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Jeddah ( ), alternatively transliterated as Jedda, Jiddah or Jidda ( ; , ), is a
governorate A governorate or governate is an administrative division headed by a governor. As English-speaking nations tend to call regions administered by governors either states or provinces, the term ''governorate'' is typically used to calque divisions ...
and the largest city in
Mecca Province Mecca Province (, ), officially Makkah Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 2017, of which 4,041,189 were foreign nationals ...
,
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
, and the country's second largest city after
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 th ...
, located along the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
coast in the
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
region. Jeddah is the commercial center of the country. It is not known when Jeddah was founded, but Jeddah's prominence grew in 647 when the
Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
Uthman Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable companion of the Islamic Prophet Muhammad, played a major role ...
made it a travel hub serving
Muslim Muslims () are people who adhere to Islam, a Monotheism, monotheistic religion belonging to the Abrahamic religions, Abrahamic tradition. They consider the Quran, the foundational religious text of Islam, to be the verbatim word of the God ...
travelers going to the holy city of
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
for Islamic pilgrimage. Since those times, Jeddah has served as the gateway for millions of pilgrims who have arrived in Saudi Arabia, traditionally by sea and recently by air. With a population of about 3,751,722 people as of 2022, Jeddah is the largest city in
Mecca Province Mecca Province (, ), officially Makkah Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 2017, of which 4,041,189 were foreign nationals ...
, the largest city in
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia (after the capital
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 th ...
), and the ninth-largest in the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
. It also serves as the administrative centre of the OIC. Jeddah Islamic Port, on the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
, is the thirty-sixth largest seaport in the world and the second-largest and second-busiest seaport in the Middle East (after
Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
's Port of Jebel Ali). Jeddah is the principal gateway to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
Sharif, the holiest city in Islam, to the east, while
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
, the second-holiest city, is to the north. Economically, Jeddah is focusing on further developing capital investment in scientific and engineering leadership within Saudi Arabia, and the Middle East. Jeddah was ranked fourth in the
Africa Africa is the world's second-largest and second-most populous continent after Asia. At about 30.3 million km2 (11.7 million square miles) including adjacent islands, it covers 20% of Earth's land area and 6% of its total surfac ...
, MiddIe East, and ' stan countries region in the Innovation Cities Index in 2009. Jeddah is one of Saudi Arabia's primary resort cities and was named a Beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network (GaWC). Given the city's close proximity to the Red Sea, fishing and seafood dominate the food culture unlike other parts of the country. In Arabic, the city motto is "Jeddah Ghair", which translates to "Jeddah is different".


Etymology and spelling

There are at least two
etymologies Etymology ( ) is the study of the origin and evolution of words—including their constituent units of sound and meaning—across time. In the 21st century a subfield within linguistics, etymology has become a more rigorously scientific study. ...
of ''Jeddah'', according to Jeddah Ibn Al-Qudaa'iy, the chief of the Quda'a clan. The more common account has it that the name is derived from ''Jaddah'', the
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
word for "grandmother". According to folk belief, the Tomb of Eve, who is considered the grandmother of humanity, is located in Jeddah. The Maghrebi traveler
Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, Ibn ...
visited Jeddah during his world trip in around 1330. He wrote the name of the city into his diary as "Jiddah". The British
Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) is the ministry of foreign affairs and a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, ministerial department of the government of the United Kingdom. The office was created on 2 ...
and other branches of the British government formerly used the older spelling of "Jedda", contrary to other English-speaking usages, but in 2007, it changed to the spelling "Jeddah". T. E. Lawrence felt that any transcription of Arabic names into English was arbitrary. In his book ''Revolt in the Desert'', Jeddah is spelled in three different ways on the first page alone. On official Saudi maps and documents, the city name is transcribed "Jeddah", which is now the prevailing usage.


History


Pre-Islam

Traces of early activity in the area are testified by some
Thamudic Thamudic, named for the Thamud tribe, is a group of Epigraphy, epigraphic scripts known from large numbers of inscriptions in Ancient North Arabian (ANA) alphabets, which have not yet been properly studied. These texts are found over a huge area f ...
inscriptions that were excavated in Wadi Briman (), east of the city, and Wadi Boweb (), northwest of the city. The oldest
Mashrabiya A ''mashrabiya'' or ''mashrabiyya'' () is an architectural element which is characteristic of traditional Islamic architecture, architecture in the Islamic world and beyond. It is a type of projecting oriel window enclosed with carved wood latti ...
found in Jeddah dates back to the pre-Islamic era. Some believe that Jeddah had been inhabited before
Alexander the Great Alexander III of Macedon (; 20/21 July 356 BC – 10/11 June 323 BC), most commonly known as Alexander the Great, was a king of the Ancient Greece, ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia (ancient kingdom), Macedon. He succeeded his father Philip ...
, who had a naval expedition to the Red Sea, by fishermen in the Red Sea, who considered it a center from which they sailed out into the sea as well as a place for relaxation and well-being. According to the Ministry of Hajj, Jeddah has been settled for more than 2500 years. Excavations in the old city have been interpreted to give the fact that Jeddah was founded as a fishing hamlet by the Yemeni Quda'a tribe (), who left to settle in Makkah after the collapse of Marib Dam in Yemen in 115 BC.


Under the Caliphates

Jeddah first achieved prominence around A.D. 647, when the third Muslim
Caliph A caliphate ( ) is an institution or public office under the leadership of an Islamic steward with Khalifa, the title of caliph (; , ), a person considered a political–religious successor to the Islamic prophet Muhammad and a leader of ...
,
Uthman Ibn Affan Uthman ibn Affan (17 June 656) was the third caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate, ruling from 644 until Assassination of Uthman, his assassination in 656. Uthman, a second cousin, son-in-law, and notable Companions of the Prophet, companion of ...
, turned it into a port making it the port of Makkah instead of Al Shoaib port, which was southwest of Makkah. The Umayyads inherited the entire
Rashidun Caliphate The Rashidun Caliphate () is a title given for the reigns of first caliphs (lit. "successors") — Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali collectively — believed to Political aspects of Islam, represent the perfect Islam and governance who led the ...
including
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
and ruled from 661 to 750. In 702, Jeddah was briefly occupied by pirates from the
Kingdom of Axum The Kingdom of Aksum, or the Aksumite Empire, was a kingdom in East Africa and South Arabia from classical antiquity to the Middle Ages, based in what is now northern Ethiopia and Eritrea, and spanning present-day Djibouti and Sudan. Emerging ...
. However, Jeddah remained a key civilian harbor, serving fishermen and pilgrims travelling by sea for the
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
. It is also believed that the Sharifdom of Makkah, an honorary Viceroy to the holy land, was first started in this period of the Islamic Caliphate. Jeddah has been established as the main city of the historic Hijaz province and a historic port for pilgrims arriving by sea to perform their Hajj pilgrimage in Mecca. In 750 in the Abbasid Revolution, the
Abbasids The Abbasid Caliphate or Abbasid Empire (; ) was the third caliphate to succeed the Islamic prophet Muhammad. It was founded by a dynasty descended from Muhammad's uncle, Abbas ibn Abd al-Muttalib (566–653 CE), from whom the dynasty takes i ...
successfully took control of almost the whole Umayyad Empire, excluding Morocco (Maghrib) and Spain (Al-Andalus). From 876, Jeddah and the surrounding area became the object of wars between the Abbasids and the
Tulunids The Tulunid State, also known as the Tulunid Emirate or The State of Banu Tulun, and popularly referred to as the Tulunids () was a Mamluk dynasty of Turkic peoples, Turkic origin who was the first independent dynasty to rule Egypt in the Middle ...
of Egypt, who at one point gained control of the emirates of
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
,
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
,
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
and
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
. The power struggle between the Tulunid Governors and the Abbasids over Hejaz lasted for nearly twenty-five years, until the Tulunids finally withdrew from
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
in 900. In 930 AD, the main Hejazi cities of
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
,
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
and
Taif Taif (, ) is a city and governorate in Mecca Province in Saudi Arabia. Located at an elevation of in the slopes of the Hijaz Mountains, which themselves are part of the Sarat Mountains, the city has a population of 563,282 people in 2022, mak ...
were heavily sacked by the
Qarmatians The Qarmatians (; ) were a militant Isma'ili Shia movement centred in Al-Ahsa in Eastern Arabia, where they established a religious state in 899 CE. Its members were part of a movement that adhered to a syncretic branch of Sevener Ismaili ...
. It is probable, though not historically confirmed, that Jeddah itself was attacked. Soon after, in early 935, the
Ikhshidids The Ikhshidid dynasty (, ) was a Turkic dynasty of governors of mamluk origin, who governed Egypt and parts of the Levant from 935 to 969 on behalf of the Abbasid Caliphate. The dynasty carried the Arabic title "Wāli" reflecting their position a ...
, the new power in Egypt, took control of the Hejaz region. There are no historical records that detail the Ikhshidid rule of Hejaz. At this point in time, Jeddah was still unfortified and without walls.


The Fatimids, Ayyubids, and Mamluks

In 969 AD, the
Fatimids The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimid dynasty, Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa ...
from Algeria took control in Egypt from the Ikhshidid Governors of Abbasids and expanded their empire to the surrounding regions, including The Hijaz and Jeddah. The Fatimids developed an extensive trade network in both the
Mediterranean The Mediterranean Sea ( ) is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean, surrounded by the Mediterranean basin and almost completely enclosed by land: on the east by the Levant in West Asia, on the north by Anatolia in West Asia and Southern ...
and the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
through the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
. Their trade and diplomatic ties extended all the way to China and its
Song dynasty The Song dynasty ( ) was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 960 to 1279. The dynasty was founded by Emperor Taizu of Song, who usurped the throne of the Later Zhou dynasty and went on to conquer the rest of the Fiv ...
, which eventually determined the economic course of
Tihamah Tihamah or Tihama ( ') is the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb. Etymology Tihāmat is the Proto-Semitic language's term for 'sea'. Tiamat (or Tehom, in masculine form) was the ancient M ...
during the
High Middle Ages The High Middle Ages, or High Medieval Period, was the periodization, period of European history between and ; it was preceded by the Early Middle Ages and followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended according to historiographical convention ...
. After
Saladin Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub ( – 4 March 1193), commonly known as Saladin, was the founder of the Ayyubid dynasty. Hailing from a Kurdish family, he was the first sultan of both Egypt and Syria. An important figure of the Third Crusade, h ...
's conquest of Jerusalem in 1171, he proclaimed himself sultan of Egypt, after dissolving the
Fatimid Caliphate The Fatimid Caliphate (; ), also known as the Fatimid Empire, was a caliphate extant from the tenth to the twelfth centuries CE under the rule of the Fatimids, an Isma'ili Shi'a dynasty. Spanning a large area of North Africa and West Asia, i ...
upon the death of
al-Adid Abū Muḥammad ʿAbd Allāh ibn Yūsuf ibn al-Ḥāfiẓ (; 1151–1171), better known by his regnal name al-ʿĀḍid li-Dīn Allāh (), was the fourteenth and last caliph of the Fatimid dynasty, and the twenty-fourth imam of the Hafizi Is ...
, thus establishing the
Ayyubid dynasty The Ayyubid dynasty (), also known as the Ayyubid Sultanate, was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultan of Egypt, Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimid Caliphate of Egyp ...
. Ayyubid conquests in Hejaz included Jeddah, which joined the
Ayyubid dynasty The Ayyubid dynasty (), also known as the Ayyubid Sultanate, was the founding dynasty of the medieval Sultan of Egypt, Sultanate of Egypt established by Saladin in 1171, following his abolition of the Fatimid Caliphate, Fatimid Caliphate of Egyp ...
in 1177 during the leadership of
Sharif Sharīf or Sherif (, 'noble', 'highborn'), also spelled shareef, feminine sharīfa (), plural ashrāf (), shurafāʾ (), or (in the Maghreb) shurfāʾ, is a title used to designate a person descended, or claiming to be descended, from the fami ...
Ibn Abul-Hashim Al-Thalab (1094–1201). During their relatively short-lived tenure, the Ayyubids ushered in an era of economic prosperity in the lands they ruled and the facilities and patronage provided by the Ayyubids led to a resurgence in intellectual activity in the
Islamic world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...
. This period was also marked by an Ayyubid process of vigorously strengthening
Sunni Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Mu ...
dominance in the region by constructing numerous ''
madrasas Madrasa (, also , ; Arabic: مدرسة , ), sometimes Romanization of Arabic, romanized as madrasah or madrassa, is the Arabic word for any Educational institution, type of educational institution, secular or religious (of any religion), whet ...
'' (Islamic schools) in their major cities. Jeddah attracted Muslim sailors and merchants from
Sindh Sindh ( ; ; , ; abbr. SD, historically romanized as Sind (caliphal province), Sind or Scinde) is a Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Pakistan. Located in the Geography of Pakistan, southeastern region of the country, Sindh is t ...
,
Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is the geographical United Nations geoscheme for Asia#South-eastern Asia, southeastern region of Asia, consisting of the regions that are situated south of China, east of the Indian subcontinent, and northwest of the Mainland Au ...
and
East Africa East Africa, also known as Eastern Africa or the East of Africa, is a region at the eastern edge of the Africa, African continent, distinguished by its unique geographical, historical, and cultural landscape. Defined in varying scopes, the regi ...
, and other distant regions. In the year 1258, after the fall of Baghdad, the capital of the Abbasid Empire, to the Mongols,
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
became a part of the
Mamluk Sultanate The Mamluk Sultanate (), also known as Mamluk Egypt or the Mamluk Empire, was a state that ruled Egypt, the Levant and the Hejaz from the mid-13th to early 16th centuries, with Cairo as its capital. It was ruled by a military caste of mamluks ...
. The Portuguese explorer
Vasco da Gama Vasco da Gama ( , ; – 24 December 1524), was a Portuguese explorer and nobleman who was the Portuguese discovery of the sea route to India, first European to reach India by sea. Da Gama's first voyage (1497–1499) was the first to link ...
, having found his way around the
Cape A cape is a clothing accessory or a sleeveless outer garment of any length that hangs loosely and connects either at the neck or shoulders. They usually cover the back, shoulders, and arms. They come in a variety of styles and have been used th ...
and obtaining pilots from the coast of
Zanzibar Zanzibar is a Tanzanian archipelago off the coast of East Africa. It is located in the Indian Ocean, and consists of many small Island, islands and two large ones: Unguja (the main island, referred to informally as Zanzibar) and Pemba Island. ...
in AD 1497, pushed his way across the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
to the shores of Malabar and
Calicut Kozhikode (), also known as Calicut, is a city along the Malabar Coast in the state of Kerala in India. Known as the City of Spices, Kozhikode is listed among the City of Literature, UNESCO's Cities of Literature. It is the nineteenth large ...
, attacked fleets that carried freight and Muslim pilgrims from India to the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
, and struck terror into the surrounding potentates. The Princes of
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
and
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
turned for help to
Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa and Western Asia, southwest corner of Asia via the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to northe ...
. Sultan
Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghawri Al-Ashraf Qansuh al-Ghuri () or Qansuh II al-Ghawri (c. 1441/1446 – 24 August 1516) was the second-to-last of the Mamluk Sultans. One of the last and most powerful of the Burji dynasty, he reigned from 1501 to 1516. Early life Qansuh, born b ...
accordingly fitted out a fleet of 50 vessels under the Governor of Jeddah, Hussein the Kurd (aka. Mirocem). Jeddah was soon fortified with a wall, using forced labor, as a harbor of refuge from the Portuguese, allowing
Arabia The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
and the Red Sea to be protected.


Ottoman Empire

In 1517, the
Ottoman Turks The Ottoman Turks () were a Turkic peoples, Turkic ethnic group in Anatolia. Originally from Central Asia, they migrated to Anatolia in the 13th century and founded the Ottoman Empire, in which they remained socio-politically dominant for the e ...
conquered the Mamluk Sultanate in Egypt and Syria, during the reign of
Selim I Selim I (; ; 10 October 1470 – 22 September 1520), known as Selim the Grim or Selim the Resolute (), was the List of sultans of the Ottoman Empire, sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1512 to 1520. Despite lasting only eight years, his reign is ...
."History of Arabia."
Britannica.com.
The Ottomans rebuilt the weak walls of Jeddah in 1525 following the defense of the city against the Lopo Soares de Albergaria's Armada at the
Siege of Jeddah (1517) The siege of Jeddah was a naval battle that took place in the harbor of Jeddah between a Portuguese expeditionary force under Lopo Soares de Albergaria and Ottoman elements under Selman Reis.Serjeant, R. B. (1974). ''The Portuguese off the ...
. The new stone wall included six
watchtower A watchtower or guardtower (also spelt watch tower, guard tower) is a type of military/paramilitary or policiary tower used for guarding an area. Sometimes fortified, and armed with heavy weaponry, especially historically, the structures are ...
s and six
city gate A city gate is a gate which is, or was, set within a city wall. It is a type of fortified gateway. Uses City gates were traditionally built to provide a point of controlled access to and departure from a walled city for people, vehicles, goods ...
s. They were constructed to defend against the Portuguese attack. Of the six gates, the Gate of Mecca was the eastern gate and the Gate of Al-Magharibah, facing the port, was the western gate. The Gate of Sharif faces south. The other gates were the Gate of Al-Bunt, Gate of Al-Sham (also called Gate of Al-Sharaf), and Gate of
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
, facing north. The Turks also built The Qishla of Jeddah, a small castle for the city's soldiers. In the 19th century, these seven gates were minimized into four giant gates with four towers. These giant gates were the Gate of Sham to the north, the Gate of Mecca to the east, the Gate of Sharif to the south, and the Gate of Al-Magharibah on the seaside. Jeddah became a direct Ottoman
Eyalet Eyalets (, , ), also known as beylerbeyliks or pashaliks, were the primary administrative divisions of the Ottoman Empire. From 1453 to the beginning of the nineteenth century the Ottoman local government was loosely structured. The empire was a ...
, while the remaining
Hejaz Hejaz is a Historical region, historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes the majority of the western region of Saudi Arabia, covering the cities of Mecca, Medina, Jeddah, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, Tabuk, Yanbu, Taif and Al Bahah, Al-B ...
under Sharif Barakat II became a vassal state to the Ottoman Empire eight years after the Siege of Jeddah in 1517. The Portuguese attempted to attack the port again in 1541, but were repelled. Parts of the city wall still survive today in the old city. Even though the Portuguese were successfully repelled from the city, fleets in the
Indian Ocean The Indian Ocean is the third-largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, covering or approximately 20% of the water area of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface. It is bounded by Asia to the north, Africa to the west and Australia (continent), ...
were at their mercy. This was evidenced by the
Battle of Diu The Battle of Diu was a naval battle fought on 3 February 1509 in the Arabian Sea, in the port of Diu, India, between the Portuguese Empire and a joint fleet of the Sultan of Gujarat, the Mamlûk Burji Sultanate of Egypt and the Zamorin of ...
. The Portuguese soldiers' cemetery can still be found within the old city today and is referred to as the site of the Christian Graves. Ahmed Al-Jazzar, the Ottoman military man mainly known for his role in the Siege of Acre, spent the earlier part of his career at Jeddah. In Jeddah in 1750, he killed some seventy rioting nomads in retaliation for the killing of his commander, Abdullah Beg, earning him the nickname "Jezzar" (butcher). On 15 June 1858, rioting in the city, believed to have been instigated by a former police chief in reaction to British policy in the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
, led to the massacre of 25 Christians, including the British and French consuls, members of their families, and wealthy Greek merchants. The British frigate , anchored at the port, bombarded the city for two days in retaliation.


First Saudi State and Ottoman–Saudi War

In 1802, Nejdi forces conquered both Mecca and Jeddah from the Ottomans. When Sharif
Ghalib Efendi Ghālib ibn Musā‘id ibn Sa‘īd () was a sharif who served as Sharif and Emir of Mecca from 1788 to 1813. Succession to the Emirate Ghalib was the son of the Emir of Mecca Musa'id ibn Sa'id (r. 1752-1770). After Musa'id's death the Emirate ...
informed
Sultan Sultan (; ', ) is a position with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", derived from the verbal noun ', meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be use ...
Mahmud II Mahmud II (, ; 20 July 1785 – 1 July 1839) was the sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. Often described as the "Peter the Great of Turkey", Mahmud instituted extensive administrative, military, and fiscal reforms ...
of this, the Sultan ordered his
Egyptian ''Egyptian'' describes something of, from, or related to Egypt. Egyptian or Egyptians may refer to: Nations and ethnic groups * Egyptians, a national group in North Africa ** Egyptian culture, a complex and stable culture with thousands of year ...
viceroy
Muhammad Ali Pasha Mehmed Ali Pasha may refer to: * Muhammad Ali of Egypt (1769–1849), considered the founder of modern Egypt * Çerkes Mehmed Pasha (died 1625), Ottoman statesman and grand vizier * Mehmed Emin Âli Pasha (1815–1871), Ottoman statesman and gra ...
to retake the city. Muhammad Ali successfully regained the city in the Battle of Jeddah in 1813.


World War I and the Hashemite Kingdom

During
World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...
, Sharif Hussein bin Ali declared a revolt against the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
, seeking independence from the Ottoman Turks and the creation of a single unified
Arab Arabs (,  , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...
state spanning from
Aleppo Aleppo is a city in Syria, which serves as the capital of the Aleppo Governorate, the most populous Governorates of Syria, governorate of Syria. With an estimated population of 2,098,000 residents it is Syria's largest city by urban area, and ...
in
Syria Syria, officially the Syrian Arab Republic, is a country in West Asia located in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Levant. It borders the Mediterranean Sea to the west, Turkey to Syria–Turkey border, the north, Iraq to Iraq–Syria border, t ...
to
Aden Aden () is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of ...
in
Yemen Yemen, officially the Republic of Yemen, is a country in West Asia. Located in South Arabia, southern Arabia, it borders Saudi Arabia to Saudi Arabia–Yemen border, the north, Oman to Oman–Yemen border, the northeast, the south-eastern part ...
. King Hussein declared the
Kingdom of Hejaz The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz (, ''Al-Mamlakah al-Ḥijāziyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah'') was a state in the Hejaz region of Western Asia that included the western portion of the Arabian Peninsula that was ruled by the Hashemite dynasty. It was self ...
. Later, Hussein was involved in a war with
Ibn Saud Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted as 1876, although a few sources give it as 1880. According to British author Robert Lacey's book ''The Kingdom'', ...
, who was the Sultan of
Nejd Najd is a historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes most of the central region of Saudi Arabia. It is roughly bounded by the Hejaz region to the west, the Nafud desert in al-Jawf to the north, ad-Dahna Desert in al-Ahsa to th ...
. Hussein abdicated following the fall of
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
, in December 1924, and his son Ali bin Hussein became the new king.


Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

A few months later,
Ibn Saud Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted as 1876, although a few sources give it as 1880. According to British author Robert Lacey's book ''The Kingdom'', ...
, whose clan originated in the central
Nejd Najd is a historical region of the Arabian Peninsula that includes most of the central region of Saudi Arabia. It is roughly bounded by the Hejaz region to the west, the Nafud desert in al-Jawf to the north, ad-Dahna Desert in al-Ahsa to th ...
province, conquered
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
and Jeddah via an agreement with Jeddans following the Second Battle of Jeddah. He deposed Ali bin Hussein, who fled to
Baghdad Baghdad ( or ; , ) is the capital and List of largest cities of Iraq, largest city of Iraq, located along the Tigris in the central part of the country. With a population exceeding 7 million, it ranks among the List of largest cities in the A ...
, eventually settling in
Amman Amman ( , ; , ) is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of four million as of 2021, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant ...
,
Jordan Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan, is a country in the Southern Levant region of West Asia. Jordan is bordered by Syria to the north, Iraq to the east, Saudi Arabia to the south, and Israel and the occupied Palestinian ter ...
, where his descendants became part of its
Hashemite The Hashemites (), also House of Hashim, are the Dynasty, royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Kingdom of Hejaz, Hejaz (1916–1925), Arab Kingdom of Syria, Syria (1920), and Kingd ...
royalty. As a result, Jeddah came under the sway of the Al-Saud dynasty in December 1925. In 1926, Ibn Saud added the title King of Hejaz to his position of Sultan of Nejd. Today, Jeddah has lost its historical role in peninsular politics after it fell within the new province of
Makkah Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above sea level. Its metropo ...
, whose provincial capital is the city of
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
. From 1928 to 1932, the new Khuzam Palace was built as the new residence of King Abdul Aziz in Jeddah. The palace lies south of the old walled city and was constructed under the supervision of the engineer Mohammed bin Awad bin Laden. After 1963, the palace was used as a royal guesthouse; since 1995, it has housed the Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. The remaining walls and gates of the old city were demolished in 1947. In 1939, a military airstrip was built in Jeddah, serving as the first airport in Jeddah. It was upgraded into the headquarters of the RSAF by the 1950s. On 14 October, 1952, Jeddah Airport was officially inaugurated and opened under the patronage of His Royal Highness Prince Saud Bin Abdulaziz. A fire in 1982 destroyed some ancient buildings in the old town center, called
Al-Balad Al-Balad (, "The City"), is the 90th Surah or chapter of the Qur'an. It is composed of 20 '' ayat'' (verses). Summary *1-7 Man, though created in misery, yet boasts of his riches *8-16 Captives to be freed and the poor and orphan to be fed *17- ...
, but much is still preserved. A house-by-house survey of the old districts was made in 1979, showing that some 1000 traditional buildings still existed, though the number of structures with great historic value was far less. In 1990, a Jeddah Historical Area Preservation Department was founded. The modern city has expanded wildly beyond its old boundaries. The built-up area expanded mainly to the north along the Red Sea coastline, reaching the new airport during the 1990s and since edging its way around it toward the Ob'hur Creek, some from the old city center. In October 2021, Saudi authorities, led by
Mohammad bin Salman Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (; born 31 August 1985), also known as MBS or MbS, is the '' de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, formally serving as Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He is the heir apparent to the Saudi throne, ...
, initiated a large-scale demolition and eviction plan in neighborhoods in the southern part of Jeddah to make way for the Jeddah Central Project, a revitalization project under
Saudi Vision 2030 Saudi Vision 2030 (, sometimes called Project 2030) is a government program launched by Saudi Arabia which aims to achieve the goal of increased diversification economically, socially, and culturally, in line with the vision of Saudi crown pri ...
. The demolitions affected 558,000 people in more than 60 neighborhoods.
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says that it has more than ten million members a ...
confirmed through official documents that some of the residents were notified about evictions only 24 hours before, while others were between 1–6 weeks. In some cases "evacuate" was written on the buildings, while the state media and billboards informed others about the demolitions to others. Saudi state media claimed the majority of affected neighborhoods were "rife with diseases, crime, drugs and theft" and home to predominantly
undocumented immigrants Illegal immigration is the migration of people into a country in violation of that country's immigration laws, or the continuous residence in a country without the legal right to do so. Illegal immigration tends to be financially upward, wi ...
. In January 2022, Saudi authorities announced a compensation scheme that accounted for 47% of those evicted.


Geography

Jeddah is located in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea
coastal plain A coastal plain (also coastal plains, coastal lowland, coastal lowlands) is an area of flat, low-lying land adjacent to a sea coast. A fall line commonly marks the border between a coastal plain and an upland area. Formation Coastal plains can f ...
(called
Tihamah Tihamah or Tihama ( ') is the Red Sea coastal plain of the Arabian Peninsula from the Gulf of Aqaba to the Bab el Mandeb. Etymology Tihāmat is the Proto-Semitic language's term for 'sea'. Tiamat (or Tehom, in masculine form) was the ancient M ...
). Jeddah lies in the Hijazi Tihama () region which is in the lower Hijaz mountains. Historically, politically and culturally, Jeddah was a major city of Hejaz Vilayet, the
Kingdom of Hejaz The Hashemite Kingdom of Hejaz (, ''Al-Mamlakah al-Ḥijāziyyah Al-Hāshimiyyah'') was a state in the Hejaz region of Western Asia that included the western portion of the Arabian Peninsula that was ruled by the Hashemite dynasty. It was self ...
and other regional political entities according to Hijazi history books. It is the 100th largest city in the world by land area.


Climate

Jeddah features an
arid climate The desert climate or arid climate (in the Köppen climate classification ''BWh'' and ''BWk'') is a dry climate sub-type in which there is a severe excess of evaporation over precipitation. The typically bald, rocky, or sandy surfaces in desert ...
(''BWh'') under Koppen's climate classification, with a tropical temperature range. Unlike other Saudi Arabian cities, Jeddah retains its warm temperatures in winter, which can range from at dawn to in the afternoon. Summer temperatures are extremely hot, often breaking the mark in the afternoon. Summers are also quite steamy, with dew points often exceeding , particularly in September. Rainfall in Jeddah is generally sparse, and usually occurs in small amounts in November and December. Heavy thunderstorms are common in winter. The thunderstorm of December 2008 was the largest in recent memory, with rain reaching around . The lowest temperature ever recorded in Jeddah was on February 10, 1993. The highest temperature ever recorded in Jeddah was on June 22, 2010, which is the highest temperature to have ever been recorded in Saudi Arabia.
Dust storm A dust storm, also called a sandstorm, is a meteorological phenomenon common in arid and semi-arid regions. Dust storms arise when a gust front or other strong wind blows loose sand and dirt from a dry surface. Fine particles are transpo ...
s happen in summer and sometimes in winter, coming from the
Arabian Peninsula The Arabian Peninsula (, , or , , ) or Arabia, is a peninsula in West Asia, situated north-east of Africa on the Arabian plate. At , comparable in size to India, the Arabian Peninsula is the largest peninsula in the world. Geographically, the ...
's deserts or from
North Africa North Africa (sometimes Northern Africa) is a region encompassing the northern portion of the African continent. There is no singularly accepted scope for the region. However, it is sometimes defined as stretching from the Atlantic shores of t ...
. Occasionally, the dust storms accompany thunderstorms.


Economy

Jeddah has long been a port city. Even before being designated the port city for Mecca, Jeddah was a trading hub for the region. In the 19th century, goods such as mother-of-pearl, tortoise shells, frankincense, and spices were routinely exported from the city. Apart from this, many imports into the city were destined for further transit to the Suez, Africa, or Europe. Many goods passing through Jeddah could not be normally found in the city or even in Arabia. All of the capitals of the
Middle East The Middle East (term originally coined in English language) is a geopolitical region encompassing the Arabian Peninsula, the Levant, Turkey, Egypt, Iran, and Iraq. The term came into widespread usage by the United Kingdom and western Eur ...
and North Africa are within two hours flying distance of Jeddah, making it the second commercial center of the Middle East after Dubai. Also, Jeddah's industrial district is the fourth largest in Saudi Arabia after
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 th ...
,
Jubail Jubail (, ''Al Jubayl'') is a city in the Eastern province on the Persian Gulf coast of Saudi Arabia, with a total population of 474,679 as of 2022. It is home to one of the largest industrial cities in the world. It is also home to the Middle ...
and
Yanbu Yanbu (), also known as Yambu or Yenbo, is a city in the Medina Province of western Saudi Arabia. It is approximately 300 kilometers northwest of Jeddah (at ). The population is 31,800 (2025 census). Many residents are foreign expatriates wo ...
.


King Abdullah Street

King Abdullah Street is one of the most important streets in Jeddah and runs from King Fahd Road by the waterfront in the west of Jeddah to the eastern end of the city. It is famous for hosting numerous corporate offices and commercial developments. It will be near the HSR Entrance in Jeddah central train station which connects Jeddah with Makkah, Al-Madinah, and King Abdullah Economic City (KAEC). It also has the second tallest flagpole in the world at a height of 170 m (558 ft). This road faced a catastrophe in 2011 when it was submerged in rainwater.


Tahliyah Street

Tahliyah Street(EXT. Prince Mohamed Bin Abdulaziz St) is an important fashion and shopping street in central Jeddah. It contains many upscale department and high fashion brands stores as well as boutiques. It has been renamed "Prince Mohammad bin Abdul Aziz Road" by the government, but this official name is not widely used. It also has many
fine dining Fine dining is a restaurant experience that is typically more sophisticated, special, and expensive than at a typical restaurant. The décor of such restaurants features higher-quality materials, with establishments having certain rules of din ...
options.


Madinah Road

Madinah Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
Road is a historically significant street in Jeddah. It links the Southern districts with the North and contains the main offices of several companies and showrooms. The northern end of the road links to the King Abdul Aziz Int'l Airport, which is a contributing factor to heavy traffic on this road at most times during the day.


Culture


Religious significance

Most citizens are
Sunni Muslims Sunni Islam is the largest branch of Islam and the largest religious denomination in the world. It holds that Muhammad did not appoint any successor and that his closest companion Abu Bakr () rightfully succeeded him as the caliph of the Musli ...
. The government, courts, and civil and criminal laws enforce a moral code established by Shari'ah. A very small minority of Saudi citizens are
Shia Muslims Shia Islam is the second-largest Islamic schools and branches, branch of Islam. It holds that Muhammad in Islam, Muhammad designated Ali ibn Abi Talib () as both his political Succession to Muhammad, successor (caliph) and as the spiritual le ...
, and there is also a large foreign workforce, mainly from countries like the Philippines and Pakistan. The city has over 1,300
mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...
s. The law does not allow other religions' buildings, books, icons, and expressions of faith. However, private religious observance not involving Muslims nor offending public order and morality is tolerated. Since the 7th century, Jeddah has hosted millions of Muslim pilgrims from all over the world on their way to the
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
. This merge with pilgrims has a major impact on the society, religion, and economy of Jeddah.


Cuisine

Jeddah's multi-ethnic citizenry has influenced Jeddah's traditional cuisine. Some dishes are native to the Hejaz, like Saleeg. Mabshūr () is a white-rice dish, cooked in broth, often made with chicken instead of lamb meat. Jeddah cuisine is popular as well, with dishes like Foul, Shorabah Hareira (Hareira soup), Mugalgal, Madhbi (chicken grilled on stone), Madfun (literally meaning "buried"), Magloobah, Kibdah, Manzalah (usually eaten at
Eid ul-Fitr Eid al-Fitr () is the first of the two main festivals in Islam, the other being Eid al-Adha. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar. Eid al-Fitr is celebrated by Muslims worldwide because it marks the ...
), Magliya (a local version of
falafel Falafel (; , ) is a deep-fried ball or patty-shaped fritter of Egyptian origin that features in Middle Eastern cuisine, particularly Levantine cuisines. It is made from ground fava beans, chickpeas, or both, and mixed with herbs and spic ...
) and Saiyadyia able to be acquired in many traditional restaurants around the city, such as Althamrat, Abu-Zaid, Al-Quarmooshi, Ayaz, and Hejaziyat. Some dishes popular in the city were imported from other Saudi regions, like
Kabsa Kabsa (), also known as Makboos () or Machboos ( ) is an Arab mixed rice dish that originates from Saudi Arabia or Yemen. It is commonly regarded as a national dish in all the countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council. It can also be found in r ...
from Najd and Arīka () and Ma'sūb () from the southern Saudi region. Other dishes were imported from other cultures through Saudis of different origins, like Mantu, Yaghmush () and Ruz Bukhāri () from Central Asia, Burēk, Šurēk, and Kabab Almīru () from Turkey and the Balkans, Mandi from Yemen, Mutabbag () from Yemen-Malaysia, Biryāni and Kābli () rice dishes from
South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
. The most popular local fast-food chain, begun in 1974, is Al Baik, with branches in Jeddah and the neighboring cities of Makkah, Madinah and Yanbu. Their main dish is broasted (broiled and roasted) chicken, commonly known by Jeddawis as "Broast", and a variety of
seafood Seafood is any form of Marine life, sea life regarded as food by humans, prominently including Fish as food, fish and shellfish. Shellfish include various species of Mollusca, molluscs (e.g., bivalve molluscs such as clams, oysters, and mussel ...
. The popular fast food chain recently opened branches in Riyadh, Dammam, Buraidah, Bahrain, and Dubai in the UAE.


Open-air art

During the oil boom in the late 1970s and 1980s, there was a focused civic effort led by Mohamed Said Farsi, who was then the city's mayor, to bring art to Jeddah's public areas. As a result, Jeddah contains a large number of modern open-air sculptures and works of art, typically situated in
roundabout A roundabout, a rotary and a traffic circle are types of circular intersection or junction in which road traffic is permitted to flow in one direction around a central island, and priority is typically given to traffic already in the junct ...
s. Sculptures include works by Jean/Hans Arp,
César Baldaccini César (born Cesare Baldaccini; 1 January 1921 – 6 December 1998), also occasionally referred to as César Baldaccini (), was a French sculptor. César was at the forefront of the Nouveau réalisme movement with his radical compressions (co ...
,
Alexander Calder Alexander "Sandy" Calder (; July 22, 1898 – November 11, 1976) was an American sculptor known both for his innovative mobile (sculpture), mobiles (kinetic sculptures powered by motors or air currents) that embrace chance in their aesthetic, hi ...
,
Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi-abstract art, abstract monumental Bronze sculpture, bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. Moore ...
,
Joan Miró Joan Miró i Ferrà ( , ; ; 20 April 1893 – 25 December 1983) was a Catalan Spanish painter, sculptor and Ceramic art, ceramist. A museum dedicated to his work, the Fundació Joan Miró, was established in his native city of Barcelona ...
, Hubert Minnebo and
Victor Vasarely Victor Vasarely (; born Győző Vásárhelyi, ; 9 April 1906 – 15 March 1997) was a Hungarian-French artist, who is widely accepted as a "grandfather" and leader of the Op art movement. His work titled ''Zebra'', created in 1937, i ...
. They often depict traditional Saudi items such as coffee pots, incense burners, palm trees, etc. Islamic tradition prohibits the depiction of living creatures, especially the human form, and this has affected the art. Other statues include a giant geometry set, a giant bicycle, a huge block of concrete with several cars protruding from it at odd angles, and a monumental sculpture by
Aref Rayess Aref El Rayess (or Aref Rayess) (25 October 1928 – 27 January 2005) was a Lebanese painter and sculptor. Life Born in Beirut, Aref Rayess started his career as a self-taught artist exhibiting for the first time in 1948. He lived in Africa for ...
called "Swords of God (Soyuf Allah)". At the interchange between Al-Madinah Road, King Abdulaziz Road, and Prince Abullah Al-Faisal Road, there are large sculptures of camels that are the center of a roundabout. The roundabout is commonly known as 'The Camel Roundabout'.


Museums and collections

There are about a dozen museums or collections in Jeddah, with varied educational aims and professionalism. These include the
Jeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography The Khuzam Palace is a major palace and museum in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It houses the Jeddah Regional Museum of Archaeology and Ethnography. History and the building The Museum is in the historic Khuzam Palace in the Al-Nuzlah al-Yamaniyah quart ...
run by the Deputy Ministry of Antiquities and Museums, the Jeddah Municipal Museum, the
Nasseef House Nasseef House or Nassif House (Arabic: بيت نصيف ''Bayt Nasseef'') is a historical structure in Al-Balad, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. As of 2009, it is a museum and cultural center which has special exhibits and lectures given by historians. H ...
, the Humane Heritage Museum, the private Abdul Rauf Hasan Khalil Museum and the private Arts Heritage Museum.


Events and festivals


Red Sea International Film Festival

Jeddah was selected as the place for the annual
Red Sea International Film Festival The Red Sea International Film Festival () is a film festival launched in 2019 and held in Jeddah, western Saudi Arabia. The festival mainly focuses on new storytelling trends, as well as emerging talents from Saudi Arabia, the Arab world and th ...
that was held in 2020.


Jeddah International Book Fair

Jeddah hosts an annual international book fair called Jeddah International Book Fair. It is the second largest book fair in Saudi Arabia, and it was first held in 2015. The book fair is held annually in early December.


Jeddah Season

Jeddah Season is a part of the Saudi government's Saudi Seasons initiative that aims at launching high-level tourism activities in Saudi Arabia. The first version of the season was held in June–July 2019. Around 150 activities and events were organized in five destinations in Jeddah. Saudi Seasons 2019 aimed at shedding light on the diverse Saudi culture and heritage. Jeddah was chosen because it is one of the most culturally-rich Saudi cities, with a history that spans over 3,000 years. Most of Jeddah Season's events and activities were held at
King Abdullah Sports City King Abdullah Sports City Stadium (), known as Alinma Bank, Alinma Stadium due to sponsorship reasons, also nicknamed The Shining Jewel () or simply The Jewel, is a Multi-purpose stadium and the main stadium of the sports city located 30 kilome ...
, Jeddah's historical area, Al-Hamra Corniche, and the Jeddah Waterfront. Jeddah Season aims to make Jeddah the most preferred tourist destination in the world and the best season of all the Saudi Seasons.


Media

Jeddah is served by four major Arabic-language newspapers, ''
Asharq Al-Awsat ''Asharq Al-Awsat'' (, meaning "The Middle East") is an Arabic international newspaper headquartered in London. A pioneer of the "off-shore" model in the Arabic press, the paper is often noted for its distinctive green-tinted pages. Although pu ...
'', '' Al Madina'', ''
Okaz ''Okaz'' () is an Arabic Saudi Arabian daily newspaper located in Jeddah. The paper was launched in 1960 and its sister publication is '' Saudi Gazette''. The paper is simultaneously printed in both Riyadh and Jeddah and has offices all over Sau ...
'', and '' Al Bilad'', as well as two major English-language newspapers, the ''
Saudi Gazette ''Saudi Gazette'' is an English-language daily newspaper launched in 1976 and published in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is only available online, as the print version was discontinued in 2019. It is the second English-language daily newspaper in Saud ...
'' and ''
Arab News ''Arab News'' is an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia. It is published from Riyadh. The target audiences of the paper, which is published in broadsheet format, are businesspeople, executives and diplomats. At least as ...
'' (which also covers other Middle Eastern events). ''Okaz'' and ''Al-Madina'' are the primary newspapers of Jeddah and some other Saudi cities, with over a million readers; their focus is mainly local. Internet blogs specifically informative of the locality are abundant in Jeddah, catering mostly to the widespread expatriate population. Of these are constituted websites that have garnered international acclaim for informativeness, such as Jeddah Blog, the recipient of the Bronze Expat Blog Award in 2012 and the Gold Award in 2013 and among Feedspot's Top 100 Middle East blogs. Other amateur websites relating to specific topics in the region exist as well. Jeddah represents the largest radio and television market in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
. Television stations serving the city area include Saudi TV1, Saudi TV2, Saudi TV Sports,
Al Ekhbariya Al Ekhbariya () is a Saudi news and current affairs satellite TV channel based in 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. Loca ...
, the ART channels network and hundreds of cable, satellite, and other specialty television providers. The
Jeddah TV Tower The Jeddah TV Tower (برج تلفزيون جدة) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian ...
is a high television tower with an observation deck.


Accent

The Jeddah region's distinctive speech pattern is called the Hejazi dialect. It is among the most recognizable of all accents in the Arabic language.


Cityscape


Old Jeddah

The Old City known as
Al-Balad Al-Balad (, "The City"), is the 90th Surah or chapter of the Qur'an. It is composed of 20 '' ayat'' (verses). Summary *1-7 Man, though created in misery, yet boasts of his riches *8-16 Captives to be freed and the poor and orphan to be fed *17- ...
, with its traditional multistory buildings and merchant houses that often still belong to the families that inhabited them before the oil-era, has lost ground to more modern developments. Nonetheless, the Old City contributes to the cultural identity of Jeddah and the Hijaz more generally. Since it was granted UNESCO World Heritage status, in 2014, several traditional buildings have been restored and made open to the public. In 2019, the Saudi crown prince,
Muhammad bin Salman Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud (; born 31 August 1985), also known as MBS or MbS, is the '' de facto'' ruler of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, formally serving as Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He is the heir apparent to the Saudi throne, ...
, issued a royal decree ordering the
Ministry of Culture Ministry of Culture may refer to: * Ministry of Tourism, Cultural Affairs, Youth and Sports (Albania) * Ministry of Culture (Algeria) * Ministry of Culture (Argentina) * Minister for the Arts (Australia) * Ministry of Culture (Azerbaijan)Ministry o ...
to restore 50 historical buildings in Jeddah. Several historic mosques from different eras are located in al-Balad, as well as one of the oldest museums in the city, called Bayt Naseef (the House of Naseef), which displays local furniture and interior design from the past 150 years, approximately.


Resorts and hotels

The city has many popular resorts, including Durrat Al-Arus, Al-Nawras Mövenpick resort at the Red Sea Corniche, Crystal Resort, Radisson Blu, The Signature Al Murjan Beach Resort, Al Nakheel Village, Sands, and Sheraton Abhur. Many are renowned for their preserved Red Sea marine life and offshore coral reefs.


Consulates

One of the two
consulates A consulate is the office of a consul. A type of mission, it is usually subordinate to the state's main representation in the capital of that foreign country (host state), usually an embassy (or, only between two Commonwealth countries, a h ...
of the United States of America in
Saudi Arabia Saudi Arabia, officially the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), is a country in West Asia. Located in the centre of the Middle East, it covers the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula and has a land area of about , making it the List of Asian countries ...
is located in Jeddah, along with the consulates for 67 other countries such as
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. It is bordered by Pakistan to the Durand Line, east and south, Iran to the Afghanistan–Iran borde ...
, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
,
Indonesia Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania, between the Indian Ocean, Indian and Pacific Ocean, Pacific oceans. Comprising over List of islands of Indonesia, 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, ...
,
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
,
Germany Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It lies between the Baltic Sea and the North Sea to the north and the Alps to the south. Its sixteen States of Germany, constituent states have a total popu ...
,
Greece Greece, officially the Hellenic Republic, is a country in Southeast Europe. Located on the southern tip of the Balkan peninsula, it shares land borders with Albania to the northwest, North Macedonia and Bulgaria to the north, and Turkey to th ...
,
Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
,
Philippines The Philippines, officially the Republic of the Philippines, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic country in Southeast Asia. Located in the western Pacific Ocean, it consists of List of islands of the Philippines, 7,641 islands, with a tot ...
,
India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...
,
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
,
Bangladesh Bangladesh, officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, eighth-most populous country in the world and among the List of countries and dependencies by ...
,
Italy Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
,
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
and
Mainland China "Mainland China", also referred to as "the Chinese mainland", is a Geopolitics, geopolitical term defined as the territory under direct administration of the People's Republic of China (PRC) in the aftermath of the Chinese Civil War. In addit ...
. Some of the other consulates present include countries of the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; ; ), formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1969. It consists of 57 member states, 48 of which are Muslim-majority. The Pew Forum on ...
and the
Arab League The Arab League (, ' ), officially the League of Arab States (, '), is a regional organization in the Arab world. The Arab League was formed in Cairo on 22 March 1945, initially with seven members: Kingdom of Egypt, Egypt, Kingdom of Iraq, ...
states.


Historical Jeddah

Historical Jeddah is situated on the eastern shore of the
Red Sea The Red Sea is a sea inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. Its connection to the ocean is in the south, through the Bab-el-Mandeb Strait and the Gulf of Aden. To its north lie the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and th ...
. From the 7th century AD, it was established as a major port for Indian Ocean trade routes, channeling goods to Mecca. It was also the gateway for Muslim pilgrims to Mecca who arrived by sea. These twin roles saw the city develop into a thriving multicultural center, characterized by a distinctive architectural tradition, including tower houses built in the late 19th century by the city's mercantile elites, and combining Red Sea coastal coral building traditions with influences and crafts from along the trade routes. Within a defensive wall that was built during Ottoman rule, the old city of Jeddah, Al-Balad, was divided into districts, or ''Haras'', where business and trade centered around traditional ''souks'', or market places, and ''khans'', covered markets that were generally connected to shops.


Harrat Al-Mathloum (District of the Wronged)

Located in the northeast of Jeddah, this district was named after Abdulkarim Al-Barzangi, a Hijazi rebel who was crucified by the Ottomans. Some of its landmarks are: * Dar Al-Qabil * Dar Al-Ba'ashin * Dar Al-Sheikh * The Al-Shafi'i mosque The oldest mosque in town, its
minaret A minaret is a type of tower typically built into or adjacent to mosques. Minarets are generally used to project the Muslim call to prayer (''adhan'') from a muezzin, but they also served as landmarks and symbols of Islam's presence. They can h ...
was built in the 13th century, and its pillars date back to Ottoman rule. * Mosque of Uthman bin Affan Also called the Ebony Mosque because of its two ebony pillars, it was mentioned in the writings of
Ibn Battuta Ibn Battuta (; 24 February 13041368/1369), was a Maghrebi traveller, explorer and scholar. Over a period of 30 years from 1325 to 1354, he visited much of Africa, the Middle East, Asia and the Iberian Peninsula. Near the end of his life, Ibn ...
and
Ibn Jubayr Ibn Jubayr (1 September 1145 – 29 November 1217; ), also written Ibn Jubair, Ibn Jobair, and Ibn Djubayr, was an Arab geographer, traveller and poet from al-Andalus. His travel chronicle describes the pilgrimage he made to Mecca from 1183 to 11 ...
. * Al-Mia'mar Mosque An old mosque built in the 17th century. * Souq Al-Jama One of the oldest markets in town.


Harrat Al-Sham (The Levantine District)

Located in the north and named after its orientation, some of its landmarks are: * Dar Al-Sadat * Dar Al-Serti * Dar Al-Zahid * Dar Al-Banajah * Al-Basha Mosque Built by Bakr Basha, the governor of Jeddah in 1735.


Harrat Al-Yemen (The Yemeni District)

Located in the south and also named after its orientation, its landmarks include: * Bait Nasseef By far the most famous site in the old town, it was built in 1881 for Omar Nasseef Efendi, governor of Jeddah at the time, and served as the royal residence of
King Abdulaziz Abdulaziz bin Abdul Rahman Al Saud (; 15 January 1875Ibn Saud's birth year has been a source of debate. It is generally accepted as 1876, although a few sources give it as 1880. According to British author Robert Lacey's book ''The Kingdom'', ...
after he conquered the city. * Dar Al-Jamjoom * Dar Al-Sha'araoui * Dar Al-Abdulsamad * Dar Al-Kayal * Bait Al-Matbouli * Bait Al-Joghadar


Harrat Al-Bahar (The Seafront District)

Located in the southwest, some of its landmarks are: * Dar Al-Nas * Dar Al-Radwan * Dar Al-Nimr


Main sights


Abdul Raouf Khalil Museum

Founded by Sheikh Abdul Raouf Khalil in 1996, this museum not only presents the rich Islamic cultural heritage of the city, but also its pre-Islamic history that goes back 2500 years; it traces the various civilizations that inhabited the region. Located in the downtown district, it boasts a large collection of items and artifacts that belonged to the Ottoman Turks and the fishermen tribes who were the first inhabitants of the region.


King Fahd's Fountain

King Fahd's Fountain ''King Fahd's Fountain'' (), also known as the ''Jeddah Fountain'', is in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. It is the tallest fountain of its type in the world. It is named after King Fahd bin Abdulaziz, the ruler of Saudi Arabia from 1982 until 2005. Over ...
was built in the 1980s and can be seen from a great distance. At , the Fahd Fountain is the highest water jet in the world, according to the
Guinness World Records ''Guinness World Records'', known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as ''The Guinness Book of Records'' and in previous United States editions as ''The Guinness Book of World Records'', is a British reference book published annually, list ...
.Photograph of King Fahd Fountain
at treklens.com
The fountain was donated to the City of Jeddah by the late King Fahd bin Abdul Aziz, after whom it was named.


Al-Rahmah Mosque

Sometimes referred to as the floating mosque because of its being built above water, this fascinating mix of old and new architecture was built in 1985. It is a popular spot among tourists and natives looking to lounge by the seaside.


King Abdullah Sports City

King Abdullah Sports City is a multi-use stadium used mostly for association football. It opened in 2014 north of Jeddah and has a full capacity of 62,241 spectators. It is the largest stadium in Jeddah, and the second-largest in Saudi Arabia.


King Saud Mosque

Built in 1987 by Egyptian architect Abdel Wahed El Wakil, King Saud Mosque is the largest mosque in the city, displaying beautiful Islamic architecture.


NCB Tower

Built in 1983 and believed to be the highest tower in Saudi Arabia during the 1980s, with a height of over , the National Commercial Bank was Saudi Arabia's first bank.


IDB Tower

The Islamic Development Bank is a multilateral development financing institution. It was founded by the first conference of Finance Ministers of the Organisation of the Islamic Conference (OIC, now the
Organization of Islamic Cooperation The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC; ; ), formerly the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, is an intergovernmental organisation founded in 1969. It consists of 57 member states, 48 of which are Muslim-majority. The Pew Forum on ...
), first convened on 18 December 1973. The bank officially began its activities on 20 October 1975.


Jeddah Municipality Tower

This is the headquarters of the
metropolitan area A metropolitan area or metro is a region consisting of a densely populated urban area, urban agglomeration and its surrounding territories which share Industry (economics), industries, commercial areas, Transport infrastructure, transport network ...
of Jeddah. The municipality's new building is going to be not only Jeddah's tallest but is also going to dethrone the
Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but inc ...
. This proposed tower, formerly known as the Kingdom Tower, is being built in Jeddah by Prince
Al-Waleed bin Talal Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud (; born 7 March 1955) is a Saudi Arabian billionaire businessman, investor, and a House of Saud royal. In 2008, he was listed on ''Time'' magazine's ''Time 100'', an annual list of the hundred most influential people ...
and will stand tall. Upon its completion, it will be the tallest skyscraper in the world. The building has been scaled down from its initial proposal, since the ground proved unsuitable for a building that tall, to a height of at least (the exact height is being kept private while in development, similar to the Burj Khalifa), which, at about one kilometer (), would still make it by far the tallest building or structure in the world to date, standing at least taller than the
Burj Khalifa The Burj Khalifa (known as the Burj Dubai prior to its inauguration) is a megatall skyscraper in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. With a total height of 829.8 m (2,722 ft, or just over half a mile) and a roof height (excluding the antenna, but inc ...
in
Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
. Construction began in April 2013 and there was steady progress, but in January 2018, building owner JEC halted structural concrete work with the tower about one-third completed due to labor issues with a contractor following the 2017–19 Saudi Arabian purge. JEC had said they planned to restart construction in 2020. In September 2023
MEED MEED, formerly ''Middle East Economic Digest'', is a media publishing company founded in 1957 focused on economic and business news related to the Middle East. MEED also provides advertising and marketing services. History The first issue o ...
reported that the construction of the tower had restarted. Completion is expected in 2029.


King Road Tower

King Road Tower is a commercial and office building, the external walls of which are used to show commercials. The building also has a
helipad A helipad is the landing area of a heliport, in use by helicopters, powered lift, and vertical lift aircraft to land on surface. While helicopters and powered lift aircraft are able to operate on a variety of relatively flat surfaces, a fa ...
on its roof. King Road Tower has the largest
LED A light-emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it. Electrons in the semiconductor recombine with electron holes, releasing energy in the form of photons. The color of the light (corresp ...
display in the world on its walls.


Al Jawharah Tower

Al Jawharah Tower is a residential high-rise; it became the third-tallest structure in Jeddah when completed in 2014.


Jeddah Flagpole

The King Abdullah Square on the intersection of Andalus Road with King Abdullah Road had the world's tallest flagpole. It is high and the Saudi flag atop it weighs . On the 84th Saudi Arabia National Day, on September 23, 2014, a huge Saudi flag was hoisted on the flagpole before a crowd of thousands. The flagpole succeeded
Dushanbe Flagpole The Dushanbe Flagpole (; ) is a free–standing flagpole located in front of the Palace of Nations in Dushanbe, Tajikistan. At , it was the tallest flagpole in the world from its completion in 2011 until the 2014 erection of the Jeddah Flagpol ...
as the tallest flagpole in the world until 26 December 2021, when the
Cairo Flagpole The Cairo Flagpole is the world's tallest flagpole, at tall. Located in the New Administrative Capital of Egypt Egypt ( , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a country spanning the Northeast Africa, northeast corner of Africa ...
in Cairo, Egypt was erected at a height of 201.952 m (662.57 ft).


Entrance of Mecca

Bab Makkah, also known as Makkah Gate, is a limestone coral gateway that leads into the historic Al-Balad district of Jeddah. The Makkah Gate, named the "Quran Gate", is located 60 km outside Jeddah on the Makkah Mukkarram road of the Jeddah–Makkah Highway. It is the entrance to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
and the birthplace of
Muhammad Muhammad (8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious and political leader and the founder of Islam. Muhammad in Islam, According to Islam, he was a prophet who was divinely inspired to preach and confirm the tawhid, monotheistic teachings of A ...
. The gate signifies the boundary of the
Haram ''Haram'' (; ) is an Arabic term meaning 'taboo'. This may refer to either something sacred to which access is not allowed to the people who are not in a state of purity or who are not initiated into the sacred knowledge; or, in direct cont ...
area of the city of Makkah, where non-Muslims are prohibited to enter. The gate was designed in 1979 by Egyptian architect Samir Elabd for the architectural firm IDEA Center. The structure is that of a book, representing the
Quran The Quran, also Romanization, romanized Qur'an or Koran, is the central religious text of Islam, believed by Muslims to be a Waḥy, revelation directly from God in Islam, God (''Allah, Allāh''). It is organized in 114 chapters (, ) which ...
, sitting on a '' rehal'', or book stand.Samir Elabd
– Elabd Architectural Illustration.


Jeddah Waterfront

The new waterfront was inaugurated in November 2017, by Makkah Governor, Prince Khaled Al-Faisal. It spans an area of on the Red Sea, and has many facilities, including swimming beaches, huts, a floating marina dock, washrooms, restaurants, parks, dancing fountains, playgrounds, and access to Wi-fi. This project of developing the Jeddah Waterfront has been awarded the Jeddah Innovation Award of the year 1439 in the field of government innovation, by the Jeddah Governorate.


Education


Schools, colleges and universities

, Jeddah had 849
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociology, sociological concept of the ''Öf ...
and
private school A private school or independent school is a school not administered or funded by the government, unlike a State school, public school. Private schools are schools that are not dependent upon national or local government to finance their fina ...
s for male students and another 1,179 public and private schools for female students. The medium of instruction in both public and private schools is typically
Arabic Arabic (, , or , ) is a Central Semitic languages, Central Semitic language of the Afroasiatic languages, Afroasiatic language family spoken primarily in the Arab world. The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) assigns lang ...
, with an emphasis on
English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Culture, language and peoples * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England * ''English'', an Amish ter ...
as a
second language A second language (L2) is a language spoken in addition to one's first language (L1). A second language may be a neighbouring language, another language of the speaker's home country, or a foreign language. A speaker's dominant language, which ...
. However, some private schools administered by foreign entities conduct classes in English. These include 10+ Indian schools following the CBSE board of education system, and several Pakistani and Bangladeshi schools as well. , Jeddah also had four Philippine international schools, with two more scheduled to open shortly afterward.Salud, Francis R.
2 More Filipino Schools to Open in Jeddah

Archive
. ''
Arab News ''Arab News'' is an English-language daily newspaper published in Saudi Arabia. It is published from Riyadh. The target audiences of the paper, which is published in broadsheet format, are businesspeople, executives and diplomats. At least as ...
''. Thursday 7 March 2005. Retrieved on 5 November 2015.
Jeddah's universities and colleges include the following: * King Saud bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences *
King Abdulaziz University King Abdulaziz University (KAU) () is a public research university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1967 as a private university by a group of businessmen led by Muhammad Bakhashab and including author Hamza Bogary, it was named after ...
*
King Abdullah University of Science and Technology The King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST; ') is a Private university, private research university located in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia. Founded in 2009, the university provides research and graduate training programs in English ...
*
University of Jeddah University of Jeddah or Jeddah University () is a public university located in Jeddah, Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The University of Jeddah was established in 2014 and recognized by the Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia. The university's main camp ...
*
Arab Open University Arab Open University (AOU) () is a non-profit university system in the Arab world. Headquartered in Kuwait, the system is composed of 16 campuses across 9 countries: Ardiya in Kuwait, Riyadh, Jeddah, Dammam, Madinah, Ḥail, Al-Ahsa in Saudi A ...
*
Dar Al-Hekma College Dar Al-Hekma University is a private, non-profit institution of higher education in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Classes are taught in English. The University started in September 1999, with the approval of the Saudi Ministry of Education. It received t ...
*
Effat University Effat University () is a private non-profit institution of higher education for men and women in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, operating under the umbrella of King Fa ...
* University of Business and Technology (UBT) * Teacher's College * Jeddah College of Technology * Jeddah Private College * College of Health Care * College of Telecom & Electronics * College of Community * Private College of Business * Ibn Sina National College for Medical Studies * Batterjee Medical College * Prince Sultan College of Tourism *
Prince Sultan Aviation Academy Saudia (), formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines (), is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia based in Jeddah. The airline's main hubs are the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, t ...
* Islamic Fiqh Academy * Jeddah Institute for Speech and Hearing * Saudi German Institute for Nursing Jeddah is also home to several primary, intermediate and secondary schools such as: * Jeddah Knowledge International School * American International School of Jeddah * Italian international school * Jeddah International School * Zahrat Al-Sahraa International school (ZSIS) * Cedar International School * British International School of Jeddah (Continental, BISJ) * German International School Jeddah *
Al-Thager Model School The Al-Thager Model School (, roughly "The Haven"Coll 143) is a secondary school in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The school is housed in a two-story building that used to house both primary and secondary grades, as well as residential dormitories on the ...
* International Indian School Jeddah (IISJ) * Pakistan International School Jeddah (PISJ) * Talal International School Jeddah (TISJ) * DPS Jeddah Al-Falah International School * International Philippine School in Jeddah * Jeddah Japanese School * Korean International School of Jeddah (KISJ; 젯다한국국제학교) * Al-Waha International School * Beladi International School Jeddah * Al-Afaq International School * Manarat Jeddah Schools * Gharnatah International School * New Al Wurood International School Jeddah AWIS* Bangladesh International School Jeddah (BISESJ) * Bader International School * Arab international school * Nobles International School (NIS) * Dauha Al Uloom International School (DAUISJ) * Al-Fath Schools * Al-Aqsa Private Schools * Dar Al-Fikr Schools (DAF) * Al-Fanar School Jeddah * Dar Al-Thikr Schools * Hala International School (HIS) * Jeddah International Turkish School (JITS) * Jeddah Prep and Grammar School (JPGS) * Al Hamraa Girls' School * Building Blocks (private school) * Dar Jana International School (DJIS) * Al Mawarid International School Jeddah MIS* Pioneer International School * Duaa International School Jeddah (DISJ) * Jeddah Private School (JPS) * Nhaond School * Number 18 High School * Number 25 Secondary School * Tuletelah High School * Bangladesh International School And College (Bangla Section) Jeddah (BISCJ) * Al-Afkar International School * Waad Academy School * Al Kon International School


Libraries

The central library at King Abdulaziz University (main branch) is a five-story building that has a large collection of Arabic and English language books, rare books, and documents as well as access to several online databases. It is open for public access and allows the borrowing of books after requesting a library card. Saturdays are dedicated to female visitors. King Abdul Aziz Public Library is a philanthropic institution that was founded and supported by the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah Bin Abdulaziz, chairman of its board of directors. Established in 1985, the library was officially opened by the King on 27 February 1987. It emphasizes Islamic and Arabic heritage and history of the Kingdom. The library is divided into three branches (men's, women's, and children's). The limited number of libraries is criticized by the public. As a result, King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has approved the King Abdullah Project for the Development of Public Libraries, and approximately SAR150 million is budgeted to be spent. In April 2014, Prince Mishaal Ibn Abdullah Abdulaziz opened a new public library in Jeddah by Makkah Governor, under the name of King Fahd Public Library. King Fahd Public Library was built over an area of within the main Campus of
King Abdulaziz University King Abdulaziz University (KAU) () is a public research university in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Established in 1967 as a private university by a group of businessmen led by Muhammad Bakhashab and including author Hamza Bogary, it was named after ...
(KAU) in Jeddah. It includes a diverse collection of books and reference material classified into three sections to meet the needs and wants of a wide range of readership. Spaces have been set apart for youths, children and women.


Sports

Jeddah is the home of two large and well-known football clubs,
Al-Ittihad Al-Ittihad may refer to: Sports Football Men Teams * Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia * Al Ittihad SCSC (Tripoli), Tripoli, Libya * Al Ittihad Gheryan, Gharyan, Libya * Al Ittihad Misurata SC, Misurata, Libya * Al Ittihad SC ...
and Al-Ahli. Both teams play their league matches at King Abdullah Stadium, which is located in the northern part of Jeddah near King Abdulaziz Airport. It was the host city for the
2023 FIFA Club World Cup The 2023 FIFA Club World Cup (officially known as the FIFA Club World Cup Saudi Arabia 2023 presented by Visit Saudi for sponsorship reasons) was the 20th edition of the FIFA Club World Cup, a FIFA-organised international club football tourname ...
. The city is also home to the Saudi Arabian basketball Giants
Al-Ittihad Al-Ittihad may refer to: Sports Football Men Teams * Al-Ittihad Club (Jeddah), Jeddah, Saudi Arabia * Al Ittihad SCSC (Tripoli), Tripoli, Libya * Al Ittihad Gheryan, Gharyan, Libya * Al Ittihad Misurata SC, Misurata, Libya * Al Ittihad SC ...
its the basketball section of the football club, which plays its home games in the Prince Abdullah Al-Faisal Basketball Arena. On 5 November 2020, it was announced that Jeddah would host the 21st round of the 2021 FIA Formula 1 World Championship. The
Jeddah Corniche Circuit The Jeddah Corniche Circuit () is a motor racing street circuit built in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia. The circuit staged the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 5 December 2021 as the penultimate race on the Formula One ...
is a street circuit, winding through the
Jeddah Corniche The Jeddah Corniche, also known as the Jeddah Waterfront (JW), is a 30 km coastal resort area of the city of Saudi Arabia. Located along the Red Sea, the corniche features a coastal road, recreation areas, pavilions and large-scale civic sc ...
along the Red Sea, north of the main part of the city. The race debuted on 5 December 2021, and is scheduled to be held in the city until 2030. In the 2022 edition of the race, Mexican driver
Sergio Pérez Sergio Michel "Checo" Pérez Mendoza (; born 26 January 1990) is a Mexican racing driver, who most recently competed in Formula One from to . Pérez was runner-up in the Formula One World Drivers' Championship in with Red Bull, and won Gr ...
achieved his maiden pole position in his 215th race, becoming the driver with most races before pole position.


Transport


Airport

Jeddah is served by King Abdulaziz International Airport. The airport has four passenger terminals. One is the Hajj Terminal, a special outdoor terminal covered by large white tents, which was constructed to handle the more than two million pilgrims who pass through the airport during the
Hajj Hajj (; ; also spelled Hadj, Haj or Haji) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for capable Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetim ...
season. The Southern Terminal is used by
Saudia Saudia (), formerly known as Saudi Arabian Airlines (), is the flag carrier of Saudi Arabia based in Jeddah. The airline's main hubs are the King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and the King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, the ...
and
Flynas Flynas (stylized flynas; ), formerly Nas Air, is a private Saudi low-cost airline "joint-stock company". It is the first low-cost airline in Saudi Arabia. The company's headquarters are located in Riyadh. It operates more than 1,500 flights pe ...
(both based in Saudi Arabia), while the Northern Terminal serves foreign airlines. A plan for the extension of the airport is being developed. The Royal Terminal is a special terminal reserved for VIPs, foreign kings and presidents, and the
Saudi royal family The House of Saud ( ) is the ruling royal family of Saudi Arabia. It is composed of the descendants of Muhammad bin Saud, founder of the Emirate of Diriyah, known as the First Saudi State, (1727–1818), and his brothers, though the ruling fa ...
. A portion of the airport, King Abdullah Air Base, was used by
Coalition A coalition is formed when two or more people or groups temporarily work together to achieve a common goal. The term is most frequently used to denote a formation of power in political, military, or economic spaces. Formation According to ''A G ...
B-52 heavy bombers during
Operation Desert Storm Operation or Operations may refer to: Arts, entertainment and media * ''Operation'' (game), a battery-operated board game that challenges dexterity * Operation (music), a term used in musical set theory * ''Operations'' (magazine), Multi-Man ...
in 1991. Before King Abdulaziz Airport opened in 1981,
Kandara Airport Jeddah International Airport, also known as Abbas Ibn Firnas Airport or Kandara Airport (IATA: XZF ICAO: OEJD) was the first airport of Saudi Arabia located within Al-Kandara and Al-Sharafiya, Jeddah. It was the original airport serving the citi ...
served Jeddah. It was at Kandara, a neighborhood very near the town center. However, the old Jeddah airport experienced heavy congestions, especially during Hajj seasons. After the airport became defunct, the area was redeveloped for housing.


Seaport

Jeddah Seaport Jeddah Islamic Port is a Saudi Arabian port, located in Jeddah on the Red Sea, at the middle of an international shipping route between the east and west via the Suez Canal. It is the second-largest and second-busiest port in the Arab world (af ...
is the 40th busiest seaport in the world . It handles the majority of Saudi Arabia's commercial movement. In 2017, Jeddah Seaport handled 4,309,765 TEUs and in the year 2018 handled 4,215,248 TEUs. Jeddah is part of the
21st Century Maritime Silk Road The 21st Century Maritime Silk Road (), commonly just Maritime Silk Road (MSR), is the sea route part of the Belt and Road Initiative which is a Chinese strategic initiative to increase investment and foster collaboration across the historic Silk ...
that runs from the Chinese coast to the Upper Adriatic region with its rail connections to Central and Eastern Europe.


Road and rail

Highway 40, which begins in Jeddah, connects the city to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
,
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 th ...
and
Dammam Dammam (Arabic: الدمام ad-Dammām) is a city and governorate, and the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia. Located on the coast of the Persian Gulf, it had a population of 1,386,166 as of 2022, making it the country's fifth- ...
on the east coast. Jeddah does not have any
rapid transit Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT) or heavy rail, commonly referred to as metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport that is generally built in urban areas. A grade separation, grade separated rapid transit line below ground su ...
system, but the
Haramain High Speed Railway The Haramain High Speed Railway (, , abbreviated HHR), is a passenger railway serving the Mecca and Medina provinces in western Saudi Arabia. The main line directly connects the Islamic holy cities of Mecca and Medina (collectively known as the ...
provides a connection to
Mecca Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is the capital of Mecca Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia; it is the Holiest sites in Islam, holiest city in Islam. It is inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea, in a narrow valley above ...
and
Medina Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah (, ), also known as Taybah () and known in pre-Islamic times as Yathrib (), is the capital of Medina Province (Saudi Arabia), Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, ...
. There is a contracted plan to build an extensive light metro system known as the
Jeddah Metro The Jeddah Metro is a proposed metro system in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Several lines will be built over the course of at least five years that eventually aim to increase public transport commuter share to 30% from the current 1%-2%. P ...
, throughout the city, originally by 2020. Jeddah's main highways run parallel to each other.


Issues and challenges

The city is challenged by pollution, weak
sewage systems Sewerage (or sewage system) is the infrastructure that conveys sewage or surface runoff (stormwater, meltwater, rainwater) using sewers. It encompasses components such as receiving drains, manholes, pumping stations, storm overflows, and screen ...
, and a weak storm drain system that has led to massive flooding, heavy traffic, epidemics, and water shortages.


Pollution and environment

Air pollution Air pollution is the presence of substances in the Atmosphere of Earth, air that are harmful to humans, other living beings or the environment. Pollutants can be Gas, gases like Ground-level ozone, ozone or nitrogen oxides or small particles li ...
is a problem for Jeddah, particularly on hot summer days. The city has experienced bush fires,
landfill A landfill is a site for the disposal of waste materials. It is the oldest and most common form of waste disposal, although the systematic burial of waste with daily, intermediate and final covers only began in the 1940s. In the past, waste was ...
fires, and pollution from the two industrial zones in the north and the south of the metropolitan area. A water treatment factory and the
seaport A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manc ...
also contribute to water pollution. Much of the seafront, however, is considered to be safe and clean.
Ramboll Rambøll Group A/S, also known as "Ramboll", is a Danish multinational architecture, engineering, and consulting company. In the past 25 years, the company has expanded from being a business mainly focused on the Nordic region, to having offices ...
has acted as Environmental Consultant on the Jeddah
Environmental Impact Assessment Environmental impact assessment (EIA) is the assessment of the environmental impact, environmental consequences of a plan, policy, program, or actual projects prior to the decision to move forward with the proposed action. In this context, the te ...
as well as the Jeddah Environmental Social Masterplan.


Terrorism

At mid-day on 6 December 2004, militants loyal to the regional affiliate of the terrorist group
Al-Qaeda , image = Flag of Jihad.svg , caption = Jihadist flag, Flag used by various al-Qaeda factions , founder = Osama bin Laden{{Assassinated, Killing of Osama bin Laden , leaders = {{Plainlist, * Osama bin Lad ...
launched an attack on the U.S. Consulate, killing five employees. The group was led by Fayez ibn Awwad Al-Jeheni, a former member of the
religious police Religious police are any Police, police force responsible for the enforcement of religious norms and associated religious laws. Nearly all religious police organizations in modern society are Islamic and can be found in countries with a large Mu ...
. Two of the other assailants were subsequently identified by Saudi authorities as residents of Jeddah's Al-Jamia suburb and other slums on Saudi Arabia's increasingly urbanized west coast. Buildings were attacked, hostages taken and used as human shields, targeting both Americans and non-Americans alike. Despite enduring a protracted siege, the chancery/consular section of the building was never penetrated. Closed-circuit video feeds documented that the Saudi security personnel assigned to protect the facility fled when the vehicle holding the terrorists pulled up to the front gate and ran past the Delta barrier. Inside the compound, however, an armed Saudi security guard employed by the embassy shot and killed one of the five terrorists before being fatally shot himself. The attackers spread and ignited a flammable liquid on the front of the chancery building, and opened fire on the front doors, both of which actions did not have any penetrating effect. The Consulate's U.S. Marines released tear gas in front of the chancery building, but the terrorists had already left that location. More than an hour later, Saudi special forces made it through traffic and, along with others from their unit who arrived in a helicopter, fought to retake the compound. In the final shootout, two of the terrorists were killed, with another dying later in hospital, and one militant was captured alive. Four Saudi special forces and a further ten hostages were wounded in the crossfire. The five U.S. Foreign Service employees killed in the terrorist attack were Ali Yaslem Bin Talib, Imad e-Deen Musa Ali, Romeo de la Rosa, Mohammed Baheer Uddin, and Jaufar Sadik, nationals of Yemen, Sudan, Philippines, India and Sri Lanka, respectively. The attack underscored the ongoing vulnerabilities of Westerners to threats, terrorist actions, and the environs. In a communiqué posted in online publications such as '' Sawt al-Jihad'' (Voice of Jihad) and ''Mu'askar al-Battar'' (Al-Battar Training Camp), Al-Qaeda hinted at the symbolic nature of the U.S. Consulate attack, stating: "Know that the Mujahideen are determined to continue on their path, and they will not be weakened by what has happened to them." Terrorist activities have persisted from 2004 to the present day. In 2004, there was an unsuccessful shooting attack on a U.S. Marine visiting the Saudi American Bank and an attempt to simultaneously explode car bombs at Saudi American Bank and Saudi British Bank branches in Jeddah on the anniversary of the 2001 "9-11" terrorist attacks on the U.S. On 26 August 2012, a spokesman for the
Interior Ministry An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement. In some states, the ...
announced that terrorists were arrested in Jeddah who had been preparing explosives for attacks within the kingdom. In 2022, the
Houthis The Houthis, officially known as Ansar Allah, is a Zaydism, Zaydi Shia Islamism, Shia Islamist political and military organization that emerged from Yemen in the 1990s. It is predominantly made up of Zaydi Shias, with their namesake leadersh ...
launched a missile attack against an Aramco facility near the
Jeddah Corniche Circuit The Jeddah Corniche Circuit () is a motor racing street circuit built in the Red Sea port city of Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia. The circuit staged the inaugural Saudi Arabian Grand Prix on 5 December 2021 as the penultimate race on the Formula One ...
, where the
Formula One Formula One (F1) is the highest class of worldwide racing for open-wheel single-seater formula Auto racing, racing cars sanctioned by the Fédération Internationale de l'Automobile (FIA). The FIA Formula One World Championship has been one ...
Saudi Arabian Grand Prix The Saudi Arabian Grand Prix () is an annual Formula One motor racing event which took place for the first time in 2021. The inaugural edition of the race was held in Jeddah, in Saudi Arabia, at the Jeddah Corniche Circuit, where it is schedule ...
was held.


Traffic

Roads and highways within and exiting the city are frequently clogged with traffic. Mass transit is rare and planning is nascent; most Jeddawi adults have at least one car. Days immediately preceding and following the holy days are particularly noisome and cost hundreds of thousands of person-hours because of traffic jams. The ''Saudi Gazette'' reports that there is a plan in the works to tackle the traffic issue. A reported three billion Saudi Riyals will be put into constructing flyovers and underpasses in an effort to expedite traffic. The plan is scheduled to take about five years from its start to finish.


Sewage

Prior to the construction of a waste treatment plant, Jeddah's wastewater was disposed of by either discharge into the sea or via absorption into deep underground pits. However, even with the ever-increasing population, the original sewer system has hardly been expanded. The original plant cannot cope with the amount of waste inundating it daily. As a result, some untreated sewage is discharged directly into the sea and the entire northern part of the city remains completely unconnected to the sewage system, instead relying on septic tanks. This has been responsible for a large number of sewage tankers. In late 2011, a storm drainage system was built in the south Jeddah area (similar to that of the Los Angeles storm drain) to reduce the risk of floods.


Floods

On 25 November 2009, heavy floods affected the city and other areas of
Makkah Province Mecca Province (, ), officially Makkah Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 2017, of which 4,041,189 were foreign nationals a ...
. The floods were described by civil defence officials as the worst in 27 years. , 77 people were reported to have been killed, and more than 350 were missing. Some roads were under a meter (three feet) of water on 26 November, and many of the victims were believed to have drowned in their cars. At least 3,000 vehicles were swept away or damaged. The death toll was expected to rise as
flood A flood is an overflow of water (list of non-water floods, or rarely other fluids) that submerges land that is usually dry. In the sense of "flowing water", the word may also be applied to the inflow of the tide. Floods are of significant con ...
waters receded, allowing rescuers to reach stranded vehicles. On 26 January 2011, again, heavy floods affected the city and other areas of
Makkah Province Mecca Province (, ), officially Makkah Province, is one of the 13 provinces of Saudi Arabia. It is the third-largest province by area at and the most populous with a population of 8,557,766 as of 2017, of which 4,041,189 were foreign nationals a ...
. The cumulative rainfall exceeded the recorded in four hours during the 25 November 2009 flash floods. Streets including Palestine Street, Madinah Road, and Wali Al-Ahad Street were either flooded or jammed with traffic. Cars were seen floating in some places. Meanwhile, eyewitnesses told local newspaper ''Arab News'' that East Jeddah was swamped and floodwater was rushing west towards the Red Sea, turning streets into rivers once again. On 17 November 2015, heavy floods affected the city. Streets affected by the flood include Palestine Street, Madinah Road, and many others. Cars were seen burning, and many trees fell as a result of the violent flood. Three deaths were also reported. Two of the fatalities (including a child) were hit by
lightning Lightning is a natural phenomenon consisting of electrostatic discharges occurring through the atmosphere between two electrically charged regions. One or both regions are within the atmosphere, with the second region sometimes occurring on ...
while crossing a street. On 21 November 2017, heavy floods affected the city once more and Jeddah Islamic Port stopped operations for about three hours. Jeddah police received 11,000 phone calls on 911 from people enquiring about alternative roads and weather conditions. There were 250 reports of electrocution. Five people were electrocuted, two died. On 24 November 2022, heavy floods affected Jeddah. Jeddah was heavily damaged from the flood and caused more than thousands of cars to be damaged by the flood and caused power outages to most of the city and the flood was approximately 1-2 meters high. As a result, flights were delayed, schools were closed, and two people were killed.


Districts

Metropolitan Jeddah comprises 137 districts (transliterated from Arabic): # Al-Murjan (The Coral) # Al-Basateen (The Orchards) # Al-Mohamadiya (Of Mohammed) # Ash-Shati (The Beach) # An-Nahda (The Renaissance) # An-Naeem (The Bliss) # An-Nuzha (The Excursion) # Az-Zahraa (from Fatima Az-Zahraa) # As-Salamah (The Safety) # Al-Bawadi # Ar-Rabwa (The Hill) # Al-Safa # Al-Khalidiya (Of Khalid) # Ar-Rawdha (The Medow) # Al-Faysaliya (Of Faisal) # Al-Andalus (Andalucia) # Al-Aziziya (Of Aziz "Abdulaziz") # Ar-Rihab (The Vast Expanse) # Al-Hamraa (The Red or Alhambra) # Mosharafa # Ar-Ruwais # Ash-Sharafiya (Of The Shareef) # Bani Malik # Al-Woroud (The Flowers) # An-Naseem (The Breeze) # Al-Baghdadiya Ash-Sharqiya (Of East Baghdad) # Al-Amariya (Of Ammar) # Al-Hindawiya # As-Saheifa # Al-Kandra # As-Sulaimaniya (Of Sulaiman/Solomon) # Al-Thaalba (The Foxes) # As-Sabeel (The Path) # Al-Qurayat # Gholail # An-Nozla Al-Yamaniya # Al-Nozla Ash-Sharqiya # Al-Taghr (The Stoma) # Al-Jamaa (The University; due to its proximity to King Abdulaziz University) # Madayin Al-Fahad (The Cities of Fahad) # Ar-Rawabi # Al-Wazeeriya (The Ministerial) # Petromin # Al-Mahjar (The Stone Pit) # Prince Abdel Majeed # Obhour Al-Janobiya (South of the Obhur Bay) # Al-Marwa # AL-Fayhaa # King Abdul Al-Aziz University # Al-Baghdadiya Al-Gharbiya (Of West Baghdad) # Al-Balad (The City) # Al-Ajwad # Al-Manar # As-Samer # Abruq Ar-Roghama # Madinat As-Sultan # Um Hablain # Al-Hamdaniya # Al-Salhiya # Mokhatat Al-Aziziya # Mokhatat Shamal Al-Matar # Mokhatat Ar-Riyadh # Mokhatat Al-Huda # Braiman # Al-Salam # Al-Mostawdaat # Al-Montazahat # Kilo 14 # Al-Harazat # Um As-Salam # Mokhtat Zahrat Ash-Shamal # Al-Majid # Gowieza # Al-Gozain # Al-Kuwait # Al-Mahrogat # Al-Masfa # Al-Matar Al-Gadeem (old airport) # Al-Bokhariya # An-Nour # Bab Shareif # Bab Makkah # Bahra # Al-Amir Fawaz # Wadi Fatma # Obhour Shamaliya # At-Tarhil (deportation) # Al-Iskan Al-janoubi # At-Tawfeeq # Al-Goaid # Al-Jawhara # Al-Jamoum # Al-Khumra # Ad-Difaa Al-Jawi (Air Defense) # Ad-Dageeg # Ar-Robou # Ar-Rabie # Ar-Rehaily # As-Salmiya # As-Sanabil # As-Sinaiya (Bawadi) # Industrial City (Mahjar) # Al-Adl # Al-Olayia # Al-Faihaa # Al-Karanteena # Al-Ajaweed # Al-Ahmadiya # Al-Mosadiya # East Al-Khat As-Sarei # Kilo 10 # King Faisal Navy Base # Kilo 7 # Kilo 45 # King Faisal Guard City # Kilo 11 # Thowal # Kilo 13 # Al-Makarona # Al-Layth # Al-Gonfoda # Rabegh # Kilo 8 # Kilo 5 # Kilo 2 # Al-Mokhwa # National Guard Residence # As-Showag # Air Defense Residence # Al-Morsalat # Ash-Shoola # Al-Corniche # Al-Waha # Mokhatat Al-Haramain # Kholais # Al-Rhmanya # Wadi al batin # AL MADINAH # JUDAYYIADAT ARAR # AS SALWA # al huda


Twin towns – sister cities

Jeddah is twinned with: *
Adana Adana is a large city in southern Turkey. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, inland from the northeastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea. It is the administrative seat of the Adana Province, Adana province, and has a population of 1 81 ...
, Turkey *
Alexandria Alexandria ( ; ) is the List of cities and towns in Egypt#Largest cities, second largest city in Egypt and the List of coastal settlements of the Mediterranean Sea, largest city on the Mediterranean coast. It lies at the western edge of the Nile ...
, Egypt *
Almaty Almaty, formerly Alma-Ata, is the List of most populous cities in Kazakhstan, largest city in Kazakhstan, with a population exceeding two million residents within its metropolitan area. Located in the foothills of the Trans-Ili Alatau mountains ...
, Kazakhstan *
Amman Amman ( , ; , ) is the capital and the largest city of Jordan, and the country's economic, political, and cultural center. With a population of four million as of 2021, Amman is Jordan's primate city and is the largest city in the Levant ...
, Jordan *
Baku Baku (, ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Azerbaijan, largest city of Azerbaijan, as well as the largest city on the Caspian Sea and in the Caucasus region. Baku is below sea level, which makes it the List of capital ci ...
, Azerbaijan *
Chittagong Chittagong ( ), officially Chattogram, (, ) (, or ) is the second-largest city in Bangladesh. Home to the Port of Chittagong, it is the busiest port in Bangladesh and the Bay of Bengal. The city is also the business capital of Bangladesh. It ...
, Bangladesh *
Dubai Dubai (Help:IPA/English, /duːˈbaɪ/ Help:Pronunciation respelling key, ''doo-BYE''; Modern Standard Arabic, Modern Standard Arabic: ; Emirati Arabic, Emirati Arabic: , Romanization of Arabic, romanized: Help:IPA/English, /diˈbej/) is the Lis ...
, United Arab Emirates *
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
, Turkey *
Jakarta Jakarta (; , Betawi language, Betawi: ''Jakartè''), officially the Special Capital Region of Jakarta (; ''DKI Jakarta'') and formerly known as Batavia, Dutch East Indies, Batavia until 1949, is the capital and largest city of Indonesia and ...
, Indonesia *
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
, Pakistan *
Kuching Kuching ( , ), officially the City of Kuching, is the capital and the most populous city in the States and federal territories of Malaysia, state of Sarawak in Malaysia. It is also the capital of Kuching Division. The city is on the Sarawak Ri ...
, Malaysia *
Marbella Marbella ( , , ) is a city and municipality in southern Spain, belonging to the province of Málaga in the autonomous community of Andalusia. It is part of the Costa del Sol and is the headquarters of the Association of Municipalities of the re ...
, Spain *
Mary Mary may refer to: People * Mary (name), a female given name (includes a list of people with the name) Religion * New Testament people named Mary, overview article linking to many of those below * Mary, mother of Jesus, also called the Blesse ...
, Turkmenistan *
Oran Oran () is a major coastal city located in the northwest of Algeria. It is considered the second most important city of Algeria, after the capital, Algiers, because of its population and commercial, industrial and cultural importance. It is w ...
, Algeria *
Osh Osh is a city in Kyrgyzstan. Osh or OSH may also refer to: * Osh (food), in Tajik and Uzbek cuisines * Osh (singer) (born 1995), English singer and rapper * OSH, the IATA code for Wittman Regional Airport near Oshkosh, Wisconsin, United States ...
, Kyrgyzstan *
Plovdiv Plovdiv (, ) is the List of cities and towns in Bulgaria, second-largest city in Bulgaria, 144 km (93 miles) southeast of the capital Sofia. It had a population of 490,983 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is a cultural hub ...
, Bulgaria *
Surabaya Surabaya is the capital city of East Java Provinces of Indonesia, province and the List of Indonesian cities by population, second-largest city in Indonesia, after Jakarta. Located on the northeastern corner of Java island, on the Madura Strai ...
, Indonesia *
Taipei , nickname = The City of Azaleas , image_map = , map_caption = , pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth , coordinates = , subdivision_type = Country ...
, Taiwan *
Tunis Tunis (, ') is the capital city, capital and largest city of Tunisia. The greater metropolitan area of Tunis, often referred to as "Grand Tunis", has about 2,700,000 inhabitants. , it is the third-largest city in the Maghreb region (after Casabl ...
, Tunisia


See also

*
Abha Abha (, ') is the capital of Asir, Asir Province in Saudi Arabia. It is situated above sea level in the fertile Asir Mountains of south-western Saudi Arabia, near Asir National Park. Abha's mild climate makes it a popular tourist destination fo ...
* Bibliography of the history of Jeddah *
Karantina La Quarantaine, which is colloquially referred to as Karantina () and sometimes spelled Quarantina, is a predominantly low-income, mixed-use residential, commercial, and semi-industrial neighborhood in northeastern Beirut. The neighborhood lies e ...
*
Khobar Khobar () is a city and List of governorates of Saudi Arabia, governorate in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia, Eastern Province of the Saudi Arabia, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, situated on the coast of the Persian Gulf. With a population of 409,549 ...
*
List of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia The following is a list of cities and towns in Saudi Arabia. List of Metro Cities There are 5 large cities or metropolitan area, metro cities in Saudi Arabia with the population over a million or more. Alphabetical list of cities and towns ...


Citations


General and cited sources

* Didier, Charles. ''Séjour Chez Le Grand-Cherif De La Mekke''. Librairie De L. Hachette et, Rue Pierre. * Didier, Charles. ''Rehla Ela Al-Hejaz: A Trip to Hejaz''. Translated from ''Séjour Chez Le Grand-Cherif De La Mekke'' into Arabic. Paris, 1854. . * Facey, William & Grant, Gillian. ''Saudi Arabia by the First Photographers''. * Farsi, Hani M.S. (Mohamed Said). ''Jeddah: city of art: the sculptures and monuments.'' London: Stacey International, 1991. . * ''From Bullard to Mr Chamberlain''. Jeddah, 1925 Feb. (No.# secrets) - Archived Post. * Froster, Captain G. S. ''A trip Across the Peninsula - Rehla Abr Al-Jazeera''. Mombai, India, 1866. * El-Hage, Badr. ''Saudi Arabia: caught in time 1861-1939''. Published by Garnet, Reading, 1997. . * Al-Harbi, Dalal. ''King Abdulaziz and his Strategies to deal with events: Events of Jeddah''. King Abdulaziz National Library, 2003. . * Keane, John F. ''Six months in the Hejaz: journeys to Makkah and Madinah 1877-1989''. Manchester: Barzan Publishing, 2006. . * Al-Khaldi, Ibrahim. ''The Bedouin Photographer'' - ''Al-Mosawwir Al-Badawi''. Kuwait, 2004. * Maneval, Stefan. 2019
New Islamic Urbanism: The Architecture of Public and Private Space in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
London: UCL Press. . * Al-Rehani. ''Nejd and Its Followers''. * Tarabulsi, Mohammed Yosuf. ''Jeddah: A Story of a City''. Riyadh: King Fahd National Library, 2006. . * Al-Turki, Thuraya. ''Jeddah: Um Al-Rakha wal Sheddah''. Published by Dar Al-Shrooq.


External links


Municipality of Jeddah
Official municipality website (archived 31 May 2007)
Principality of Jeddah
Official Jeddah principality website
Destination KSA
Saudi Arabia Citation website
City of Jeddah
Official website (archived 17 July 2009) {{Authority control Populated coastal places in Saudi Arabia Populated places established in the 6th century BC Populated places in Mecca Province Port cities in the Arabian Peninsula Port cities and towns in Saudi Arabia Port cities and towns of the Red Sea Underwater diving sites in Saudi Arabia World Heritage Sites in Saudi Arabia Cities in Saudi Arabia