Question

Why did Western nations become interested in Saudi Arabia during the twentieth century?

Saudi Arabia abandoned Islamic law.
The nation set up European-style courts.
The country was becoming more modern.
Oil was discovered on the Arabian peninsula.

Answer 1

Western nations became particularly interested in Saudi Arabia during the twentieth century primarily due to the discovery of oil on the Arabian Peninsula. The vast oil reserves in Saudi Arabia, discovered in the late 1930s, transformed the region's geopolitical significance, making it a critical ally for Western powers, particularly the United States and Britain, in terms of energy security and economic interests. While modernization and other factors like legal reforms may have played a role, the primary catalyst for Western interest in Saudi Arabia was its oil wealth.