• King Abdullah is the king of Saudi Arabia. He officially assumed the throne on August 1, 2005, though he had been acting regent of Saudi Arabia since January 1, 1996, when his half brother, King Fahd, suffered a massive stroke. King Abdullah is a follower of the Salafi school of Sunni Islam, a practice commonly known as Wahhabism. In March, 2008, King Abdullah made an unprecedented call for an inter-faith dialog between various leaders of Islam, Judaism, and Christianity. The King has been a longtime ally of the United States and has encouraged foreigners to live and work in Saudi Arabia. This has motivated several terrorists attacks against the country, to which King Abdullah has responded by launching a large-scale anti-terrorism campaign. King Abdullah has been criticized for his harsh treatment of some religious minorities and also for discriminatory policies against women and homosexuals.

• Fast Facts

  1. Born: August, 1924
  2. Succession: August 1, 2005
  3. Became acting regent on January 1, 1996
  4. Estimated Wealth: $23 billion
  5. Religion: Salafi Sunni Islam
  6. Paid for the separation surgery of Polish conjoined twins in 2005

• Royal Visit to United States

  King Abdullah visited the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota on November 15th for a check up. He arrived with a royal entourage of several hundred, including at least five princes. It is estimated that the royal family spent up to $1.5 million, which should help offset the areas current economic problems.Associated Press: Saudi royals shot in arm for home of Mayo Clinic

• Related Mahalo Pages

  OPEC | U.S.-Saudi Relations | Girl of Qatif | Sunni Islam | Saudi Arabia | KAUST | Prince Alwaleed bin Talal | Obama Bow

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