The nation's government is headquartered in Riyadh, which is also the country's most populated metropolis. In addition to this, it serves as the provincial capital of Riyadh and is located in the ancient areas of both Nejd and Al-Yamama. There are 6.5 million people living there, and it is located in the middle of the Arabian Peninsula on a huge plateau.
Both the Riyadh Municipality, which is helmed by the mayor of Riyadh, and the Riyadh Development Authority, which is led by the governor of Riyadh Province, Faisal bin Bandar Al Saud, are responsible for the management of the city's 15 municipal districts. Ibrahim Mohammed Al Sultan is serving as the mayor of Riyadh at the present time. In 2015, he was given the position of mayor. A "global city" status has been bestowed to it.
In addition to the Diplomatic Quarter, the city of Riyadh is subdivided into fifteen other branch municipalities. There are over 130 districts in total, with certain districts being shared by more than one branch municipality. Each branch municipality has its own set of districts, bringing the overall number of districts to over 130. The Olaya District is the centre of the city's commercial activity and it has several alternatives for lodging, entertainment, eating, and shopping. The Kingdom Center, Al Faisalyah, and Al-Tahlya Street are the most notable landmarks in the vicinity. The oldest section of the city is located in the centre, which consists of Al-Bathaa and Al-Dir'iyyah.
Temperatures during the summer months are often quite high since the region has a climate that is characterised as a hot desert (Koppen: BWh). August has an average high temperature of 43.6 degrees Celsius. The winters are mild, with evenings that are crisp and windy. The average climate is dry, and the city gets relatively little precipitation throughout the year, particularly in the summer. However, the months of March and April see a good deal of precipitation. In addition to this, dust storms are known to occur there, and during these storms, the dust may get so dense that vision drops below 10 metres (33 ft). Riyadh was affected by a significant dust storm on the 1st and 2nd of April 2015, which resulted in the cancellation of hundreds of flights, both local and international, as well as the suspension of classes at numerous schools in the vicinity.