third Saudi State

{{Short description|Contemporary state of Saudi Arabia}}

{{More citations needed|date=April 2025}}

{{hatnote|This article describes the origins and historical development of the current Saudi state. For information on its organization and structure, see Politics of Saudi Arabia.}}

{{Infobox country

| conventional_long_name = Third Saudi State

| native_name = {{native name|ar|الدَّولةُ السُّعوديَّة الثالثة}}

| common_name =

| image_flag = Flag of Saudi Arabia.svg

| flag_type = Flag

| image_coat = Emblem of Saudi Arabia.svg

| symbol_type = Emblem

| national_motto = {{lang|ar|لا إله إلا الله، محمد رسول الله}}
{{transliteration|ar|Lā ilāha illa allāh, Muḥammadun rasūlu allāh}}
"There is no god but Allah, Muhammad is the Messenger of God"{{cite web|url=http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/facts_and_figures/ |title=About Saudi Arabia: Facts and figures |publisher=The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia, Washington, DC|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417231457/http://www.saudiembassy.net/about/country-information/facts_and_figures/ |archive-date=17 April 2012 }}{{efn|The Shahādah (Statement of faith) is sometimes translated into English as 'There is no god but Allah', using the romanization of the Arabic word Allāh instead of its translation. The word Allāh ({{langx|ar|اللَّٰه}}) literally translates as God.{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithgod.html |title=God |work=Islam: Empire of Faith |publisher=PBS |access-date=3 September 2017 |archive-date=27 March 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140327034958/http://www.pbs.org/empires/islam/faithgod.html |url-status=live }}'Islam and Christianity', Encyclopedia of Christianity (2001): Arabic-speaking Christians and Jews also refer to God as Allah.{{Cite encyclopedia |title=Allah |encyclopedia=Encyclopaedia of Islam Online |author=L. Gardet}}}} (shahada)

| national_anthem = {{lang|ar|النشيد الوطني السعودي}}
"Chant of the Saudi Nation"
"Chant of the Saudi Nation"

| capital = Riyadh

| coordinates = {{Coord|24|39|N|46|46|E|type:city_region:SA}}

| largest_city = Riyadh

| official_languages = Arabic{{cite web |title=Basic Law of Governance |url=https://www.moe.gov.sa/en/TheMinistry/AboutKSA/Pages/System-of-Governance.aspx |access-date=1 September 2020 |website=Ministry of Education |publisher=Ministry of Education – Kingdom of Saudi Arabia |archive-date=5 December 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221205091610/https://www.moe.gov.sa/en/TheMinistry/AboutKSA/Pages/System-of-Governance.aspx |url-status=dead }}

| regional_languages =

| religion = Sunni Islam (official){{Cite web |title=Saudi Arabia |url=https://2009-2017.state.gov/documents/organization/171744.pdf |website=U.S. Department of State |quote=According to the basic law, Sunni Islam is the official religion and the country's constitution is the Qur'an and the Sunna (traditions and sayings of the Prophet Muhammad).}}

| year_start = 1902

| date_start = 13 January

| event_start = First literation

| event1 = Second literation

| date_event1 = April 1913

| event2 = Third literation

| date_event2 = 2 November 1921

| event3 = Fourth literation

| date_event3 = 8 January 1926

| year_end = 1932

| date_end = 23 September

| event_end = {{nowrap|Saudi Arabia established}}

| demonym = {{unbulleted list |Saudi|Saudi Arabian}}

| p1 = Emirate of Jabal Shammar

| flag_p1 = Flag of the Emirate of Ha'il.svg

| p2 = Kingdom of Hejaz

| flag_p2 = Flag of Hejaz (1917).svg

| p3 = Emirate of Asir

| flag_p4 = Flag of the Mutawakkilite Kingdom of Yemen.svg

| p4 = Kingdom of Yemen

| p5 = Principality of Najran

| flag_p6 = Flag of Upper Asir.svg

| p6 = Sheikdom of Upper Asir

| flag_p3 = Flag of the Idrisid Emirate of Asir (1927-1930).svg

| flag_s1 = Flag of the Third Saudi State-01.svg

| image_map = Saudi Unification Map.png

| map_width = 250px

| image_map_caption =

| common_languages = Arabic

| government_type = Islamic absolute monarchy

}}

The Third Saudi state is the heir to the two earlier Saudi states: the first and the second, founded by Abdul Aziz bin Abdul Rahman (also known as "Ibn Saud"), who managed to capture the city of Riyadh on January 13, 1902. A long series of conflicts and conquests ultimately led to the establishment of the modern and contemporary Saudi state, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.