The Red Sea port of Jiddah, located mid-way along the Western coast of the Kingdom, is a bustling, thriving city and seaport. Jiddah's location on the ancient trade routes and its status as the seaport and airport for hajjis visiting the Holy City of Makkah have ensured that Jiddah is the most cosmopolitan of all Saudi Arabia's cities.
By the end of the 1970s (1391 AH), the population of Jiddah was estimated to be close to one million. By 1986 (1406/07 AH), the estimated population was 1.4 million. With an estimated growth rate in excess of 10%, the population by 1993 (1413/14AH) had passed the two million mark.
The extraordinary growth of Jiddah, demanded by the Kingdom's development programs, has been achieved in a remarkably short period. (The expansion of the sea port's capacity is a case study of what can be achieved if the will, the management and the resources are available.) At the same time, aesthetic considerations have not been ignored. Jiddah now boasts some of the most beautiful examples of modern architecture in the world. Tree-lined avenues and the generous distribution of bronze sculptures attest to the success of the city's beautification program.