What is the capital of Saudi Arabia?

The capital of Saudi Arabia is Riyadh.

Riyadh lies in the central Najd region, on the eastern side of Wadi Hanifa. Its name comes from the Arabic plural word for gardens or meadows, reflecting the oasis settlements and cultivated land that existed in an otherwise arid environment. The modern city grew from a walled town into Saudi Arabia’s largest urban centre.

Riyadh became the capital of the Second Saudi State in the early nineteenth century, after Turki ibn Abdullah established his rule there. Abdulaziz Ibn Saud recaptured the city in 1902, making it the base for the expansion that eventually created the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. When the kingdom was formally named in September 1932, Riyadh was designated its capital.

A common mix-up is choosing Jeddah, Mecca, or Medina. Jeddah is the kingdom’s major Red Sea port, while Mecca and Medina are Islam’s two holiest cities. Riyadh is the political and administrative centre, hosting the royal court, ministries, diplomatic missions, and national institutions.