Genetic disorders in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

The 23rd of September 1932 marks in history the foundation of modern Saudi Arabia, when a royal decree affirmed the unity of the nation and named the country the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). Spreading over 2,150,000 km2, KSA occupies almost 80% of the Arabian Peninsula. It is surrounded by the Red Sea on the west and the Arabian Gulf on the east; the coastlines of which stretch more than 2,300 km. Along the Red Sea lies Tihama coastal plain, to the east of which is the chain of Sarawat Mountains that extend beyond the southern and northern borders of Saudi Arabia. In the central part of the country lies the Najd plateau where the capital city, Riyadh, is located. Deserts cover more than half the total area of Saudi Arabia; the largest is the Empty Quarter in the Eastern Province (Saudi Geographical Society).