Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It lies in the center of the Arabian Peninsula, in the heart of the Nafud desert, on the eastern part of the Najd plateau. The city sits at an average elevation of 600 meters above sea level. With a population of 7.0 million people in 2022, Riyadh is the most populous city in Saudi Arabia and the third most populous in the Middle East.

The history of Riyadh dates back to the 16th century, but it grew significantly in the 1950s when its old walls were dismantled and the city expanded. Today, Riyadh is the political and administrative center of Saudi Arabia, housing important government bodies such as the Consultative Assembly, the Council of Ministers, and the king. It is also a major economic hub, attracting international businesses and investment. Companies like Lenovo, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and Philips have set up regional headquarters there.

Riyadh is an important cultural and modern city. It will host Expo 2030, making it the second Arab city to do so after Dubai. Near the city lies Diriyah, a UNESCO heritage site and the original home of the ruling House of Saud, often called “where Saudi Arabia began.” Riyadh continues to grow quickly, drawing people from around the world.

History

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has a rich history that dates back to ancient times. During the Pre-Islamic era, the area was known as Hajr and served as the capital of Al-Yamama province. Over the centuries, the city changed hands many times, eventually becoming known as Riyadh, meaning "gardens," due to its oasis towns.

In the mid-1900s, Riyadh grew from a small town into a major city. It became the capital of Saudi Arabia and developed into a center for business and culture. Today, it is a bustling metropolis with modern buildings, universities, and parks, while also preserving its historical sites.

Geography

Riyadh has a hot desert climate (Köppen Climate Classification BWh), with long, extremely hot summers and short, very 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 experiences 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 has grown into a very large city. In 2022, it had over 7 million people. The city started with just 40,000 people in 1935 and slowly grew larger over the years. Today, most people in Riyadh are Saudis, but there are also many Indians and Pakistanis living there. The city’s growth comes from both more births and people moving in for jobs.

Landmarks and architecture

The old town of Riyadh was small, with few remaining traditional buildings. One of the most famous is the Al-Masmak Palace, along with some restored parts of the old city walls and gates. You can also find traditional mud-brick houses, though many are in disrepair.

Riyadh has grown beyond 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, such as Diriyah, and efforts are being made to preserve this heritage. The Ministry of Tourism is working to protect historic architecture.

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, founded in the 15th century with traditional Najdi architecture. It includes historic palaces and monuments.

Contemporary architecture

Riyadh has many modern skyscrapers. The Kingdom Centre, designed by Ellerbe Becket and Omrania, has 99 stories and won an award for design. Burj Rafal, completed 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 was built in 1999, bringing together many collections from across the country. It includes items 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, established in 1957, has won 19 championships. Al-Nassr, founded in 1955, has also been champions nine times. Other well-known clubs include Al-Shabab, founded in 1947, and Al-Riyadh, established in 1954.

The city has several large stadiums, such as King Fahd Sports City Stadium, which can seat 70,200 people. Riyadh also hosted major international events, including the FIFA Confederations Cup and the FIFA U-20 World Cup. In 2020, Riyadh held the world’s richest thoroughbred horse race at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack, offering a total prize money of US$20 million.

Riyadh has become a key location for esports. The city hosted its first major tournament, the GSA E-Sports Cup, in 2018. The Gamers8 festival in 2022 and 2023 featured huge prize pools, with the 2023 event offering $45 million in total prizes. The Riyadh Masters, a Dota 2 tournament, offered $15 million in prizes. In 2024, Riyadh will host the Esports World Cup with a total prize pool of over $60 million.

Transportation

Riyadh's main airport is King Khalid International Airport, located 35 kilometers north of the city center. It served over 20 million passengers in 2013 and will be expanded to serve even more people in the future.

The city has a busy bus network with many routes and vehicles, and there are plans for a very long driverless metro system. Riyadh is also connected to other cities by railways and major highways, making it easy to travel around.

Media

The Riyadh TV Tower, standing 170 metres tall, was built between 1978 and 1981. It serves as a key broadcast point for Saudi TV channels like Saudi TV1 and Saudi TV2, as well as for Al-Riyadiya and other networks. Television shows are mostly in Arabic, with some radio programs available in English or French.

Riyadh is home to several newspapers, including four Arabic papers such as Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Riyadh, Al-Jazirah, and Al-Watan, two English papers like Saudi Gazette and Arab News, and a Malayalam newspaper called Gulf Madhyamam. The Saudi government oversees internet content, with certain rules about what can be shared online.

Development projects

In 2019, King Salman announced plans for 1,281 development projects in Riyadh, valued at around US$22 billion. These projects aim to improve infrastructure, transportation, the environment, and facilities in Riyadh and its surroundings. Key projects include housing developments, a large museum, environmental initiatives, sports areas, medical cities, and educational facilities.

Riyadh also plans to display 1,000 pieces of public art by 2030 and has invested in developing roads and tourism. In 2024, plans were approved for the Sports Boulevard, featuring the world’s tallest sports tower, as part of a larger effort to expand green spaces in the city.

Arts

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

Literacy rate

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

Events and festivals

Jenadriyah is an annual festival in Riyadh that features fun cultural activities like camel races and poetry readings.

The Riyadh International Book Fair is one of the biggest book fairs in the Middle East, happening between March and April. It brings together many publishers from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world, and other countries.

The Riyadh Season was a big event to boost tourism, held from October to December 2019. It offered many exciting activities, including sports, music, theater, fashion shows, circus performances, and more.