Editing Riyadh (section)

===Modern history===
[[File:Workers breaking old city walls of Riyadh.jpg|thumb|The demolition of the [[Riyadh city wall|city walls]] in 1950 was a prelude to the expansion and modernization of the city.]]
From the 1940s, Riyadh mushroomed from a relatively narrow, spatially isolated town into a spacious metropolis.{{sfn|Elsheshtawy|2008|p=124}} When [[Saud of Saudi Arabia|King Saud]] came to power, he made it his objective to modernize Riyadh, and began developing Annasriyyah, the royal residential district, in 1950.{{sfn|Elsheshtawy|2008|p=124}} Following the example of American cities, new settlements and entire neighborhoods were created on [[grid plan]]s, and connected by high-capacity main roads to the inner areas. The grid pattern in the city was introduced in 1953.{{sfn|Elsheshtawy|2008|p=124}} The population growth of the town from 1974 to 1992 averaged 8.2 percent per year.

On 16 November 1983, [[King Khalid International Airport]] was officially opened by [[King Fahd of Saudi Arabia|King Fahd]], in memory to the late [[King Khalid of Saudi Arabia|King Khalid]]. It remains the biggest airport in the world at nearly 300 sq miles to date.

[[Al-Qaeda]] under [[Osama bin Laden]] launched [[Riyadh compound bombings|coordinated attacks]] on compounds in Riyadh on 12 May 2003, resulting in the deaths of 39 people. The bombings were considered to be a terrorism campaign against Western influence in Saudi Arabia.

In 2010, the first Saudi capital [[Diriyah]], on the northwestern outskirts of Riyadh was inscribed as a [[World Heritage Site]] by [[UNESCO]].

The mayor is Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz al-Muqrin. Al-Muqrin was appointed in 2019 by royal decree<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.arabnews.com/node/1590146/saudi-arabia |title=Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz appointed as Riyadh mayor by royal decree |website=Arab News | date=27 November 2019}}</ref> and succeeds Tariq bin Abdul Aziz Al-Faris. Riyadh is now the administrative and to a great extent the commercial hub of the Kingdom. According to the Saudi Real Estate Companion, most large companies in the country established either sole headquarters or a large office in the city.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://www.amazon.com/Saudi-Real-Estate-Companion-Essential-ebook/dp/B01DTNO0SC|title=Saudi Real Estate Companion: Essential Real Estate Skills for the Saudi Arabian Market|last1=Mueller|first1=H. E.|last2=Williams|first2=A. D.|date=4 April 2016|publisher=Booktango|language=en}}</ref> For this reason, there has been significant growth in high-rise developments in all areas of the city. Most notable among these is [[King Abdullah Financial District]] which is fast becoming the key business hub in the city.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.constructionweekonline.com/article-43069-interserve-mena-chief-hopeful-of-saudi-fms-growth/|title=Interserve MENA chief hopeful of Saudi FM's growth {{!}} ConstructionWeekOnline.com|last=Bhatia|first=Neha|newspaper=Construction Week Online|date=15 February 2017 |access-date=30 May 2017}}</ref> Riyadh also has the largest all-female university in the world, the [[Princess Nora bint Abdul Rahman University]].<ref>{{cite web|last=Miller|first=David|title=Saudi Arabia opens world's largest women's university|url=http://www.jpost.com/MiddleEast/Article.aspx?id=220949|work=[[The Jerusalem Post]]|date=13 March 2011 |access-date=17 January 2012}}</ref>

According to the [[Global Financial Centres Index]], Riyadh ranked at 77 in 2016–2017. Though the rank moved up to 69 in 2018, diversification in the economy of the capital is required in order to avoid what the [[World Bank]] called a "looming poverty crisis" brought on by lingering low oil prices and rich state benefits.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cnbc.com/2018/08/21/saudi-arabia-is-backsliding-in-effort-to-build-global-financial-center.html|title=Saudi Arabia is stumbling in its efforts to build a global financial center|date=21 August 2018|publisher=[[CNBC]]|access-date=21 August 2018}}</ref>

Since 2017, Riyadh has been the target of missiles from Yemen.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Almosawa |first1=Shuaib |first2=Anna |last2=Barnard |date=4 November 2017 |title=Saudis Intercept Missile Fired From Yemen That Came Close to Riyadh |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/11/04/world/middleeast/missile-saudi-arabia-riyadh.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |location=United States |access-date=9 May 2018 }}<br />{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |agency=[[Associated Press]] |title=Yemeni rebel ballistic missile targeting Riyadh intercepted, Saudi forces say |url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-forces-intercept-ballistic-missile-targeting-riyadh-houthis/ |work=[[CBS News]] |location=United States |date=11 April 2018 |access-date=9 May 2018 }}</ref> In March 2018, one person died as a result of a missile attack.<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Saudi Arabia: Houthi missile attack kills Egyptian in Riyadh |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/03/yemen-houthi-rebels-fire-ballistic-missile-riyadh-180325211734660.html |work=[[Al Jazeera]] |location=Qatar |date=26 March 2018 |access-date=9 May 2018 }}</ref> The number of missiles which targeted Riyadh are a small portion of the dozens of missiles fired from Yemen at Saudi Arabia due to the [[Saudi Arabian-led intervention in Yemen]].<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |agency=[[Associated Press]] |title=Loud booms in Saudi Arabia's capital as military intercepts missiles from Yemen: report |url=https://www.foxnews.com/world/loud-booms-in-saudi-arabias-capital-as-military-intercepts-missiles-from-yemen-report |work=[[Fox News]] |location=United States |date=9 May 2018 |access-date=9 May 2018 }}</ref> In April 2018, heavy gunfire was heard in Khozama;<ref>{{cite news |author=<!--Staff writer(s); no by-line.--> |title=Saudi forces shoot down 'toy drone' near royal palace |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2018/04/saudi-gunfire-police-shoot-toy-drone-royal-palace-180421201413596.html |work=[[Al Jazeera]] |date=21 April 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}<br />{{cite news |first1=Kareem |last1=Fahim |first2=Loveday |last2=Morris |title=After rare gunfire in Saudi capital, officials say they shot down a toy drone |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/after-rare-gunfire-in-saudi-capital-officials-say-they-shot-down-a-toy-drone/2018/04/21/c736c60a-459d-11e8-b2dc-b0a403e4720a_story.html |newspaper=[[The Washington Post]] |date=21 May 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}<br />{{cite news |first1=Rania |last1=El Gamal |first2=Stephen |last2=Kalin |title=Saudi security shoots down recreational drone near royal palace |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-saudi-security/saudi-security-shoots-down-recreational-drone-near-royal-palace-idUSKBN1HS0PZ |work=[[Reuters]]|date=21 April 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}</ref> this led to rumors of a coup attempt.<ref>{{cite news |first1=Sonam |last1=Sheth |first2=Michelle |last2=Mark |title=Confusion erupts after a 'small, drone-type' object was apparently shot down near the king's palace in Saudi Arabia |url=http://www.businessinsider.com/saudi-arabia-king-evacuated-gunfire-riyadh-2018-4?r=UK&IR=T |work=[[Business Insider]] |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}<br />{{cite news |first=Mina |last=Aldroubi |title=Saudi Arabia dismisses rumours of coup attempt |url=https://www.thenational.ae/world/mena/saudi-arabia-dismisses-rumours-of-coup-attempt-1.723754 |work=The National |date=22 April 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}<br />{{cite news |first=Megan |last=Specia |title=Saudi Arabia Says Toy Drone Shot Down in Capital Riyadh |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/21/world/saudi-drone-riyadh.html |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=21 April 2018 |access-date=23 May 2018 }}</ref>

A restoration of heritage buildings of historical significance was launched in Riyadh by Crown Prince [[Mohammed bin Salman]] on 13 September 2020.

<gallery mode="packed">
File:Lake at Wadi Hanifah (5218227168).jpg|Lake at the 120&nbsp;km long [[Wadi Hanifa]] valley that cuts through Riyadh
File:King Abdullah Financial District 184701.jpg|King Abdullah Financial District
File:Saudi-desert.gif|The [[An Nafud]] desert on the outskirts of Riyadh with the Jabal [[Tuwaiq]] in the background
</gallery>