Jubail Corniche

The Jubail Corniche is a waterfront running along the Arabian Gulf coast in the city of Jubail, in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province. It forms a strip of gardens, paths and plazas facing the sea.

Jubail was once a small coastal town whose people depended on fishing, pearl diving and maritime trade, and the old town and its fishing harbour still exist. The area changed profoundly from the 1970s, when Jubail Industrial City was established next to it and went on to become one of the largest petrochemical industrial complexes in the world. As the population grew, the authorities turned to preparing the shore for recreation, and the corniche was laid out and developed in stages.

The corniche has lawns, palm trees, footpaths, shaded shelters, seating areas and children's playgrounds, with restaurants and cafes nearby. Residents go there in the evenings and at weekends to walk and to sit by the sea. The place reflects the two sides that Jubail brings together, its old seafaring past and its present as a modern industrial city.