Dhahran
Encyclopedia
Dhahran is a city located in Saudi Arabia
's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil
industry. Large oil reserves
were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil
of California (now Chevron Corporation
) drilled the first commercially viable oil well
. Standard Oil later established a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia called the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO), now fully owned by the Saudi government as Saudi Aramco
.
. It is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Dammam
. Both are older Saudi port cities on coast of the Persian Gulf
. Looking farther afield, Dhahran is northeast of Abqaiq
, and southeast of Qatif
and, further north, Ras Tanura
, a major oil port. The island of Kingdom of Bahrain is also within easy driving distance to the east (about 20 miles (32.2 km)), across the King Fahd Causeway
, from Khobar.
to construct its headquarters.http://www.aramco-brats.com/museum/DHmap1972.htm
The Dhahran-Dammam area is one of two regions, the other being Jeddah
, that were selected as potential sites to build the first Saudi nuclear reactor
.http://www.sipri.org/contents/expcon/cnsc3sau.html#Power_Reactors
On July 8, 2003, the dewpoint was 35 °C (95 °F) while the temperature was 42 °C (108 °F), resulting in a heat index of 78 °C (172 °F).
During WW II on 19 October 1940 Dhahran was struck by Italian Royal Air Force
(Regia Aeronautica
) as a part of Bombing of Bahrain
, causing little damage. In 1950 Dhahran had a population of about 7,000 people. During the Gulf War
, the city was the scene of the largest loss of life among coalition forces. On February 25, 1991, an Iraqi missile hit a U.S. Army barracks in the city, killing 28 American reservists from Pennsylvania.
Dhahran has the headquarters of Saudi Aramco
. The company is the largest oil company in the world with the largest oil reserves in the world http://www.gravmag.com/oil.html, and it produces about 10 million barrels of oil per day. Most of the oil is exported, since local Saudi needs require about 12 percent of the total production. (See: Saudi Aramco
)
Seventy-seven years on, Dhahran is still Saudi Aramco's worldwide headquarters and the center of the company's finance, exploration, engineering, drilling services, medical services, materials supply and other company organisations.
s from Asian countries, such as Bangladesh
, India
, Indonesia
, Nepal
, Pakistan
and the Philippines, as well as countries such as the United States
, Canada
, European countries, South Africa
, Australia
and New Zealand
. There are also many non-Saudi Arab nationals living in Dhahran, such as Egyptians
, Jordanians, Lebanese
, Palestinians, Sudanese, and Syrians. According to a 2004 census the total population of the Dhahran municipality is 97,446.
Many companies that employ relatively large numbers of expatriates have built fenced-in compounds where only expatriates live, however the Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran
is not one of these. While only employees of Saudi Aramco live on the camp, their nationalities reflect those of the company as a whole. As of 2008, the Saudi Aramco workforce is 85% Saudi, with only 15% expatriates. There are also several neighborhoods, or suburbs just outside the main Saudi Aramco Camp, such as Doha Camp (حي الدوحه) and Dana Camp (حي الدانة), where Saudi Aramco gives home loans to Saudi employees to build their own homes.
(Ash-Sharqīyah Province), the largest province in Saudi Arabia. The province is governed by Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud. Just like the rest of the country, the law of Shari’a, or Islamic law is adhered to. Following the Saudi Arabian municipal elections in 2005, members of the municipal councils were elected.
Dhahran is guarded as it is a high visibility city. The Saudi Special Emergency Forces' Eastern Province headquarters are located in Dhahran near the Saudi Aramco residential camp. There are many security checkpoints throughout the city that have been almost permanently in place since the Riyadh Compound Bombings
.
As the centre of the nation's oil industry, Dhahran enjoys good transport resources both nationally and internationally, especially after the extensive modernisation of the nations highway infrastructure in the 70's and 80's.
(DHA), which opened in 1946 as Dhahran Airfield
, is now a Royal Saudi Air Force
air-base. Today, King Fahad International Airport (DMM), which replaced Dhahran International for commercial and cargo, serves the entire metropolitan area of Dhahran, Dammam
, and Khobar
, the distance to the airport terminal is about 40 km (25 Miles) from Dhahran. Saudi Aramco Aviation has its own buildings and terminal where all Saudi Aramco flights originate.
.
, Mobily
and Zain
, which have launched 3G services to their customers.
STC also provides landlines through its Al-Hatif services, as well as providing internet services through Saudi Data.
There are several Internet Service Provider
s such as Al-Alamiah, ArabNet, Nesma and others. Both dial-up and DSL services are available.
There are several popular radio stations, such as Radio Sawa
, Studio One 91.4 FM, broadcast from Aramcoblalalalalalalla, Bahrain Radio 96.5 FM, and AFRTS.
Satellite television is predominant in the market, with Orbit Showtime
being the most popular, as well as the widespread Arabsat and Nilesat
satellite channel operators.
and the Dhahran Hills School are the two main schools that are only for the children of employees.They are international schools and are fully accredited. Private schools also teach the ministry’s curriculum, but they have more flexibility often enhancing certain aspects, such as exceeding the ministry’s curriculum when teaching the English language and computer applications. King Fahad University Schools, Dhahran Ahliyyah Schools and Saad National Schools are examples of top private schools in Dhahran.
There are several schools that teach the curriculum of their native countries, such as the International Indian School, Dhahran British Grammar School, Dhahran Elementary Middle School, Dhahran High School, and Khobar French School.
Dhahran is also home to the world renowned King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), and the Aramco Training Center (ATC), where many new employees of Saudi Aramco learn useful skills, such as English, Business Mathematics, Physics, and computer skills. University of Dammam
and Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University
are also located near the city.
, represented the Middle East-Africa, or "MEA" region (formerly the Trans-Atlantic region), 12 years straight in the running, as of 2011. The city also had 11 teams before that represent them from the first being in 1983 through 1998. Though Dhahran has produced many teams to the Little League World Series
, no team has ever won the World Series championship game, nor the international championship game. Aaron Durley
is a former Little League baseball player for the team.
There are 5 pools and more than 15 soccer fields, there are 2 huge super markets and one mini mart, this is only in aramco there a whole lot more in dahran area
Saudi Arabia
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia , commonly known in British English as Saudi Arabia and in Arabic as as-Sa‘ūdiyyah , is the largest state in Western Asia by land area, constituting the bulk of the Arabian Peninsula, and the second-largest in the Arab World...
's Eastern Province, and is a major administrative center for the Saudi oil
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
industry. Large oil reserves
Oil reserves
The total estimated amount of oil in an oil reservoir, including both producible and non-producible oil, is called oil in place. However, because of reservoir characteristics and limitations in petroleum extraction technologies, only a fraction of this oil can be brought to the surface, and it is...
were first identified in the Dhahran area in 1931, and in 1935 Standard Oil
Standard Oil
Standard Oil was a predominant American integrated oil producing, transporting, refining, and marketing company. Established in 1870 as a corporation in Ohio, it was the largest oil refiner in the world and operated as a major company trust and was one of the world's first and largest multinational...
of California (now Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation
Chevron Corporation is an American multinational energy corporation headquartered in San Ramon, California, United States and active in more than 180 countries. It is engaged in every aspect of the oil, gas, and geothermal energy industries, including exploration and production; refining,...
) drilled the first commercially viable oil well
Oil well
An oil well is a general term for any boring through the earth's surface that is designed to find and acquire petroleum oil hydrocarbons. Usually some natural gas is produced along with the oil. A well that is designed to produce mainly or only gas may be termed a gas well.-History:The earliest...
. Standard Oil later established a subsidiary in Saudi Arabia called the Arabian American Oil Company (ARAMCO), now fully owned by the Saudi government as Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
.
Geography
Dhahran is a short distance west of downtown KhobarKhobar
Khobar is a large city located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf. It has a population of 360,000 and forms part of the greater Dammam metropolitan area along with Dhahran, which together have a combined population of over two million...
. It is about 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) south of Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
. Both are older Saudi port cities on coast of the Persian Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
. Looking farther afield, Dhahran is northeast of Abqaiq
Abqaiq
Abqaiq, or in Arabic Bqaiq , is a Saudi Aramco camp in the interior of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, located in the desert 60 km southwest of the Dhahran-Dammam-Khobar metropolitan area. The camp was built in the 1940s by ARAMCO...
, and southeast of Qatif
Qatif
Qatif or Al-Qatif is a governorate and urban area located in Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia. It extends from Ras Tanura and Jubail in the north to Dammam in the south, and from the Persian Gulf in the east to King Fahd International Airport in the west...
and, further north, Ras Tanura
Ras Tanura
Ras Tanura is a city in the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia located on a peninsula extending into the Persian Gulf...
, a major oil port. The island of Kingdom of Bahrain is also within easy driving distance to the east (about 20 miles (32.2 km)), across the King Fahd Causeway
King Fahd Causeway
The King Fahd Causeway is a causeway connecting Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. The idea of constructing the causeway was based on improving the links and bonds between Saudi Arabia and Bahrain...
, from Khobar.
Geology
The patch of desert on which the city is built is hilly and rocky, and most of the earliest productive oil wells in Saudi Arabia were drilled in the area, such as Dammam Well #7: "Prosperity Well," the first commercially viable oil well in Saudi Arabia in the 1930s. This well is still in production 70 years later. This later led to the selection of two barren nearby hills as the place for AramcoSaudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
to construct its headquarters.http://www.aramco-brats.com/museum/DHmap1972.htm
The Dhahran-Dammam area is one of two regions, the other being Jeddah
Jeddah
Jeddah, Jiddah, Jidda, or Jedda is a city located on the coast of the Red Sea and is the major urban center of western Saudi Arabia. It is the largest city in Makkah Province, the largest sea port on the Red Sea, and the second largest city in Saudi Arabia after the capital city, Riyadh. The...
, that were selected as potential sites to build the first Saudi nuclear reactor
Nuclear reactor
A nuclear reactor is a device to initiate and control a sustained nuclear chain reaction. Most commonly they are used for generating electricity and for the propulsion of ships. Usually heat from nuclear fission is passed to a working fluid , which runs through turbines that power either ship's...
.http://www.sipri.org/contents/expcon/cnsc3sau.html#Power_Reactors
Climate
Dhahran’s climate is characterized by extremely hot, humid summers, and cool winters. Temperatures can rise to more than 50 °C (122 °F) in the summer, coupled with extreme humidity (85-100 per cent), given the city’s proximity to the Persian Gulf. In winter, the temperature rarely falls below 2 °C (35.6 °F) or 3 °C (37.4 °F), being the lowest ever recorded -0.5 °C in January 1964, with rain falling mostly between the months of November and May. The Shamal winds usually blow across the city in the early months of the summer, bringing dust storms that can reduce visibility to a few metres. These winds can last for up to six months.On July 8, 2003, the dewpoint was 35 °C (95 °F) while the temperature was 42 °C (108 °F), resulting in a heat index of 78 °C (172 °F).
History
Dhahran was settled after 1938, the year oil was discovered in the vicinity.During WW II on 19 October 1940 Dhahran was struck by Italian Royal Air Force
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
(Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
) as a part of Bombing of Bahrain
Bombing of Bahrain in World War II
The bombing of Bahrain in World War II was part of an effort by the Italian Royal Air Force to strike at the British interests wherever possible in the Middle East.-Background:...
, causing little damage. In 1950 Dhahran had a population of about 7,000 people. During the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
, the city was the scene of the largest loss of life among coalition forces. On February 25, 1991, an Iraqi missile hit a U.S. Army barracks in the city, killing 28 American reservists from Pennsylvania.
Economy
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
. The company is the largest oil company in the world with the largest oil reserves in the world http://www.gravmag.com/oil.html, and it produces about 10 million barrels of oil per day. Most of the oil is exported, since local Saudi needs require about 12 percent of the total production. (See: Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco
Saudi Aramco , officially the Saudi Arabian Oil Company, is the national oil company of Saudi Arabia.Saudi Aramco is the world's largest and most valuable privately-held company, with estimates of its value in 2011 to be $7 trillion USD.Saudi Aramco has both the largest proven crude oil reserves,...
)
Seventy-seven years on, Dhahran is still Saudi Aramco's worldwide headquarters and the center of the company's finance, exploration, engineering, drilling services, medical services, materials supply and other company organisations.
Demographics
The population of Dhahran is mainly Saudi, but also includes many expatriateExpatriate
An expatriate is a person temporarily or permanently residing in a country and culture other than that of the person's upbringing...
s from Asian countries, such as Bangladesh
Bangladesh
Bangladesh , officially the People's Republic of Bangladesh is a sovereign state located in South Asia. It is bordered by India on all sides except for a small border with Burma to the far southeast and by the Bay of Bengal to the south...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, Nepal
Nepal
Nepal , officially the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, is a landlocked sovereign state located in South Asia. It is located in the Himalayas and bordered to the north by the People's Republic of China, and to the south, east, and west by the Republic of India...
, Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
and the Philippines, as well as countries such as the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, European countries, South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. There are also many non-Saudi Arab nationals living in Dhahran, such as Egyptians
Egyptians
Egyptians are nation an ethnic group made up of Mediterranean North Africans, the indigenous people of Egypt.Egyptian identity is closely tied to geography. The population of Egypt is concentrated in the lower Nile Valley, the small strip of cultivable land stretching from the First Cataract to...
, Jordanians, Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
, Palestinians, Sudanese, and Syrians. According to a 2004 census the total population of the Dhahran municipality is 97,446.
Many companies that employ relatively large numbers of expatriates have built fenced-in compounds where only expatriates live, however the Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran
Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran
Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran, casually known by its inhabitants as the Dhahran Camp, is the residential community built by Saudi Aramco for its employees...
is not one of these. While only employees of Saudi Aramco live on the camp, their nationalities reflect those of the company as a whole. As of 2008, the Saudi Aramco workforce is 85% Saudi, with only 15% expatriates. There are also several neighborhoods, or suburbs just outside the main Saudi Aramco Camp, such as Doha Camp (حي الدوحه) and Dana Camp (حي الدانة), where Saudi Aramco gives home loans to Saudi employees to build their own homes.
Government, law, and security
Dhahran is part of the Eastern ProvinceEastern Province
Eastern Province and East Province may refer to the following places:*Eastern Province, Cameroon*Eastern Province, Cundinamarca, Venezuela*Eastern Province, Rwanda*Eastern Province *Eastern Province, Saudi Arabia...
(Ash-Sharqīyah Province), the largest province in Saudi Arabia. The province is governed by Prince Mohammed bin Fahad bin Abdul Aziz al-Saud. Just like the rest of the country, the law of Shari’a, or Islamic law is adhered to. Following the Saudi Arabian municipal elections in 2005, members of the municipal councils were elected.
Dhahran is guarded as it is a high visibility city. The Saudi Special Emergency Forces' Eastern Province headquarters are located in Dhahran near the Saudi Aramco residential camp. There are many security checkpoints throughout the city that have been almost permanently in place since the Riyadh Compound Bombings
Riyadh compound bombings
The Riyadh compound bombings took place on May 12, 2003, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Altogether, 35 people were killed, and over 160 wounded. A smaller campaign of insurgency in Saudi Arabia had started in November 2000 when car bombings were carried out targeting and killing individual expatriates in...
.
Transport
Road
The extensive highway network in the Dhahran, Khobar, Dammam area serves the strategically important national oil industry, led by 'Saudi Aramco', as well as the local population. However, car ownership in the Kingdom has soared which often leaves non-highway roads congested at peak times. An ongoing traffic smoothing project is underway, installing underpasses at major intersections which will help alleviate the congestion.Airport
Formerly one of Saudi Arabia's three major international airports, Dhahran AirportDhahran International Airport
Dhahran International Airport in Dhahran formerly served the Ash Sharqiyah Province in Saudi Arabia. In 1999, after the opening of King Fahd International Airport, all scheduled flights were shifted out of Dhahran and the airport now serves as the King Abdulaziz Air Base of the Royal Saudi Air...
(DHA), which opened in 1946 as Dhahran Airfield
Dhahran Airfield
The Dhahran Airfield was an airfield operated by the United States from 1945 until 1962. The military relationship that exists today between the United States and Saudi Arabia was highly influenced by the origin and development of this airfield.-Background:...
, is now a Royal Saudi Air Force
Royal Saudi Air Force
The Royal Saudi Air Force , is the aviation branch of the Saudi Arabian armed forces. The RSAF has developed from a largely defensive military force into one with an advanced offensive capability...
air-base. Today, King Fahad International Airport (DMM), which replaced Dhahran International for commercial and cargo, serves the entire metropolitan area of Dhahran, Dammam
Dammam
Dammam is the capital of the Eastern Province of Saudi Arabia, the most oil-rich region in the world. The judicial and administrative bodies of the province and several government departments are located in the city. Dammam is the largest city in the Eastern Province and third largest in Saudi...
, and Khobar
Khobar
Khobar is a large city located in the Eastern Province of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the Persian Gulf. It has a population of 360,000 and forms part of the greater Dammam metropolitan area along with Dhahran, which together have a combined population of over two million...
, the distance to the airport terminal is about 40 km (25 Miles) from Dhahran. Saudi Aramco Aviation has its own buildings and terminal where all Saudi Aramco flights originate.
Railway
Although rail service in Saudi Arabia plays a much more minor role today than 50 years ago, an industrial railroad with a station adjacent to Dhahran still exists, linking it to the capital RiyadhRiyadh
Riyadh is the capital and largest city of Saudi Arabia. It is also the capital of Riyadh Province, and belongs to the historical regions of Najd and Al-Yamama. It is situated in the center of the Arabian Peninsula on a large plateau, and is home to 5,254,560 people, and the urban center of a...
.
Public Transport
Public transport buses are only available in a very limited manner (when off of a Saudi Aramco residential camp), with Taxi services, at reasonable prices and widely available, proving more popular. Large companies such as Saudi Aramco run their own bus transport operations, connecting residential and industrial camps of the company with Dhahran, Dammam and Khobar. Many residential compounds also operate their own bus services which are typically used for transport to places of work or shopping trips by residents.Communications and Media
Mobile telephone communications are provided mainly by STCSaudi Telecom Company
Saudi Telecom Group, STC is a Saudi Arabia-based telecommunications company that offers landline, mobile and Internet services.-Background:...
, Mobily
Mobily
Mobily is the trade name of Saudi Arabia's second Telecommunications company, Etihad-Etisalat consortium . The company, as the winning bidder for Saudi Arabia's second GSM licence, provides mobile telecom services nationwide, breaking Saudi Telecom's monopoly in the wireless business...
and Zain
Zain
-People:*as a given name in general , orwith a first name of Zain*Zain Abbas , a Pakistan-born cricketer*Zain Amat , a Singaporean trapshooter*Zain Awan , an India-born Arab TV journalist...
, which have launched 3G services to their customers.
STC also provides landlines through its Al-Hatif services, as well as providing internet services through Saudi Data.
There are several Internet Service Provider
Internet service provider
An Internet service provider is a company that provides access to the Internet. Access ISPs directly connect customers to the Internet using copper wires, wireless or fiber-optic connections. Hosting ISPs lease server space for smaller businesses and host other people servers...
s such as Al-Alamiah, ArabNet, Nesma and others. Both dial-up and DSL services are available.
There are several popular radio stations, such as Radio Sawa
Radio Sawa
Radio Sawa is a 24-hour 7-day-a-week Arabic language radio station broadcasting in the Arab world. The station is a service of theMiddle East Broadcasting Networks, Inc. and is publicly funded by the Broadcasting Board of Governors and the U.S. Congress...
, Studio One 91.4 FM, broadcast from Aramcoblalalalalalalla, Bahrain Radio 96.5 FM, and AFRTS.
Satellite television is predominant in the market, with Orbit Showtime
Orbit Showtime
Orbit Showtime Network, now officially branded as OSN, is a subscription television service in the Middle East and North Africa. The platform is owned by Panther Media Group, and the company is registered in DIFC. OSN is a joint venture between the Kuwait-based KIPCO and Saudi Arabia-based Mawarid...
being the most popular, as well as the widespread Arabsat and Nilesat
Nilesat
Nilesat is an Egyptian company, and the name of a series of Egyptian communications satellites. It was established in 1996 with the purpose of operating Egyptian satellites and their associated ground control station and uplinking facilities...
satellite channel operators.
Education
Schools in Dhahran come under two sections: public (government-run) and private. Public schools (K-12), open to almost everyone, strictly adhere to teaching the curriculum exactly as provided by the Ministry of Education. Public schools also come under two sections: Aramco Built and government built. The Aramco built schools are usually better in design and last longer due to them being built to higher standards. The Dhahran SchoolDhahran School
The Dhahran School is an international school owned and operated by the Saudi Aramco Schools district. It is privately used by children of Saudi Aramco employees. It is fully accredited and is a world-class school...
and the Dhahran Hills School are the two main schools that are only for the children of employees.They are international schools and are fully accredited. Private schools also teach the ministry’s curriculum, but they have more flexibility often enhancing certain aspects, such as exceeding the ministry’s curriculum when teaching the English language and computer applications. King Fahad University Schools, Dhahran Ahliyyah Schools and Saad National Schools are examples of top private schools in Dhahran.
There are several schools that teach the curriculum of their native countries, such as the International Indian School, Dhahran British Grammar School, Dhahran Elementary Middle School, Dhahran High School, and Khobar French School.
Dhahran is also home to the world renowned King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals (KFUPM), and the Aramco Training Center (ATC), where many new employees of Saudi Aramco learn useful skills, such as English, Business Mathematics, Physics, and computer skills. University of Dammam
University of Dammam
University of Dammam is a university in Dammam, Saudi Arabia.Dr. Abdullah Al-Rubaish is its President. It was a previously a part of King Faisal University ....
and Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University
Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University
Prince Mohammad bin Fahd University is abbreviated by PMU is a new private university in Al Khobar, Saudi Arabia. The school is named after Prince Muhammad bin Fahd, governor of the Eastern Province. The University is accredited by ABET and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. It is...
are also located near the city.
Little League World Series
Dhahran, specifically a team drawn from the Saudi Aramco Residential CampSaudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran
Saudi Aramco Residential Camp in Dhahran, casually known by its inhabitants as the Dhahran Camp, is the residential community built by Saudi Aramco for its employees...
, represented the Middle East-Africa, or "MEA" region (formerly the Trans-Atlantic region), 12 years straight in the running, as of 2011. The city also had 11 teams before that represent them from the first being in 1983 through 1998. Though Dhahran has produced many teams to the Little League World Series
Little League World Series
The Little League Baseball World Series is a baseball tournament for children aged 11 to 13 years old. It was originally called the National Little League Tournament and was later renamed for the World Series in Major League Baseball. It was first held in 1947 and is held every August in South...
, no team has ever won the World Series championship game, nor the international championship game. Aaron Durley
Aaron Durley
Aaron Durley is a former Little League World Series baseball player known for his exceptional size, and current all-state high school basketball player....
is a former Little League baseball player for the team.
Dhahran in popular culture
- In 1998, after the kidnapping and murder of Matthew ShepardMatthew ShepardMatthew Wayne Shepard was a student at the University of Wyoming who was tortured and murdered near Laramie, Wyoming, in October 1998...
, a WyomingWyomingWyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
college student, the major American news networks would occasionally mention that the student's parents lived in Dhahran and worked for Aramco. - In Abdelrahman Munif's Cities of Salt novels, the oil-company outpost of Harran is widely believed to be Dhahran's fictional analogue.
Facilities
Dhahran's facilities consist of two pools, two tennis courts, four soccer fields, two tracks, a gym, a hairdresser and barber shop, and one flower shop. Instead of using the term "Grocery Store" or "Supermarket", in Dhahran everyone uses the military term "Commissary" which is open 24/7. Dhahran has one commissary and one mini mart. Dhahran's restaurants are very varied, there is the Chuckwagon (or Hobby Farm) which serves mainly barbecue. The Tandoori serves Pakistani and Italian cuisine, it is only a one minute walk from the Cafe Najar which serves Mediterranean and Middle Eastern food (it is also a very nice place to stop for dessert after eating at Tandoori). There is a Snackbar by each pool. The Golf Course serves basically everything and they have a very nice bakery if you're just looking for a snack. Then there is the Dining Hall, it is open almost 24/7 and has every cuisine.There are 5 pools and more than 15 soccer fields, there are 2 huge super markets and one mini mart, this is only in aramco there a whole lot more in dahran area
External links
- Dhahran City
- Aramco expats Official website of Saudi Aramco expatriate life inside and outside the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
- Consulate General of the U.S. in Dhahran
- History of Dhahran (1950-51) by Ted A. Morris, Lt. Col., USAF, Retired.
- King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals