Dammam metropolitan area

The Dammam metropolitan area, or greater Dammam, is the metropolitan area associated with the city of Dammam and its suburbs. It is closely linked to the city through social, economic, and cultural ties. The largest metropolitan area in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, it is formed by three main neighboring cities: Dammam, Dhahran, and Khobar, sometimes referred to as the "Triplet Cities". It has an estimated population of 4,140,000 as of 2012. Greater Dammam also includes many other smaller cities such as: Al Qatif, Safwa and Ras Tanura. As a major metropolitan area, it is known for its fishing and pearl diving heritage, oil industry, arts, entertainment, popular music and sports legacies. The area includes a variety of natural landscapes, parks, and beaches with a recreational coastline to the Persian Gulf.

Greater Dammam is served by the King Fahd International Airport (KFIA), the largest airport in the world in terms of land area (approximately 780 km²), about 20 km to the northwest of Dammam (the largest of the 3 cities). Dammam's King Abdul Aziz Sea Port is the largest on the Persian Gulf, with import-export traffic in the country second only to Jeddah Seaport. It serves the Eastern Province as well as the capital Riyadh, which is located far from the sea.

Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company and most valuable company, is based in Greater Dammam, as a result of the first oil field discovered in the Kingdom being there.

Prior to the discovery of oil, the area was long known as an important port and fishing area, in a strategic location on the shore of Persian Gulf.

Climate

References