Transport in Saudi Arabia is facilitated through a relatively young system of roads, railways and seaways. Most of the network started construction after the discovery of oil in the Eastern Province in 1952, with the notable exception of Highway 40, which was built to connect the capital Riyadh to the economically productive Eastern Province, and later to the Islamic holy city of Mecca and the port city of Jeddah. With the arrival of petrodollars, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has initiated many infrastructure development projects across the country, and the extensive development of the transportation network has followed suit in support of various economic developments.
Medina, officially Al Madinah Al Munawwarah, commonly simplified as Madīnah or Madinah, is the second holiest city in Islam and the capital of the Medina Province of Saudi Arabia. The 2020 estimated population of the city is 1,488,782, making it the fourth-most populous city in the country. Located at the core of the Medina Province in the western reaches of the country, the city is distributed over 589 square kilometers, 293 km2 of which constitutes the city's urban area, while the rest is occupied by the Hejaz mountain range, empty valleys, agricultural spaces, older dormant volcanoes and the Nafud desert.
The Hejaz is a region in the west of Saudi Arabia. The name of the region is derived from a verb ḥajaza (حَجَز), from the Arabic root ḥ-j-z (ح-ج-ز), meaning "to separate," and it is so called as it separates the land of the Najd in the east from the land of Tihāmah in the west. It is also known as the "Western Province." It is bordered in the west by the Red Sea, in the north by Jordan, in the east by the Najd, and in the south by the 'Asir Region. Its largest city is Jeddah, the second largest city in Saudi Arabia, with Mecca and Medina being the fourth and fifth largest cities respectively in the country.
The Medina State is a State (minṭaqah) of Saudi Arabia, located on the country's western side, along the Red Sea coast. It has an area of 151,990 km2 (58,680 sq mi) and a population of 2,132,679 subdivided into seven Muḥafaẓat (Governorates):
The Qassim Province, also known as the Qassim Region, and officially the Emirate of Al-Qassim Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. Located at the heart of the country near the geographic center of the Arabian Peninsula, it has a population of 1,370,727 and an area of 58,046 km². It is known to be the "alimental basket" of the country, for its agricultural assets.
Yanbu' al Bahr, also known simply as Yanbu, Yambo or Yenbo, is a major Red Sea port in the Al Madinah Province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Jeddah. The population is 222,360. Many residents are foreign expatriates working in the oil refineries and petrochemical industry, mostly from Asia, but there are also large numbers from the Middle East, Europe, and North America.
Jubail is a city in the Eastern province on the Arabian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, with a total population of 684,531 as of 2021. It is home to the largest industrial city in the world. It is also home to the Middle East's largest and world's fourth largest petrochemical company SABIC. It has the world's largest IWPP producing 2743.6 MW of electricity and 800,000 m3 of water daily. Jubail comprises the Old Town of Al Jubail, which was a small fishing village until 1975 and the new industrial area. Jubail Industrial City is the largest civil engineering project in the world today.
Albaik is a fast food restaurant chain in Saudi Arabia that primarily sells broasted chicken and shrimp with a variety of sauces. It is one of the major consumers of chicken in Saudi Arabia. The chain has more than 40 branches in Jeddah where it is headquartered: ten in Mecca, eight in Medina, two in Buraydah, one in Taif, one in Yanbu, one in Al Qunfudhah, one in Al-Lith, one in Al-Kharj, and one in Riyadh. Recently, Albaik started expanding further into the central region of Saudi Arabia with two branches opened in Buraidah, and planning to open in Abha and further branches planned for the city, in addition to other main cities in the region. This marked the first time the chain has expanded outside its main service area in Saudi Arabia's western provinces. Albaik was also introduced in Saudi Arabia's South Province, in the city of Jizan in 2016. As of 2019, Albaik is constructing its new branch in Al Baha.
Tihamah or Tihama refers to the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb.
The Saudi Railways Organization (SRO) is one of two state-owned companies that operates Saudi Arabia's rail network along with Saudi Railway Company. The SRO operates a network of railways with a total length of approximately 1,380 kilometers. The network consists of two main lines. A 449 km passenger line that links Dammam with Riyadh, and a 556 km freight line that connects the King Abdul Aziz Port in Dammam with Riyadh. In addition, about 373 km of auxiliary lines branch from SRO's main lines and connect some industrial and agricultural areas, and military sites, with export ports and residential areas.
Rabigh is a city and governorate in the Province of Makkah of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Red Sea, around 208 km (129 mi) northwest of Mecca in the historic Hejazi region. The city had an estimated population of 180,352 in 2014 and is situated at an elevation of 13 m (43 ft) above sea level, close to the border with the Madinah Province. The city dates back to the era before the advent of Islam in the 7th century C.E., and up to the 17th century, was known as Al-Juhfah, or Al-Johfah.
Thuwal is a Hejazi village belonging to the governorate of Jeddah in the Makkah Province of Saudi Arabia, 80 kilometres (50 mi) north of Jeddah on the coast of the Red Sea. Thuwal had long been a fishing center until the Royal Saudi Navy re-constructed the village.
Taibah University is a university in Medina, Saudi Arabia, established in 2003. Taibah University has witnessed an enormous increase in the number of its students. In 2003, there were 7,761 enrolled students. Today, there are 20,815 students enrolled.
The Haramain high-speed railway, also known as the Western railway or Mecca–Medina high-speed railway, is a 453-kilometre-long (281 mi) high-speed rail line in Saudi Arabia. It links the Muslim holy cities of Medina and Mecca via King Abdullah Economic City, using 449.2 kilometres (279.1 mi) of main line and a 3.75-kilometre (2.33 mi) branch connection to King Abdulaziz International Airport (KAIA), in Jeddah. The line is designed for a top speed of 186 mph (299 km/h).
Yanbu Industrial City is a town and a south-western suburb of Yanbu Al Bahr in the Medina Region, in western Saudi Arabia.
Highway 65 is a major north-south controlled-access highway in central Saudi Arabia, spanning 1,427 km. Popularly known as the Riyadh–Qassim Expressway, Highway 65 connects Howtat Bani Tamim to Qurayyat and further to the Al Hadithah border with Jordan, while providing connections to or passing through Riyadh, Majma'ah, al-Ghat, Zulfi, Buraidah, 'Unaizah, ar-Rass, Ha'il, Daumat al-Jandal, Sakakah and other smaller villages and towns. It also provides access to the Naisiyah Wildlife Reserve, Khanafah Wildlife Sanctuary, Tubaiq Natural Reserve, and the Harrat al-Harrah Conservation.
Ain Hussain is one of Yanbu Al-Nakhil villages, located in Yanbu, Al Madinah Region, Saudi Arabia.
