Dhahran is the home of Saudi Arabia’s oil industry and the base of Aramco, the granddaddy of Saudi oil companies. Much of Dhahran is like an exclusive club: a small and self-contained American city, which consists of the Aramco Compound, Shops, Residential Areas and the University of Petroleum & Minerals.

Dhahran near Riyadh is a major administrative center for Saudi oil industry, located in the Eastern Province. Large oil reserves here were identified in the early 1930s and commercial oil wells developed. The climate here is characterized by hot, humid summers and cool winters. With summer temperatures rising to more than 50°C, you are advised to steer clear of the place during this season. Winter temperatures rarely plunge below 2°C to 3°C. An interesting characteristic feature of Dhahran is the early summer Shamal Winds, which can cause dust storms reducing visibility to a few meters.