Dhahran is a city located in the Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. With a total population of 143,936 as of 2022, it is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil industry. Together with the nearby cities of Dammam and Khobar, Dhahran forms part of the Dammam Metropolitan Area, which is commonly known as greater Dammam and has an estimated population of 2.2 million as of 2022.
A Concession Agreement to search for oil was signed in Jeddah on May 29, 1933, between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Standard Oil of California. However, it was not until five years later, in 1938, that the first oil in commercial quantities was produced. Standard Oil later established a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia called the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO), now owned by the Saudi government and known as Saudi Aramco. Dhahran.
Dhahran is unusual in that a substantial portion of it is made up of gated areas including Saudi Aramco's headquarters and residential camp, the King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (built by Aramco). Dhahran is also home to the Mall of Dhahran, one of the biggest shopping complexes in the Eastern Province.
Dhahran has a hot desert climate, featuring summers among the hottest and most humid in the world, and virtually frost-free winters. In Summers, the Temperatures in Dhahran can rise to more than 40 °C, while in winder it can fall to -2 to -5 degrees °C.
The extensive highway network in the Dhahran, Khobar, Dammam area serves the strategically important national oil industry, led by Saudi Aramco, as well as the local population. About 40 km distance from Dhahran, there is big international airports that provides commercial, private and cargo services to the entire Metropolitan Area of Dhahran, Dammam, and Khobar.
There are variety of tourists attractions near Dhahran. Of these, the King Abdulaziz Center for World Culture, also known as Ithra, a cultural center situated in Dhahran. Some other attraction near Dhahran is Located in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, Al Qarah Mountain in Al Ahsa. These mountains are a 25-minute drive away from Al Ahsa National Park and is considered one of the most significant places in Al Ahsa. Because of the size, the mountain is visible from a distance which stands at the edge of Shadqam plateau, touching Kuwait and Iraq from one side and Rub Al Khali desert from the other. Because of the sub-aerial weathering, over time, the mountain has developed several networks of caves and is distinguished by its remarkable shapes and narrow canyons. It is located between four villages and is accompanied by rivers and over 3 million palm trees.
