Riyadh is the capital city of which Arab nation?

Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia, the kingdom occupying much of the Arabian Peninsula.

The city lies in the Najd region on a plateau in the center of the country, near Wadi Hanifa. Its name is associated with gardens or meadows, reflecting the oasis settlements that existed there before Riyadh became a major modern metropolis. The city developed from a walled settlement and became the capital of the Second Saudi State in the 19th century.

In 1902, Abdulaziz Ibn Saud captured Riyadh, using it as the base from which he rebuilt and expanded his family's rule. He later united much of the peninsula and proclaimed the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in September 1932, with Riyadh as its capital. The city grew rapidly after the 1950s as oil wealth funded roads, government institutions and modern infrastructure. Riyadh is now the country's political and administrative center, while Jeddah remains a major commercial and Red Sea port city.