Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia, also serving as the capital of the Riyadh Province and the center of the Riyadh Governorate. Situated on the eastern bank of Wadi Hanifa, the modern metropolis developed primarily in the 1950s after the dismantling of the walled town's defenses, which originated in the 18th century.
The Saudi Arabian Ministry of Culture and the Royal Commission for AlUla partnered to promote sustainable development through culture. The Ministry will also host its first Cultural Investment Conference in Riyadh on September 29, 2025, to boost cultural investment.
In January 1902 Ibn Saud succeeded in capturing the Musmak Palace from its Rashid garrison.
In 1902, Ibn Saud retrieved his ancestral kingdom of Najd.
In 1926, Ibn Saud consolidated his rule and further expanded his kingdom to cover "most of the Arabian Peninsula."
In 1926, Ibn Saud consolidated his rule by the final Saudi conquest of Hejaz.
In September 1932, Ibn Saud named his kingdom 'Saudi Arabia' with Riyadh as the capital.
The city had a population of 40,000 inhabitants in 1935.
In 1936, construction of King Abdulaziz's Murabba Palace began.
In 1938, Ibn Saud moved to the Murabba Palace from the administrative center of the government.
In 1938, the Murabba Palace was completed, and a household of 800 people moved into it.
In 1947, Al-Shabab football club was established.
The city had a population of 83,000 in 1949.
In 1950, King Saud began developing Annasriyyah, the royal residential district.
In 1953, King Ibn Saud died and his son Saud took control as per the established succession rule.
In 1953, the grid pattern in the city was introduced.
In 1954, Al-Riyadh Club was established.
In 1955, Al-Nassr football club was established.
In 1957, Al-Hilal football club was established.
In 1964, King Saud was succeeded by his brother King Faisal.
In 1966, a meteorite fragment known as the "Camel's Hump" was recovered from the Wabar site.
In 1968, the Department of Municipal Affairs selected Doxiadis Associates to prepare a masterplan for Riyadh.
In 1972, Doxiadis Associates submitted a masterplan that was approved for Riyadh.
From 1974 to 1992 the population growth of the town averaged 8.2 percent per year.
In 1974, the government founded the High Commission for the Development of Arriyadh, headed by King Salman Bin Abdulaziz.
In 1975, Faisal was succeeded by his brother King Khalid.
Construction of the 170 m Riyadh TV Tower began in 1978.
In 1981, the Riyadh TV Tower was completed. It is a 170-meter high television tower located inside the premises of the Saudi Ministry of Information.
The construction of the 170 m Riyadh TV Tower, operated by the Ministry of Information, was completed in 1981.
In 1982, King Fahd took the reins from his brother.
In 1982, SCET International's revised and updated masterplan was approved, reflecting the drastic growth of Riyadh.
On 16 November 1983, King Khalid International Airport was officially opened by King Fahd.
In 1983, the TV tower group made its first movie, named "1,000 Nights and Night", starring Mohammed Abdu and Talal Mmdah.
In 1989, King Fahd Sports City Stadium hosted the FIFA U-20 World Cup.
From 1974 to 1992 the population growth of the town averaged 8.2 percent per year.
In 1992, King Fahd Sports City Stadium hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In 1995, King Fahd Sports City Stadium hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In 1997, King Fahd Sports City Stadium hosted the FIFA Confederations Cup.
In 1997, the city's GPYW Indoor Stadium served as the host arena for the ABC Championship, where the Saudi Arabia men's national basketball team reached the Final Four.
In 1999, a new central museum, the National Museum of Saudi Arabia, was built in Riyadh, combining collections from various institutions.
In 2002, the Kingdom Centre won the Emporis Skyscraper Award, recognized as the "best new skyscraper of the year for design and functionality".
On 12 May 2003, Al-Qaeda under Osama bin Laden launched coordinated attacks on compounds in Riyadh, resulting in the deaths of 39 people.
In 2007, MEDSTAR won second place in the international award for liveable communities.
On 31 July 2010, The Turaif district was inscribed in UNESCO World Heritage List.
In 2010, construction began on Burj Rafal, which is located on King Fahd Road.
In 2010, the first Saudi capital Diriyah, on the northwestern outskirts of Riyadh was inscribed as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO.
In 2010, the literacy rate in Riyadh was 98.10%.
In 2013, King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) served over 20 million passengers.
In 2014, the Burj Rafal skyscraper was completed. At the time of completion, 70% of the residential units had already been sold.
On 1 and 2 April 2015, a massive dust storm hit Riyadh, causing the suspension of classes in many schools and the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
In 2016, Riyadh ranked at 77 in the Global Financial Centres Index.
As of 2017, the population of Riyadh is composed of 64.19% Saudis, while non-Saudis account for 35.81% of the population.
In 2017, Riyadh ranked at 77 in the Global Financial Centres Index.
In March 2018, one person died as a result of a missile attack in Riyadh.
In April 2018, heavy gunfire was heard in Khozama, leading to rumors of a coup attempt.
In 2018, Riyadh held its first major esports tournament, the GSA E-Sports Cup.
In 2018, Riyadh's Global Financial Centres Index rank moved up to 69.
In March 2019, the Royal Commission for Riyadh City launched Riyadh Art, a public art project aimed at transforming Riyadh into an art hub.
The Riyadh Season, an initiative to promote tourism, took place from October to December 2019.
In 2019, King Salman launched a plan to implement 1281 development projects in Riyadh, costing around US$22 billion.
In 2019, Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Muqrin was appointed mayor by royal decree.
On 29 February 2020, the world's richest thoroughbred horse race, the Saudi Cup, took place at the King Abdulaziz Racetrack in Riyadh.
In April 2020, Saudi Arabia entered the bidding process for the 2030 Asian Games.
As of July 2020, Faisal bin Abdulaziz is the mayor of Riyadh.
On 3 July 2020, Bloomberg reported that Saudi Arabia has allocated $20 billion on the mega-project of tourism and culture in Riyadh, branded as Diriyah.
On 13 September 2020, a restoration of heritage buildings of historical significance was launched in Riyadh by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
On 16 December 2020, it was announced that Riyadh will host the 2034 Asian Games.
In 2020, the literacy rate in Riyadh was 99.36%.
On 13 July 2021, the Ministry of Investment and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City (RCRC) announced that they have partnered with SEK Education Group to open SEK International School Riyadh, its first campus in Saudi Arabia.
In 2021, the literacy rate in Riyadh was 99.38%.
In 2022, Riyadh had a population of 7.0 million people, making it the most-populous city in Saudi Arabia, the 3rd most populous in the Middle East, and the 38th most populous in Asia.
In 2022, the Saudi Esports Federation organized the Gamers8 festival.
In 2023, the Saudi Esports Federation organized the Gamers8 festival. The 2023 edition of the festival offered the largest prize pool in the history of global competitive esports at the time, totaling $45 million.
In July 2024, the plan to create the Sports Boulevard which will include the world's tallest sports tower was approved.
Gamers8 will be replaced by the Esports World Cup in 2024, which boasts a total prize pool of over $60 million.
In 2024 Riyadh’s bus network transported 50 million passengers.
Alongside the development project and with the aim of enhancing the artistic landscape of the city, 1000 pieces of art are planned to be publicly displayed in the city by the end of 2030.
By 2030, King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) will be expanded with six parallel runways and three or four large passenger terminals.
In April 2020, Saudi Arabia entered the bidding process for the 2030 Asian Games.
In the framework of Saudi Vision 2030, the project is planned to improve the infrastructure, transportation, environment and other facilities in Riyadh and the surrounding area.
Riyadh will host Expo 2030, becoming the second Arab city to host after Dubai in 2020.
On 16 December 2020, it was announced that Riyadh will host the 2034 Asian Games in 2034.
By 2050, King Khalid International Airport (KKIA) will be able to serve 185 million passengers per year.
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