JUBAIL AND YANBU
Testimony to the successful mix of industry and leisure, the two Kingdom’s industrial cities, Jubail and Yanbu, are both rich in natural resources and attractions
The twin cities of Jubail and Yanbu have established them- selves as the KingdomÕs key strategic sites for the hydro- carbon and energy-intensive industries. They were built to ensure that Saudi ArabiaÕs natural resources could be tapped in the most economic way using the most up-to-date infrastructure available. The result has been hailed a complete success with the basic industries that were
FISHING: JUBAIL'S MAIN ACTIVITY BEFORE THE MID 1970s
focused upon from the outset creating off-shoot busi- nesses from the development of a series of secondary and downstream industries. These massive industrial complexes stand as a symbol of the governmentÕs vision for Saudi ArabiaÕs future develop- ment with carefully balanced environmental conditions, safety requirements, employ- ment opportunities for citizens and distribution of resources.
JUBAIL
INTRICATE WOODEN ARCHITECTURE IN THE OLD QUARTER, YANBU
Jubail was a small fishing village until the mid-1970s, when its industrial development began. However, its origins date back some 7,000 years when the people of Dilmun established a settlement here. In the 1980s a ruined church was found by a group of people on a desert picnic as they were digging their vehicle out of the sand. The church dated back to 400AD and it is believed to have been connected to one of the five Nestorian Bishop- rics known to have existed in this area in the 4th century, then known as Al-Bunain. An ancient centre of the Eastern Province and a caravan junction, the city of Jubail was famed for its local pearling industry. Located near the oil-producing area, Jubail was then found suitable to become the site of the worldÕs larg- est petrochemical complex. Jubail industrial city is now divided into five zones. The industrial zone is where all the main factories are situated together with ancillary instal- lations, producing steel, alu- minium, plastic and fertilisers. The residential area is made up of eight localities built on an adjacent island linked to the mainland. It has the capacity to accommodate up to 375,000 in modern up-to-date housing. The picnic zone, cover- ing 204 kilometres, is an invaluable recreation area, with abundant trees, rare plants, playgrounds and facilities for water sports. Lastly, Al-Batwah Island is a picnic site with a park and a zoo and features fishing sites and a marina. The airport zone covers 250 kilometres and can accom- modate all types of aircraft.
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On the hotel front the Inter- Continental Al Jubail is located in a residential area overlooking the Arabian Gulf. Its proximity to the industrial city of Jubail is a draw for business visitors. The hotel offers restaurants, bars and cafŽs and a wide range of water activities are available, including a sauna, jacuzzi and a fully equipped diving centre. Local attractions include the Al Nakheel beach near Al-Shiraa Park, the Al Fanateer Corniche area, the Whispering Sands golf course and the Al Andalus park.
Although industrial, Jubail is still a city, with infrastructure, housing, shopping, educational and medical facilities supporting a population of over 150,000. Jubail II is also planned and will add a second industrial area to house up to 22 new primary industries. However, the project needs the expan- sion of the port, pipelines and new desalination plants to be completed first.
YANBU
Yanbu was established thou- sands of years ago when early Egyptian traders crossed the Red Sea, forging land routes into Jordan, to the north and Jeddah, to the south. This area is now referred to as Old Yanbu, the historical part of the city, with modern Yanbu a short distance away. This city was developed, along with Jubail in the Eastern Province, as an industrial city and has a great advantage in its location. It is very near to the Suez Canal, opening it up to other world markets. Yanbu was planned as the beginning of modernisation for the whole of Saudi Arabia's rural northwestern coastal region, in- tended to provide a new strategic
KEY Ideal for Group size Timings Top tip
ALAMY
ALAMY
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