Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the Middle Eastern nation’s capital and largest city

iss074e0002650 (Dec. 21, 2025) --- Riyadh, Saudi Arabia—the Middle Eastern nation’s capital and largest city, with a population of nearly 8 million—lies in the Arabian Desert, where several wadis, or dry riverbeds that carry water during periods of heavy rain, run through or near the city. The International Space Station was orbiting 261 miles above the Arabian Peninsula at the time of this photograph.