Middle East DVEP - Armed Forces Pest Management Board

ocky central plateau, the Nejd, which is mostly devoid of vegetation but interspersed withfertile oases. (3) The country’s largest desert (647,500 sq km), the Rub’ al Khali (EmptyQuarter), covers the southern one-fourth of Saudi Arabia. (4) The northern desert (AnNafud) is a low-lying plain made up mostly of rock and gravel. (5) To the east along thePersian Gulf lies a flat coastal strip and the Ad Dahna Desert, Saudi Arabia’s oil-richsector.b. Climate. A very hot, arid, desert climate predominates over most of Saudi Arabia.Inland, summer temperatures can reach 48 o C, with winter temperatures falling as low as –2 o C. Daytime temperature variations of 10 o C or more are common. The mountain regionsand coastal areas generally have summer temperatures a few degrees lower. ThroughoutSaudi Arabia, winter (November to February) nights can be bitterly cold, withtemperatures occasionally falling below freezing; frost and snow may occur inmountainous areas. Saudi Arabia’s annual rainfall, infrequent and erratic, varies from 100to 200 mm in the north to less than 100 mm in the south, except in the Asir (southwesternSaudi Arabia), where annual rainfall reaches 300 mm. Relative humidity in Riyadh is verylow, making summers especially dry and dusty. Jeddah and Dhahran have a tropicalclimate, mild in winter with hot and very humid summers. Heaviest rainfall occurs inJeddah during November and December. Sand and dust storms occur frequently yearroundbut are most severe from March through August._____________________________________________________________________________________Riyadh (elevation 612 m)Mean Daily Temperatures ( o C)MONTH J F M A M J J A S O N DMaximum 20 23 27 33 38 41 43 42 40 34 27 22Minimum 9 11 16 20 26 27 29 28 25 21 16 11Monthly PrecipitationMean (mm) 11 6 27 27 6 0 1 0 0 1 2 13______________________________________________________________________________________c. Population and Culture. The indigenous population is highly urbanized andmostly literate. Although the overall population density is 6 persons per sq km, only 1% ofthe land is inhabited. The provinces encompassing Mecca and Riyadh account for morethan 44% of the population. While foreigners officially make up 35% of the population,the actual figure likely approaches 50%. The population’s ethnic make-up is 90% Arab and10% Afro-Asian. Nearly all Caucasians and Europeans living in Saudi Arabia areexpatriates from other nations, and most are fulfilling work or other obligations. Totalpopulation 20.8 million; 79% urbanized; literacy rate = 62%.The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca attracts over a million people from over 80different countries (mostly Africa, the Indian subcontinent, and Southeast Asia). Pilgrimscongregate together with up to a million Saudis and resident expatriates for about a week.Epidemic illness is a serious risk during this religious event. Outbreaks of plague, cholera,and other communicable diseases have occurred in the past. Malaria has also been56