• 1932: Abdulaziz Al Saud, commonly known as Ibn Saud, unites the kingdoms of Hijaz and Najd as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. • 1941: Full-scale development of the oil fields begins under the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO). • 1964: Faisal becomes king. • 1972: Saudi Arabia gains control of 20 percent of ARAMCO. • 1975: Faisal is assassinated and succeeded by King Khalid. • 1979: Saudi forces recapture the Grand Mosque in Mecca after it is seized by extremists. • 1980: Saudi Arabia takes full control of ARAMCO from the US. • 1986: The King Fahd Causeway connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain opens. • 1990: Saudi Arabia opposes the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, asking the US to intervene. • 1992: King Fahd begins a series of reforms, including the Basic Law and the inauguration of the Consultative Council. • 1995: Crown Prince Abdullah takes over running of the country after King Fahd suffers a stroke. • 1999: Twenty women are allowed to attend a session of the Consultative Council for the first time. • 2002: A new criminal code is introduced banning police torture and guaranteeing those accused of a crime the right to a legal representation. • 2003: The US withdraws the majority of its troops from Saudi Arabia. • 2003: Terrorist activity increases, with incidents such as the Riyadh compound bombings • 2005: Abdullah becomes king after the death of King Fahd. • 2009: King Abdullah appoints the country’s first female minister. • 2011: A major sale of US fighter jets to Saudi Arabia is confirmed. • 2011: Abdullah announces that women will be allowed to vote and stand in elections from 2015. • 2012: Saudi women are allowed to compete in the Olympic Games for the first time. • 2013: The government criminalizes domestic abuse, with a maximum sentence of 1 year in prison and a USD 13,000 fine.