Jeddah

Jedda, sometimes called Jiddah, or Jidda, is a city in the Hejaz area of Saudi Arabia that serves as the country's commercial hub. Other spellings of the city's name include Jedda and Jidda. Jeddah is the biggest city in Makkah Province, the largest city in Hejaz, the second-largest city in Saudi Arabia (after the capital Riyadh), and the tenth-largest city in the Middle East as of 2021, with a population of around 4,697,000 people. It is also the tenth-largest city in the world. Jeddah Islamic Port, located on the Red Sea, is the second biggest and second busiest seaport in the Middle East (after the Port of Jebel Ali in Dubai), making it the thirty-sixth largest seaport in the world. It is also the thirty-sixth largest seaport in the world.

Mecca, the holiest city in Islam, is located 65 kilometres (40 miles) to the east of Jeddah, while Medina, the second-holiest city, is located 360 kilometres (220 miles) to the north of Jeddah.

In terms of the economy, Jeddah is placing a primary emphasis on the ongoing development of capital investment in scientific and engineering leadership within Saudi Arabia and across the Middle East. In terms of innovation, Jeddah was independently placed fourth in the Africa, Middle East, and 'Stan States area in 2009 in the Innovation Cities Index.

The Globalization and Global Cities Study Group and Network recognised Jeddah as a Beta world city in 2005. Jeddah is recognised as one of the most important resort cities in Saudi Arabia (GaWC). In contrast to the cuisine of other regions of the nation, that of this city is heavily influenced by fishing and the consumption of seafood due to its near proximity to the Red Sea. The name of the city is derived from the Arabic phrase "Jeddah Ghair," which may be translated as "Jeddah is distinct." Both natives and tourists from other countries have taken to adopting and using the mantra in their daily lives. It is popularly held that this city is the most liberal in all of Saudi Arabia, and as a result, it is a well-liked tourist attraction across the area.