Dammam – Saudi Arabia
The Eastern Region of Saudi Arabia is predominated by the Shamals, a prevailing wind common in late spring and early summer, although most especially experienced during the month of June. The foremost city of the region is the large conurbation of Dammam Area, consisting of the amalgamation of three towns – Dammam, Al Khobar and Dhahran, with a population of around 1 million people. Despite these towns’ amalgamation, each has retained their own identities, culture and, in some case, local governments. Riyadh lies 400km away, with up to 120 factories now being located on 6,000 acres of land along this route, with a further 160 currently being constructed. In order to cater for the exports being produced in these factories a number of shipping agents and other logistics’ companies have been springing up in the Dammam Area.
Despite this industry, the Dhahran area of the Dammam remains the base of the oil industry, the site of the world’s largest oil fields, discovered in commercial quantities with the sinking of the Aramco oil well. Since other large oil fields were located in the 1940s and 1950s, Saudi Arabia has developed into a bustling metropolis of commerce, with new buildings and infrastructure, together with a network of pipelines springing up practically overnight. Since then the port of Ras Tanura, located to the north, has been where the large oil container depots are situated. Further still to the north the Dammam Area is the industrial area, known as Jubail with Qatif and Hofuf not too far away.
Along the Persian Gulf lies the province of Al Hasa, with the town of Ad Dammam easily reached by an interconnecting network of rail, air and road links to the rest of the Saudi Arabian Kingdom. The major ports export both natural gas and petroleum around the world, most especially from the town of Ad Dammam. The King Faisal University is also located in the town of Ad Dammam. Benefits to the people of Saudi Arabia of such wealth provided by the extensive oil fields are the availability of money to build first-class modern hospitals, housing and schools. Following the phenomenal development of the local infrastructure, the original airport at Dharhran was struggling to cope and, to replace this airport, a new airport is to be built 30 miles to the west of Dammam. The new airport, the King Fahd International Airport will be able to provide international flights for the industrial city of Jubail which is 40 miles north of the new airport.
Despite the modern image presented by Saudi Arabia, it retains a proud heritage and has many historical centres and buildings from antiquity. As you go towards the Jubail highway from the direction of the city centre, you are bound to go along the King Saud Road. On the corner of the road going towards Saihat you will notice an old building; it is quite well-maintained and was once the old watch tower overlooking the town of Dammam. Historical records indicate that Dammam, Dhahran and Al-Khobar were all inhabited towns as much as two thousand years’ ago.
