page_title: Riyadh
section_title: City districts
hierarchical_section_title: Riyadh / Geography / City districts
caption_attribution_description: King Fahd Road - Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
context_page_description: Riyadh is the capital city and seat of government of the Riyadh Province and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the largest city on the Arabian Peninsula and the capital governorate of the Riyadh Province. Located in the center of the an-Nafud desert, on the eastern part of the Najd plateau, the city sits at an average of 600 metres above sea level, and receives more than 16 million tourists each year, making it the 2nd most visited city in the Arab world. Riyadh had a population of 7.6 million people in 2019, making it the most populous city in Saudi Arabia, 2nd most populous city in the Arab world, and the 38th most populous in Asia.
  The first mentioning of the city by the name Riyadh was in 1590, by an early Arab chronicler. In 1737, Deham Ibn Dawwas, who was from the neighboring Manfuha, settled in and took control of the city. Deham built a wall around the city, and the best known source of the name Riyadh is from this period, thought to be referring to the earlier oasis towns that predated the wall built by Ibn Dawwas. In 1744, Muhammad ibn 'Abd al-Wahhab formed an alliance with the Emir of Dir'iyah, Muhammad bin Saud, and in 1774, they took Riyadh from Deham.
context_section_description: Riyadh is divided into fourteen branch municipalities, in addition to the Diplomatic Quarter. Each branch municipality in turn contains several districts, amounting to over 130 in total, though some districts are divided between more than one branch municipality. The branch municipalities are Al-Shemaysi, Irqah, Al-Ma'athar, Al-Olayya, Al-Aziziyya, Al-Malaz, Al-Selayy, Nemar, Al-Neseem, Al-Shifa, Al-'Urayja, Al-Bat'ha, Al-Ha'ir, Al-Rawdha, and Al-Shimal ("the North"). Olaya District is the commercial heart of the city, with accommodation, entertainment, dining and shopping options. The Kingdom Centre, Al Faisalyah and Al-Tahlya Street are the area's most prominent landmarks. The centre of the city, Al-Bathaa and Al-Deerah, is also its oldest part.
  Some of the main districts of Riyadh are:
  Al-Bat'ha
  Al-Deerah (old Riyadh)
  Mi'kal
  Manfuha
  Manfuha Al-Jadidah (منفوحة الجديدة – "new Manfuha")
  Al-'Oud
  Al-Mansorah
  Al-Margab
  Salam
  Jabrah
  Al-Yamamah
  'Otayyigah
  Al-'Olayya & Sulaymaniyyah
  Al-'Olayya
  Al-Sulaymaniyyah
  Al Izdihar
  King Fahd District
  Al-Masif
  Al-Murooj
  Al-Mugharrazat
  Al-Wurood
  Nemar
  Nemar
  Dharat Nemar
  Tuwaiq
  Hazm
  Deerab
  Irqah
  Irqah
  Al-Khozama
  Diplomatic Quarter
  Al-Shemaysi
  Al-Shemaysi
  Eleyshah
  Syah
  Al-Nasriyyah
  Umm Sleym
  Al-Ma'athar
  Umm Al-Hamam (East)
  Al-Ma'athar
  Al-Olayya
  Al-Nakheel
  King Saud University main campus
  Umm Al-Hamam (East)
  Umm Al-Hamam (West)
  Al-Ma'athar Al-Shimali ("North Ma'athar")
  Al-Rahmaniyya
  Al-Muhammadiyya
  Al-Ra'id
  Al-Ha'ir
  Al-Ha'ir
  Al-Ghannamiyyah
  Uraydh
  Al-'Aziziyyah
  Ad Dar Al Baida
  Taybah
  Al Mansouriyah
  Al-Malaz
  Al-Malaz
  Al-Rabwah
  Al-Rayyan
  Jarir
  Al-Murabba'
  Al-Shifa
  Al-Masani'
  Al-Shifa
  Al-Mansuriyya
  Al-Marwah
  Al-Urayja
  Al-Urayja
  Al-Urayja Al-Wusta ("Mid-Urayja")
  Al-Urayja (West)
  Shubra
  Dharat Laban
  Hijrat Laban
  As-Suwaidi
  As-Suwaidi (West)
  Al-Badi'a
  Dahrat Al-Badi'a
  Sultanah
  Al-Shemal
  Al-Malga
  Al-Sahafa
  Hittin
  Al-Wadi
  Al-Ghadir
  Al-Nafil
  Imam Muhammad ibn Saud University main campus
  Al-Qayrawan
  Al-Aqiq
  Al-Arid
  Al-Naseem
  Al-Naseem (East)
  Al-Naseem (West)
  As-Salam
  Al-Manar
  Al-Rimayah
  Al-Nadheem
  Al-Rawdhah
  Al-Rawdhah
  Al-Qadisiyah
  Al-M'aizliyyah
  Al-Nahdhah
  Gharnatah (Granada)
  Qortubah (Cordoba)
  Al-Andalus (Andalusia)
  Al-Hamra
  Al-Qouds
  Al-Selayy
  Al-Selayy
  Ad Difa'
  Al Iskan
  Khashm Al-'Aan
  Al-Sa'adah
  Al-Fayha
  Al-Manakh
  King Abdullah Financial District
caption: King Fahd Road
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