Saudi Arabian Road Map / خارطة طريق المملكة العربية السعودية

Description

This is a 1973 bilingual (Arabic-English) folding road map of the Arabian Peninsula prepared by the Arabian American Oil Company (Aramco). It was produced when the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Aramco were undergoing fundamental changes, prompted by the 1973 Yom Kippur War, which led the Kingdom to forcibly acquire a majority share in the company.

The Map in Detail

The map covers the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia along with neighboring countries and territories on the Arabian Peninsula and portions of other countries in the region. Surfaced roads, existing and under construction, as well as unsurfaced roads, proposed roads, trails, railways, airports, cities and towns, and administrative borders are noted. A table of distances records the length of travel between major Saudi cities. On the reverse side of the sheet from the English map is the same map and information in Arabic. In place of the title panel is a bilingual list of road signs and some helpful ‘Hints for Survival on the Road.’

Historical Context

The early 1970s marked a major shift in the relationship between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Aramco, moving from a foreign-controlled concession to a partnership defined by Saudi sovereignty. Under the leadership of King Faisal, the Kingdom began to assert direct control over its resources, particularly during the 1973 oil crisis that followed the Yom Kippur War. In response to geopolitical tensions, Saudi Arabia leveraged its oil reserves as a diplomatic tool, triggering an embargo that sent global prices skyrocketing. This period saw the Saudi government initiate ‘participation’ agreements, acquiring a 25% stake in Aramco in 1973, which rapidly increased to 60% by 1974. It was a strategic evolution rather than a sudden rupture, as the Kingdom sought to control its economic destiny while continuing to use American technical expertise.

The resulting influx of capital during the mid-1970s fundamentally transformed the Saudi landscape, funding ambitious infrastructure projects, including road construction, and marking the beginning of an era of modernization. While the four American partner companies of Aramco (Chevron, Texaco, Exxon, and Mobil) continued to manage operations, the power balance had irrevocably tilted toward Riyadh. Following the assassination of King Faisal in 1975, King Khalid continued this trajectory, overseeing an unprecedented period of growth. By the mid-1970s, Aramco was no longer just a private commercial entity operating on Saudi soil, but had become the primary engine of the state, setting the stage for the eventual full nationalization of the company and the birth of the modern global energy titan we recognize today.

Publication History and Census

This map was prepared by Aramco and printed by the Al-Mutawa Press in Dammam, a major oil production center adjacent to Dhahran, where Aramco’s headquarters are located. We can imagine that the map was distributed to Aramco employees traveling to other parts of the Kingdom from Dammam/Dhahran. There appear to be no recorded examples of this map in the OCLC.