JEDDAH

Jeddah is a city in the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia and the country's commercial center. With a population of about four million people , Jeddah is the largest city in Makkah Province, the second-largest in Saudi Arabia , and the tenth-largest in the Arab world. Jeddah Islamic Port, located on the Red Sea, is the second-largest and second-busiest seaport in the Arab world .

Jeddah is the principal gateway to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, located just 65 kilometres to the east, while Medina, the second-holiest city, is located 360 kilometres to the north. The city takes its name (which means “ancestress,” or “grandmother”) from the location there of the reputed tomb of Eve, which was destroyed by the Saudi government in 1928 in the belief that it encouraged superstition.

Jeddah is of Saudi Arabia's primary resort cities and was named a Beta world city by the Globalization and World Cities Study Group and Network . Given the city's close proximity to the Red Sea, fishing and seafood dominates the food culture unlike other parts of the country. In Arabic, the city's motto is «Jeddah Ghair», which translates to «Jeddah is different». The Berber traveler Ibn Battuta visited Jeddah during his world trip in around 1330. He wrote the name of the city into his diary as «Jiddah». Some archaeologists' studies suggest the existence of inhabitants in the region now known as Jeddah since the Stone Age seeing as they found some artifacts and 'Thamoudian' writings in Wadi Breiman east of Jeddah and Wadi Boib northeast of Jeddah. Some historians trace its founding to the tribe of Bani Quda'ah, who inhabited it after the collapse of Sad Ma'rib in 115 BC. Some believe that Jeddah had been inhabited before the tribe of Bani Quda'ah 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.
 

• Eve’s Tomb is believed to be situated in an  area in Jeddah
   
• Jeddah has more than 40 branches of the popular chain restaurant Al Baik
   
• Jeddah has the world’s tallest unsupported flagpole
   
• Al Balad, located in Jeddah, is a UNESCO Heritage site
   
• The Jeddah Tower in construction is to be the tallest tower in the world once finished
   

After World War II, Jiddah was completely modernized and expanded with the new wealth acquired by Saudi Arabia from oil royalties. One of Saudi Arabia’s largest cities and busiest seaports, Jiddah was the diplomatic capital of the country and the location of the Saudi ministry of foreign affairs and of the embassies and missions of foreign governments before these were all transferred to the Saudi capital of Riyadh in the mid-1980s.

Metropolitan Jeddah comprises 137 districts. 

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 even be found in the city or even in Arabia. Jeddah Economic City, previously known as Kingdom City, is a 5,202,570 m2 project approved for construction in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The project is designed by the Kingdom Holding Company, a firm owned by Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal. Jeddah Economic City will host both commercial and residential development including homes, hotels, and offices. The centerpiece of the development will be Jeddah Tower, planned to be the tallest building in the world upon its completion. The entire project is estimated to cost $20 billion .

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. This road also faced a catastrophe in 2011 when it was submerged with rainwater.

Tahaliyah Street 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 options.

Madinah 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 city’s economy, once dependent on pilgrim expenditures and fishing, was diversified to include steel-rolling mills, oil refineries, and the manufacture of cement, clothing, and pottery. Other activities include cattle raising and dairying and many small industries.

Arable land and water are scarce, and food must be imported. Vegetables and fruits are brought in daily from the surrounding wadis, such as Wadi F??imah, from the area of al-???if to the east-southeast, and from the southern agricultural areas, such as Bil?d Gh?mid and Bil?d Zahr?n. Foodstuffs are imported from abroad mainly through the port of Jiddah, 45 miles (70 km) to the west on the Red Sea. Industry is limited and includes the manufacture of textiles, furniture, and utensils. The overall urban economy is commercial and service-oriented.

Jeddah has taken significant steps in upgrading its infrastructure as part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030. The city is witnessing a boom in construction with projects like Jeddah Tower, which will be the world's tallest building once completed, and the New Jeddah Downtown, a multi-purpose project on the city's waterfront. The city is also investing in its transportation infrastructure with projects like the Jeddah Metro and the Haramain High-Speed Rail project. Despite these advancements, Jeddah faces challenges in areas such as water supply and waste management.

Jeddah is one of the most technologically advanced cities in the Middle East. It has a burgeoning tech industry, with a focus on areas such as e-commerce, fintech, and software development. Because Jeddah relies on its commercial sector so much, it has invested heavily in its communications infrastructure, and continues to do so, under the auspices of its private IT sector and other partners, such as the Municipality of Jeddah. However, the technology industry in Jeddah is not simply there to support the commercial sector. It is a big player in its own right.