King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud
Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was proclaimed the sixth King of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005.
King Abdullah, the founder of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is also Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers and Commander
of the National Guard.
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King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, was proclaimed the sixth King of Saudi Arabia on August 1, 2005. King
Abdullah, the founder of King Abdullah University of Science and Technology, is also Prime Minister of the Council of Ministers and Commander of the
National Guard.
King Abdullah was born in Riyadh in 1924, and received his early education at the Royal Court. Influenced by his father, founder of the modern
Kingdom, King Abdulaziz Al Saud, he developed a profound respect for religion, history, and the Arab heritage. His years spent living in the desert
with Bedouin tribes taught him their values of honor, simplicity, generosity, and bravery, and instilled in him the desire to assist in the development
of his people.
In 1962, Prince Abdullah was chosen by King Faisal to command the National Guard. He was appointed Second Deputy Prime Minister in 1975 on the
succession of King Khalid, and when King Fahd came to the throne in 1982, he was named Crown Prince and First Deputy Prime Minister. In the latter capacity,
he presided over cabinet meetings and governed the country as deputy to Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Fahd bin Abdulaziz Al Saud.
Since ascending the throne in 2005, King Abdullah has made development a central focus of his reign. He has initiated a range of major economic, social,
education, health, and infrastructure projects that have brought about remarkable changes throughout the Kingdom.
King Abdullah's notable achievements in this area include the launch of four economic cities, the creation of KAUST and the Princess Nourah bint
Abdulrahman University for Girls, projects to expand the Two Holy Mosques and major welfare projects. He also approved a historic reorganization of Saudi
Arabia's judicial system and enacted laws to formalize the royal succession. As Crown Prince in 2005, he closely monitored the ongoing election process for
the country's municipal councils.
On a global level, King Abdullah's participation in international diplomacy reflects the Kingdom's leadership role in defense of Arab and Islamic issues
and for the achievement of world peace, stability, and security. He has taken a leading role in promoting dialogue among the world's leading faiths, resulting
in the convention of the World Conference on Dialogue in Spain and a United Nations conference on dialogue in 2008.
Throughout his life, King Abdullah has retained a love of the desert and horsemanship. He is a breeder of pure Arabian horses, and founder of the equestrian
club in Riyadh. Another life-long passion is reading, to which he attributes great importance. He has established two libraries, the King Abdulaziz Library
in Riyadh, and one in Casablanca, Morocco.