Hyderabad, March 3 -- Exactly 87 years ago, Saudi Arabia witnessed a historic breakthrough when an American-owned oil well in Dhahran struck a massive petroleum reserve on March 3, 1938.

The discovery marked the beginning of the transformation of Saudi Arabia into one of the largest oil producers and exporters in the world.

It later reshaped the country's economy, infrastructure, and global influence.

Impact of oil discovery on Saudi Arabia

Before oil was found, the country had a primarily nomadic population. Its economy relied heavily on pilgrimage tourism to Makkah.

The oil discovery led to rapid modernization. It paved the way for infrastructure development that includes pipelines, refineries and ports.

Today, oil revenue account...