Riyadh is the capital city of Saudi Arabia. It’s situated in the central region of the country. Riyadh is among the most vibrant cities in the Middle East and one of the most cosmopolitan. It is the country’s economic, transportation, and cultural centre. Since the Middle Ages, Riyadh is renowned for influencing other cities around the world. It is famous for its astounding structures and modern buildings that stand side by side to complement each other. Some of the places that make it famous include the amazing ancient buildings, the National Museum, King Fahd Stadium, and the King Abdulaziz Historical Center.

Census in Saudi Arabia is done after every 5 years and 2016 was the last time that it was conducted. The next census is scheduled for 2021 in Saudi Arabia. According to the 2016 census, Riyadh had a population of 6.9 million. Compared to other cities in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh is considered to be more diverse. According to the 2016 census, 78% of the population is Saudi nationals while across Saudi Arabia amounted to 67%. This is due to many people moving to the city for work opportunities. When it comes to religious beliefs, Riyadh is a Muslim city as most people identify themselves as Muslim. According to the data collected during the 2016 census, 99.9% people in Riyadh identified themselves as Muslim. As one of the most diverse cities in the Middle East, Riyadh houses over 6.9 million residents, who collectively speak over 50 languages, including Arabic, Urdu, Tagalog, and of course English. Riyadh has the tallest flagpole in the world. Located in the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, it stands at a height of 171 meters.

There are two tiers under local government in Riyadh. They are citywide and local tier. Citywide administration is coordinated by the Riyadh Municipality, while local administration is carried out by 20 smaller municipalities. The Riyadh Municipality consists of the Mayor of Riyadh, who has executive powers. The Municipality is responsible for strategic planning, policing, the fire service, most aspects of transport and economic development. On the other hand, the 20 local municipalities are responsible for local services not overseen by the Municipality, such as local planning, schools, social services, local roads and refuse collection.

Riyadh has always been a commercial city and today enjoys the status of having one of the largest city economies in the Middle East. The city thrives in trade and commerce and has a vibrant culture seeped in commerce. It has a GDP of over $160 billion. The size of its economy is larger than that of several Middle East nations.

Riyadh took positive steps with its Vision 2030 plan. The King of Saudi Arabia took a big step forward in planning for growth with the publication of the Vision 2030. It identifies a range of infrastructure priorities for Riyadh, from new energy, water and sewerage infrastructure, to enhanced digital connectivity and new railway and road schemes. Some of the investment is provided by the private sector. This has generally worked well in Riyadh, although business is particularly concerned at the lack of capacity in digital infrastructure.