Fun Facts

Riyadh

State: ArRiyadh

Country: Saudi Arabia

Riyadh City by the Numbers:

Population: 3.5 million

Average Summer Temperature: 45ºC-54ºC

Average Winter Temperature: 15ºC

Annual Rainfall: 4 inches

Elevation: 2008 feet

Humidity: 17%

Latitude: 24.6408

Longitude: 46.7729

Quick Facts

Country Dialing Code: 966

Telephone area code: 1

Time zone: GMT +03:00

Electricity: 125/215 Volts AC, 50/60Hz

Ethnic Mix: Arab 90%, Afro-Asian 10%

Major Industries: Crude oil production, petroleum refining, basic petrochemicals, cement, steel-rolling mills, construction, fertilizers and plastics.

Religion: Sunni Muslims 85% and Shiite Muslims 15%. Other religions cannot be publicly practiced in Saudi Arabia as it is against the law.

Did you Know?

Tourists have to acquire a transit visa because there is no such thing as a tourist visa for Saudi Arabia. A Saudi local or company also has to sponsor a foreigner’s visa. Saudi laws are very strict. Pornographic magazines, alcohol, and the public practice of non-Muslim religions are strictly prohibited. Severe punishment is given to anyone caught with these items.

For a city that can be explored on foot, Riyadh has over 60 shopping malls. Locals are known to be shopaholics and the spending capacity is estimated at 41 billion Saudi riyals (10.93 billion U.S. dollars per year).

Orientation

The word 'Riyadh' when translated into English, means 'the gardens.' Although deserts make up most of the city, mountains and green pastures in some parts of Riyadh come as a pleasant surprise. This capital city of Saudi Arabia, located in the central region of Nejd, is an arid area that occupies more than 600 square miles and makes for 14% of the country’s population.

Surrounded by the Persian Gulf to the west and the Arabian Gulf to the east, Riyadh is bordered by Kuwait, Iraq and Jordan. The city has few lakes and rivers and rain showers are infrequent.

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