|
|
Article: All routes lead to Hail: an ancient crossroads in the Arabian desert is set to be reborn as an integrated transport hub for the region.(HAIL)
- Article from:
- MEED Middle East Economic Digest
- Article date:
- June 23, 2006
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2006 MEED Middle East Economic Digest. All Rights Reserved. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
|
Surrounded by green fields and palm trees, the northern city of Hail is easily identifiable as an oasis town. For millions of years, the huge aquifers under the Hail valley have been collecting run-off water from the surrounding Jebel Shammar mountain range, providing the lifeline that has established the area as an important centre of agriculture. The availability of water also means that Hail has long been an important destination for desert travellers in the northern Arabian Peninsula, providing a stop for pilgrims and merchants alike.
Although the area remains an important agricultural centre for Saudi Arabia, the advent of air travel has seen the city's ...