In which country is the holy city of Mecca located?

Mecca is located in western Saudi Arabia, a country on the Arabian Peninsula. It is the holiest city in the religion of Islam. Mecca sits inland from the Red Sea coast, in a valley surrounded by hills, in a historic region of Saudi Arabia known as the Hejaz.

Every year, millions of Muslims from all over the world travel to Mecca to take part in the Hajj, a major pilgrimage. Taking part in the Hajj at least once is considered a duty for Muslims who are physically and financially able to make the journey. At the heart of the city stands the Great Mosque, which contains the Kaaba, the structure toward which Muslims around the world face when they pray.

Long before it became the spiritual center of Islam, Mecca was already an important place. It sat on ancient trade routes that linked different parts of the wider region, making it a busy meeting point for merchants and travellers. Today the city is closely managed to handle the enormous number of pilgrims it receives, and access to the city is reserved for Muslims.

This article was written using information from Wikipedia.