While many of Riyadh's new residents have been employed by the public sector, the vast majority of employment is provided by the private sector. At the end of 1995, approximately 716,000 people were employed in the capital, with 70 percent working in more than 40,000 private firms. One of the unique tools that has helped make possible the orderly and planned expansion of the city is the Riyadh Development Authority's Urban Intelligence Service. The data can be used for planning major projects, such as new roads, telephone networks or schools. It is also useful to a large firm planning a new outlet or an entrepreneur looking for the optimal site for opening a small business.
Families often retreat to the deserts near Riyadh for short visits or longer camping trips.
To develop the industrial sector, two industrial cities have been established outside Riyadh. Covering 5,300 acres of land, the two sites are designeds to attract Saudi companies and joint ventures with foreign firms by easing the task of establishing new industrial units. Land can be leased at reasonable rates, and all utilities are available for immediate connection. Using data and studies provided by the Urban Intelligence Service and other specialized reports offered by the Riyadh Development Authority, investors can pinpoint the need for specific products and rapidly establish a factory to meet demand in Riyadh and other cities in Saudi Arabia. As a result, more than 2,400 companies are currently involved in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer and industrial products at the two cities.