Based on the concept that diplomacy is the main factor in the foreign affairs of the Kingdom, in 1926 King Abdulaziz established the General Directory for Foreign Affairs. Four years later, a royal decree was issued to change it to a ministry in addition to appointing Prince Faisal ibn Abdulaziz, later King Faisal, as minister of foreign affairs. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was the first ministry announced in the government. Originally, its organization consisted of the minister, deputy minister, three assistants, two secretaries, chief of staff, accountant and six clerks.
Diplomatic relations have expanded considerably under the tenure of the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Fahd. The total number of Saudi embassies has reached 77, plus 13 Consulates, 3 resident delegations and commercial offices. Additionally, the number of foreign missions in the Kingdom has reached 157, including 98 embassies in Riyadh, and 59 consulates in Riyadh, Jeddah and Dhahran.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs website, www.mofa.gov.sa, provides contact details for all Saudi missions abroad by country, plus contact details for all foreign missions in Saudi Arabia. The site also has a nice historical outline of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, a ministry organizational chart and a good list of links to other sites of interest.