Riyad

Extracted Attributes

• Area

  Approximately 1,554 square kilometers

• Type

  Capital city, Largest city

• Country

  Saudi Arabia

• Location

  Eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, center of the Nafud desert, Najd plateau

• Growth Rate

  One of the world's fastest-growing cities in population

• Origin of Name

  Derived from the plural of Arabic 'rawdah', meaning gardens or meadows

• Annual Tourists

  Around 5 million tourists

• Strategic Vision

  To become a global AI and technology superpower as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan

• Average Elevation

  600 meters (2,000 ft) above sea level

• Population (2022)

  7.0 million people

• Population (2023)

  7.68 million people

• Governance Structure

  Divided into fifteen municipal districts, overseen by Municipality of Riyadh and Royal Commission for Riyadh City

• Administrative Status

  Political and administrative center of Saudi Arabia

• Economic Significance

  Significant economic hub, headquarters of major Saudi companies, regional bases for over 500 foreign companies

• Key Financial Centers

  King Abdullah Financial District, Al-Faisaliah Tower, Kingdom Center (along King Fahd Road)

• Global Tourism Ranking

  49th most visited city globally, 6th in the Middle East

• Foreign Embassies Hosted

  114 foreign embassies (primarily in Diplomatic Quarter)

• Government Bodies Hosted

  Consultative Assembly, Council of Ministers, the King, Supreme Judicial Council, 23 out of 24 government ministries

• Global City Ranking (Population 2022)

  Most populous in Saudi Arabia, 3rd most populous in Middle East, 38th most populous in Asia

Timeline

• First mention of the city by the name Riyadh by an Arab chronicler. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1590-01-01

• Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab and Muhammad bin Saud recapture Riyadh from Dahham. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1744-01-01

• Dahham ibn Dawwas seizes control of the town and fortifies it. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1745-01-01

• The First Saudi state, which included Riyadh, collapses. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1818-01-01

• Turki ibn Abdullah makes Riyadh his capital, establishing the Second Saudi state. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1825-01-01

• Ibn Saud regains ancestral rule with the Emirate of Riyadh. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1902-01-01

• Ibn Saud consolidates his rule with the final Saudi conquest of Hejaz. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1926-01-01

• The kingdom is named 'Saudi Arabia' with Riyadh as its capital. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1932-09-01

• Ibn Saud moves to Murabba Palace; Riyadh serves as the administrative center until this year. (Source: Wikipedia)

  1938-01-01

• The city's 18th-century walls are dismantled, allowing the metropolis to expand and largely take its current form. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  1950-01-01

• Faisal bin Abdulaziz is the mayor of Riyadh. (Source: Wikipedia)

  2020-07-01

• Riyadh's population reaches 7.0 million people. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2022-01-01

• Riyadh's population reaches approximately 7.68 million people. (Source: Web Search Results)

  2023-01-01

• Riyadh is set to host Expo 2030, becoming the second Arab city to do so. (Source: Summary, Wikipedia)

  2030-01-01

Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an offshoot of the 18th century walled town following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications. It is the largest city on the Arabian Peninsula, and is situated in the center of the Nafud desert, on the eastern part of the Najd plateau. The city sits at an average of 600 meters (2,000 ft) above sea level, and receives around 5 million tourists each year, making it the forty-ninth most visited city in the world and the 6th in the Middle East. Riyadh had a population of 7.0 million people in 2022, making it the most-populous city in Saudi Arabia, 3rd most populous in the Middle East, and the 38th most populous in Asia. The first mention of the city by the name Riyadh was in 1590, by an Arab chronicler. In 1745, Dahham ibn Dawwas, who was from the neighboring Manfuhah, seized control of the town. Dahham built a mudbrick palace and a wall around the town, and the best-known source of the name Riyadh is from this period, thought to be referring to the earlier oasis towns that predated the wall built by Ibn Dawwas. In 1744, Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab formed an alliance with the Emir of Diriyah, Muhammad bin Saud, and they took Riyadh from Dahham. However their state, now known as the First Saudi state, collapsed in 1818. Turki ibn Abdullah founded the Second Saudi state in the early 19th century and made Riyadh his capital in 1825. However, his reign over the city was disrupted by a joint Ottoman–Rashidi alliance. Finally, in the early 20th century, Ibn Saud retrieved his ancestral rule in 1902 with the Emirate of Riyadh and consolidated his rule by 1926 with the final Saudi conquest of Hejaz, subsequently naming his kingdom 'Saudi Arabia' in September 1932 with Riyadh as the capital. The town was the administrative center of the government until 1938, when Ibn Saud moved to the Murabba Palace. In the 1950s, the walls were dismantled and Riyadh metropolis outgrew as an offshoot of the walled town. Riyadh is the political and administrative center of Saudi Arabia. The Consultative Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the king and the Supreme Judicial Council are all situated in the city. Alongside these four bodies that form the core of the legal system of Saudi Arabia, the headquarters of other major and minor governmental bodies are also located in Riyadh. Out of the 24 ministries of the Saudi government, 23 are headquartered in Riyadh, further reinforcing its status as the nation's administrative capital. The city hosts 114 foreign embassies, most of which are located in the Diplomatic Quarter in the western reaches of the city. Riyadh also holds economic significance, as it contains the headquarters of many banks and major companies, such as the Saudi National Bank, Alrajhi Bank, SABIC, Almarai, STC Group, and MBC Group, In addition to its strong local presence, Riyadh has also attracted major international investment. Global companies such as Lenovo, Google, Amazon, Samsung, and Philips have moved their regional headquarters to the city. In total, over 500 foreign companies have relocated their regional bases to Riyadh, reinforcing its growing status as a regional business hub, and Highway 65, known locally as the King Fahd Road, runs through some of these important centers in the city, including the King Abdullah Financial District, one of the world's largest financial districts, the Al-Faisaliah Tower and the Kingdom Center. Riyadh is one of the world's fastest-growing cities in population and is home to many expatriates. The city is divided into fifteen municipal districts, which are overseen by the Municipality of Riyadh headed by the mayor; and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City, which is chaired by the governor of the province, Faisal bin Bandar. As of July 2020, the mayor is Faisal bin Abdulaziz. Riyadh will host Expo 2030, becoming the second Arab city to host after Dubai in 2020. On the outskirts of Riyadh is Diriyah, the original home of the ruling House of Saud and site of At-Turaif Palace, a UNESCO heritage site.

Web Search Results

• Riad (architecture) - Wikipedia

  A riad or riyad (Arabic: رياض, romanized: riyāḍ) is a type of garden courtyard historically associated with house and palace architecture in the Maghreb and al-Andalus. Its classic form is a rectangular garden divided into four quadrants by two paved paths intersecting in the center, where a fountain is typically situated. The planted areas are usually sunken below the level of the paths. Its origin is generally attributed to traditional Persian gardens whose influence spread during the Islamic [...] The term riad comes from the Arabic term for "gardens": رياض (riyāḍ), the plural of روضة (rawḍa). Historically, the term referred to a type of interior garden common to historic Moorish architecture in Al-Andalus (Iberian Peninsula) and North Africa. In particular, it denoted a rectangular courtyard garden symmetrically divided into four parts along its central axes, typically with a fountain at its middle.: 57 ## History [...] ## In Moroccan domestic architecture The riad is one of two main types of traditional Moroccan houses, often with two or more stories around an interior symmetrical garden centered around a fountain.: 55–58 Riads were the stately city homes of the wealthiest citizens such as merchants and courtiers who were able to build mansions which included interior gardens. The style of these riads has changed over the years, but the basic form is still used in designs today.

• Riyadh - Wikipedia

  Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of the Riyadh Province and the centre of the Riyadh Governorate. Located on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the current form of the metropolis largely emerged in the 1950s as an offshoot of the 18th century walled town following the dismantling of its defensive fortifications. [...] Riyadh is the political and administrative center of Saudi Arabia. The Consultative Assembly, the Council of Ministers, the king and the Supreme Judicial Council are all situated in the city. Alongside these four bodies that form the core of the legal system of Saudi Arabia, the headquarters of other major and minor governmental bodies are also located in Riyadh. Out of the 24 ministries of the Saudi government, 23 are headquartered in Riyadh, further reinforcing its status as the nation's [...] (Riyadh)") is the commercial heart of the city, with accommodation, entertainment, dining and shopping options. The Kingdom Centre, Al-Faisaliah, and Al-Tahlya Street are the area's most prominent landmarks. The center of the city, Al-Bateha "Al Bateha (Riyadh)") and Al-Deerah, is also its oldest part.

• Riyadh, Saudi Arabia | Research Starters - EBSCO

  Riyadh is the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and that nation's administrative, economic, and cultural hub. Riyadh is one of the richest capitals in the world due to Saudi Arabia's fertile oil fields, a significant factor in the city's rapid expansion and development. Although most of the city's oldest buildings have been destroyed, Riyadh maintains a traditional feel, emphasized by its adherence to historical convention. Landscape [...] Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, serves as the country's administrative, economic, and cultural center. Positioned on the Nejd plateau, it spans approximately 1,554 square kilometers and has a population of about 7.68 million as of 2023. The city is known for its rapid expansion fueled by the wealth generated from its oil reserves, making it one of the richest capitals globally. Although much of its historical architecture has been replaced by modern high-rises, Riyadh retains a traditional [...] Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, serves as the country's administrative, economic, and cultural center. Positioned on the Nejd plateau, it spans approximately 1,554 square kilometers and has a population of about 7.68 million as of 2023. The city is known for its rapid expansion fueled by the wealth generated from its oil reserves, making it one of the richest capitals globally. Although much of its historical architecture has been replaced by modern high-rises, Riyadh retains a traditional

• Riyadh | Population, Climate, Map, History, & Facts - Britannica

  Riyadh, city and capital of Saudi Arabia. The city’s name is derived from the plural of the Arabic rawḍah, meaning gardens or meadows, so named for a natural fertility provided by its location at the juncture of Wadis Ḥanīfah and Al-Baṭḥāʾ. The spectacular sight of Riyadh from the air, illuminated in the evening by city lights, is reminiscent of its eponymous meadows; a bright sea of lights dot the desert as if fluorescent flower gardens have suddenly blossomed among its dark contours. [...] The city of Riyadh is located approximately 1,950 feet (600 meters) above sea level in eastern Najd (“Highland”)—a region largely dominated by a rocky plateau landscape—in the center of the Arabian Peninsula. Najd’s broad, mountain-studded plateau gives way in the center and east to a series of escarpments arching from north to south, including Al-Khuff, Jilh Al-ʿIshār, and, the longest and highest of these, the Ṭuwayq Mountains. With a length of some 800 miles (1,300 km), the Ṭuwayq Mountains [...] The city is located in the Minṭaqat Al-Riyāḍ, one of the country’s 13 provinces, and is situated in the central portions of both the country and the larger Arabian Peninsula. Few of the world’s cities have transformed as rapidly as Riyadh, which grew from a small, fortified desert village in the 17th century into a modern metropolis of several million inhabitants in the 20th century. Area city, 600 square miles (1,550 square km). Pop. (2022) 6,924,566. ## Character of the city

• Riyadh | The Vibrant Heart of the Kingdom - Visit Saudi

  Riyadh combines ancient history with modern dynamism, offering a glimpse into Arabia’s past and future. Explore the city's rich heritage through souqs, museums, and historical architecture, and experience its modern side with high-rises and a thriving art scene, highlighted by the Riyadh Art initiative that turns the city into an open-air gallery. Don't miss Riyadh Season, featuring themed zones like Boulevard City and the Riyadh Zoo, open year-round. For dining, try local delicacies at Najd [...] ... [...] Skip this section Skip this section Destinations Things To DoPlan Your TripSaudi CalendarSaudi Map Get Your Visa Log In / Sign Up Skip this section # Riyadh Packed with character, charm, sights and scenes Homepage Destinations Riyadh Skip this section ## About Riyadh

• Instance Of

  Q12308941