A chronology of key events:
1871 - The Ottomans take control of the province of Hasa.
Millions converge on Mecca's Grand Mosque every year
1891 - The Al Saud 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 Saud (often known as Ibn Saud) takes control of Riyadh bringing the Al Saud 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.
1928-30 - The Ikhwan turn against Abd-al-Aziz due to the modernisation 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, Saud, 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 Saud Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud. The new King's brother, Faysal is named Crown Prince.
King Saud deposed
1960 - Saudi Arabia is a founding member of Opec (Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries).
Saudi prosperity rests on its oil
1964 November - King Saud is deposed by his brother, the Crown Prince, Faysal Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud.
1970 - The OIC (Organisation of the Islamic Conference) is founded in Jeddah.
1972 - Saudi Arabia gains control of a proportion (20%) of Aramco, lessening US control over Saudi oil.
1973 - Saudi Arabia leads an oil boycott against the Western countries that supported Israel in the October War against Egypt and Syria. Oil prices quadruple.
King Faysal assassinated
1975 March - King Faysal is assassinated by his nephew, Faysal Bin-Musaid Bin-Abd-al-Aziz; he is succeeded by his brother, Khalid Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud.
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 Saud.
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 Iraq's 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 because of their governments' support of Iraq.
Saudi attacks Iraq
Militants have clashed repeatedly with security forces Timeline: Saudi attacks
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 of a ruler. He proposes setting up 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 is inaugurated. It is composed of a chairman and 60 members chosen by the king.
1994 - Islamic dissident Osama Bin Laden is stripped of his Saudi nationality.
King Fahd ill
1995 November - King Fahd has a stroke. Crown Prince Abdullah Bin-Abd-al-Aziz Al Saud takes on the day-to-day running of the country.
1996 February - King Fahd resumes control of state affairs.
HOUSE OF SAUD
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.
1999 October - Twenty Saudi women attend a session of the Consultative Council for the first time.
2000 September - UK-based rights group Amnesty International describes Saudi Arabia's treatment of women, particularly foreign domestic workers, as "untenable" by any legal or moral standard.
2001 March - Several British workers are arrested in Riyadh after a series of blasts in which a British and an American national are killed.
Relations with US
2001 11 September - 15 of the 19 hijackers involved in attacks on New York and Washington are Saudi nationals.
Saudi-US ties were strained after 9/11 attacks 2005: Saudis dismiss Rice's criticism
2001 December - King Fahd calls for the eradication of terrorism, saying it is prohibited by Islam; government takes the unprecedented step of issuing ID cards to women.
2002 February - British man arrested in Riyadh after the March 2001 bombings claims the Saudi authorities tortured him and forced a confession. The man, Ron Jones, had been released after being allowed to retract his confession.
2002 May - Revised criminal code includes ban on torture and right of suspects to legal representation, but rights campaigners say violations continue.
2002 November - Saudi foreign minister says his country will not allow the US to use its facilities to attack Iraq, even in a UN-sanctioned strike.
2003 April - US says it will pull out almost all its troops from Saudi Arabia, ending a military presence dating back to the 1991 Gulf war. Both countries stress that they will remain allies.
2003 May - Suicide bombers kill 35 people at housing compounds for Westerners in Riyadh hours before US Secretary of State Colin Powell flies in for planned visit.
Signs of dissent
2003 September - More than 300 Saudi intellectuals - women as well as men - sign petition calling for far-reaching political reforms.
2003 October - Police break up unprecedented rally in centre of Riyadh calling for political reform. More than 270 people are arrested.
2003 November - Suicide attack by suspected al-Qaeda militants on residential compound in Riyadh leaves 17 dead and scores injured.
2003 November - King grants wider powers to Consultative Council (majlis al-shura), enabling it to propose legislation without his permission.
2004 February - Stampede at Hajj pilgrimage leaves 251 dead.
2004 April - Four police officers and a security officer killed in attacks near Riyadh. Car bomb at security forces' HQ in Riyadh kills four, wounds 148. Group linked to al-Qaeda claims responsibility.
Attacks
2004 May - Attack at petrochemical site in Yanbu kills five foreigners. Attack and hostage-taking at oil company compound in Khobar; 22 people are killed.
Municipal polls, a tentative step towards democracy 2005: Saudis' first exercise in democracy
2004 June - Three gun attacks in Riyadh within a week leave two Americans and a BBC cameraman dead. The same week, a US engineer is abducted and beheaded, his filmed death causing revulsion in America.
Security forces kill local al-Qaeda leader Abdul Aziz al-Muqrin shortly afterwards, but an amnesty for militants which follows has only limited effect despite a fall in militant activity.
2004 December - Attack on US consulate in Jeddah; five staff and four attackers are killed.
Two car bombs explode in central Riyadh; security forces kill seven suspects in a subsequent raid.
2005 February-April - First-ever nationwide municipal elections. Women do not take part in the poll.
2005 1 August - Saudi royal court announces death of King Fahd. He is succeeded by the former crown prince, Abdullah.
2005 September - Five gunmen and three police officers killed in clashes in the eastern city of Dammam.
AL-YAMAMAH ARMS DEAL
2005 November - World Trade Organization gives the green light to Saudi Arabia's membership following 12 years of talks.
2006 January - 363 Hajj pilgrims are killed in a crush during a stone-throwing ritual in Mecca. In a separate incident, more than 70 pilgrims are killed when a hostel in the city collapses.
2006 February - Government says it has foiled a planned suicide bomb attack on a major oil-processing plant at Abqaiq.
2006 June - Six men allegedly linked to al-Qaeda are killed in a shootout with police in Riyadh, the latest of several incidents involving Islamist militants.
2006 October - Saudi Arabia moves to formalise the royal succession in an apparent bid to prevent infighting among the next generation of princes.
2006 December - Britain halts a fraud investigation into the al-Yamamah defence deal with Saudi Arabia.
2007 February - Four French nationals are killed in a suspected terror attack near the north-western ruins of Madain Saleh, which are popular with tourists.
Arrests
2007 April - Police say they have arrested 172 terror suspects, some of whom trained as pilots for suicide missions.
2007 July - Religious police are banned from detaining suspects. The force has come under increasing criticism for overzealous behaviour after recent deaths in custody.
2007 September - Saudi Arabia, Britain agree a deal for 72 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets.
2007 October - Royal decree orders an overhaul of the judicial system.
2007 December - Authorities announce arrest of a group of men suspected of planning attacks on holy sites during the Hajj pilgrimage.
2008 April - British High Court rules British government acted unlawfully in dropping corruption inquiry into the £43bn Saudi Al-Yamamah defence deal.
2008 July - British House of Lords reverses High Court decision and says their government acted lawfully in dropping investigation into the Al-Yamamah defence deal as the Saudis had threatened to withdraw cooperation with London on security matters.
2008 December - Saudi Arabia and Qatar agree final delineation of border.
2009 February - Interpol issues security alerts for 85 men suspected of plotting attacks in Saudi Arabia, in its largest group alert. All but two are Saudis.
King Abdullah sacks head of religious police, most senior judge and central bank head in rare government reshuffle. Also appoints country's first woman minister.
2009 April - Saudi Arabia said it had arrested 11 al-Qaeda militants who were allegedly planning attacks on police installations, armed robberies and kidnappings.
2009 June - US President Barack Obama arrived in Saudi Arabia at the start of a Middle East tour aimed at increasing US engagement with the Islamic world. Had talks with King Abdullah.
Al-Qaeda trial
2009 July - A court issued verdicts in the first explicit terrorism trial for al-Qaeda militants in the country. Officials said 330 had been on trial, but did not specify how many had been found guilty. One was sentenced to death.
Amnesty International criticised Saudi Arabia over abuses allegedly committed as part of its counter-terrorism operations, saying thousands of suspects have been detained for years without charge or trial.
The Human Rights Watch group accuses Saudi Arabia of not living up to pledges to free women from the institution of male guardianship, which prevents them from receiving medical treatment without the permission of a male relative.
2009 August - Saudi Arabia says it arrested 44 suspected militants with alleged links to Al Qaeda.
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