Oil, Sovereignty, and Modern Geopolitics The discovery of oil in the 1930s transformed the region's relationship with the outside world. The relationship between Saudi Arabia and colonialism is complex, often leading to the question: was Saudi Arabia ever colonized? The short answer is no, the region that constitutes the modern Kingdom of Saudi Arabia was never formally colonized by a European power in the way India, Africa, or Indonesia were.
Saudi Arabia Under Ottoman Control: History and Lasting Influence
The British Empire, seeking to protect its route to India and counter French influence, established protectorates over the coastal regions of what is now Kuwait, Bahrain, and the Trucial States (modern-day UAE). This unification was achieved by local forces, not by a colonizing power, which is the primary reason the state is not a former colony.
Crucially, the interior of the Arabian Peninsula, where Abdulaziz Ibn Saud was consolidating power, remained outside of these direct British controls, preserving a space for independent state-building. The 1973 oil embargo demonstrated the immense power Saudi Arabia holds on the world stage, a position it leverages independently.
Saudi Arabia Under Ottoman Rule: History and Control
Through a combination of strategic warfare, diplomacy, and forming alliances with the Ikhwan religious warriors, he conquered the Hejaz in 1924-1925 and consolidated the various tribes and regions into what he named the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in 1932. While the Hashemite kingdoms of Hejaz and Syria emerged briefly, they were ultimately short-lived.
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