Mecca

Mecca (/ˈmɛkə/), forby spelt Makkah (occasionally Bakkah) (/ˈmakə/; Arabic:مكة Makkah an in fou: Arabic:مكّة المكرمة transliteratit Makkah Al Mukarramah [mækːæt ælmukarːamæ]) is a ceety in Saudi Arabie, an the haliest meetin site in Islam, closely follaed bi Medina.^[3][4][5]

Mecca مكة المكرمة Makkah al-Mukarramah Bakkah
Clockwise frae tap left: Minarets, the Kaaba, Mecca skyline, Abraj Al Bait, an Mina
Eik-name(s):  Umm al-Qurā (أم القرى, "Mother of All Settlements")
Mecca Location o Mecca
Coordinates: 21°25′N 39°49′E
Country	Saudi Arabie
Region	Makkah Region
Foondit bi	Prophet Ismā'īl, son o Abraham (Islamic tradeetion)
Govrenment
• Mayor	Osama al-Bar
• Provincial Govrenor	Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud
Area [1]
• City	760 km2 (290 sq mi)
• Urban	850 km2 (330 sq mi)
• Metro	1200 km2 (500 sq mi)
Elevation	277 m (909 ft)
Population  (2010)[2]
• City	1,675,368
• Density	2,200/km2 (5,700/sq mi)
Time zone	UTC+3 (AST)
• Summer (DST)	UTC+3 (AST)
Area code(s)	(+966) 12
Website	www.holymakkah.gov.sa

Islamic tradeetion attributes the beginnin o Mecca tae Ishmael's descendants. In the 7t century, the Islamic prophet Muhammad proclaimed Islam in the ceety whilk wis bi then an important tred center. Efter 966, Mecca wis led bi local sharifs. Whan the owerins o the Ottoman Empire in the aurie foondert in 1916, the local rulers establisht the Hashemite Kinrick o Hejaz.^[6] The Hejaz kinrick, includin Mecca, wis absorbit bi the Saudis in 1925. In its modren period, Mecca haes seen tremendous waxin in size an infrastructure.

The modren day ceety is the caipital o Saudi Arabie's Makkah Province, in the historic Hejaz region. Wi a population o 1.7 million (2008), the ceety is locatit 73 km (45 mi) inland frae Jeddah in a narra glen at a hicht o 277 m (909 ft) abuin sea level.

Ivery year, millions o Muslims perform the Hajj pilgrimage tae Mecca walkin seiven times aroond the Kaaba an mair nor 13 million fowk veisit Mecca annually.^[7]

Etymology an uisage

Mecca is the oreeginal Inglis transliteration o the Arabic an is still maist commonly uised in Inglish dictionaries,^[8] bi internaitional organisations in thair Inglis leid literature^[9] an in academic writin.^[10][11]