Medina

Medina, officially al-Madinah al-Munawwarah, also known as al-Madinah an-Nabawiyyah and Taybah, is the capital and administrative centre of Medina Province in the Hejaz region of western Saudi Arabia. The population as of 2022 is 1,477,023, making it the fourth-most populous city in the country.

Around 58.5% of the population are Saudi citizens and 41.5% are foreigners. The city joined the UNESCO Global Network of Learning Cities in 2024. Located at the core of the Medina Province in the western reaches of the country, the city is distributed over 589 km2 (227 sq mi), of which 293 km2 (113 sq mi) constitutes the city's urban area, while the rest is occupied by the Hejaz Mountains, empty valleys, agricultural spaces, and older dormant volcanoes.

The original name of the city before the advent of Islam was Yathrib. Saudi road signage uses Madinah and al-Madinah al-Munawwarah interchangeably.

The city existed for over 1,500 years before Muhammad's migration from Mecca, known as the Hijrah. Medina is home to three prominent mosques, namely al-Masjid an-Nabawi, Quba Mosque, and Masjid al-Qiblatayn.