| Al-Khobar | |
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Al-Khobar
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| Coordinates: | |
| Country | Saudi Arabia |
| Province | Eastern Province |
| Established | 1940s |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Issam Al-Mulla |
| • Provincial Governor | Muhammed Bin Fahd |
| Population (2009) | |
| • Total | 360,000 |
| Dammam Municipality estimate | |
| Postal Code | (5 digits) |
| Area code(s) | +966-3 |
| Website | www.dammam.gov.sa |
Khobar (also written al-Khobar or al-Khubar; Arabic: الخبر) is a large city located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf. It has a population of 360,000 (2009 census) and forms part of the greater Dammam metropolitan area along with Dhahran, which together have a combined population of over two million. All three urban centers are served by the King Fahd International Airport, the distance to the airport terminal from Khobar is about 50 km (30 Miles).
Many of Khobar's residents work for Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil company. Traditionally, Khobar has also been a city of shopkeepers and merchants, and the city today has many modern malls and boulevards with shops run by international franchises, and restaurants. Together, Khobar, Dhahran and Dammam are often known as "The Triplet Cities". Khobar today is a bustling economic centre with many skyscapers under construction. The nearby city of Dammam has the second-largest port in Saudi Arabia.
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In earlier days, Khobar was a small port on the Gulf, a fishing village inhabited mainly by Al Dawasir tribe members. With the discovery of oil in the 1930s, it was transformed into a major commercial and shopping center and an industrial port. In modern times, the larger port of Dammam has taken over most commercial shipping activities for the Eastern Province, and oil is exported via the dedicated Saudi Aramco port of Ras Tanura. As a result, Khobar has transformed and extended its water front along the Gulf into a scenic Beirut-like corniche with parks, eateries, and family beaches, thus making it one of the most iconic features of the city. Moreover, Khobar's ideal location along the Arabian Sea has made it increasingly popular amongst people traveling from cities within the Kingdom (such as the capital Riyadh which lies approximately 400 km west).
The 16-mile (26 km) King Fahd Causeway connects Khobar to the island nation of Bahrain, previously reachable only by air or sea.
The city is divided into four areas: Khobar, Subekha, Thuqba and Aqrabia. While Khobar, Subekha and Thuqba are mainly commercial areas with not much residential scope, Aqrabia consists of mostly residential complexes, accommodating about 50% of the city's population.
The city used to have a model of the space shuttle Discovery to commemorate the space flight of Sultan Salman Al Saud, the first Saudi in space (on STS-51-G).
The city is also the home of famed Quran reciter Ahmad Ali Al-Ajmi.
In 1996, the Khobar Towers, a US Air Force housing complex, was bombed by ِAl Kaida-talban militants, killing 19 US servicemen and one Saudi local.
Khobar is served by King Fahd International Airport northwest of Dammam, the driving distance from the terminal to Khobar city is 55 km (34 mi), but in allot of cases, people go to the Bahrain International Airport in Bahrain instead.
Al Khobar is connected with the major highways in the region including Dhahran-Jubail Highway, Dhahran-Dammam Highway as well as Khobar-Dammam Highway which links Khobar with Dammam directly and links them both to Dammam Airport. Al-Khobar is also the city which has the King Fahd Causeway which links Saudi Arabia to Bahrain.
First school in Khobar was established in 1942. Today, Khobar is home to more than 100 public and private educational institutes. International Indian School, Khobar (CBSE) is one of the world's largest Indian schools with more than 17000 students. Countries such as Pakistan and Bangladesh are also operating their own respective schools and curriculum successfully. Al Khobar is also home to several Western oriented schools like International Philippine School, British and American Schools with a significant number of students from various expatriate communities. To name some of them; Dhahran Ahliya School, Saad National School, Al Jamma School, Khobar French School, International Programs School, and BISAK(British International School Al-Khobar. Every school provides bus services.
Al-Khobar has a large number of expatriates who usually come for jobs. The expatriates have their own living units, compounds, that make them have unique community-like areas in the country. While Saudi citizens themselves enjoy living in luxurious villas and palaces. Lower classes people who work as labours, mainly Indians, Pakistanis, and Bangladeshis; live in humble crowded areas in Al-Thoqba, an area made for lower-classed people. Al-Thoqba is mainly made of small sized apartments with cheap rentals.
Al-Khobar enjoys being close to the city of Dhahran, which has the three huge malls, Al-Rashid Mall, Dhahran Mall, and Amwaj Center. Usually expatriates go to Bahrain on weekends. Half Moon Bay and the Sunset Beach are also visited by the citizens of Khobar. They do other activities such as fishing and scuba diving. Al-Khobar has its own shopping centers such as Al-Fanar Mall, Venicia Mall, Hyper Panda, Souk Alisa, Fouad Center and Al-Qusaibi Center.
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