Map of Makkah
Makkah is a first-level division of Saudi Arabia. Its largest mapped city is Jeddah, with about 3.01 million people in the metropolitan area. The interactive map below is centred on Makkah, and the tables list its 4 mapped cities along with the ports, World Heritage Sites nearest to them.
- Cities Mapped
- 4
- Largest City
- Jeddah
- Country
- Saudi Arabia
Interactive Map of Makkah
About Makkah
Mecca, officially Makkah al-Mukarramah, is a city in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia and is the capital of Mecca Province. Mecca is considered the birthplace of Islam and the Islamic prophet Muhammad, as well as being the holiest city in Islam.
It is located 70 km (43 mi) inland from Jeddah on the Red Sea in a narrow valley 277 m (909 ft) above sea level. Its metropolitan population in 2022 was 2.4 million, making it the third most populated city in Saudi Arabia after Riyadh and Jeddah. The Cave of Hira atop the Jabal al-Nour just outside the city is where Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad. The Great Mosque of Mecca, known as the Masjid al-Haram, is home to the Kaaba, believed by Muslims to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. It is the direction of prayer (qibla) for all Muslims worldwide. Around 44.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and around 55.5% are Muslim foreigners from other countries. Pilgrims more than triple the population number every year during the Ḥajj pilgrimage, observed in the twelfth Hijri month of Dhūl-Ḥijjah as an obligation for all Muslims at least once in their lives. With over 19.3 million international visitors in 2024, Mecca was one of the five most visited cities in the world.
Muslim rulers from in and around the region long tried to rule the city, and thus, much like most of the Hejazi region, has seen several regime changes. The city was most recently conquered in the Saudi conquest of Hejaz by Ibn Saud and his allies in 1925. Since then, Mecca has seen a tremendous expansion in size and infrastructure, with newer, modern buildings such as The Clock Towers, the world's fourth–tallest building and fifth–largest by floor area, towering over the Great Mosque. The Saudi government has also carried out the destruction of several historical structures and archaeological sites, such as the Ajyad Fortress.
Summary adapted from Wikipedia: Mecca (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Makkah in Depth
History
In 2010, Mecca and the surrounding area became an important site for paleontology with respect to primate evolution, with the discovery of a Saadanius fossil. Saadanius is considered to be a primate closely related to the common ancestor of the Old World monkeys and apes. The fossil habitat, near what is now the Red Sea in western Saudi Arabia, was a damp forest area between 28 million and 29 million years ago. Paleontologists involved in the research hope to find further fossils in the area.
The early history of Mecca is still largely shrouded by a lack of clear sources. The city lies in the hinterland of the middle part of western Arabia of which there are sparse textual or archaeological sources available.
Geography
Mecca is located in the Hijazi region, a 200 km (124 mi) wide strip of mountains separating the Nafud desert from the Red Sea. The city is situated in a valley with the same name around 70 km (43 mi) east of the port city of Jeddah. Mecca is one of the lowest cities in elevation in the Hejazi region, located at an elevation of 277 m (909 ft) above sea level at 21º23' north latitude and 39º51' east longitude. Mecca is divided into 34 districts.
The city centers on the al-Haram area, which contains the Masjid al-Haram. The area around the mosque is the old city and contains the most famous district of Mecca, Ajyad. The main street that runs to al-Haram is the Ibrahim al-Khalil Street, named after Ibrahim.
Economy
The Meccan economy is heavily dependent on pilgrimages coming for Umrah and Hajj. Income generated through pilgrimage also has far-reaching effects on the economy of the entire Arabian Peninsula.
Taxes on pilgrims were increased during the Great Depression, many of which existed to as late as 1972.
The Saudi flag carrier Saudia generates 12% of its income from the pilgrimage. Fares paid by pilgrims to reach Mecca by land also generate income; as do the hotels and lodging companies that house them. The city takes in more than $100 million, while the Saudi government spends about $50 million on services for the Hajj. There are some industries and factories in the city, but Mecca no longer plays a major role in Saudi Arabia's economy, which is mainly based on oil exports.
Demographics
Mecca is very densely populated. Most long-term residents live in the Old City, the area around the Great Mosque and many work to support pilgrims, known locally as the Hajj industry. 'Iyad Madani, the Saudi Arabian Minister for Hajj, was quoted saying, "We never stop preparing for the Hajj."
Year-round, pilgrims stream into the city to perform the rites of 'Umrah, and during the last weeks of eleventh Islamic month, Dhu al-Qi'dah, on average 2–4 million Muslims arrive in the city to take part in the rites known as Hajj.
Sections adapted from Wikipedia: Mecca (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Makkah: Key Facts
| Population | 2,427,924 (2022) |
|---|---|
| Area | 760 km² |
| Head of government | Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud |
Facts from Wikidata Q5806 (CC0).
History of Makkah: Empires and States
The atlas records 15 polities whose mapped territory included part of Makkah, from Minaeans in 188 BCE to 2024 CE. They are listed in the order they first appear.
| Polity | Period here |
|---|---|
| Minaeans | 188–67 BCE |
| Himyarite Kingdom | 66 BCE – 105 CE |
| The Roman Empire | 25–20 BCE |
| Rashidun Caliphate | 633–665 CE |
| The Umayyad Caliphate | 666–750 CE |
| The Abbasid Caliphate | 751–969 CE |
| Fatimid Caliphate | 970–1176 CE |
| Ayyubid Sultanate | 1177–1249 CE |
| Mamluk Sultanate | 1250–1518 CE |
| The Ottoman Empire | 1519–1916 CE |
| Emirate of Diriyah | 1796–1814 CE |
| Muhammad Ali dynasty | 1834–1841 CE |
| Kingdom of Hejaz | 1917–1925 CE |
| Kingdom of Hejaz and Nejd | 1926–1935 CE |
| Kingdom of Saudi Arabia | 1936–2024 CE |
Historical Maps of Makkah
Makkah on the world map in each year one of these states held it:
Derived by testing mapped cities against dated territorial polygons. Dates are when the polygons cover this place, not the polity's whole lifespan, and polities absent from the source dataset are not listed.
Visiting Makkah
Mecca, officially known as Makkah al-Mukarramah (Arabic: مكة المكرمة, Makkah al-Mukarramah), is a major city in Saudi Arabia and the holiest city in Islam.
Mecca is the birthplace of Prophet Muhammed, the founder of Islam, and Muslims believe the Qur'an was first revealed to Muhammad here. The Great Mosque of Mecca, known as Masjid al-Haram is considered to be Islam's most sacred mosque and Muslims anywhere face toward it when they pray.
Each year, millions of people from around the world flock to Mecca for the Hajj pilgrimage, which is an obligation for all Muslims. This makes Mecca the most visited city in all of Saudi Arabia.
Travel notes adapted from Wikivoyage: Mecca (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Largest Cities in Makkah
4 cities mapped. Ranked by metropolitan population. A port city's harbour is written up on the page of its sea.
| # | Name | Population | Region | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jeddah | 3.01 million | Makkah | Populated place |
| 2 | Makkah | 1.39 million | Makkah | Populated place |
| 3 | At Taif | 657,282 | Makkah | Populated place |
| 4 | Al Qunfudhah | 157 | Makkah | Populated place |
Ports in Makkah
1 port mapped. Ranked by approach channel depth, the figure that limits which ships can call. Harbours link to their write-up on the page of the sea or coast they lie on. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Channel Depth | Class | Sea | Max Vessel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rabigh | 5.5 m | Very Small | Red Sea & Gulf of Aden | medium vessels |
UNESCO World Heritage Sites in Makkah
1 World Heritage Site mapped. Listed by year of inscription, earliest first. Sites shared with another country appear under each. Assigned by the nearest mapped city, so features near the boundary may belong to a neighbouring division.
| # | Name | Inscribed | Type | Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Al-Balad, Jeddah | 2014 | Cultural | (ii) (iv) (vi) |
Makkah: Quick Answers
- Where is Makkah?
- Makkah is a first-level division of Saudi Arabia, in Asia. Its mapped cities centre on 20.8349° N, 40.1241° E.
- What is the largest city in Makkah?
- Jeddah is the largest city mapped in Makkah, with a metropolitan population of about 3.01 million.
- How many cities are in Makkah?
- YearMaps maps 4 cities and towns in Makkah, with a combined metropolitan population of about 5.05 million. This counts mapped settlements, not every municipality.