Riyadh

Capital of Saudi Arabia and of the Riyadh region, situated in an oasis and connected by road and rail with Dammam 450 km/280 mi away on the Gulf; population (1992 est) 2,776,100. Exploitation of the country's huge oil deposits since the 1930s greatly increased the prosperity of the city, which has a modern airport and industries which include an oil refinery.

The old walled city was largely demolished as a result of the expansion and modernization which followed the discovery of oil in Nejd. Even the historic royal palace was flattened, but has since been rebuilt. Outside the city are date gardens irrigated from deep wells. Riyadh University was founded in 1957, and the Islamic University of Imam Muhammad Ibn Saud was established in 1974.

Formerly inhabited predominantly by Wahabi Muslims, Riyadh now has a cosmopolitan population.