List of settlements in Saudi Arabia facts for kids

Map showing the major cities in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia is a large country in the Middle East, known for its rich history and important cities. Many of its cities are very old, while others are new and growing fast. This article will tell you about some of the most important and biggest cities and towns in Saudi Arabia.

Saudi Arabia's Biggest Cities

Saudi Arabia has many large cities. Here are some of the biggest ones by how many people live there. These numbers are from around 2007, so the cities might be even bigger now!

• Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city with about 8.7 million people. It's a very modern city with tall buildings and busy streets.
• Jeddah is the second largest city, with about 4.6 million people. It's a major port city on the Red Sea, meaning many ships come and go from here.
• Mecca is a very special city with about 1.7 million people. It is the holiest city in the Islam religion. Millions of Muslims visit Mecca every year for a pilgrimage called the Hajj.
• Medina is another very important city for Muslims, with about 1.3 million people. It is the second holiest city in Islam.
• Dammam has about 2.5 million people. It is a main port city on the Persian Gulf, on the eastern side of Saudi Arabia.
• Ta'if is home to about 700,000 people. It is known for its cooler weather and beautiful mountains.
• Buraydah has about 600,000 people. It is the capital of the Al Qasim Province.
• Tabuk has about 500,000 people and is the capital of the Tabuk Province.
• Abha has about 400,000 people. It is the capital of the Asir region and is known for its high mountains and green areas.
• Khamis Mushait also has about 400,000 people. It is close to Abha and is an important city in the south.

Other Important Cities and Towns

Here are a few more cities and towns in Saudi Arabia that are interesting or important for different reasons:

• Abqaiq is a city with over 44,000 people (in 2005). It's known for its oil facilities.
• Al Bahah is the capital of the Al Bahah Province.
• Dhahran is an important city in the Eastern Province, known for its oil industry.
• Diriyah was once the capital of the First Saudi State. It has a lot of history.
• Ha'il is the capital of the Ha'il Province.
• Hafr Al-Batin is a large city in the northeast of Saudi Arabia, with over 338,000 people (in 2005).
• Jizan is the capital of the Jizan Province, located on the Red Sea coast.
• Jubail is a large industrial city on the Persian Gulf, with over 224,000 people (in 2005).
• King Abdullah Economic City is a very new and modern city being built on the Red Sea coast. It is designed to be a major economic hub.
• Khobar is another important city in the Eastern Province, with over 455,000 people (in 2005).
• Najran is the capital of the Najran Province, located in the south of the country.
• Qatif is a city in the Eastern Province with over 474,000 people (in 2005).
• Ar Rass is a city in the Al-Qassim Province, known for its history.
• Yanbu is a major industrial city and port on the Red Sea.

Images for kids

• 

  The beautiful seafront in Jeddah.

• 

  The Grand Mosque in Mecca, a very important place for Muslims.

• 

  A view of modern Medina.

• 

  Some housing in Dammam.

• 

  A view of Abha from a hotel.