Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Nejd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 4,854,000 people, and the urban center of a region with a population of close to 7 million people. The city is divided into 15 municipal districts.

Once a small walled city, Riyadh has developed into a dynamic metropolis over the years, as well as a focal point for both travel and trade. The city's architecture is mostly modern, including contemporary high-rise towers, but the Al-Dira district has been rebuilt in a style meant to evoke the old mud-brick buildings of pre-20th century Nejd. The city has over 4,300 mosques.