Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, in the Nafud desert, on the eastern part of the Najd plateau. The city sits 600 meters above sea level. In 2022, about 7 million people lived there, making it the biggest city in Saudi Arabia and the third biggest in the Middle East.

The history of Riyadh goes back to the 1500s, but it grew a lot in the 1950s when its old walls were taken down. Today, Riyadh is the political and administrative center of Saudi Arabia. It is home to important government offices. It is also a big economic center, attracting businesses and investment from around the world. Companies like Lenovo, Google, Samsung, and Philips have offices there.

Riyadh is a cultural and modern city. It will host Expo 2030, making it the second Arab city to do so after Dubai. Near the city is Diriyah, a UNESCO heritage site and the original home of the ruling House of Saud. Riyadh continues to grow quickly, drawing people from many places.

History

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has a long history that goes back to ancient times. During the Pre-Islamic era, the area was called Hajr and was the capital of Al-Yamama province. Over time, the city changed hands many times and became known as Riyadh, which means "gardens," because of its oasis towns.

In the mid-1900s, Riyadh grew from a small town into a big city. It became the capital of Saudi Arabia and grew into a center for business and culture. Today, Riyadh is a busy city with modern buildings, universities, and parks, while still keeping its historical sites.

Geography

Riyadh has a hot desert climate (Köppen Climate Classification BWh), with long, very hot summers and short, mild winters. The average high temperature in July is around 44 °C (111 °F). The city receives little rain, mostly in March and April, and sometimes has dust storms.

Riyadh is divided into fourteen branch municipalities, including the Diplomatic Quarter. Some well-known districts are Al-Olaya District, home to landmarks like the Kingdom Centre and Al-Faisaliah, and the older center around Al-Bateha and Al-Deerah. Other districts include Irqah, Al-Shumaisi, Al-Ma'dhar, Al-Hayir, Al-'Aziziyyah, Al-Malaz, Al-Shifa, Al-Urayja, Al-Shamal, Al-Naseem, Al-Rawdhah, and Al-Sulay. The city also includes the suburb of Diriyah.

Demographics

Riyadh is a very large city. In 2022, more than 7 million people lived there. The city began with only 40,000 people in 1935 and grew bigger each year. Today, most people in Riyadh are Saudis. There are also many Indians and Pakistanis living there. The city grew because of more babies being born and people moving in for jobs.

Landmarks and architecture

The old town of Riyadh was small, with few traditional buildings left. One famous building is the Al-Masmak Palace, along with some old city walls and gates. You can also see old mud-brick houses, though many need fixing.

Riyadh has grown past its old walls. King Abdulaziz’s Murabba Palace, built in 1936, is now part of the King Abdulaziz Historical Center. There are traditional villages nearby, like Diriyah, and people are working to protect this heritage. The Ministry of Tourism helps keep old buildings safe.

Archeological sites

Riyadh has important archeological sites, including five old gates from the city walls and four historic palaces such as Al-Masmak Palace and Murabba Palace. The Turaif district is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was founded in the 15th century and has traditional buildings.

Contemporary architecture

Riyadh has many modern skyscrapers. The Kingdom Centre, designed by Ellerbe Becket and Omrania, has 99 stories and won a design award. Burj Rafal, finished in 2014, is the tallest building in Riyadh at 307.9 meters. The Al Faisaliah Tower, the first skyscraper in Saudi Arabia, has 44 stories and a golden ball on top with a restaurant. The Riyadh TV Tower, built between 1978 and 1981, is a 170-meter-high television tower.

Museums and collections

The National Museum of Saudi Arabia opened in 1999 and shows many items from across the country. It includes things like the “Camel’s Hump” meteorite. The Royal Saudi Air Force Museum displays aircraft and aviation history.

Sports

Football is the most popular sport in Saudi Arabia. Riyadh is home to four major football clubs. Al-Hilal, started in 1957, has won 19 championships. Al-Nassr, started in 1955, has been champions nine times. Other well-known clubs are Al-Shabab, started in 1947, and Al-Riyadh, started in 1954.

The city has large stadiums, such as King Fahd Sports City Stadium. Riyadh has hosted big international events, like the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup.

Riyadh has grown to be an important place for esports. The city held its first big tournament, the GSA E-Sports Cup, in 2018. The Gamers8 festival in 2022 and 2023 gave out big prizes. The Riyadh Masters, a Dota 2 tournament, also gave out prizes. In 2024, Riyadh will host the Esports World Cup.

Transportation

Riyadh's main airport is King Khalid International Airport, located 35 kilometers north of the city center. It is a very busy airport with many people using it each year, and plans are in place to make it even bigger in the future.

The city has a large bus network with many different routes. There are also plans for a long metro system that will not need drivers. Riyadh is linked to other cities by railways and big highways, making travel easy.

Media

The Riyadh TV Tower is 170 metres tall. It was built between 1978 and 1981. It helps send out TV shows for Saudi TV channels like Saudi TV1 and Saudi TV2, and for Al-Riyadiya and other networks. Most shows are in Arabic, but some radio programs are in English or French.

Riyadh has many newspapers. There are four Arabic papers such as Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Riyadh, Al-Jazirah, and Al-Watan. There are two English papers, Saudi Gazette and Arab News. There is also a Malayalam newspaper called Gulf Madhyamam. The Saudi government has rules about what can be shared online.

Development projects

In 2019, King Salman announced plans for many new projects in Riyadh. These projects are worth about US$22 billion. They will help improve roads, public transport, parks, and buildings in Riyadh and nearby areas. Some of the projects include new homes, a big museum, green spaces, sports areas, hospitals, and schools.

Riyadh also wants to show 1,000 pieces of public art by 2030. The city has also worked on improving roads and attracting tourists. In 2024, plans were approved for the Sports Boulevard. This area will have the world’s tallest sports tower and more green spaces in the city.

Arts

In March 2019, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City started Riyadh Art. This project helps artists show their work in public places. It makes Riyadh a centre for art and gives artists a chance to share their creativity with everyone in the city.

Literacy rate

The literacy rate in Riyadh is very high. In 2020, it was 99.36%, and in 2021, it went up to 99.38%. This is an improvement from 2010, when the rate was 98.10%.

Events and festivals

Jenadriyah is a big yearly festival in Riyadh. It has fun activities like camel races and poetry readings.

The Riyadh International Book Fair is one of the largest book fairs in the Middle East. It takes place in March and April. Many publishers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, and other countries come together.

The Riyadh Season was a large event to help tourism. It was held from October to December 2019. The event had many fun things to do, like sports, music, theater, fashion shows, and circus performances.