Mecca

Mecca (Arabic: Makka; pop. 550,000), is the chief city of the Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia. It is the birthplace of the prophet Muhammad, the founder of Islam, and the most holy city of Islam. Only Muslims may enter the city. The courtyard of the great Haram mosque encloses the sacred shrine, the Kaaba, which Muslims face when they pray; nearby is the holy Zem-Zem well. Pilgrimage to Mecca, “haji,” is a duty of all Muslims able to perform it; each year over a million pilgrims arrive. The economy of Mecca depends on the pilgrims.

See also: Islam; Saudi Arabia.