A chronology of key events:

1891 - The Al Sa'ud family are exiled to Kuwait by the Rashidi family

1902 - Abd-al-Aziz Bin-Abd-al-Rahman Bin-Faysal Bin-Turki Bin-Abdallah Bin-Muhammad Al Sa'ud (often known as Ibn Sa'ud) takes control of Riyadh bringing the Al Sa'ud family back into Saudi Arabia

1912 - The Ikhwan (Brotherhood) is founded based on Wahhabism; it grows quickly and provides key support for Abd-al-Aziz

1913 - Hasa is taken from the Ottomans by Abd-al-Aziz

1921 - Abd-al-Aziz takes the title Sultan of Najd

1924 - Mecca regained

1925 - Medina retaken

Brotherhood trouble

1926 - Abd-al-Aziz is proclaimed King of the Hijaz in the Grand Mosque of Mecca

1928-1930 - The Ikhwan turn against Abd-al-Aziz due to the modernization of the region and the increasing numbers of non-Muslims. They are defeated by Abd-al-Aziz

1932 September - The areas controlled by Abd-al-Aziz are unified under the name Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Abd-al-Aziz is proclaimed King

1933 - King Abd-al-Aziz's eldest son, Sa'ud, is named Crown Prince

1938 - Oil is discovered and production begins under the US controlled ARAMCO (Arabian American Oil Company)

1953 November - King Abd-al-Aziz dies and is succeeded by the Crown Prince Sa'ud Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Sa'ud. The new King's brother, Faysal is named Crown Prince

King Sa'ud deposed

1960 - Saudi Arabia is a founding member of OPEC (Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries)

1964 November - King Sa'ud is deposed by his brother, the Crown Prince, Faysal Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Sa'ud

1970 - The OIC (Organization of the Islamic Conference) is founded in Jiddah, Saudi Arabia

1972 - For the first time, Saudi Arabia gains control of a proportion (20 per cent) of ARAMCO lessening the control of the Americans over Saudi's oil

1973 - Saudi Arabia leads an oil boycott against the Western countries that supported Israel in the October War against Egypt and Syria leading to the quadrupling of oil prices

King Faysal assassinated

1975 March - King Faysal is assassinated by his nephew, Faysal Bin-Musa'id Bin-Abd-al-Aziz; he is succeeded by his brother, Khalid Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Sa'ud

1979 - Saudi Arabia severs diplomatic relations with Egypt after it makes peace with Israel

1979 - Extremists seize the Grand Mosque of Mecca; the government regains control after 10 days and those captured are executed

1980 - Saudi Arabia takes full control of ARAMCO from the US

1981 May - Saudi Arabia is a founder member of the GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council)

King Khalid dies

1982 June - King Khalid dies of a heart attack and is succeeded by his brother, Crown Prince Fahd Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Sa'ud

1986 November - King Fahd adds the title "Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques" to his name

1987 - Saudi Arabia resumes diplomatic relations with Egypt (severed since 1979)

1990 - Saudi Arabia condemns the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait and asks the US to intervene; it allows foreign troops, the Kuwaiti government and many of its citizens to stay in Saudi Arabia but expels citizens of Yemen and Jordan due to their governments' support of Iraq

Saudi attacks Iraq

1991 - Saudi Arabia is involved in both air attacks on Iraq and in the land force that went on to liberate Kuwait

1992 March - King Fahd announces the "Basic System of Government" emphasising the duties and responsiblities a ruler has for his people and proposed the setting up of a Consultative Council (majlis al-shura)

1993 September - King Fahd decrees the division of Saudi Arabia into thirteen administrative divisions

1993 December - The Consultative Council (majlis al-shura) is inaugurated. It is composed of a chairman and sixty members chosen by the King

1994 - Islamic dissident Usamah Bin-Ladin is stripped of his Saudi nationality

King Fahd ill

1995 November - King Fahd has a stroke; the day to day running of the country is entrusted to Crown Prince Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Sa'ud

1996 February - King Fahd resumes control of state affairs

1996 June - A bomb explodes at the US military complex near Dhahran killing 19 and wounding over 300

1997 July - King Fahd increases the members of the Consultative Council (majlis al-shura) from sixty to ninety