Jiddah

Jiddah or Jedda, city in western Saudi Arabia, in Al Ḩijāz (Hejaz) Province, a major port on the eastern shore of the Red Sea. Roads connect Jiddah with the larger cities in the country, and the King Abdul Aziz International Airport is nearby. Primarily a commercial centre, Jiddah also derives income from port activities; it is the leading Saudi port for importing livestock, especially sheep and camels. Industries in the city include iron and steel plants, oil refineries, and the manufacture of bricks, furniture, and tiles. There is a mix of modern and traditional architectural styles in the city, reflecting its cosmopolitanism. The residential area is the location of many diplomatic missions and ministries, and thousands of pilgrims pass through the city each year on their way to Mecca.

Jiddah is about three centuries old, and was surrounded by walls until 1947. It started life as a quiet spice trading port, but after oil was discovered in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s, Jiddah’s growth was rapid and it soon became a busy commercial port. The post-World War II period saw even more rapid expansion, which intensified from the 1970s onwards. For generations, sailors and Muslims have come to Jiddah from around the world, remained, and intermarried, making Jiddah one of the few ethnically diverse settlements in an otherwise homogeneous country. Population 2,801,481 (2004 estimate).