Antique Port City on the Red Sea
Located in the province of Madinah, Yanbu is the second largest port city on the Red Sea after Jeddah. It also happens to be one of the oldest seaports on the Red Sea. It serves as the major port for the holy city of Madinah. Yanbu not only plays an important role in the economy of the country but also holds historical importance for being a major port for receiving pilgrims. Traditionally, the economy of Yanbu has been associated with the pilgrimage route, trade, and export of dates. The port is being expanded to take some pressure off the Jeddah port.
Yanbu has a natural harbor and offers some great views of the Red Sea. It has wide coral reefs that remain largely unspoiled. This area is great for water activities like scuba diving, fishing, and birdwatching. There are also three oil refineries in the city and it is a major petroleum shipping hub. It also houses an industry for plastics as well as other petrochemical products. Three major pipelines terminate in this region. In terms of climate, Yanbu has a very hot desert climate all year round. It is well connected to other major cities like Jeddah. It is also connected to neighboring countries like Syria and Jordan.