8 Fun Facts About Saudi Arabia | ExpatWoman.com
 

8 Fun Facts About Saudi Arabia

Just like any other country in the world, Saudi Arabia has its quirks and a number of amusing facts that you never knew about...

Posted on

26 September 2016

Last updated on 27 June 2017
8 Fun Facts About Saudi Arabia

Just like any other country in the world, Saudi Arabia has its quirks and a number of amusing facts that you never knew about...

8 Fun Facts About Saudi Arabia

Hungry Bunny
The restaurant called Hungry Bunny¹ has been making it’s way across Saudi Arabia since 1987. It serves everything from a “bunny burger” to ice cream, topped with a questionable bunny mascot.

Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University
Saudi Arabia completed the world’s largest women’s university² in 2011, called Princess Nora Bint Abdulrahman University in Riyadh. It hosts up to 50,000 students in its 26 million square feet campus.

SEE ALSO: 7 things i miss about Saudi Arabia

Sandboarding is a thing
With over 275,000 square miles of desert and sand dunes up to 500 feet in height, past-times like sandboarding are popular among locals and expatriates.


Camel


The camel market
The largest camel market in the world is hosted here (held outside of Buraydah in Al-Qassim) with an estimated 100 camels sold everyday.

SEE ALSO: Life in Saudi Arabia: myths vs reality

Sidewalk skiing
Yes it really does exist... Sidewalk skiing – tipping your car on its side wheels while driving – has become a national pastime. Global rapper M.I.A. even featured the stunt in her video for “Bad Girls” (while also commenting on the fact that women can’t drive in the kingdom).

The first film to be produced by a filmmaker was in 2013
Saudi’s first female filmmaker Haifaa Al Mansour, directed the first “full-length feature film to be shot and produced” in the country in 2013 titled “Wadjda.”

Saudi filmmaker Mahmoud Sabbagh, created the country’s first “rom-com” feature film in 2015 called “Barakah meets Barakah.” It premiered this year at global film festivals such as the Toronto Film Festival to positive reviews.

Vogue Fashion Experience Jeddah


Jeddah Vogue Fashion Experience
There is a flourishing fashion industry in the country. In 2016, the magazine Vogue held the “Jeddah Vogue Fashion Experience” contest to “promote young Saudi women designers.” 

Sources: 1/2/


Victoria H contributor expatwomanAbout the Author

Victoria is a trained historian and political scientist, as well as an aspiring writer and photographer. She holds a masters degree in Global Affairs from the University of Toronto, and currently works as a Content Coordinator with MaRS Discovery District. As a third-culture-kid who grew up in Saudi Arabia, she hopes to use her academic background to educate people about the world through creative means. Her blog Safar, features the stories of TCKs and expats, as well as commentary on travel, politics and culture.