Earth from Space: Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

The Copernicus Sentinel-2 mission takes us over Riyadh, the capital city of Saudi Arabia.

Zoom in to explore this image at its full 10 m resolution or click on the circles to learn more.

Situated in the central region of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh serves as the nation’s legislative, financial, administrative, diplomatic and commercial hub, home to over seven million inhabitants.

Covering an area of around 1550 sq km, the city sits at approximately 600 m above sea level on the eastern part of the Najd plateau in the Arabian Peninsula. Like much of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh has a desert climate with extreme summer temperatures that can reach up to 50°C.

The image prominently features the city’s grid-like street system, which consists of square blocks measuring around two km one each side, forming an extensive network across the urban landscape.

Riyadh is served by the King Khalid International Airport, located approximately 35 km north of the city, visible in the top left of the image.

Moving southeast, the flower-like pattern of the Sand Sports Park construction site stands out against the orange, sandy terrain. Spanning more than 17 million sq m, the park is part of the large-scale Sports Boulevard Project, a linear park extending 135 km across the city. The project will connect over 50 sports sites and feature cycling and pedestrian pathways, equestrian and hiking trails, as well as several entertainment venues.

The city also has several large stadiums, including the King Fahd International Stadium, identifiable by its white circular structure, which can be spotted by zooming in south of the Sand Sports Park.

Towards the south, the industrial part of the city can be identified with bright white rooftops.

This image, captured on 14 September 2024, is part of the stunning initial set of images delivered by Copernicus Sentinel-2C, the third satellite in the Sentinel-2 mission. Sentinel-2C joined its twin satellites in orbit on 5 September 2024, to ensure the continuous delivery of high-resolution imagery for the Copernicus programme.