When did people settle in Saudi Arabia?

Archaeological evidence suggests that the Arabian Peninsula was inhabited by hominids as early as 2 million years ago. However, the first permanent settlements in Saudi Arabia date back to the Neolithic period, around 12,000 BCE. These early settlements were located along the Arabian Gulf coast and the Red Sea coast. The inhabitants of these settlements were primarily engaged in fishing and hunting.

The first major civilization to develop in Saudi Arabia was the Dilmun civilization, which flourished from 3000 BCE to 1800 BCE. The Dilmun civilization was centered on the island of Bahrain, but it also had settlements on the eastern coast of Saudi Arabia. The Dilmun people were skilled traders and seafarers, and they traded with civilizations in Mesopotamia, India, and East Africa.

The Dilmun civilization was followed by a number of other civilizations, including the Magan civilization, the Umm an-Nar civilization, and the Tayma civilization. These civilizations all flourished in different parts of Saudi Arabia, and they each made their own unique contributions to the development of the region.

By the 7th century CE, Saudi Arabia had become a center of Islamic culture and learning. The Islamic prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca in 570 CE, and the city of Medina became the first capital of the Islamic Caliphate. The Islamic Empire expanded rapidly after the death of Muhammad, and it soon included most of the Middle East and North Africa.

Saudi Arabia remained a part of the Islamic Empire until the 16th century CE, when it was conquered by the Ottoman Turks. The Ottomans ruled Saudi Arabia for over four centuries, but they were eventually overthrown by the Al Saud family in 1932. The Al Saud family established the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which is the modern state that exists today.