About Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. The name Riyadh is derived from the plural
of the Arabic word rawdha, which means "garden".

It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula and is home to 4,854,000 people, and the
urban center of a region with a population of close to 7 million people.
Climate
Summer temperatures are very hot, approaching 50 degrees Celsius. The average high
temperature in July is 43.5°C. Winters are mild with cold, windy nights. The overall climate is
arid, receiving very little rainfall. It is also known to have many dust storms. The dust is often so
thick that visibility is under 10 meters.
City Districts
Riyadh is divided into 15 branch municipalities, in addition to the Diplomatic Quarter.

Olaya District is the commercial heart of the city, with accommodation, entertainment, dining and
shopping options. The Kingdom Center, Al Faisalyah and Al-Tahlya Street are the area's most
prominent landmarks.

The Diplomatic Quarter, or DQ as it is popularly known, is home to foreign embassies and

international organizations as well as residential structures and malls. With lush gardens and
numerous sports facilities, it is also one of the city's greenest areas. It is especially known for its
fine architecture, and is considered a model for other Islamic cities around the world. Despite its
name, the special privileges offered in the Diplomatic Quarter constitute a controversial issue. All
Saudi laws must be obeyed and there are occasional patrols by the Mutaween, or Saudi religious
police. However, foreign diplomats and their families are allowed certain privileges and it is not
very uncommon to see foreign diplomats and their wives strolling on the streets of the DQ in
shorts and short-sleeve shirts.
Contemporary Architecture Of Riyadh

Kingdom Center (Burj Al Mamlakah)

The 99-floor, 300 m (1000 ft) high Kingdom Centre is the tallest skyscraper in Riyadh and the
45th tallest building in the world. The tower is built on 94,230 square meters of land. The
Kingdom Centre is owned by Al-Waleed bin Talal, a prince of the Saudi royal family, and is the
headquarters of his holding company: Kingdom Holding Company. The project cost 2 billion
Saudi Arabian Riyals and the contract was undertaken by two major construction companies,
Saudi Arabia's El-Seif in association with Impregilo, an Italian engineering firm. The Kingdom
Centre is located on Al-Urubah Road between King Fahd Road and Olaya Street in the growing
business district of Al-Olaya.[clarification needed] The Kingdom Centre is the winner of the 2002
Emporis Skyscraper Award, selected as the "best new skyscraper of the year for design and
functionality". A three-level shopping center, which also won a major design award, fills the east
wing. The large opening is illuminated at night in continuously changing colors.

Burj Al Faisaliyah (Al Faisaliyah Center)

Al Faisaliyah Center was the first skyscraper constructed in Saudi Arabia, and is the second
tallest building in riyadh after the Kingdom Center. The golden ball that lies atop the tower is said
to be inspired by a ballpoint pen, and contains a restaurant; immediately below this is an outside
viewing deck. There is a shopping center with major world brands at ground level.

Burj Al Anoud (Burj Al Anoud)

Al Anoud tower is 145 meters high. It is a major commercial building on King Fahd road. The
tower is owned by Princess Al-Anoud and moderated by several Saudi Arabian companies. And it
contains : novotel hotel 5 stars and some offices .
Economy
Once a small walled city, Riyadh has developed into a dynamic metropolis over the years. Along
with the urban areas of Dhahran, Dammam, Khobar and Jeddah, Riyadh has become a focal
point for both travel and trade.

In addition to being the center of power, the city is also a commercial hub. Numerous educational,
financial, agricultural, cultural, technical, and social organizations have set up base here. The
architecture is mostly modern, including contemporary high-rise towers, but the Al-Dira district,
the nucleus of the city, has been rebuilt in a style meant to evoke the old mud-brick buildings of
pre-20th century Nejd.

King Khalid International Airport has a major impact on the commercial movement in Riyadh,
providing air transportation for millions of people each year and shipping goods to the city from all
continents. When Sama, an airline, existed, its head office was in Riyadh.
Culture

Cuisine

Like other Saudi cities, the Nejdi Kabsa is the most traditional lunch in Riyadh. The Yemeni Mandi
is also popular as a lunch meal. Fast food is also popular in the city, with multinational chains
such as McDonald's, Burger King, Domino's Pizza, Papa Johns, KFC, Pizza Hut, Pizza Inn,
Dunkin Donuts, Krispy Kreme Donuts, Starbuck's, and Subway are widely distributed in Riyadh.
There are also many Indian and Pakistani based restaurants mostly sells , south asian halal food,
such as Briyani, Chapali kabab, Kurma and roti.

Sports

Football is the most popular sport in Riyadh. The city hosts four major soccer clubs, such as Al
Shabab, which was established in 1947, holding a great record in the Saudi Premier League. Al-
Nasr club is another famous squad in the league, was named six times as a champion of the
Saudi League, and was established in 1955. The well-known club Al-Hilal, Which was established
in 1957 conquers the league as the winner of ten championships. Also, there is Al-Riyadh club,
which was established in 1954 along with many other minor clubs.

The city also hosts several giant stadiums, such as King Fahd International Stadium with capacity
of 70,000 seats. The stadium hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup three times in 1992, 1995 and
1997. And also the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 1989.

Cricket is also second most popular sports in Riyadh.it plays mostly by South Asian residents in
different streets of the Riyadh.

Language

The Riyadh city area has a distinctive regional speech pattern called the Najdi dialect. It is often
considered to be one of the most recognizable accents within the Arabic language. Najdi Arabic
is widely spoken in the desert regions of central and eastern Saudi Arabia. Urdu and Hindi is
widely spoken and understand by many residents of Riyadh.