Mecca

Mecca (also Makkah) is a city in western Saudi Arabia, the capital of Makkah Province, located in the Hejaz region near the Red Sea and about 65 kilometers inland from Jeddah. It is the holiest city in Islam and a major pilgrimage site.

Mecca is the birthplace of the Prophet Muhammad and the site of the Masjid al-Haram, which houses the Kaaba, the cube-shaped sanctum toward which Muslims face in prayer. The city accommodates the annual Hajj pilgrimage, one of the Five Pillars of Islam, as well as year-round Umrah pilgrimages. During Hajj, millions of Muslims travel to Mecca to perform rites in and around the Grand Mosque, Mina, Arafat, and Muzdalifah.

Non-Muslims are not permitted to enter Mecca, a restriction enforced by Saudi authorities.

Historically, Mecca was a center of trade and religious activity in the pre-Islamic era. It became the cradle of Islam with the birth of Muhammad in Makkah in the 6th century and the Prophet's return and conquest in 630 CE. In the modern era, the city has undergone extensive expansion of the Grand Mosque and related facilities to accommodate pilgrims.

The city has a resident population of about two million people and relies heavily on religious tourism. Its climate is hot desert, with extreme summer temperatures and limited annual rainfall.