Arabian peninsula had a varied mix of ethnicities, languages and religions. The three main ethnicities were the nomadic Bedouin tribes, merchants from Egypt, Syria, Iran, and the Roman and Byzantine empires, and oasis-dwelling farmers. The SEMITIC languages of ARABIC, HEBREW, ARAMAIC, and SYRIAC were spoken. Religion varied with the POLYTHEISTIC Bedouins believing in Animism and Idolatry, and the Jews in Medina who were the first to follow a *MONOTHEISTIC (belief in one God) religion. -
The 1970s petroleum boom in Saudi Arabia attracted foreign workers that have impacted the country’s ethnic mix and languages used, but not religion. Initially, workers came from other Arabic speaking countries, many of whom simply stayed in Saudi Arabia after completing Hajj in Mecca. As Arabic-speaking Muslims, they integrated easily, and brought also customs from their home countries. -
Due to poverty at home, over 2 million Pakistanis and 1 million Filipinos are foreign workers in Saudi Arabia, this impacted the ethnicities and languages of Saudi Arabia, but not religion. As Muslims, Pakistanis mix well, and their languages were influenced by Arabic. Filipinos worked in construction, or as nurses or maids. Filipinos do not speak Arabic, but English serves as a common language in the country. Due to strict adherence to Islam, Christian Filipinos may not worship in Saudi Arabia. -
Saudi Arabia is less diverse in terms of ethnicities, language and religion. The ethnic mix of modern Saudi Arabia is approximately 90% Arab, and 10% Afro-Asian, however migrant workers, mainly from India, Pakistan and the Philippines, account for over 38% of the population. ARABIC is the country’s official language, however English is widely spoken and taught as a second language. Modern Saudi Arabia is *MONOTHEISTIC (believing in a single God), with Islam being the only permitted, religion.