About King Abdullah Economic City

Emaar, a Dubai-based developer, and the Saudi government have unveiled a massive $26.6-billion project to build a residential and commercial complex near Jeddah. The project will be called the King Abdullah Economic City. The project is the single largest private sector investment in Saudi Arabia, Emaar officials said.

The project is expected to create 500,000 new jobs, said the officials.

The project is understood to cover 60 square kilometres.

Although population projections have not yet been revealed, the figure could be as high as 1 million if its population density is similar to other major cities being developed in the UAE.

Included in the project is a new port, an industrial park, a 3,500-unit residential and hotel complex and a facility that will serve up to half-a-million pilgrims arriving by sea each year on their way to the holy city of Makkah. The King Abdullah Economic City will be a multi-stage development, with construction beginning tomorrow.

This mega project will closely integrate itself into the Kingdom’s on-going drive to expand the economy, create employment opportunities for its youthful population and function as a catalyst to attract foreign investment, global trade, commerce and industry.