Neom

Saudi Arabia is overwhelmingly developing in terms of technology and infrastructure offering the best platform for companies and brands to operate. Over the years, it has overcome the diversity in topography and established business cities and residential areas amidst the desert for its people. This time, it has decided to create a city that is at least 33 times the size of New York amidst the desert in the northwestern part of the country with the name Neom.

Neom Saudi Arabia is going to be the world’s biggest trade centre right in the middle of the world where businesses from top countries can meet and operate. This city is going to be the future of all cities as it will create an epitome to follow by the rest. In this article, we will discuss what Neom is, its facts, significance, and how it is being constructed by the government.

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What is Neom?

This plan of creating a megacity for the entrepreneurs, businesses, investments, and companies across the world came into the news in November 2020 when Benjamin Netanyahu, the contemporary Israeli Prime Minister visited Tabuk to meet Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia. This was a secret meeting regarding discussing the facts and matters of a mega construction going on in the northwestern part of the country.

As per the sources, the venue of this meeting focuses on the development of a megacity named Neom right on the coast of the Red Sea. The rendezvous point is the location in Tabuk Province right at the coast of the sea where the international city will be developed containing the highest-level technology. The prime aim of the country is to create a city with immense potential offering the ideal resources to churn new ideas, develop new businesses, and connect all the sharp minds of the world on a platform.

This is going to be a smart city of the future defining the progress of human civilization. The total area of this city is going to be 26,500 sq. km. In fact, it will extend along the coast of the Red Sea for at least 460 km. According to the plan, this city is strategically located right at the eastern side of Egypt and to the south of Jordan and Israel. The construction of Neom Megacity is going full-fledged and the government is planning to complete its first part by 2025. The entire project is being developed under the supervision of the Crown Prince himself.

What Do You Mean by ‘Neom’?

According to the description of the word ‘Neom’. It is derived from the Greek word ‘Neos’ which means ‘new’, and from the Arabic word ‘Mustaqbal’ which means ‘future’. By merging both these words, ‘Neom’ is derived with the meaning of something new and futuristic. According to the plans and description received by the media sources. Neom is going to be the smartest city in the world in terms of communication, conveyance, transport, infrastructure, entrepreneurship, business, location, trade, etc.

This megacity will be the first example of a futuristic establishment specifically designed and developed for supporting worldwide industries, business, and communication. Its strategic location defines that Neom is the ideal place to come down from any corner of the world. Even though the landform and topographical features of this location are hostile, the Government of Saudi Arabia is determined to convert it into an example that the world will follow. It wants to show the world how the future will look in the present.

The development of Neom Megacity will define how the future cities of the world will be developed. You can call it a reference frame of development that will pave the way to the construction of better sustainable cities. In fact, it is also coined as the most auspicious and ambitious project of all times and a total of US$ 500 Billion will be spent in aggregate. The construction started on 24th October 2017 and the founder is Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman.

Facts About Neom

As per the plan, this megacity is being planned to define what the futuristic settlements and commercial districts will look like. This location in Tabuk Province is being transformed into something that the entire world will admire. Let us check the facts and significance of Neom based on the information released by the present Government of Saudi Arabia.

• Neom is a futuristic city planned as a 16-borough settlement right on the coast of the Red Sea. This location is in the Tabuk Province in the northwestern part of Saudi Arabia.

• As mentioned earlier, the name of the city has been derived from Greek ‘neos’ meaning new and Arabic ‘mustaqbal’ meaning future. The name fits perfectly for the city as it means something new and futuristic.

• More than US\[$\] 500 Billion will be spent as per the estimation of the project. This is an ambitious construction project undertaken by the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia and the expenses are borne by the government alone. The investment is being done to create a business capital of the world with the entire latest infrastructure available under a single roof.

• The strategic location tells us about the significance of Neom of how it can be connected from the major cities of the world within 8 hours of flight services.

• The entire city will be built on renewable sources of energy for sustainability and to create an example for the world to follow. This is done to reduce the carbon footprint of this mega business district to the lowest.

• The internal platforms will be built on artificial intelligence frameworks for better and smarter outcomes.

• The prime source of communication in Neom Megacity will be bullet trains, hyperloop transport, and other vehicles running on clean fuels. This city will also encourage residents and employees to use bicycles on the roads for an eco-friendlier environment.

• The climatic condition of this location in Tabuk is unrivalled in terms of solar and wind energy harnessing. It means that the city will not have to depend on depleting fossil fuels.

• The government has also included plans to create green hydrogen for creating clean energy and to reduce carbon emission to the highest extent.

• The industries in this location will deliver an example of how low cost and clean energy can be produced to use by implementing new technology in the whole world.

• The government has set up a new company named ‘Neom’ to look after the construction and development of this project and to meet the deadlines.

Significance of Neom

Mohammed Bin Salman, the Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia, has launched Vision 2030 where he committed to create an example of a megacity running on clean energy for the rest of the world to follow. Neom Saudi Arabia is a part of that dream and it will surely become the epitome of the industrial district, entrepreneurial hub, futuristic establishments, top-notch residential areas, etc. the country also wants to show how to reduce dependency on fossil fuels and to proceed to harness clean renewable solar and wind energy from nature.

This megacity will become home to more than 1 million people showing the world how a sustainable city 33 times the size of New York can run on green energy and eco-friendlier methods.

What are the Futuristic Expectations of Neom?

The Neom futuristic expectations are:

• It will become one of the major economic engines of the world.

• Environmental conservation will become the prime focus of this megacity.

• Entrepreneurial ideas and business development will be churned here.

• The location is right in the middle of the landmass of the world. It can be accessed within 8 hours of flight services.

• The state will define its own tax and labour law system, independent from the Government of Saudi Arabia.  

• It will attract the best talents of the world to venture their ideas.

• The systems will be built on artificial intelligence where robots, holographic features, and artificial weather will be introduced.

As you can see, Neom Megacity will be the shape of the future we are waiting for.