Situated in the central region of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh serves as the nation’s legislative, financial, administrative, diplomatic and commercial hub, home to over seven million inhabitants.
Covering an area of around 1550 sq km, the city sits at approximately 600 m above sea level on the eastern part of the Najd plateau in the Arabian Peninsula. Like much of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh has a desert climate with extreme summer temperatures that can reach up to 50°C.
The image prominently features the city’s grid-like street system, which consists of square blocks measuring around two km one each side, forming an extensive network across the urban landscape.
It’s hard to get lost when you know that you will always end up on same road if you keep turning right. Also, as beautiful as this picture, the photo of Riyadh at night that NASA released in 2012 is much dramatic and detailed.