Jiddah, city in western Saudi Arabia, located in Al Hijaz (Hejaz) Province, a major port on the Red Sea. Roads connect Jiddah with the larger cities in the country; an international airport is nearby. A commercial center, Jiddah also derives income from port activities; it is the leading Saudi port for importing livestock, especially sheep and camels. Industries in the city include iron and steel plants, oil refineries, and the manufacture of bricks, furniture, and tiles. The residential area is the site of many diplomatic missions and ministries, and thousands of pilgrims pass through the city each year on their way to Mecca. Jiddah is about three centuries old and was surrounded by walls until 1947. Port facilities here were greatly expanded beginning in the 1970s. Population (1995 estimate) 1,468,000.
