Jeddah
جدّة Jidda | |
---|---|
City | |
Nickname: The Bride of the Red Sea | |
Coordinates: 21°32′36″N 39°10′22″E / 21.54333°N 39.17278°E | |
Country | Saudi Arabia |
Province | Makkah (Mecca) |
Established | From the 6th century BC |
Joined Saudi Arabia | 1925 |
Government | |
• City Mayor | Hani Abu Ras[1] |
• Governorate Mayor | Saleh Al-Turki[2] |
Area | |
• City | 1,570 km2 (610 sq mi) |
• Urban | 1,686 km2 (651 sq mi) |
• Metro | 3,000 km2 (1,000 sq mi) |
Elevation | 12 m (39 ft) |
Population (2012) | |
• City | 5,112,018 |
• Density | 2,921/km2 (1,826/sq mi) |
• Urban | 3,855,912 |
• Metro | 5,318,636 |
Jeddah City estimate | |
Time zone | UTC+3 (EAT) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC+3 (EAT) |
Postal Code | (5 digits) |
Area code | +966-2 |
Website | Jeddah Municipality |
Jeddah (also spelled Jedda, Jiddah, Jidda, or Juddah; جدّة Ǧiddah) is a Saudi Arabian city. It is on the coast of the Red Sea (21.50° N 39.1667° E). It is the major urban center in western Saudi Arabia. Jeddah is the largest city in the Western Province, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city Riyadh. The city has over 3.4 million people. It is seen as the business capital of Saudi Arabia and the richest city in the Middle East and western Asia.
Jeddah is the main gateway to Mecca, the holiest city of Islam, where able-bodied Muslims must go to at least once in a lifetime.